Popular Kelowna ski, snowshoe club prepared for upcoming winter season

Photo: Contributed

A team of students from Mt. Boucherie Secondary School in West Kelowna helped members of the Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club disassemble the former Boy Scout shelter on Snowy Vista Trail, above, do FireSmart fuel reduction around the Main Cabin and chop firewood for the upcoming season.

A team of volunteers spent more than 400 hours clearing and maintaining the trails at Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club last summer.

So they can hardly wait for the 2024-25 season to begin at the ski and snowshoe area opposite McCulloch Lake, near Big White Ski Resort.

"Closer than you think," promises the website. But that wasn't the only off-season project, said vice-president Tom Ferguson.

"FireSmart work was done around the main cabin. And the old boy scout shelter on the Snowy Vista Trail was disassembled. Special thanks go to Trent Pontalti and his team of students from Mt. Boucherie Secondary School in West Kelowna for helping us with these tasks and chopping firewood."

The interiors of pit toilet buildings received fresh coats of paint over the summer months. "The club would like to upgrade two aging pit toilets to prefab structures and will try to obtain funding for this from Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. or through grants," he said.

The club also completed an upgrade of its website to a new platform. "The new user-friendly website will enable us to make updates ourselves and provide a modern online experience with enhanced capabilities," he said.

Photo: Gertrude Welder

More than 30 photos were submitted by Kelowna Nordic members in a club photo contest. First place went to a Log Cabin photo by Gertrude Welder. Second place went to Mona Ferguson for her picture of a snowshoer. She also received third place for her photo of a group of skiers.

A webcam, installed in 2023, received great feedback from members because it allowed them to see current snow and weather conditions, he said.

"The club would like to thank Kelowna Cycle for its generous support of the webcam."

Day-use fees have been set for the coming season at $20 for skiing and $10 for snowshoeing. Volunteers will monitor trails to ensure users are passholders or have paid their day-use fees.

"Routine snowcat maintenance took place on both grooming machines but the cost of maintaining the old machines is becoming prohibitive," noted Ferguson.

"So members of the board worked hard over the summer months on the fundraising campaign for a new groomer, and applied for a B.C. Capital Project grant in the amount of $250,000 to match funds the club has managed to save along with contributions from our members and others in the Nordic community."

Those who would like to donate to the campaign should go to kelownanordic.ca, and click the orange Grooming Machine Fundraiser button. Tax receipts will be issued for all donations.

Last season, Kelowna Nordic again partnered with the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation for the hugely successful Stride and Glide fundraiser but will move away from that annual event this season to focus on raising funds to support the purchase of a new or used grooming machine, he said.

"Donations have been coming in throughout the spring and summer, and we thank those who have donated so far," said Ferguson. "This year, we will be launching a major corporate donor and sponsorship program, and aggressively pursuing government grants so we will be in a position to fund a new (or used) grooming machine. This fundraiser gives everyone an opportunity to be part of this great initiative."

More than 30 photos were submitted by members in a club photo contest and eight finalists were selected. Members attending the annual general meeting on Oct. 24 voted for the top three. First place went to a Log Cabin photo by Gertrude Welder. Second place went to Mona Ferguson for her picture of a snowshoer. She also received third place for her photo of a group of skiers.

Photo: Contributed

The Cabins and Cookies Tour on March 9, 2025 will offer four routes: two cabins, six kilometres; three cabins 13 kilometres; and four cabins, 18 kilometres. The Four Cabins Tour, above, consists of starting at the Main Cabin, out to Backcountry Cabin, then up to Meadow Cabin, over to Log Cabin and then back to the Main Cabin.

More than 40 members attended the AGM at the German Canadian Club in Kelowna, easily reaching a quorum. Six board members were elected by acclamation and four board members will return for the second year of their two-year terms.

Board members for 2024-25 are: Marshall Moleschi (president), Lisa Howard (vice-president), Rob Hooton (treasurer), Laurie Cole (secretary), John Davina, Chris Stewart, Gord Fawcett, Tom Ferguson, Michael Le Feuvre and Tricia Anderson (directors).

The club is printing annual membership cards for this season and they will be available for pick-up at selected locations in Kelowna, and later at the Main Cabin. One of those pickup locations is the MEC Nordic Club Night for members only, on Nov. 15-17.

Annual membership provides the following benefits:

• Insurance coverage through Cross Country B.C.

• One free beginner ski lesson for all new members

• Free events, such as the annual Moonlight Snowshoe and Ski, Tips and Trails Social Skis Day, Cabins and Cookies Tour and Family Day bonfire and activities.

You also have the opportunity to join ski, snowshoe and carpool groups.

In addition, the club is planning paid beginner-level ski lessons as part of the adult ski program so the adult program will no longer be restricted to more experienced skiers. Beginners will be welcome too.

The 2024-25 events schedule includes:

• An adult ski program for all levels, Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26

• Meet and greet social, with directors and other members at the Main Cabin, with hot drinks and cookies, Jan. 12

• Tips and Trails social ski groups (not lessons) on Saturdays in January and February, starting Jan. 11

• Moonlight Snowshoe and Ski, Feb. 8

• Family Day bonfire, wiener roast and events, Feb. 17

• Ski lessons for beginners and intermediate skiers. The cost and dates in February are to be announced

• Cabins and Cookies Tour, March 9

• Volunteers wrap-up celebration, April 4.

Dates and sign-up for the lessons and events will be through the website once details have been finalized.

•••

The Friends of Mission Creek Society will hold its annual general meeting at 6:45 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the Environmental Education Centre of the Okanagan (log building in Mission Creek Regional Park, 2363A Springfield Road. in Kelowna.) A social with refreshmentswill go from 6:45 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. and will be followed by a short presentation from the president and then guest speaker Kalin O'Cana, a park interpreter with the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and birder extraordinaire will speak. His topic will be a summer birding adventure in the South Pacific.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.