Gatineau Park

Trails Skied: #1 (green) (#2 - #24), #2 (from #40 to #1), #24, #40, #1 (blue), Glide Wax: Swix LF10, Grip Wax: Fish scales with silicon spray

The end is in sight - at least from P12.

With the memory of the conditions yesterday I thought that today would be good to take my waxless Fischer Crowns to the tower for their first time. Going up #40 I began to realize that today was a very different day from yesterday. There was significant deterioration: there are a lot more bare spots and just before the bridge after #38 the creek will, by now, have washed out the trail requiring an inconvenient bushwacking detour. #24 and #1 blue to the Wolf Ridge have coverage at the minute; however, the meltwater is starting to run under the snow and there are tunnels under the snow waiting to trap the unwary. The tracks have largely melted away and the glide is not spectacular. I gave up at the Wolf Ridge and headed back along #1 to the bench at #2. I then headed down #2 to P12 - this was an interesting experience as legions of walkers had trashed the trail. It has always been a source of mystery to me why the first whiff of warm weather brings walkers out on the ski trails - there are so many other options for walking locales and it can’t be pleasant breaking through wet snow on every other step. Skaters on #1 seemed to be having moderate success.

The forecast in Chelsea for tonight is 5 C and with Matt and Karl’s reports I might use the parkways and Ridge for one last skate.

I’m not big into keeping records but I can’t ever remember finishing skiing as early as the 18th March. Regardless, even with the short season I've had many days of great skiing.

Bon été à tous et un espoir que l’hiver prochain soit meilleur.













Gatineau park map


Gatineau Park is ski paradise! The network of ski trails offer machine groomed skate skiing and classic skiing as well as little groomed backcountry trails. Multiple access points allow skiers to access a variety of terrain and scenery. The NCC offers season or daily pay rates.

Gatineau park map

For suggestions on where to ski, excellent trail descriptions, photos and maps checkout Michael McGoldrick`s website about recreational xc-skiing in Canada`s National Capital Region (with an emphasis on the Gatineau Park).

Gatineau park map