Gatineau Park
Trails Skied: Fortune Pkwy, Champlain Pkwy, Glide Wax: Summer wax, Grip Wax: Fish scales
First ski and the first report of the season.
Used my season-starting Fischer Crowns to go from P10 to Lac Bourgeois. Had a pleasant run.
Conditions were about 5 cm. of mid-winter powder on top of a firm asphalt base.
The Fortune Pkwy. is getting worn out with thin coverage and a number of bare spots. Regardless, it's doable skiing and pleasant enough for a start.
Conditions get better after the T-junction. CP has been compacted toward Black Lake and has almost uniform coverage. With flat skating ski you can have a good day of it.
Given the thin coverage classic is probably the best option. However, the tracks are either non-existent or quite wobbly.
Ridge has been compacted with ATVs. There were a number of tracks on Burma - probably made by real skiers - no rocks were showing.
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.
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).
