Category: Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing

HPSC’s snowshoeing program has grown in the last few years. There are many reasons to choose snowshoeing – it’s a less intense physical activity than skiing, but still a good workout; you really get in the forest and up close and personal with nature; and it’s a fun social activity. Best of all it gets you outside and moving in the winter! We have many members who both snowshoe and ski.

While you can certainly snowshoe on your own, it’s definitely more fun in a group. And beginners who are unfamiliar with the trails definitely feel more comfortable being led by someone more experienced. If you’ve been snowshoeing with the club for a few years now, please consider becoming a snowshoe leader!

No special training beyond experience snowshoeing with the club is needed (and perhaps the ability to read the resort maps!). If you are going to snowshoe anyway, why not lead a group? The more leaders that we have, the more, and varied, experiences we can offer to club members – we can have groups that go at different paces and do routes of varying difficulty. This is not a big commitment – you can do as many or as few as you want.

We are happy to have new volunteers work with an experienced guide the first time.

Snowshoe leaders are recognized with complimentary bus and trail fees for the trip on which they are guiding.

The club runs on volunteers and more hands mean lighter work for everyone! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact crosscountry@hpsc.ca and we’ll connect you with our head guide and snowshoe coordinator.

Joining a club trip can be intimidating when you’re new. We’re here to help! If you’re preparing to come out on your first day trip with us, here is how you can expect your day to unfold. Note that times are approximate as they depend on how far the resort is from Toronto. But it gives you the general idea.

745am-845am

• Get to your bus stop. You can find out locations here. Pick up times are communicated on the status page (log in to see it) and the email that is sent to all participants on Friday. Arrive 10 minutes early as the pick up times are departure times. Don’t be shy; introduce yourself to the others waiting.
• When the bus arrives, stow your skis below the bus and get on with your bag(s) and ski boots.
• Choose a seat. You will sit in the same seat on the way back.

845am-1030am

• Once all skiers are on the bus and we are on the highway, the bus captain will make announcements about the day.
• The bus captain will then come around and check off your name and ensure that you are registered correctly for the activities you want to do. If not, you may owe money (to be paid online after the trip) or you may be owed a refund.
• The ski school director of the day will come around and confirm lessons. If you didn’t sign up in advance, we will try to fit you in, but we can’t make any guarantees as lessons are popular.
• As we approach the resort, the bus captain will make more announcements, confirming the facilities that are available, departure times etc..

1030am-1100am

• Upon arrival, the renters get off with a designated instructor and go get their equipment. The bus captain goes inside to get the trail passes. Everyone else remains on the bus. There are  a couple exceptions to this; listen to the bus captains’ instructions.
• The bus captain returns, and everyone gets off the bus, collects their trail pass from the bus captain and equipment from under the bus, and heads to the chalet.
• Find a place inside to put your bags and get ready. Ask other members if you aren’t sure where you can store bags. Sometimes we have our own room, other times we are with the general public. Cross-country resorts are generally very safe; while you should carry valuables with you (i.e., wallet, phone), theft is rare. There are a couple resorts where we need to store our bags on the bus (but generally you can take your stuff inside, get ready, and then bring it back out).
• Students and snowshoers meet their instructors/guide in front of the chalet approx. 30 mins after arrival. Not taking lessons? Go ski!

11:00am-1230pm

• Lessons, followed by lunch. Most resorts have indoor space to eat; if not, the bus will be available for lunch.

1230pm-4:30pm

• Free ski time!
• The bus leaves promptly at 430pm. Be sure you are back to the chalet in enough time to get ready and be on the bus by 425pm.
• Put your equipment in the marked return bin (based on where you are getting off the bus), sit in the same seat you were in on the way up, and enjoy the ride home! The bus captain will make announcements about the upcoming weekend.

If you are new and have additional questions, see our FAQ.

Get ready for yet another year of fun cross-country ski races! Our race program may have been competitive in the past, but now it’s all about fun. Test your skills with a group of your closest ski friends and maybe win a prize in the process. Bonus: prizes are by draw, not by finishing time! We encourage wide participation, but you should be able to move around the trail for at least a few kms (even if it’s not particularly fast!).

Look out for these events throughout the season…

Race #1: Fourth Annual Frisbee Biathlon! Probably our most popular race of the season, we kick off the race program with our frisbee biathlon at Highlands Nordic on Jan. 4. The race director creates team of two. One person skis a very short sprint track, then you play frisbee! If you drop the frisbee, you have to do a penalty lap before your partner can ski. Fast skiing doesn’t matter…it’s all in the frisbee throwing.

Race #2: Return to Hardwood (Freestyle). On Jan. 12, we will have our first race at Hardwood since the devastating fire they had a couple years ago. Let’s celebrate our return with a freestyle race. Choose classic or skate and test yourself on a relatively short course (4kmish).

