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Making-Tracks

XC ski area near Kamloops offering more off-piste adventure

Ski Overlander backcountry

A popular cross-country ski area south of Kamloops has something new this winter for those who enjoy backcountry exploration.

"We are proud to have completed our new network of off-piste adventure trails," said Chelsea Francis, general manager of the Overlander Ski Club.

"Overlander now proudly boasts 15 kilometres of off-piste that offer a unique experience to ski different terrain than our main groomed network of 60 kilometres. These trails wind through numerous ecological zones to various viewpoints, meadows and forests."

The trails are approximately two metres wide and offer a more intimate and peaceful natural experience in the quiet of the woods, she said, adding the trails will be periodically groomed for safe skiing,, The intent, however, is to offer skiers a chance to make their own tracks through the forest.

Overlander is also ramping up its Masters program this winter, offering a weekly women's meet-up, weekend and weeknight technique clinics and waxing and ski care clinics.

"There are coaches and groups for every level of adult skier from newbies to seasoned veterans looking to improve their fitness, technique, and meet new friends and ski buddies," said Francis.

“We are thrilled to offer a Loppet on Feb. 2, 2025 featuring eight-, 15- and 30-kilometre distances. Our event schedule is jam-packed with night-time ski ‘rave' glow-in-the-dark ski nights, a New Year's Eve potluck, Light up the Lake to Ski through the Christmas Lights and our Ski Coast-to-Coast long ski-day challenge in partnership with Whitehorse Nordic."

The ski area is located 25 kilometres south of Kamloops on Lac le Jeune Road, less than 10 kilometres off the Coquihalla Highway.

"You pass right by it when travelling from the Interior to the coast or vice versa. It's a great place to stop for a couple hours of skiing to break up the drive."

Stake Lake has 60 kilometres of groomed and track-set trails for skate and classic, seven kilometres of lit night ski trails, five kilometres of dog-friendly track-set and groomed trails, 21 kilometres of snowshoe trails and 15 kilometres of adventure trails.

"With our lodge open until 9 p.m. on many evenings, night skiing has become extremely popular with skiers and snowshoers alike. We are proud of our five-kilometre dog ski loop and snowshoe trail across the road," she added.

Overlander has a large, comfortable and heated day lodge, heated washrooms thanks to a grant from the Kamloops Blazers Foundation, a terrain park (ski playground for kids of all ages), shelters and outhouses along various trails and strategically-placed maps on all trails as well as warm-up and timing huts for races.

During ski season, the ticket booth is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Launching the season was touch-and-go. On Dec. 11, Francis said conditions were quite treacherous. Everything was thin and wet in places and icy in others and the area would remain closed until it got more snow.

She said a lot of work was put in to get the trails in nice skiing shape again and they were looking pretty good but unforecasted rain ruined the clubs plans.

“The trails are super sticky and wet right now,” she said at the time.

Then, after a few snowfalls on Dec. 15 she “announced: “Happy opening day! It's -3 C up here and the skiing should be quite nice!.”

"Our opening dates and closing dates are a moving target," admitted Francis with a laugh. "We open as soon as we have enough snow and close when people stop skiing. I honestly couldn't even hazard a guess with the weather patterns the last few seasons."

Day tickets are $18 at the ticket booth when you drive in with reciprocal deals at Sun Peaks Resort and several other cross-country ski areas.

"I love sharing the love and excitement of the sport," said Francis, who has worked at Stake Lake for the past eight seasons.

"Our trails feature a lot of rolling terrain and some truly fabulous grooming. It is always such a pleasure to meet people from all over who are excited about the experience they had skiing with us. It is also so rewarding to get new people into the sport and enjoying winter and nature while getting some exercise."

Last winter was challenging due to the low snowpack but it gave the club opportunities to improvise and adapt by building new equipment and using new grooming techniques, she said.

"It made me proud to see our groomers, volunteers and skiers rise to the challenges that last winter posed, and come out with more hope of future resilience and adaptability. I'm looking forward to a winter with lots more snow to continue carrying that momentum and that 'stoke' for skiing and winter."

Those looking to visit have nearby accommodation and apres-ski with the re-opening of the Lac le Jeune Resort, five kilometres up the highway.

“Our vision is to embrace intentional recreation and reconnection year-round. The Lac Le Jeune Resort welcomes guests to relax, breathe deep, explore nature and try new activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing and paddling,” said owner Monica Dickinson.

The resort welcomes guests year-round to its newly refreshed 21 lodge guest rooms and six rustic cabins, spread across five lakefront acres. The lack of televisions and WiFi encourages guests to “disconnect to reconnect,” focusing on the natural beauty and tranquility surrounding them, she said.

As for dining, its Evergreen Bistro and Bar offers a delectable menu under the guidance of executive chef Nicole Mackie Wednesday evenings through Sundays this winter.

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



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About the Author

J.P. Squire arrived in the Okanagan Valley from flatland Chatham, Ont. in the middle of the night in the spring of 1980. Waking up in the Highway 97 motel, he looked across the then-four-lane roadway at Mount Baldy and commented: "Oh my God, there's mountains." Driving into downtown Kelowna, he exclaimed: "Oh my God, there's a lake."

The rest is history. After less than a month in Kelowna, he concluded: "I'm going to live here for a long time." And he did.

Within weeks and months, he was hiking local hillsides, playing rec hockey at Memorial Arena and downhill skiing at Big White Ski Resort. After purchasing a hobby farm in the Glenmore Valley in 1986, he bought the first of many Tennessee Walking Horses. After meeting Constant Companion Carmen in 1999, he bought two touring kayaks and they began exploring Interior lakes and B.C.'s coast.

The outdoor recreation column began with downhill ski coverage every winter as the Ski Sheriff but soon progressed to a year-round column as the Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Horseback Riding Sheriff.

His extensive list of contacts in Okanagan outdoor recreation clubs, organizations and groups means a constant flow of emails about upcoming events and activities which will be posted on Castanet every Sunday.

You can email the Sheriff at: [email protected].



The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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