Amazing early season snow, a huge trail system, mountain views, and top level coaches makes SilverStar’s XC Supercamps an unforgettable experience.
This year, a group of HPSC members – including a number of instructors – got a kick start to their season from Nov. 30-Dec. 8. We participated in the week-long camp, from all-classic beginner to intermediate and advanced combo and advanced all-skate. A couple members even tried their hand at biathlon (the real deal…guns not frisbees!). There is something for everyone here.
Supercamp places you in small groups depending on your skill level, fitness, and goals. You are led by an experienced instructor (lots of level 4 instructors out in these parts!). Generally instruction takes place in the morning, followed by a hearty lunch, and then ski time with your group in the afternoon. The combo groups do two days classic, two days skate, and one day the choice of the group. They shuttle participants on two days to Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, which has a teaching stadium and beautiful trails. On the final day, we did a fun photo scavenger hunt to close out the week!
Being with the same instructor for five days does wonders to improve your technique in a short time, and gives you lots to work on when you go back home and ski through the season. We highly recommend the camps if you want to become a more efficient skier and have a lot of fun doing it.
While we are running 4 combo trips before Christmas, our first official XC-only trip is Dec. 28 at Scenic Caves. This is our annual New Year’s Eve Celebration, with bubbly in the log cabin at the end of the day.
Scenic Caves has 27km of trail for classic and skate skiers and 10km of trail for snowshoers. There are trails from beginner to advanced. At the top of the escarpment, you’ll be rewarded with a lovely view of Georgian Bay and Collingwood, and there is a lovely log cabin to enjoy a hot chocolate with friends.
For snowshoers, you can walk to the famous Suspension Bridge, the longest in Ontario! On a clear day, according to Scenic Caves, you can see 10, 000 square kilometers.
This trip offers guided snowshoeing and regular lessons.
HPSC offers a wide array of lessons from our roster of
qualified instructors. Taking lessons is a great way to learn the sport, refine
your technique so you can explore more efficiently, and meet other skiers at
your skill level.
Based on feedback from last season, the ski school has redesigned our lesson levels. We hope this will help students land in the right class so their skiing can progress more effectively. We have split classic and skate lessons into five levels. Below is a brief outline of each level to help you assess where you should be.
Classic 1/Skate 1:
I am brand new to skiing or have only been on skis once or twice.
I feel uncomfortable on skis – my balance is very unsteady. I fall often.
I don’t even want to think about hills!
Classic 2/Skate 2:
I have been on skis before, but still feel
uncomfortable or unsteady at times.
I don’t think I understand the basic techniques.
I can’t glide with all my weight on one ski.
I attempt to get down gentle hills, but I’m
still very hesitant.
Classic 3/Skate 3:
I feel comfortable moving on beginner trails and
may go on some intermediate trails.
I understand the basic techniques, but my skiing
feels choppy and, while sometimes I manage it, it is hard to glide with all my
weight on one ski.
I can get myself up and down moderate hills.
Classic 4/Skate 4:
I think my skiing is fluid and efficient much of
the time.
I can confidently glide with all my weight on
one ski some of the time.
I feel comfortable on intermediate trails, and
capable of advanced trails.
I can get myself up and down most hills,
although still hesitant on the steep ones.
Classic 5/Skate 5:
I think my skiing is fluid and efficient most of
the time.
I can glide with all my weight on one ski most
of the time.
I am comfortable on all the trails and cool with
most hills I encounter on advanced trails.
I think I’m ready to learn more advanced techniques
How do I know what
level to put myself in?
With the above descriptions in mind, do your best to
estimate where you should be. Feel free to talk to the head instructor on the
bus when they go around confirming lessons. They are happy to provide advice.
Once an instructor sees you on skis, they may decide its
best to put you in a different group. Don’t worry about being moved up or down.
Placing students in the appropriate group is essential for a safe and fun
learning experience for everyone. Worry less about the level and focus on skill
development. We also may, due to instructor availability, combine lesson
levels. But the instructor will be able to give tailored activities to each
level. We appreciate your cooperation.
When can I move up
levels?
Instructors are looking for particular markers at each
level. At the end of each lesson, the instructor should provide feedback on
specific things to work on. They will indicate if you should register for the
same level or move up next time. If they don’t, please ask them.
Why did the lesson levels change?
Based on feedback from students and our experience teaching
lessons we felt that the old levels (e.g. Beginner, Bronze, Silver) were
unclear. Furthermore, we wanted to provide more opportunity for students to
progress in their development. We’ve reworked lessons into a clearer set of
levels, with better definitions for what each level means. This should allow
you to be better able to get a lesson at your current skill level which
maximizes your ability to learn and progress in your skiing.
Should I take lessons
every trip?
The answer to this question is completely personal. We offer
lessons on every trip. Some people like taking one every trip. Others like to
take a lesson, go off on their own and practice for a couple weeks, and then
come back to a lesson. Everyone learns differently. Do what’s right and, most
importantly, most fun for you.
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.
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 28th – 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.
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.
An example of liquid glide wax. Cheap and easy route and the quality of them has improved immensely.
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.