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Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club programs ramping up

Cross country ski rentals for classic skis are back up and running at the facility

The Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club has been getting up to speed, managing to reboot some programs and even offer some new ones, while construction continues on the new daylodge.

Cross country ski rentals for classic skis are back up and running at the facility, thanks to volunteers who offer open hours Monday and Thursday evenings 5:30 pm. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

While the rentals have moved up the hill slightly, they are not in the new lodge, which is not yet finished, and are in the small timing hut, in the “stadium” area.

Rentals are $11 for adults and $8 for children, with cash preferred.

The club is still looking for a volunteer to make rentals available to the public Friday nights as well.

Adult beginner ski lessons are also being offered, both classic skiing and skate-skiing lessons for adults.

Classic ski lessons will be offered in sets of three lessons for $75 for non-members and $45 for members, ski rentals are available for the lessons and are an additional $15.

The classic ski session are taking place Mondays, Jan. 9, 16, and 23, Mondays, Jan. 30, Feb. 6 and 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, Jan. 7, 14 and 21 or Saturdays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and 11, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Skate lessons were offered 11 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8 and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10. A second skate ski lesson will build on this and are being offered Jan. 10, Jan. 15, and Jan. 17. Lessons cost $25 for two lessons for club members and $50 for two lessons for non-members.

The club is also running their ski school program, working with the elementary schools offering Grades K-7 ski lessons. They also host weekend Jackrabbit, Bunnies and Track Attack youth programs for children and families. All this is being done thanks to the generous support of volunteers.

Grooming has been good so far, despite the low snow pack, thanks in part to the newly acquired piston bully which required a large investment of both labour by volunteer Dave Skarra and funds for the parts, thanks to a donation by Rick Nelson.

“The piston bully has been a great asset,” said Robin Dawes, club president.

Fingers are crossed for colder temperatures as the club doesn’t want to lose what snow they have, but with sub-zero expected next week they’re optimistic they can keep the season going.

One upside to the warmer temperatures has been more progress on both the daylodge and the log gazebo. Dawes believes the gazebo will be a great asset to the ski school programs, providing a spot for instructors and classes to warm up between lessons.

Read more: Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club welcomes skiers to Bull Mountain for 2022

Read more: Work underway as Williams Lake Cross-Country Ski Club prepares for season



ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com

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Ruth Lloyd

About the Author: Ruth Lloyd

After moving back to Williams Lake, where I was born and graduated from school, I joined the amazing team at the Williams Lake Tribune in 2021.
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