Update! Check here for reports on trail conditions and grooming – see the comment link at the very bottom of this page for updates
Some important changes at the Kane Valley trails:
- Skiers with dogs are now allowed on two trails – the usual Matthews Loop (and the Chute access) and now also on Aspen between P5 and P6 (Please don’t take dogs on to any of the adjacent trails)
- There are now signs for the snowshoe trails – PLEASE DO NOT SNOWSHOE ON THE GROOMED SKI TRAILS.
- 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.
Membership
To join the club or renew your membership – click here
- Day Use Fee– ski trails are available for day use, $10 fee per person. Please pay the fee at the boxes provided at trailheads, Thanks!
- 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.
- Breathe Bikes also offers a free ski rental or ski wax to new Nicola Nordic members – check it out: Breathe Bikes
Photos
Take a camera or phone with you on your ski outing and share your photos. Send ski photos to nicolanordic@gmail.com
To see photos from the 2019-2020 season click here: 2019-2020 Photos
For photos from previous seasons go to our Photo Gallery
Photo: © Ian Webster
Trail updates
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.
For instructions on how to leave a comment click here.
Skied Hills Homestead from p2 today at 12:30pm Minor bits of snow grab, but all soft snow and amazing glide. A fantastic afternoon to be out there. Came down Sky-high and back along Kane.
Both Mathews loops and the chute were also groomed.
Groomer update: Sunday 11:30 Groomed and repaired snowmobile damage on Kane, Hills Homestead and Skyhigh.
Groomed Kane to P5 up Aspen to P6… P1 up Ravens, Gulch, Tillicum, Neils Valley, Asp, Vale to P3, Conditions are good.
The trails at Matthews and Chute are icy and rutted and fast from the freezing and thawing and lots of activity skied there. Also, at P2 there was a truck and snowmobile activity which apparently went down Kane and wiped out the tracks and left a mess…. might have gone up Hills Homestead too… don’t know for sure. Let us know if you’re out that way.
I skied with friends yesterday from P1 up to Lunchbox and it was amazing. A little fast, but still able to get an edge and enjoy the day entirely.
The west end of the trail system is barely used and I would suggest skiing down that end (P5) for better conditions.
Snow is in the forecast for this weekend and as soon as this happens, our groomers will be out and see if we can smooth out Matthews and the damage done to Kane etc. We will keep you posted.
Don’t be fooled by the spring like conditions in Merritt, there is still snow and fun to be had in Kane Valley.
Come out and play:)
Cheers,
kate.
Currently +4 in Kane Valley and winds all night and still blowing (some colder weather in i hope!)
There are likely trees down, please let us know if you’re skiing and come across any, and remove what you can if possible.
I would suggest staying off the trails today, the base and tracks won’t get messed up that way, and it’s supposed to cool down again overnight. And if you did go out today, I hope you enjoyed the sunshine!
Thanks for supporting the club, all dollars are spent on grooming!
Cheers,
Kate
Stellar ski conditions and bluebird in Kane Valley this morning. -12 overnight and warming quickly! Thanks to Hubby and Terance for extensive grooming.
Come out and play!
Lots of beautiful fresh snow, mix of sun and cloud and virtually every trail groomed. Thanks for making it such a great day out for our gang of skiers and snowshoers from Vancouver.
Fabulous ski today on Mathew’s Loop. Fresh snow on top of groomed runs. Thanks to Kate for the early morning report.
Groomers report for Saturday, February 8th:Everything is groomed on the east side.(p3) on the west side, Hills Homestead, Kane and Sky High we’re groomed today. Mathews Loop East and West, Aspen, Sundowner, ravine were groomed yesterday with an inch of fresh gold last night. Conditions are excellent.!
Groomers were out yesterday and will be out again this morning.
Here is the grooming report: Kane, Aspen, Sundowner, Sky High, Ravine (both loops), Chute, Vale, Menzies, Raven’s Ridge, Asp, Tillicum and Gulch. The rest will be done today. Good Conditions.
Currently -3, skiff of snow overnight.
I was on Gulch and Ravens ridge this afternoon. I pretty much walked the whole way on skis in the heavy snow. Even with wax the snow was trying very hard to stick to my skis.
+1 this morning and lightly snowing in Kane Valley. Good Waxed skis along with glide definitely recommended.
The skiing is good again in Kane Valley!! We have cooler temps (around -5)and the base is solid (after the big rain last Friday night) approx 4 inches of fresh snow this week. Grooming happened on Kane and Hills on Sunday. Groomers will be out again this coming Friday and Saturday. Skiing should be good almost anywhere now and even better after the grooming this weekend!
There is a tree down on the north loop of Matthews, Chute likely still not fantastic…. we remain a small wilderness club with big hearts and open to adventures. Tree will be removed this weekend.
Come out and play:)!! (Please do drop your fees in the boxes at the trail heads or grab a membership from Breathe Bikes in town, or download the membership from the webpage and mail it in- fees all go to grooming!)
Have fun!
Cheers,
Kate.
Had a good ski today. P3, Vale to lunch box down Raven to p1 on to Mathew’s, Kane. The north side was surprisingly nice with 1” of new snow on the groomed trail. Mathew’s had some icey sections. Still ok conditions. Kane was freshly groomed.
Skied Matthew’s Loop today. Thin crust on top and very soft underneath. A lot of slush and water under the snow especially on hills and low spots. Not great skiing today. If the temperatures stay warm it’s not looking great out there right now.