Race #3: Fourth Annual Pine Trail Classic at Wasaga. Your race director’s favourite race, this 3kmish classic race starts and ends at the fire shelter and takes you along the rolling hills of the beautiful Pine trail. Classic skiing only. Will this be the year no one gets lost? Probably not. January 18.

Race #4: Crossover Day Scavenger Hunt Race! On Jan. 25, join us for a fun team-based scavenger hunt race on the upper trails (the section with the lookout etc.). Solve clues along the way to find your way to the finish. Smarts and map skills probably outweigh fast skiing!

Race #5: First Annual Beginner/Advanced Spring Fling Costume Race. We close out the season on Mar. 8 at Horseshoe where we will do our annual beginner/advanced day (choose your own adventure – one course is shorter and flatter, the other longer and hillier) but with an added costume element! Celebrate spring in style and get bonus points if you ski in costume. Extra bonus points for the best costume!

There are often random bonus points given for ridiculous reasons and if you participate in one of these events, you will get an invite to our fun end of year party!

A couple of your HPSC instructors were treated to a wonderful day of skiing Nov. 16 at Scenic Caves…earliest start date ever, and it was like mid-January conditions! We hope this bodes well for a very snowy winter.

If you want to ski before Christmas, we’ve got four chances for you to get out on the trails!

We’re running our early December trips with our downhill friends. We’ve got trips on Dec. 14/15 and Dec. 21/22. Dec. 14/15 will be run on the XC pick up schedule, and Dec. 21/22 will be run on the downhill schedule (so earlier than normal but worth it to ski!). 

We have XC modules up for informational purposes, but you will register for the trips on the downhill modules. Read the XC module information so you know how to register properly. Once you get over to the downhill module, check “none” under lift ticket and “XC ski $30” under bus options.

Enjoy!

The snow is flying in Toronto and up north, and you can now view the full cross-country schedule, with all of our fun programming, on the website.

The early December trips are combo trips with downhill and are open for registration. The Dec. 28 and early January trips will be available for registration the first week of December.

Here are some highlights of our season…

• December 28^th – our annual New Year’s Eve Celebration with bubbly and snacks after skiing.
• Test drives on Jan. 5 & Jan. 11. Get your friends to try out our amazing club! They can register through the website without buying a membership.
• Test your skills and have some fun in our race series! We open with our annual Frisbee Biathlon on Jan. 4 at Highlands and end with our new Beginner/Advanced Spring Fling Costume Race on Mar. 8 at Horseshoe Valley.
• Crossover Day is Jan. 25! We welcome our downhill friends and celebrate XC skiing and snowshoeing with a scavenger race and wine and cheese.
• Explore the backcountry at Kolapore with our experienced guides on Feb. 8.
• Have a tasty dinner with your friends after a day of skiing with our dinner trip to Amiche on Feb. 29.
• Two trips to a NEW to us resort – Kawartha! Join us Jan. 26 and Mar. 14.
• Guided snowshoeing on Dec. 28, Jan. 5, Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Feb. 2, Feb. 8,  Feb. 22, Feb. 29,  Mar. 7, Mar. 14, and Mar. 21.

See you on the trails!

We’ve talked about equipment; now it’s time to talk clothing. The right clothing will keep you warm and comfortable whether you’re cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Cross-country skiers dress a lot like runners. You create a lot of heat when you ski, so you actually don’t need a ton of clothing. Do not dress like an alpine skier! The key is warm, breathable layers of varying thicknesses that wick away moisture. You can combine these layers depending on the temperature. Merino wool or synthetics are best; do not wear cotton, as it will retain moisture and make you cold.

Suggested items for skiers, from head to toe:

• Toques. Keep that head warm!
• Buffs/neck warmers for cold days (buffs can also be transformed into hats).
• Sunglasses.
• Top layers of varying thicknesses (it’s good have a thin layer, a mid layer, and a heavy layer that you can mix and match as the temperature dictates).
• A jacket that can cut the wind. There are cross-country specific jackets of varying weights. It’s good to have one light weight jacket for spring, and a heavier jacket for winter. These are a good investment!  
• Pants. Winter running tights or cross-country specific pants (both will often have wind resistant front panels) will work just fine. Do not wear jeans! Bulky snow pants will be too warm.
• Add long underwear for really cold days. Again, wool or synthetics.
• Wool socks. Thinner socks for warmer days, thicker socks for colder days. I love my knee-length merino wool ski socks!
• Gloves. A thin pair for warm days, thicker pair for cold days. For really cold days, mitts are more effective.
• Sunscreen and lip balm.

Rule of thumb: You should be chilly before you start. If you are already warm, you will overheat when you are moving.

The principles are the same for snowshoers, but because you are moving at a less intense pace, you may need thicker layers, a heavier jacket, and you may want to wear snow pants (or layer with long underwear).

Remember that bodies are different, so it will take some experimentation to figure out what works for you in different conditions. Just remember the main principles – technical layers (no cotton!), wind resistant outer layers, and cover those sensitive extremities (face, ears, hands, toes) when the mercury really drops!

