Silver Star / Sovereign Lake
Sovereign Lake
Silver Star
This year we will be staying at the Creekside Condos, located near the Silver Star Village. Our self-contained suites accommodate
4-5 persons comfortably with a combination of bunks and queen size beds. Each kitchen is equipped
with stove, fridge and dishwasher. Bring your swimsuit if you wish to take an apres-ski soak in the hot-tub.
Note that only local telephone calls are free from the suites. If you use your phone card, there will be a charge.
At the end of your ski day, take in some of the shops, bars, restaurants and cafés that Silver Star village has to offer.
Activities at Silver Star include downhill and cross-country skiing, snow-boarding, ice-skating, snow-shoeing and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
If your ski technique is a little rusty, brush up with a lesson with one of the ski Instructors at Sovereign Lake or Silver
Star. Those who wish to ski at Sovereign Lake will be shuttled by our own bus. You can now purchase a dual area
day pass. This entitles you to a chairlift ride to the top and subsequently enjoy a long ski down Lars Taylor Way.
We will be reprising the popular potluck dinner on the first night so please bring something edible to share with the
group.
Callaghan Valley
Whistler Olympic Park
The site for the 2010 Olympics (nordic events) Callaghan, or more accuratley the
WOP (Whistler Olympic Park) recently disclosed their plans for the
2009/10 ski season. Unfortunately for the general public, these plans include a season long ban on the following; The Olympic competition area, including the day lodge, the main entrance road and parking lots, the Olympic competition trails as well as the the biathlon and ski jumping facilities.
Their website describes the accesible trails as..."approximately 30 kms of the WOP trail system and all of Callaghan Country's 42 kms. Access to these 72 km of trails will be via the
Callaghan Country base where skier services such as lessons, rentals, tours, a warming hut and a full service shop will will be available, provided by the team at Cross Country Connection".
We will revisit Callaghan trips #2 (Jan 24th) and #3 (March 7th) after our first Callaghan day trip on Dec. 20th. We can change #2 & #3 to Whistler (Lost Lake) or Manning Park if our
first experiance is not satisfactory.
Cypress (Coaching Day)
Cypress Nordic
On Sunday January 10, get on the snow with qualified coaches. Cypress and The Skiers have teamed-up to provide group coaching sessions for our beginners and intermediates, and to provide tips to the proficient.
Here's the best part - these morning coaching sessions are free. Plus, Vancouver Skier "Ski-Buddies" will be on-hand to help you ply your new skills and navigate the Cypress trails.
Bring a friend or family, with a modest time and cost commitment, you can introduce your favourite winter sport, your ski club and the gear in a fun and supportive way.
Be up at Cypress on the snow for 8:30 am. We suggest you get parked by 8:00am, handle any rentals, hit the loo, hook-up with friends, and connect with the co-ordinators for your trail pass and session directions.
Want to try snow shoeing - Cypress has the trails and the equipment. Or, just ski the trails with friends.
Get 20% off the Cypress full day, adult, Trail Ticket and pay only $14.00 per person, when you and your friends sign-up by January 4th:
Please email Brian O'Dwyer with name(s), the appropriate ski coaching level(s) or, whether you prefer to snowshoe or ski.
Mail your cheque(s) to The Vancouver Skiers, c/o of B. O'Dwyer, 308-1021 Howay Street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 1Z9.
You may also sign-up at the January 4th club night. Be sure to have a cheque ready.
Did you volunteer to be a Ski-Buddy or Informal Ski Coach? Join a session and see how the experts coach first time skiers.
If you require skigear you can rent it at Cypress or Sigges. Cypress will give us a club discount if we have more than 20 rentals. Sigges offers a 20% discount for this coaching day event only. For lunch we have the "club room"
at the Hollyburn Lodge" reserved. Free hot chocolate for Vancouver Skiers and friends. For lunch the Lodge offers either chili or soup, bread, cookie, hot drink, or a hot dog, fries, cookie, hot drink/pop. Each plate is offered at a disounted $10.-
Stake Lake / Sun Peaks (Kamloops)
Stake Lake
Sun Peaks
Our hotel in Kamloops is the Towne Lodge (1-250-828-6660). Each bedroom contains two queen-size beds. The
hotel has an indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi and restaurant. Normally, we ski at Stake Lake on Saturday and Sun Peaks
on Sunday. Both ski locations have a day lodge where you can eat your lunch and warm up. Your Sun Peaks trail
pass entitles you to take the chair-lift for a memorable descent on Holy Cow trail.
Larch Hills (Salmon Arm)
Larch Hills
We time this trip to coincide with the Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet in which many of our members like to participate.
We stay at the Holiday Inn Express (250-832-7711), which is across the road from "Party Headquarters" at the
community centre. Each room contains two queen-size beds. A complimentary buffet breakfast is available to
guests in the downstairs breakfast room. On Saturday night, a wonderful dinner & dance is held at the
community center to celebrate the completion of the loppet. Everyone is invited to attend this fun-filled evening.
