Membership & Program Questions
Q: Who needs a ski club membership and where can I purchase one?
A: We ask that all regular users of our trail system purchase a membership. This includes runners, bikers, skiers, and walkers. Membership fees go toward the year-round care of our incredible trail system and the maintenance equipment that keeps it pristine! You can find out more about ski club memberships and sign up for one here.
Q: What types of ski lessons do you offer?
A: The Camrose Ski Club offers group lessons for skiers as young as three years of age up to adult. Our programs offer a variety of lessons for different skill levels. You can check out our program descriptions here.
Q: How can I take cross country ski lessons?
A: You can register for club membership and lessons for all programs online via Zone4 here. Most of our programs run as a single session with registration opening in September each year — the lessons themselves start in mid-November and run through until late-March. If there is demand we sometimes offer multiple sessions of adult learn to ski programming. Keep an eye on our website for announcements or send us an email to express interest!
Q: Do you offer one-on-one lessons?
A: At this time, we only offer group lessons, but we are confident you can find the right type of lesson for you or your kids with our wide range of program options!
Q: I missed community registration night. Is it too late to register for programs?
A: As long as there is still space and registration is open, you can register online using our registration link via Zone4 here. We are a volunteer-based club, so we sometimes need to close registration based on the number of coaches we have to maintain good coach-participant ratios, so sign up early!
Q: My child would like to try skiing. Can you recommend a program that would be suitable for them?
A: Our programs for younger kids are designed to be age-specific that build fundamental skills. However, youth-aged skiers can select from programs based on skill level and level of interest in training and racing (i.e. Junior Racers is a program for youth skiers who want to train hard and prepare for racing, whereas our Adventure Group is for youth skiers who wish to ski more casually and don’t necessarily want to race, but would still like to develop their abilities). Check out the Programs page for more details on the different offerings.
Equipment & Rental Questions
Q: What should I consider taking with me for comfort and safety on longer ski trails?
A: If you will be out for a longer ski on our trails, consider bringing along the following:
- Extras of: jacket, mitts, buff/neck-warmer
- Water or warm liquid in a thermos
- Snacks!
- Headlamp and extra batteries if skiing in the late-afternoon
- Phone (if you can keep it from getting too cold) — keep it in an inside pocket if possible!
- Variety of extra grip wax and cork if classic skiing
Ski club members are welcome to warm up in the wax room located beneath Stoney Creek Centre. Please note that as per the club’s COVID-19 policy, a mask is required to be inside the wax room.
Q: Is there somewhere in Camrose to rent cross country skis?
A: We have rental equipment available for youth skiers enrolled in Jackrabbits, Bunny Rabbits & Bunnies — you have an option to sign up for this during registration. Equipment is available on a first come, first served basis, as we cannot guarantee that we have enough equipment for all of our young skiers. If you’ve registered for a program you will receive information about rental pick-up, which usually takes place in late-October.
Q: Where in Camrose can I buy second-hand ski equipment?
A: The Camrose Ski Club Buy and Sell is a great place to start. You can peruse what’s currently available, or post to the group with what you’re in search of. The Camrose Ski Club also holds an annual gear & clothing swap in October each year at the Stoney Creek Centre. Keep your eyes peeled for the next one!
Q: Where in Camrose can I buy new ski equipment or accessories?
A: There is a small selection of skis and equipment at the Camrose Bike Shop (located in the same building as Bobcat of Camrose on 48 Ave.). Otherwise if you are looking to purchase, Fast Trax Run & Ski Shop, Track ‘N Trail, Totem Outfitters as well as MEC are all options in Edmonton are great places to start and can get you fitted into a reasonably priced package depending on your ability.
Q: What do I look for when selecting cross country skis for myself or my child? How do I clean and wax them?
A: Here is a good guide to the selection and maintenance of nordic skis from Nordiq Canada.
Q: Can I wax my skis in the wax room located in the lower level of the Stoney Creek Centre?
A: Yes! We offer access to our club wax room (located beneath the Stoney Creek Centre) for ski club members. Following the club’s COVID-19 policy everyone using the wax room must wear a mask. We also ask that you limit capacity in the room and do your best to physically distance yourself from others.
Trail Questions
Q: What are the current trail conditions?
A: You can check out live updates for our trail conditions here or by visiting the Nordic Pulse website.
Q: Where are the ski trails in Camrose? Are there other local options?
A: We groom 18 km of well-signed trails of varying difficulty. The trails are located along the Stoney Creek – a beautiful creek valley that is accessible from a variety of locations. The Stoney Creek Centre (5320-39 Avenue) has a convenient area with ski stands as well as our community wax room, which is accessible to ski club members following COVID protocols. This is also where all of our groups meet for lessons. The other popular area to start is located at the 4-Seasons Rotary Park parking lot on 50th street, just south of the U of A Augustana Campus. In addition to the Stoney Creek trail system, we also support grooming of trails at the Camrose Golf Course. The front 9 (south of the railway tracks) is open for walkers and off-leash dogs, while the back 9 (north of the railway tracks) is reserved just for skiers.
Q: Can I ski with my dog?
A: We kindly ask that you do not bring your pet along on our trails. Our groomers do meticulous work and pets can destroy carefully set classic tracks as well as add some unwanted “grip” to the trails. However, if you’d like to ski and take your dog out for some exercise, you can head to the Camrose Golf Course, as the golf course is also used as an off-leash dog park in the winter!
Q: I’d like to walk on the trails in the winter, but don’t want to walk on the paved paths. If I can’t walk on the ski trails, where can I go?
A: There are a couple of options. The first would be the Camrose Golf Course. In the winter, it is a combined dog park and ski area. Second, you can access the south half of the Stoney Creek trail system. Park on the southeast end of Valleyview pond on Valleyview Drive. At the section of townhouses that line Valleyview drive is a trailhead that goes south down to a train trestle. There is a worn footpath to the right of this paved trail approximately two hundred metres down from the trailhead. Follow the path to the train trestle and then turn right at the gate. This will lead you down a single track trail shared by walkers, runners and fat bikers. The approximate location of the single track trailhead is: Latitude 52.989083; Longitude -112.836669.
Please note that due to the City of Camrose wastewater treatment plant construction there will be disruptions and limited access to these trails via TWP RD 464.
Miscellaneous
Q: What are some of the health benefits of nordic skiing?
A: So many! Check out this great article from the 7 January 2013 Globe and Mail to read more about them: The Jaw-Dropping Benefits of Cross-Country Skiing