(The above demonstrates why layers are key…you can ski in -30 in January or +12 in April!)

Congrats, you just bought waxless classic skis! But wait. Yes, we need to talk about waxing.

Traditionally, classic skis needed to have two types of wax applied – grip wax and glide wax. Grip wax is applied to a pocket underneath the foot (the size of which is dependent on the skier). When the skier puts their weight on their foot, the wax grips the snow and the skier can push off the ski and glide on the other foot. You need to apply the correct temperature of grip wax for the snow temperature otherwise you will not get good grip. There are a wide array of temperatures that are colour-coded (red and purple are warmer waxes and blue and green are colder waxes – and there are a bunch of variations within). Hardwood and Highlands conditions page will tell you what they think the “wax of the day” is. There could be more than one as conditions change through the day.

The other part of the equation – glide wax – is applied above and below the grip wax zone (the “tips and tails” of the ski). This wax helps you to glide faster. There are different types of glide wax. The more traditional one comes in hard blocks of wax that are melted onto the ski, ironed in, and then the excess is scraped off. Racer will use this method as it is considered the most effective. Like grip wax, racers will glide wax every time according to the conditions of the day. Glide wax also comes in a variety of temperatures from warm to cold to match the snow temperature.

However, we are not racers and we don’t need to make it so complicated! Plus, we don’t all have the facilities to “hot wax”. Read on fellow recreational skiers for some glide wax guidance.

If you have waxless skis, you do not need grip wax. You achieve grip on the snow with a scale pattern etched in the base of the skis or, a more recent innovation, skins (a strip of mohair/nylon that is applied to the grip zone). This is where the term ‘waxless’ comes from – because there is no grip wax used.

BUT, you still should use glide wax to achieve a good glide.

You can hot wax your skis yourself if you have the right space and want to invest in all wax tools (or you can use the wax hut at the resort and waste…ahem, spend…ski time waxing). Then you can fine tune your skis to the conditions of the day. Or, if the resorts offer waxing services you can ask them to do it (but then you won’t have your skis for a while). Also remember that whatever wax they put on will be good for the conditions of that day – and that may not work the next time you go out.

The other option is liquid glide waxes. These come in a broad temperature ranges (so you won’t have to own so many bottles). You apply these every time you go out to ski. It’s very easy – you dab the liquid on the ski and spread it around. Then let it dry. Then buff it in with a nylon brush. And off you go. Liquid waxes are very good these days. Swix and Vauhti are the most common glide waxes.

I will often get my skis hot waxed at Highlands a couple times/season (to help keep my bases healthy), but I use liquid glide wax every time I go out.

Waxless skis have taken much of the waxing mystery out of skiing. Is it a blue day? Violet? Red? I don’t know! If you don’t want to deal with grip wax in the highly changeable conditions we find ourselves in Southern Ontario (and really, who does?), waxless skis are a great option. But use glide wax on the tips and tails and you might find yourself gliding along a bit faster.

Updated 2023

We’ve got one more cross-country ski swap for you, Nov. 9-10 at Velotique in Toronto. Check it out if you need new ski gear, or want to sell your old gear.

At HPSC, we also snowshoe. Snowshoeing is less complicated than skiing in terms of gear. Basically, you need snowshoes and a good pair of winter boots. While the basic idea of snowshoeing has remained the same (create more surface area to spread out your weight so you don’t sink in the snow), snowshoe technology is much different now than in the days of the wooden shoes. They are now made of lighter materials, such as aluminum (and we’re sure carbon fibre ones probably exist!) or plastic (durable and inexpensive, but will not have as much flex), they have various binding systems, and features like crampons to help you up icy slopes.

Like skis, the snowshoes you want will depend on the type of snowshoeing you plan to do. Are you going to be on well-packed terrain? Deep snow? Flat terrain? Hilly? Are you going to be doing something crazy like running in them? Snowshoes will have different features appropriate to different terrain.

To size them, you need to figure out the weight the snowshoes will be supporting (i.e. you + all your gear). For HPSC daytrips, the weight won’t be much more than your body weight, but if you are headed out on a backcountry trip fully loaded with camping gear, you are going to be much heavier. Snow conditions also play a role; for well packed snow, you can get by with a smaller surface area. But don’t get too caught up in this; any snowshoes will work, they just might not be the most effective for the conditions of the day. Get something that will work for the majority of snowshoeing you will do.

When you are ready to buy, bring the winter boots you plan on wearing and try on shoes. Different binding systems will feel more or less comfortable.

There are also accessories to consider such as heel lifts if you are going to be doing a lot of climbing, or tail extensions to give you more surface area if you need it. Many also snowshoe with poles, especially if you are in hilly terrain. Gaiters are also useful to prevent deep snow from getting inside your boots (speaking from experience…wet socks aren’t fun!).

For more information on snowshoes, check out this handy guide from MEC: https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/how-to-choose-snowshoes

Stay tuned for articles in November on waxing and clothing.