The cost for this evening is about $16 and your tickets must be bought in advance. There are plenty of
restaurants within walking distance or a short taxi ride from our hotel for those who do not want to go to the
dinner/dance. Our bus will transport all skiers to Larch Hills which is about a 20-30 minute drive from our hotel.
Loppeteers will leave for the ski hill on the first shuttle bus. Non-loppeteers will take the later shuttle and arrive in
time to catch the start of the race. You will be able to use any of the trails that are not part of the loppet.
Later, you can cheer on some of our club members as they stride or...crawl across the finish line! On Sunday we return to ski at Larch Hills.
McCulloch Lake / Telemark (Kelowna)
McCulloch
Telemark
This year we will be staying at the Kelowna Motor Inn (250-762-2533). Each room will have the standard 2 queen beds
to suit 2-4 persons. The Inn features an indoor pool, hot tub and steam room. Several eating establishments are within walking distance.
On Saturday, we will ski at McCulloch Lake where there are 67 kilometers of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing.
There are two day cabins in which to eat lunch, warm up and mingle with the locals. If you are lucky you may catch sight of a lynx or bobcat or perhaps an owl.
McCulloch is also a snowshoers dream. It offers 66 kilometers of trails. If that is not enough you can always cross the road and snowshoe on the Trans Canada Trail
or explore the lake itself.
On Sunday we go to the Telemark cross-country ski area, which has 50 kilometres of trails groomed for classic and skating. Telemark also offers 25km of snowshoe trails
At the lodge you can buy light refreshment, snacks and they usually have the barbie going for a hot lunch.
Manning Park Chalet
Manning Park
We stay at a chalet in the centre of the Park (250-840-8822). The chalet accommodates 14 people with a variety of
sleeping arrangements and contains a full kitchen and living room. There is a large whirlpool nearby and the main lodge
has a restaurant and nice pub. We will have a potluck dinner on the Saturday evening. There is a small downhill area
which our members can also take advantage of to try their telemark technique.
Be aware that we travel to Manning by car-pool.
Manning Park (Daytrip)
Manning Park
This trip is being led by the Nordic Wrecks. Please note that the pick-up locations are Broadway and Arbutus and the Telus parking lot at Lougheed Highway and Bainbridge Ave. in Burnaby. Please check the Nordic Wrecks
website for details. At Manning Park, the ambitious skiers can disembark from the bus at the lodge where we stop to purchase the daypasses. Snowshoers may also wish to start their adventure here as it is the
starting point for some of the trails. The bus will carry on to the Lightning Lake parking lot. Included in your daypass is a ride on the T-bar up to the restaurant at the downhill area.
China Ridge (Princeton)
China Ridge
Back on the schedule for this season in a day at China Ridge (Princeton). This is a weekend trip where we will ski at Manning Park the first day then stay the night in Princeton
and enjoy China Ridge on Sunday. We will be staying right in town at the Sandman Motel. (250-295-6923) Note that we have reserved all double rooms. (Queen size bed) Rooms with 2 beds, have double beds only. If your group of four wants a room with 2 beds, your very capable trip leader will arrange that. All rooms have a kitchenette. The Sandman has a reataurant and bar on site. Also there are several eating establishment within walking distance.
China Ridge offers about 20 km of groomed and another 20km of ungroomed trails. These trails are best suited for classic skiing. There are also several snowshoe trails.
Mt Washinghton (Courteney)
Mt Washington
We'll depart our pick-up locations earlier than usual to ensure we make the 7:00 o'clock ferry from Horseshoe Bay. We'll stay in the new Holiday Inn Express in Courtney. Each room has 2 queen beds, microwave, mini-fridge, free hot breakfast buffet, an indoor pool & hot-tub, 24 hour fitness centre and complimentary wireless internet access. Mt Washington, 20 minutes from the motel, offers 55km of trails, many in Strathcona Park, and 20 km snowshoe trails. The new Nordic Raven Lodge offers a restaurant, sauna and equipment rentals.
Logan Lake / Stake Lake (Merrit)
Logan Lake
Saturday afternoon we ski at Stake Lake with its 60 km of groomed trails. We'll overnight at the Merritt Best Western hotel which has a restaurant on site, pool and hot tub. Several restaurants are within walking distance. Sunday we'll ski at Logan Lake with 36 km groomed for cross-country skiing (skate and classic).
Nickel Plate (Penticton)
Nickel Plate
This trip is being led by the Nordic Wrecks. Please note that the pick-up locations are Broadway and Arbutus and the Telus parking lot at Lougheed Highway and Bainbridge Ave. in Burnaby. Please check the Nordic Wrecks
website for details. We stay at the Penticton Best Western (250-493-0311). The hotel offers an indoor pool, hot tub and guest laundry and deluxe continental breakfast.
Apex offers downhill, cross country as well as snowshoeing. The nordic area at Nickel Plate offers 65 km of varied groomed trails (classic & skating) as well as 25 km of well marked snowshoe trails.
There you'll also find the day lodge and new washroom facilities featuring flush toilets and taps with hot and cold running water!
Be prepared to feel a little winded on these high-elevation trails.