Hey Ski Friends!
Hasn’t the skiing been fabulous?!
Thank you groomers! Thank you parking lot plowers! Thank you rental shed volunteers!
Just a few things/events to share in this email, see below.
But first, I invite any of you long-time skiers to send in some advice or snippets that will help, encourage, inspire, motivate, amuse, bolster, and/or guide the newer members of our ski club. Anything about technique, or the trails, or about how to dress, or something particular about Onion Lake Ski Trails? Send your snippets to Cathy here, and I’ll be sure to add color and texture to the next few newsletters with your wisdom and humor.
And speaking of humor, check out this older video about a new sport:
CANSI weekend January 30-February 2, 2026
Do not scroll past this block of information! We want to encourage, cajole, BEG some of you to think about the upcoming CANSI courses. CANSI stands for Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors. Our club has a number of CANSI-certified instructors, who teach adults of all ski levels (in both classic and skate techniques) to improve their skills, and to be safe on the trails.The CANSI instructors also do the instructing for events like Women’s Ski Fest, school groups, and corporate groups. And some of the CANSI instructors are also your kids’ JackRabbit coaches.
If you already possess intermediate-level ski skills, would you like to improve even more, both your technique and style? Would you at all be interested in helping teach adults learners to be safe, and more efficient and confident in their skiing?
Of course you would!
Karen Messenger from Canmore is coming back to Onion Lake to lead the CANSI Level 1 course, January 30 to Feb. 1. It’s really hard to get these courses here in our far-away-from-everywhere trails, so this is a great opportunity that doesn’t come easily to us. Karen is a terrific instructor; she’s been here the last few winters shoring up our teaching skills and training up new instructors. She skis with flowing Super Karen capes, and besides teaching adults here, she’s also taken part in the Jack Rabbit skill development program. She has lots of experience and charisma. And her love for skiing rubs off on all of us who meet her.
She’s coming to Onion Lake.
Grab the opportunity.
There are two options for Level 1:
2-day course for Classic only Level 1: Jan. 31 - Feb 1
3-day course for full (classic and skate) Level 1: Jan. 30 - Feb. 1
She’s also going to teach a Level 2 Prep course, for those of you who already have completed the Level 1 training. This is a one-day event, to work on more ski technique and probably some endurance! February 2, 2026.
The cost for the CANSI Level 1 courses increases on Jan. 16/17.
The cost for the Level 2 prep increases on Jan. 19.
We need more confirmed participants by January 17 to run the courses. If the course gets cancelled, you will get a full refund.
But if you don’t sign up, you miss out on taking the course.
The sweetest deal: if you achieve your Level 1 certification, the club will reimburse your course fees over the next two seasons if you can help with adult instruction. Please contact Cathy to get details on that.
Final word: Just do it. You won’t regret it.
Women’s Ski Fest
February 8, 2026
We have a very dedicated group of women who are excited to organize and orchestrate this once again.
Always an amazing event: Learn some cross country ski skills, meet some new friends, enjoy the hospitality and lots of delicious food!
For all levels of skiing, in both skate and classic technique.
Questions: email Guiliana
That’s it for now. Stay in touch.
Gear up and go for a ski.
See you on the trails!
