ST. PAUL – It’s a great time to hit the ski trails in St. Paul thanks to good snow conditions.
The Lakeland Cross Country Ski Club (LCCSC) maintains ski trails at the Westcove Municipal Recreation Area (WMRA) and the St. Paul Golf Course during the winter months.
Pierre Lamoureux, president of LCCSC, said the weather earlier this season had been challenging due to windy conditions, “which has also given a lot of work to our already hard-working track setters.”
“But now, we’ve got beautiful snow.”
Lamoureux thanked the club’s lead track setters, Dave Shankowski at the golf course and Mark Beaulieu out at Westcove, and their teams for their ongoing efforts.
Trail conditions are generally excellent at the 12-kilometre ski trail in Westcove, and the 10-kilometre ski trail at the St. Paul Golf Course, according to Lamoureux. The trails have been busy, with skiers hitting the trails at all times of the day.
“We want to shout out to people to get your skis on and ‘let's go’,” said Lamoureux. While weather conditions may have been up and down this season, “This is peak season right now.”
“It's go time for skiers from mid-February until as long as we can ski.”
Lamoureux also encourages people who have never skied before to try and experience the sport. “Cross country skiing is a lifelong sport . . . it's excellent cardiovascular fitness and it's also great for mental health,” said Lamoureux.
“It's also a very aesthetic experience . . . very empowering . . . and nearly a very spiritual feeling.”
Club Updates
This season, the club made improvements to local trails, installing permanent signage at both locations to help skiers navigate the routes.
The club also created a ski-trail map for Westcove, and is looking to create one for the golf course.
Coming up on Feb. 22, Lamoureux is inviting skiers in the Lakeland region for a “family fun ski event” at Westcove. The event will be free, and the $10 ski fee will be waived for the day.
In mid-March, the club will be holding a non-competitive "mini loppet" ski festival. More details will be available closer to the date.
Also, some members of the club also participated at the 40th annual Canadian Birkebeiner on Feb. 8 held at the Ukrainian Cultural Village and Strathcona County’s Waskehegan Staging Area, joining over 900 cross-country skiers at the event.
Membership
Membership of the club has also grown significantly, with 89 members.
“We have a good chance of reaching over 100 skiers, but it has been phenomenal growth since last year's low snow season,” said Lamoureux.
For those wanting to join the club, annual membership costs $52 for adults, and $25 for child membership. Half of the adult membership, and $22 of the child membership goes to Nordiq Alberta, a provincial group the club is a part of.
Membership costs also help fund the club’s operational costs, as well as help with the maintenance of the ski trails.
