With the new year, it’s time to start considering which loppets you’ll be entering this winter. The Lake Louise to Banff loppet on Jan 20 was sold out in 55 minutes.The number of participants is restricted because it’s in Banff National Park.
If you missed out on that one, there’s a free-style race in Red Deer on Jan 26 and Nipika on Feb 2, 3. This will be the first time in many years where the Nipika loppet isn’t held on the same weekend as the LL to Banff, so I expect I’ll be making an appearance.
Check out the Loppet page for a list of events.
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Emerald Lake and Yoho
There is a lengthy feature story on Emerald Lake/Yoho in today’s Calgary Herald. deal+keep+cross+country+trails+open+Yoho+pays+Emerald+Lake. I don’t know how you could resist going there after reading that article.
If you go skiing at Emerald Lake, consider making a donation or buying a membership in the Kicking Horse Ski Club we’re-lucky-to-have-skiing-at-emerald-lake-this-winter. I see a lot of names from Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore, Chestermere, Lac Des Arcs, and other places on the list of members, so thanks for supporting this worthy cause.
There are much more loppets around there.
To name the few:
1) Huckleberry Loppet in Golden on February 10 – http://goldennordicclub.ca/event/huckleberry-loppet. It is a very-very nice Loppet. It is a very good alternative to Canadian Birkie. And it definetelly has much nicer course.
2) The new Grizzly ski marathon and relay in Canmore on March 10 – http://www.grizzlyultra.ca/Canmore_Ultra_XC_Ski.html – This should be a very cool event!
There are more loppets around Edmonton: like Olle Uffda Loppet in Camrose, Beckie Scott Loppet in Vermillion, Tawatinaw Loppet in Tawatinaw, Devon Family Loppet in Devon, Beat the Boogie
Loppet close to Birkie trails, and more.
The best sources of all xc-ski races in AB and BC are here (look for Schedules or Events):
http://xcountryab.net/main.php
http://www.crosscountrybc.ca/