Take-aways from yesterday’s announcement

Update from John regarding purchased passes: “if you are missing either your receipt or pass, check your Junk email box. My receipt and pass ended up there.”

OR if you still don’t have it, contact info@kananaskisgrooming.ca Passes are sent by email as a PDF attachment. 

It’s been interesting to read all the comments regarding the Kananaskis Grooming issue. What I’d like to know is, who got pass #5000? (The numbering started at 5000). 

To put things in perspective, $50 for a Kananaskis season pass seems like a bargain when places like Hardwood Hills near Toronto charge $1219. Most ski areas in BC charge for skiing. Sovereign Lakes near Vernon charges $520 for a family season pass.

I’m thrilled to know that familiar faces will be grooming the trails; Jody and James in PLPP, and Jeff and Alex in Ribbon Creek. They know the trails, are experts at their jobs, and are conscientious about wanting to provide a great skiing experience for us. (Sorry for anyone I missed. I’ve yet to met the groomer at Sandy McNabb). 

We can enjoy groomed trails at Mt Shark

Plaudits and cheers for the folks at Nordiq Alberta: Ken Hewitt, Chris Reitz, Julie and everyone else who worked on this file, for their quick and thorough work at putting together a proposal, and having everything set up to start selling passes on Day One. 

The couch saga will continue. How could we face a winter without the stories we get from MaSid’s couch near Elk Pass? As Steve mentioned, “I think we need a donation box at the couch for MaSid. Not for money though, how about cookies! The couch and meadows have become our usual spot for afternoon tea after skiing Blueberry.” I suppose in the age of the plague, it will have to be individual chairs. 

Back on March 27, a few hours before everything closed, I skied up Whiskey Jack for the 194th time. I’m delighted to know I’ll have an opportunity to make it 195. I rode my bike to the Skogan Pass summit this summer, not knowing if I’d be skiing it this winter. I’m glad that uncertainty has been laid to rest. 

There are many comments about the politics of this issue, so I appreciate the insight which people offer. I hope that a long-term solution to funding grooming will be in place before next season rolls around. 

21 Comments:

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  1. MAKE ALBERTA A DEMOCRACY

    What is with the UCP discrimination against cross country skiers?

    Mountain bikers in the Provincial Parks are not charged fees for riding on trails, particularly those nice paved ones! Cars are not charged fees for driving in the parks. People putting garbage into garbage cans are not charged a fee. People using toilets are not charged fees so why is Premier Jason Kenney charging cross country skiers fees to park? This is a Keystone XL pipeline money grab by a Premier who is discriminatory .

    • So you’re an advocate for Provincial Park entry fees like Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario? Your entrenched entitlement is showing.

      If you buy hockey gear, do you expect free ice time? Downhill gear – free lift tickets?

      If $50/year to support grooming at four separate locations (which have to be driven to – so you’ll need access to a vehicle) is overly taxing, perhaps the local outdoor basketball court is more suited to your needs.

  2. MAKE ALBERTA A DEMOCRACY

    If you are poor do not worry about buying a parking pass and just keep on xc skiing like usual. Don’t let Premier Kenney ruin your winter again.

    Kenney’s election slogan was oddly “strong and free” yet he is eliminating what is free. Be strong and keep skiing for free if you don’t have the bucks to pay for parking in our parks.

    Be sure to vote out the United Corruption Party, also known as the UCP, at the next general election and support a skier friendly party.

  3. $50 for a pass is an amazing deal, given the range of trails and quality of grooming you enjoy. I’m pretty sure anyone who doesn’t live in your area realizes what a gem and privilege you’ve had for so many years and at no cost to users. I’ll buy a pass gladly. I live in BC and visit every year for a week of skiing and this is a true bargain.

  4. I was 5185 yesterday at 5:30 pm

  5. Hopefully they will open PLPP Visitor Centre for shelter for people. This is a safety issue.

  6. If you are missing either your receipt or pass, check your Junk email box. My receipt and pass ended up there.

    That will help solve the mystery of the odd missing pass. Thanks John. I updated my post to add that reminder. -Bob

    • IF there is anyone out there who purchased a pass yesterday but has not yet received their actual pass (as an attached PDF via email) then please let us know (info@kananaskisgrooming.ca).

      We had problems yesterday for the first couple of hours (3-5pm) but as far as we can tell these have all now been cleared up. It is not difficult for us to confirm your payment, the time of delivery (via email) and, if necessary, to issue a replacement pass.

  7. If I’m not mistaken, Kyle and crew perform the ski trail grooming and trail maintenance in Sandy McNabb AND the south Elbow trail from Fullerton day use parking lot. So, technically speaking, parking for xcskiing there for that trail may? warrant a pass too …ABParks and GBCTA should clarify this, or better yet, just implement same for their agreement area. Happy Skiing!

  8. Always partial to a bit of chocolate. Direct deliveries only. Critters will find any stash.

    Is nordiq Alberta a charitable corp or whatever? Does payment get you a tax credit, seeing as it’s meant to augment government expenditure?

    • I expect details explained to all donors on this agreement will be forthcoming. Don’t get me wrong, super happy of the love-in on this arrangement, but curious of the contract between said parties. Transference of duties will eventuate.

      • Obviously a question that can’t be answered now based on participation, but should be for contribution: what happens if more money raised than what it currently costs? Hopefully the current contract/letter of understanding states that it is conditional money and only goes towards winter trail grooming, not general coffers (and of course how much administration cost, or any other costs). Potential for expansion maybe if more money raised (e.g. sawmill trails: good high elevation stuff)? As Jeremy implies, no details from a critical thinking perspective. Just need to understand. I would have thought the basics would have been explained better, which should lead to more people buying in. I know it’s early, but surely there is more that can be said to make it work for the most benefit. Eliminate all barriers to participation. It’s not too hard.

  9. I am thrilled and thankful for the hard work of putting this proposal together! We are more than willing to pay for the grooming. We go regularly to Sovereign lake. Due to the worry about our own access to tracks near home, we have 2 X 2 week stays booked there. We could consider cancelling the interprovincial travel now. A question: is there any plan, or consideration for more frequent grooming? Sovereign Lake charges much more, but has Daily grooming. We would support higher fees IF it meant more grooming.

  10. Great perspective in comparing other provinces (they also have a PST/HST) $50 is indeed a bargain! Count me in. I am relieved that a reasonable solution was found. Thank you to all the people that put in the effort.

    However, on the political side of things, please note that the Alberta government is planning to close 20 parks and remove 164 from the Alberta Parks system. A total of 175 parks could lose protection and Albertans could lose access.

    https://defendabparks.ca/maps/

  11. The receipt has a pdf attached that you print.

  12. I was #5135 and I thought that I was quick to “sign up”! I’d like to hear how many annual passes have been purchased already.

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