Gatineau Park

Trails Skied: Fortune Pkwy, #1, #1 (green) (#2 - #24), Glide Wax: Yellow and rill lots, Grip Wax:

I had to start at P9 because there were no parking spots left in P10 at 9AM! Clearly there is some serious end-of-season denial in this town. I skated up the Connector, then the FP, and Ridge to the valley lookout bench, then returned via the same route with a detour out to the GP at Huron. There is still lots of snow in most places, but it is being seriously undermined and eroded by flowing water, leaving deep fissures. For example in several places streams have cut across the Connector. I could see no evidence of fresh grooming, but the snow was soft enough by 9AM for quite good skiing. In a few places on the FP it was rutted and bumpy enough to be irritating. Under pine trees the snow is so dirty there is effectively no glide (darn squirrels!). West of Huron there had been much less traffic and conditions were more enjoyable. There are a few bare patches showing on Ridge Road, one at the base of the Khyber Pass and another near the valley lookout. Overall it is worth the drive up from Ottawa but be prepared for very wet, slow snow this afternoon.













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