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Cross-Country

Our cross-country program features a variety of day trips, alternating Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, plus occasional trips mid-week. We ski in Gatineau Park, as well as trails in the City of Ottawa and the NCC Greenbelt. We also have a multi-day, midweek trip to the Laurentians. We welcome skiers of all levels, although skiers are expected to at least know how to do a snowplow stop and a snowplow turn. The first few outings are usually on easy trails to allow everyone to ease into the ski season.

SCHEDULE

Cross-Country Program

Cross-Country 2023-2024

- WEEKLONG: Banff, Alberta, Feb. 1-8, 2024
- XC/DH MID-WEEK: Far Hills Inn, Val David, Quebec.  Wed. - Fri. Feb. 14-16, 2024.
- DH/XC MID-WEEK: Mont Ste-Anne, Quebec, Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 2024 - CANCELED
- XC DAYS: Weekday and weekend outings, mainly in Gatineau Park, NCC Greenbelt & City of Ottawa trails (a Tue, Sat, Thu, Sun rotation, holidays excepted.)
- DAY BUS TRIP: Four Friday trips to Tremblant with Bytownski club

Gatineau Park XC Ski Conditions

Phone the NCC at 819-827-2020, or check out their web site at http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/ski-conditions .

Traffic Tickets

On the Quebec side, make sure you lock your car. Police check the parking lots and give you a $200 ticket if your doors are unlocked. Also, there is a $580 ticket if your car's license plate tag is out of date. We've tested this, but these prices may have gone up!

XC Trip Leader Responsibilities & XC Sign-in Sheet

To see the list of responsibilities for a cross-country trip leader, click here.  For the XC sign-in sheet, click here.

Cross-Country Ski Etiquette

Here are the rules of etiquette for cross country skiers. Following these rules minimizes injury, and shows consideration for other skiers.

 1. The skier going down the hill has the right of way.
 2. When going uphill, keep to the right and look uphill for skiers coming down.
 3. To request the right of way, call "Track" or "Piste".
 4. Keep to the right on two-way trails.
 5. When skiing on double tracks, keep right except to pass.
 6. Yield the trail to skiers that overtake you from behind or that call "Track".
 7. If you fall, move off the track as quickly as possible, and fill in your sitzmarks.
 8. If you stop, move to the right, completely off the trail.
 9. Maintain a reasonable distance between yourself and the skier in front of you.
10. Begin downhill runs only after the skier ahead of you has cleared the slope.
11. Keep the trails clean. Take your litter home.
12. Pick up people you hit, or at least say you're sorry.

Cross-Country Skiing Tips

  1. Can't get your boot to clip into the ski? It may be a snow or ice buildup at the bar in the front of your boot. Take the tip of your ski pole and clean out the snow between the bar and the front of your boot.
  2. If you find you are going too fast and out of control, sit down and roll to the side. It's a lot better than falling from a standing position.
  3. If snow is clumping under your skis, to clean the bottom of your ski, lift the ski and rub the bottom over the toe of your other shoe.

Cross-Country Teaching Videos

KEITH NICOL VIDEOS

These videos were made by Keith Nicol, a CANSI (Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors) level 4 instructor.

    1. Basics of the diagonal stride http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg
    2. XC skiing balance excercises on downhills http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMrxZn-Eq78&list=UUvzMsCXwyhz_ZdFKoQWZPeg&index=12
    3. Improve your snowplow turns http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGOKDjTZEs
    4. Learn the step turn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yRGLRAR7QI
    5. Stopping - snowplow with one foot in the track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yRGLRAR7QI
    6. Free skate techniques http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk
    7. Improve your diagonal skate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOwnnE_BGRY
    8. Improve your 1 skate or V2 skate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFPttSGcaSI
    9. Improve your Telemark turn on cross-country skis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U8jiKghcAg

Maps of Cross-Country Trails in Ottawa Area (Jan. 2020)

      These maps are taken from

 NCC Urban Ottawa XC Trail Maps 

      (Takes a while to load.)

1. Ski Heritage East (https://www.skiheritageeast.ca/wpshe/)
    17 km of trails along the Ottawa River, running from near Blair Road in the neighbourhood of Rothwell Heights, east to Trim Road in Orleans. Map

2. Rideau Winter Trail (www.rideauwintertrail.ca)
    9 km trail running along the east side of the Rideau River from Donald St. (Awawe foot bridge across the Rideau River) to Hurdman O-train station. Map

3. Kichi Sibi Trail (www.wintertrail.ca)
    The 16-km Kichi Sibi trail runs along the Kichi Sibi Parkway (formerly the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway), from the Canadian War Museum to Westboro Beach. Map

4. Britannia Winter Trail (https://britanniawintertrail.com/)
    8 km trail, following the bike path towards downtown from about Belltown Dome, around the pier in Britannia Park, and east to the Sir John A MacDonald Parkway. Map

5. Ottawa West Winter Trail (https://www.facebook.com/OttawaWestWinterTrail/)
    8-km trail combining a portion of the Trans Canada Trail with the Watts Creek Pathway and several offshoot trails, from Corkstown Road at Moodie Drive to Carling Avenue. Map

6. Wesley Clover Parks Trail
    The Kanata Nordic XC ski club manages trails winding through Wesley Clover Parks, an equestrian park about 20 minutes west of downtown. Trails are limited to members only on weekends, but anyone can buy a day pass on weekdays. Map

7. NCC Greenbelt Trails
    Map
    In particular, Orleans Nordic Ski Club (www.onsc) provides groomed trails along Green�s Creek and in the Mer Bleu and Pine Grove forest areas.

8. Lac Leamy Trail
    Starts at MacDonald-Cartier bridge and follows the bike path around Lac Leamy, north along the Gatineau River, then west into Gatineau Park. Map

9. Mooney's Bay
    5.5 km of trails at the Mooney's Bay Cross-Country Ski Centre, 2960 Riverside Drive. Trails are lit for night skiing. Tickets: $3.75, but parking is free. Map