We have snow in the Kane Valley! It might not be good for skiing yet – but winter is here and we should have groomed trails sometime in the coming weeks. Keep checking this website.
The Nicola Nordic Ski Club AGM was on Tuesday November 21st 2017. Some important announcements and decisions:
- We have a brand-new snowmobile and will soon have a new smaller (4ft) groomer/tenderizer. This was funded by the Thompson Nicola Regional District courtesy of local directors Herb Graham and Randy Murray. Thank you Randy, Herb and the TNRD!
TNRD area “N” director Herb Graham, Nicola Motorsports owner Grant Klassen, Nicola Nordic Ski Club member Shelley Cressy-Hassel and area “M” director Randy Murray celebrated the purchase of a new snowmobile and groomer at Nicola Motorsports on Nov. 21. While the club will be receiving a new snowmobile, it won’t be the one pictured here, which belongs to Klassen. (Cole Wagner/Merritt Herald).
- To read the full Merritt Herald article click here: Herald Ski Article
- We have two new grooming contractors who will be trained and working this winter.
- With two grooming machines and two contractors we should be able to groom the trails more efficiently and the new machine will handle some of the steeper and narrower trails much better.
- Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resources Operations (FLNRO) Recreation Sites and Trails have given us new signage to mark our ski trails and also identify the unofficial snowshoe trails in Kane Valley. Thank you Tim Bennett and FLNRO!
- We have a second dog trail now available – skiers with dogs are now allowed on the Aspen trail between P6 and P5. This is a trial arrangement for the coming season. If you ski here with a dog please do not go on to any of the adjacent trails (Kane and Sundown). Matthews Loop remains open to skiers with dogs.
- Membership fees have gone up for the first time in many years – now $50 Single, $90 Family and $10 for day-use. Go to our membership page for a membership form.
- Directors elected for 2017-2018: John Anderson, Kate Anderson, David Brown, Linda Brown, Alan Burger, Shelley Cressy-Hassel, Travis Fehr, Dorothy Molnar and Mischelle Pierce.
- We have a new membership drop-off location: Breathe Bikes at 1960 Quilchena Avenue. Owner Travis Fehr is our new membership coordinator. Merritt and area residents can now drop off membership forms with payments and pick up membership tags. Tags will still be mailed to out-of-town members.
Travis Fehr, owner of Breathe Bikes (1960 Quilchena Ave.) holds NNSC membership tags. You can drop off your membership here and pick up your tags. Travis also sells and rents skis and snowshoes – check it out. Photo: Shelley Cressy-Hassel
Our ski club is in great shape and we are looking forward to a great season of skiing in the Kane Valley so join the club and get out on the trails.
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. Our trails are not suitable for skate-skiing.
To join the club or renew your membership – click here
For photos from previous seasons go to our Photo Gallery
For instructions on how to leave a comment click here. Note that most comments will be held for moderation as an anti-spam measure. Please don’t re-post your comment multiple times, it may take a few hours before your comment is approved and appears. Thanks!
January 1,2018
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL 🙂
It is the biggest moon of 2018 tonight ( the Wolf Moon) for all those headlamp night skiers to enjoy. Be warm, be safe. -15 and crystal blue skies and sunny in the magnificent Kane Valley.
Mike and Hubby groomed the following trails December 31st: Ravine’s Ridge, Menizie’s Gulch, Over Easy, Tillicum, ASP, Aspen, Ravine, Sun down, Vale, Kane and Matthew’s Loop.
Ten trees were removed due to heavy snowfall. Please report fallen trees to this site, so we can get to them asap and others know they are down for safe skiing.
Grooming will commence as groomers are available. I will keep you posted.
All the best in 2018
Shelley CH
NNSC Director
December 30,2017
Mike and Hubby are grooming this morning, as it snowed 9 inches overnight. So riding and grooming will start all over again. This is a huge job so please be patient with the guys as they work hard to complete the trails. There is no track setting at this point. The sun is out and it is -14. Happy skiing everyone.
Shelley CH
NNSC Director 🙂
Hi Shelley – have tracks been set on any of the trails yet?
December 28, 2017
Grooming commenced again today. Thanks to Hubby Mann one of our new groomers and Mike Hassel ( for volunteering his time to make this all happen).
Trails groomed (meaning rode with the snowmobiles first and then groomed with the little or big groomer) today were: Gulch, Cross-Over, ASP. Over-Easy, Aspen, SunDown, Ravine.
*** P2 has been plowed out now and P3 parking enlarged now. Thank-you very much to VSA.
Hills Homestead and Harmon are not rode or groomed at this point.
Grooming is in-progress as groomers are available. I will update as grooming happens. Happy skiing everyone. It is -12 up here tonight, warmer and beautiful. Oh we are so fortunate to live and play in such a splendid valley.
Shelley CH 🙂
NNSC Director
Hello Skiers 🙂
Grooming commenced again today (27th) as promised. Thank-you to Mike Hassel and Derek Mobbs for volunteering their time today to groom more trails for all of us. Grooming will continue tomorrow as well. P2 is not plowed ( this is not a gazette road and when it is plowed it is a bonus to us. So you may have to ski across the road from P3 over to P2, as we have done in the past or some people have driven in with 4-wheel drives).
The trails groomed today were : Gulch, Over Easy, Aspen, Sun Down, Ravine, Cross Over, ASP, Porter By-Pass.
Happy Skiing 🙂
Shelley CH
NNSC Director
Dec 27, -28 at 10 am this morning, sun is still hiding. I hope this post goes through, as I have posted 5 of them and only one little test one did. Sincere apologies not sure whats going on there. So here I go again, trails groomed are : Menzies, Tillicum, ASP, Ravens Ridge, Vale, Matthew’s Loop and Kane. Grooming will commence again on December 27th, weather permitting. Thanks to Mike and Hubby for grooming in this cold weather and to Kate and her family for digging out access to shelters and road crossings. This club is 100% run by volunteers, so thank-you. Thanks to Janet for her updates, much appreciated 🙂
Shelley CH
NNSC Director
December 22 rode the ski trials with snowmobile. Grooming halted as a result of the -24 weather. December 24th 2 groomers, groomed Matthew’s loop, Kane, Chute, Raven’s Ridge, Menzie’s, Vale, Tillicum, ASP. Grooming will commence December 27th on all other trails. Down trees were removed from Menzie and Matthew Loops. Happy skiing in the beautiful Kane Valley Nicola Nordic Ski trails.
dec 25 skied p1 ravens ridge, down vale to p3. trail has now had grooming only. Perfect day of good snow and sunshine. Menzies was also groomed. Saw the road into P2 is not plowed, but P3 is safe parking.
skiing was great our Christmas morning in the Kane 🙂
Dec 24 2017.Was up at Kane yesterday. Skied from p1 up ravens ridge, around and down vale to P3. There was a skidoo track to follow but no other sign of grooming or tracking equipment working.
I posted a comment saying this along with wondering where is the schedule of proposed trail grooming. Am not sure if the comment is still being audited It would be a real shame if there is no grooming and no update for skiers with tons of perfect snow up there.
sat dec 23 2017. started at p1 and skied up ravens ridge and down vale to p3 today. followed skidoo tracks but no sign of new equipment being used. No grooming or tracking. There is tons of perfect snow. I don’t see any comments of other skiers or schedules of groomers. It would be nice to know if anything is going to be done for xmas.