Gatineau Park
Trails Skied: Gatineau Pkwy, #5 (green), #27, #26, #29 (alternative), #29 (shared), Glide Wax: , Grip Wax: blue
Did a few early morning loops in the lower part of the park to get in a few kms before the polar vortex returns for a couple of days. All the trails were in good shape. Most of the side trails like 5, 15 and 26 were groomed yesterday and in good shape with a dusting of fresh snow on top. I skied along 29(through the woods) but found it hasn't been groomed yet - likely this year. Still a little light on snow depth with a few branches poking up through the snow but it looks like it has been compacted once or twice and some skied in tracks made it passable.
By the time I was up on the parkway, the groomer had been by and it was in perfect shape. In fact I found the parkway a little slower snow than the fresh dust on top of yesterdays grooming on the side trails. Met only one other skier and saw some signs of a few more. Still time to get a ski in today before the temperature drops again tonight.
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).
