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There are a few rooms left for the Lake Placid trip but we must release them by December 19! For downhill skiers and snowboarders, you will be skiing at Whiteface Mountain, the highest vertical in eastern USA (vertical 3,430ft.). For cross-country skiers and snowshoers, you will ski the extensive recreational and Olympic trails at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. One day, we will go to Heart Lake which is high in the mountains at the Adirondack Mountain Club to do some back country skiing and snowshoeing. Accommodation is at the newly renovated Grand Adirondack Lodge in the heart of Lake Placid, close to restaurants, shops and Olympic museums. Please sign up on the website under overnight trips under the Long Trips tab. |
XC Day Trip Full? Get on the Waitlist!
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| Since members are so excited to ski, waitlists are an important part of the registration process. If the trip is full, sign up on the waitlist. People cancel off trips and then we move people over from the waitlist. It happens often! You have 24 hours to pay after which you’ll be deleted from the trip – so if you want to ski, check your email (including junk mail). Be prepared to act! On Wednesday morning before the trip we clear the waitlist and any unpaid registrations (even if you haven’t had a full 24 hours to pay – sorry). Any remaining seats are up for grabs. This system is a balance between fair access and minimizing the work for volunteers. If there are enough people on the waitlist, we will try to run a second bus if the resort allows it. |
Only a Few Spaces Available on Long Trips!
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| Now that we’ve got some local snow, the last few spots will start to fill up on the Jasper, Alberta and Lake Placid, NY trips. Please see the last edition of SnoBiz or the HPSC website for a detailed description of these two iconic trips. We are also looking for one female to share a hotel room at the Killington Grand, and have spots remaining on our Mont Tremblant early and late season trips. The mid-season mid-week trip in February is full. Spots do open up on other trips but only if another member has to cancel. Sign up for the last few open spots on our trips now! One spot open for a male in a double room for C6 Newfoundland (XC and Downhill). Final payments are due December 3, 2024, so if you are interested register on the waitlist ASAP and you will removed from the waitlist and registered right away. Skiing and snowshoeing in Newfoundland is amazing; last year they had tons more snow than we did. Plus Newfoundlanders are the friendliest people. Come join us and get “screeched in” and become an honourary Newfoundlander! |
Upcoming Zoom Session: Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing 101!!!
Interested in cross-country skiing and/or snowshoeing this year? Great news!
We’re hosting virtual 101 sessions that’ll give you all the information you need to be ready for an upcoming day trip!
These sessions are ideal for:
- new members interested in XC skiing/snowshoeing
- returning members from downhill or snowboarding who want to dabble in XC skiing/snowshoeing
- prospective members (i.e. friends and family you’ve been trying to convince to join the club!)
Sign up on the Social Events page for one of these dates:
Tuesday, November 26 @ 7pm
Wednesday, November 27 @ 7pm
Sunday, December 8 @ 7pm
Coming Soon to SkiFit: Roller Skiing!
HPSC Cross-Country skiing instructor / roller ski guru, Andrew M, will be offering intro to roller skiing workshops starting this Saturday, October 26. They will run through November.
How to sign up? When you register for SkiFit (https://hpsc.ca/Social-Events) select the roller ski option.
Note that it is mandatory that skiers bring their own protection gear (helmet, glasses, gloves, elbow and knee pads) and NNN boots. If you need to borrow roller skis or poles, make sure you choose that option on the registration form.
Quick testimonial: Andrew is a great teacher! He doesn’t let you leave the safety of the parking lot until you can demonstrate you are confident starting and stopping.
Welcome New Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing Director Jackie Flowers!
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| I am excited to be stepping into the Director role for 2024-2025. This season, I’m looking forward to some new après-ski activities, bringing back “fun races”, and trying some dress-up theme days (optional, of course … but I’m sure the team photos are going to be great!). As director, I am committed to ensuring the new and returning HPSC XC skiers and snowshoers have the best season possible! Let’s go! |
Ski Newfoundland!
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| An information session on the charter trip to Corner Brook will be held on Friday, June 14, 2024 from 7 – 9pm. See the website for the Zoom link.Trip Highlights Skiing and snowshoeing at four Nordic centresTrail passes not included, but group rates will be arranged Accommodation – 6 nights, Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook, based upon double occupancy Daily breakfast off menu using $18 voucher (5 days) Screech-In to become an honourable Newfoundlander Air Canada direct flight to Deer Lake Private coach transfer to and from airport/hotel and to Nordic centres Although billed as a cross-country and snowshoe trip, downhill skiers are welcome to sign up, with skiing available at renowned East Coast ski resort Marble Mountain! Lift tickets are not included in the base price. Check the website for the full trip description. |
Interested in travelling to XC ski and snowshoe? Consider helping us out!
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| There are many awesome places to ski and snowshoe in Canada, the US and beyond! We know there is more demand now for long trips, but XC needs help to make more long trips happen. There are different kinds of help needed: 1. You could help us with general online research to find great new locations and/or research locations where we are thinking of going. It would be great to develop a ‘database’ of locations (and details about them). 2. You could assist in organizing specific trips. 3. You could be a trip leader. There are benefits to being a trip leader – you for sure will get on the trip (which sometimes can be hard for popular trips!) and a good portion of your trip will be paid for (it depends on the type of trip as to how much). Trip leaders should be detail-oriented, friendly, and able to roll with the punches and problem solve. Assisting on a trip is a good way to get started and learn the ropes! Email crosscountry@hpsc.ca if you are willing to help us out! |
Cross-Country Paradise!
.jpeg) HPSC recently had a fabulous trip to Quebec City (Mar. 10-15). While I’ve been skiing for over a decade, it was my first time there. I can’t wait to go back! It really is one of the best bases for XC skiing and snowshoeing in the country. We visited three locations – Mont-Ste-Anne (two days), Sentier des Caps (at Le Massif; one day), and Camp Mercier (one day). Combined you are looking at 250+km of trails! As with most trips this year, conditions were looking dire…then the area received 50cm of new snow the day before our first ski day. We were saved!!! Follow this up with four days of sun and above zero temperatures and we got some pretty magical spring skiing. Everyone keeps asking me why I am so tanned. Yes, I forgot sunscreen. My favourite day hands down was Sentier des Caps. It was solid sun all day, and the classic skiing in the trees was amazing. The system isn’t large, but it made up for that in views of the St. Lawrence – including a magnificent one off the Abbatis hut (made the tough climb out worth it!). But all our ski days were fantastic – and Jean-Emile was even passed by world champion skier Alex Harvey at MSA! A great part of the trip is staying in the city – not only do you get great skiing during the day, you can wander around a beautiful city at night and eat lots of amazing food, including as many croissants as you could want. If you need a break from skiing, you can be a city tourist. It’s really the best of both worlds Huge thanks to Ephraim for his exceptional trip leading skills and hopefully we get to go again! Heather Steel Director of Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing |
Celebrate the XC season with a wine and cheese ski day in the sun!
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| While we are hoping to run more trips, the reality is that this coming weekend may be our last. It will be sunny and warm, so come celebrate the season in the slush with your ski friends. Saturday we will be at Scenic Caves and will hold our annual wine and cheese in the log cabin before we leave (departure time remains the same, we will just end our ski day a bit early). There are lessons and guided snowshoeing. The Sunday crew (if enough register) will be headed to Hardwood for one last glorious day in the sun. Register by Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6pm. March can be unpredictable and if we magically get more snow, you know we will be on it and will try to run more trips! But as much as it pains me, the forecast is just not looking favourable at the moment. So get it in while you can! Heather, Director, XC Skiing and Snowshoeing |