Gatineau Park
Trails Skied: #1, #1B, #2 (blue), #1 (green) (#2 - #24), #2 (from #40 to #1), #3, #9, #24, #33, #40, #21, #12, Glide Wax: Vauhti blue, Grip Wax: Vauhti carrot
Another beautiful day of skiing and perhaps the last before the warmer temperatures start us into the spring skiing season. All the main trails were freshly groomed with nice corduroy surface and perfect classic tracks. Skiing up from P12 my loop was... convoluted. I zigged and zagged trying to link together a few trails I hadn't yet managed to enjoy this season.
The main goal was to ski down Western while it was still covered in its powdery goodness. Certainly a lot of snow fell last week and it was in excellent shape. There had been a fair number of people skiing it over the weekend so it was well tracked in. Also a few body "divots"... so some folks had more fun than others. With so much snow the poles were a bit useless sinking in 4 -12" with the lightest of pressure. The wax was perfect though and trail #9 rolls along with a nice rhythm so "legs mostly" was a fine way to ski.
Once down to the parkway I looped back up on 3 to ski down 12 which was also in excellent shape. A short stop in Shilly Shally to stoke the fire and then back out Ridge to drop down 2 and the car. Excellent day out. Hopefully not too many warm days ahead and the season will go on for a few more weeks.
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).
