The fifth annual Iron Horse Trail Ski Tour may have undergone a change in venue this year, but the ultimate result remained the same – a day of moving swiftly over the snow as a group of like-minded, winter sport enthusiasts.
Presented by the Lakeland Cross Country Ski Club, the annual event is meant to encourage new skiers to come out and try the sport, and experience the benefits of skiing together as a group.
According to club president Pierre Lamoureux, there were a few different factors that went into moving this year’s tour.
“First it was snow condition – do we have enough snow?” he said. “It hasn’t been a very good snow year. We’ve had some snow, but late, and not enough.”
Another factor was the temperature, which was brisk on Saturday morning when the group first set out.
“If we have a wind chill factor below -20, then that gets a little hazardous and uncomfortable . . . we would have been skiing into a headwind (on the Iron Horse Trail),” Lamoureux said.
So the group decided to hold the event at the Cooknell Trails just north of St. Paul. The 10- to 12-kilometre loop at the Cooknell’s boasts a wide range of tree cover, which helps to block out the wind.
According to Lamoureux, the weather wouldn’t be much of a factor at Cooknell’s once they got going.
“As soon as you build up any kind of activity level in your body, you’re generating heat. You get into those trees and you’re feeling toasty warm all of a sudden,” he said. “At ski events, people always make the mistake of bundling up because it’s cold at the start, and then five minutes in they’re just peeling off layers.”
At the head of the trail was a staging area, warmed by a roaring fire that would later heat up the hot chocolate and hot dogs. Gathered around the fire before the start of the tour was the Champagne family.
“We all have skis, so we thought it would be a fun time,” Marina Champagne said of their decision to attend the event after an invitation from her mother-in-law. “It’s kind of just something nice we can all do together as a family.”
Young Rhiana Champange was looking forward to hitting the trail on Saturday morning.
“I love to play in the snow and I like to fall down,” she said. “I like to go down the hills. I’m hoping to go down some huge hills today.”
Addison Champagne, for his part, was hoping to pick up some good speed during the tour.
“The whole thing is pretty fun,” he said. “I really like going fast.”
Addison would get his chance, especially since, according to Lamoureux, the trails at Cooknell’s were in excellent shape for skiing.
“We do have a nice base,” he said. “They are out track setting right now. We are going to have excellent tracks for a long time.”
The Lakeland Cross Country Ski Club is always ready to welcome new faces to the group, with the annual Iron Horse Trail Ski Tour offering just another one of those opportunities for community members to seize.
“I look forward to welcoming people to our club. I look forward to people learning that you can have fun and develop a sense of personal wellness in the winter through outdoor sports,” Lamoureux said. ”It makes winter real short when you enjoy Nordic skiing.”
