Ski Season Commences
There was just a week to put away the hiking boots and drag out the skis. Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre opened for Nordic skiing on Friday November 8th and Silver Star Mountain Resort opened its Nordic trails the next day. Although at least one local golf course was still open down in the valley, only an easy 30 minute drive away, there was a snow base of 50 cm, and over 100 km of carefully groomed trails ready for cross country skiers!
Our first day on skis was November 10th. We left the dullness of the valley, drove up through waves of misty fog and arrived into a winter wonderland! It brought back memories of last season.
There are some mornings when you question the wisdom of drudging up the hill for a day of skiing. The weather looks dull and uninviting. There is no snow in the valley; how could there be any decent snow on the hill??
We are now starting out third ski season as residents of Vernon and we can not recall a single day when we have been disappointed by the quality of the snow or the grooming on the cross country trails.
We shared the lower trails with some families but there were also Lycra clad skate-skiers whizzing by. There were folks walking their dogs along Bridle Trail and kids building snow men.
We lingered over hot chocolate the Bugaboos Bakery before driving back down to town.
The next day we took a long walk following Bella Vista Road up above Okanagan Lake. The apples trees were still stubbornly holding onto their leaves and the sun was bouncing off the quivering lake surface. Couples we ambling along the beach and children were boisterously playing in the play ground at Kin Park.
Behind us Silver Star Mountain was hidden by a grey cloud. It was hard to believe we had been skiing there the previous day and would go up again the next day. Yesterday we were able to finish cleaning up our yard. Our timing was perfect.
Today it is raining, that translates into snow up on the mountain. An tomorrow we will return for our third day of skiing.
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