Been skiing in the past day or so? Leave us a comment about which route you used, what the trail was like, and anything that needs attention. You can also leave (or respond to) questions on the Kane Valley Trails or about local weather.
We’ll also use these posts to tell you what’s been groomed, what is scheduled to be groomed, and anything else club members and trail users should know about.
For instructions on how to leave a comment click here.
To read or add a comment click on the small grey Comment link below. Comments from past months are available in the menu to the right.
If you have any photos to post here please send them as attachments to nicolanordic@gmail.com
We often see tracks of Snowshoe Hares on the Kane Valley trails, but we seldom see the bunnies themselves. This cooperative Snowshoe Hare was on the Kane trail on Christmas Day. Photo: Alan Burger
A Christmas snowman appeared at the P3 shelter. Photo: Kate Anderson
Dec 31, 2013. I skied from P3 up homestead, down skyline and back on Kane. There are truck tracks on the first part of Kane. There are skidoo tracks up on homestead. The trail conditions are so icy even snowplowing was very difficult. Ice and hard packed snow. Be careful!
Update: There has been very little to report as we have had no snow and temps have been above average. Temps today up here were -5 and cooled down to -7 this afternoon. We skied from P5 along through Kane, it was manageable and better than expected but still some patches of ice and a few rocks poking through. We are hoping for snow!
Dec. 29
Any trail updates for today?
Curious as to how come there’s a llama in the area. Is it lost? Is Scott McLeod looking for it? Is it looking for the Andes? 😉
And what a beautiful bunny picture, Alan!
Weather (and Llama ) update;
+4 and melting with wind – so sad!
Llama is lost. Many have seen it and owner knows it is in the area.
Hoping for cooler temps and a good roper?
If you happen to see some strange tracks on the trail that seem to be a cross between a moose and a cow or a strange beast that may be more accustomed to the South American Andes than the BC Coast Mountains, it could be Scott McLeod’s Llama. Lynn Smith watched it for a few minutes at P4 on December 22. The report is that it is white with black rump. Keep us posted on it’s location.
Winter Wonderland on the trails today – with no wind, the trees are laden with new snow and it’s beautiful! Alan and I skied Hill’s Homestead from P5 – Darren did some super-smooth grooming yesterday – no track-setting yet, but nice going with green wax on cold, silky soft snow. It was -10 when we started and -5 in early afternoon. We enjoyed the new benches for lunch on HH – and we saw a bunny too! Santa says “hi”. Happy skiing.
Merry Christmas skiers. Temp tonight is -7 with 6″ of new snow and groomer (thanks Darren!) was out today. Not sure what he got done but should be many kms of freshly groomed trails. See you out there tomorrow!
Waxes, corks, scrapers and base cleaner now in stock at BreatheBikes.
Open Boxing Day from 9am-noon.
Regular winter hours are 4:30pm-6pm Mon-Fri and 9am-noon Sat & Sun.
Snow Update! 12 – 15 cms of NEW snow and -3 at Kane Valley this morning at Kane Valley!
Grooming to follow as soon as it’s possible.
Happy Trails! Hohoho
Trail update: All trails have been groomed and tracked. While snow conditions are below average, skiing has been good the past couple of days. Please use caution as there are some rocks poking out on some of the trails, and bound to be more today after this current melt.
Temps this morning at Kane Valley are +5 and Chinook winds have blown all night causing significant melting. It is supposed to cool down tomorrow (fingers crossed!)
Thank you to all volunteers past and present for the work that makes skiing possible in this beautiful valley. Peace and good will to all for this Christmas season.
Thank you, Murphy, for the cleaning of Lunchbox biffy!
Today, Chris, Sheila and I went up Hills Homestead. Beautiful ski day, snow just a little sticky, but not too bad. Everything was groomed, Kane nicely track set, Hills no tracks, but groomed and lovely.
Lunchbox Biffy cleaned Sunday noon. Mostly dust from wind and cattle.
Murphy & Katharine.
Did Ravens, Vale and Menzies this morning which had just been groomed and track set. Perfect skiing conditions. The snow was lovely – dense. Gerry removed some danger trees that were lying close to the trail or partially on the trail. He also picked up and placed well away from the trail the section of barbed wire fence someone had left beside the trail on Ravens. A note to all skiers. Please report to the Ski Club executive if you see trees that could pose a danger to skiers or the person who is doing the grooming.
Kane Valley is experiencing a major Chinook and the snow is disappearing fast! Unfortunately along with the mess caused by ATV activity up on Ravens, there has also been vehicle traffic off Kane Valley Road up on the Harmon trail.
Snow is needed before conditions are acceptable for skiing. We need snow, which is in the forecast for this coming week.
Thanks for the outhouse updates (good to know Anne!) & pencil request.
Our groomer Darren and volunteers (Mike & Jim) are ready to groom as soon as the snow flies again. Look for updates on this site and thanks to everyone for posting comments.
Make a wish for snow:) and wishing peace to all.
There is a pencil missing at the registration board on P2.
There is no toilet paper at the outhouse at Matthew’s Shelter.
The Matthew trail would benefit from some new snow and grooming. It has been well used by skiers, dogs and people walking. Otherwise we had a nice ski, the snow was only sticky in a few places.
Bob, Sheila and I skied Ravens, Tillicum, Neil’s Valley and Vale to Lunchbox and back on Ravens. Weather was great. Snow was good. Not groomed, but enjoyable all the same except … for a stretch on Ravens where the road from Iron Mt comes in — someone on a skidoo had driven along the trail. (The last time it was someone with a truck, and that was worse!)
Another note — the outhouse at Lunchbox has a “trapdoor”, that is, the door shuts, the wooden latch turns because it is loose, and then the door cannot be opened from the inside. Bob assures me that if I am desperate enough, I should be able to kick the door out! Thankfully, I did not have to use that method, but yelled for help instead, and Sheile let me out.
Hi Cheryl Martin
I found Spoke N Motion in Kamloops have a lot of good info and have package deals that are pretty reasonable. they are at 194 w Victoria 372 3001 there is a sports store in the upper mall of Aberdean
I’m just getting in to x-country and was wondering which skiis to buy, ones for groomed trails or free-skiing?
Most trails were groomed in the past two days. -27 this morning.
A skier who did Matthews Loop yesterday reports a few inches of snow on a hard, icy base, Very cold these days (high of -16 today), but also light flurries.
Its above freezing in the Kane Valley and with the recent rain and warm weather much of the snow seems to have disappeared. Most of the trails are probably not skiable, but leave a message here if you have tried skiing.
Alan
Rentals coming soon, too! 🙂
BreatheBikes extends its pre-paid discount offer to Nicola Nordic Ski Club Members.
Suggested retail prices on all Rossignol skis, boots, bindings, and poles are reduced 25% until Thursday, Dec. 5.
Check the Rossignol website for product specs and stop in at BreatheBikes to order.
http://www.rossignol.com/CG/CA/home-nordic.html
BreatheBikes winter hours are:
4:30pm-6pm Mon-Fr
9am-noon Sat & Sun
Waxing services, waxes and accessories arriving soon.