.: Ski XCOttawa.ca :: Skiing in Ottawa and Gatineau Park

SNOW AT LAST
By:  Lee Hawkings   (2009/11/29)

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Sitting at dinner on Thursday night at the Chateau Claymor we found ourselves coming up with plans to find snow before we all went mad. We were already upset as the races that were supposed to happen up at Montmorency this weekend were cancelled due to lack of snow. Ideas ranged from driving 18 hours to Labrador City (Kyle’s hometown), to flying halfway across the country to Silverstar. 

 We finally struck gold when we checked the weather forecast for Montmorency and saw the best news bulletin of the week, “Snowfall Warning in Effect”. According to the weather forecast they were supposed to get 30cm in the next two days. The plan was hatched to wake up early Saturday morning, ski Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday morning before heading home Monday night. For the first time in a while we actually followed through on our spur of the moment plans.


Heading out in the early morning, in the recently customized skimobile (we may have got a few weird looks) Kyle Power left, Matthias Purdon right.

 

After a 5-hour drive including 45 minutes spent lost in Quebec, City we finally started heading up into the mountains. With 20km left to go there was still no snow to be seen and we were all pretty bummed out. Luckily the last few kilometers gave us just what we were looking for and we finally had a chance to try out the brand new winter tires.

 


Where’s the snow?



 Ahhh there it is...Matthias Purdon and Colin Abbott

 

Once we arrived we didn’t waste much time. We transferred our stuff to our rooms and headed right out to hit the trails. Our first workout was not a kind one (3 minute zone 4 intervals) but they were fun because we were finally on skis.



 Anna Geiger-Whitlock

 

Even though there was only about 5cm of new snow and a 1 km loop that had been supplemented with artificial snow, the skiing was great. The food and accommodation at the Foret Montmorency were great as well which makes any training camp way better. We hit the trails again on Sunday morning for some classic skiing. Stay tuned for a video from this weekend’s camp coming soon.

 


Kyle Power and Lee Hawkings

 


Kyle Power

 


Waxing Skis



YAAAAAAAAAY

 
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