Grooming Updates & Insights

In recent days, we have received questions and feedback from members regarding grooming practices, trail access, and overall priorities during this challenging winter. We appreciate members taking the time to share their concerns.

Over the past several weeks, our team has worked hard to bring skiing back to life, balancing snowmaking efforts with the management of fresh, heavy snowfall. That process is not always straightforward, and we would like to provide some context around the decisions being made and the approach moving forward.

As a note, We are fortunate to have a very dedicated and skilled group of groomers who care deeply about the club and the experience of our members. Their goal is simple: to get everyone out on their favourite trail each day whenever possible. This season, however, they have faced a combination of challenging weather patterns, shifting forecasts, heavy near-zero snow, and overlapping snowmaking demands.

Despite these frustrating factors, they remain committed to providing the best possible conditions within the realities of the winter we have been given.



Dog Trails and Gravel Extraction

As many of you know, gravel extraction activity temporarily impacted portions of the dog trail network, and sections were closed while work was underway. This was to ensure the safety of everyone. We understand how disruptive that can feel, particularly for those who regularly ski these trails.

We are now clear to return to Underdog and Upper Dog-On-It, and as conditions allow, we expect to be back out grooming these areas within the next day or two. Unfortunately, Lower Dog On It will not return

Members will notice some visible changes in the section between the Top Dog / Dog-On-It junction and the Sun Dog / Top Dog junction. The landscape has shifted in that area, and we will continue assessing what adjustments are required to maintain safe and enjoyable skiing.

We do not receive long-term extraction schedules, as notice is typically provided when work is imminent. While that limits extended advance warning, maintaining meaningful dog-access terrain remains important to the club. The newer trail additions beyond the pit are part of a broader strategy to adapt to changing boundaries and preserve dog skiing opportunities over time.

We will connect with the Gravel Pit in the Spring to determine their mining plans and adjust things accordingly to ensure an amazing dog trail network moving forward.

February 25 Grooming Attempted

Well...that snowfall was certainly welcome, and we were excited to see it arrive. Unfortunately, the timing and quality of the snow created challenges. It was highly saturated, and despite attempts this morning to groom and clean up previously pushed-out areas of manmade snow, the snow was balling up in the tiller and on the blade, leaving random mounds across the surface.

Our new Prinoth Husky provides a wide range of grooming and tilling options we are excited about, but even with that flexibility, the snow was simply too wet and temperatures too warm for effective results. Continuing to work it would have created uneven surfaces and icing that could take several days to correct.

We always begin on the recreational trails to ensure they are ready for the day. In this case, stepping back was the better decision to protect overall ski quality.

As temperatures cool and the snow firms up, we expect to be back out resetting terrain and improving conditions. When conditions allow, we will get a full crew out there to bring back the awesome!

Why the Loop Has Seen

More Consistent Grooming?

"The loop" contains a substantial base of manmade snow, and over the past several weeks we have also been working to expand and strengthen that surface. Manmade snow is denser and more durable than natural snowfall, which allows it to hold up better and respond more predictably to grooming equipment in marginal temperatures.

For that reason, the loop has seen more consistent grooming during periods of challenging weather. This has not been a program or event driven decision, but rather one based on snow type, surface stability, and where equipment can produce the best possible result on a given day.

The loop is also highly accessible for recreational skiers, with gentle terrain and close proximity to the lodge. During difficult conditions, it provides a reliable and welcoming option for a wide range of members.

When natural snow conditions improve, our recreational trails, and dog trails, are our grooming priority. Recreational skiing continues to be central to the identity and direction of the club.

Snowmaking and Grooming Updates

With such a challenging January and early February, we recognized that Snowmaking was essential to bring winter back to life and keep skiing available for our members. Producing and managing manmade snow is highly labour-intensive, particularly during extended cold periods when crews are working long hours to build, move, and shape piles into skiable surfaces.

Our snowmaking team is primarily our grooming team. When snowmaking is underway, it requires the same people, equipment, and energy that are responsible for trail preparation. When snowmaking overlaps with the management of fresh, heavy snowfall, operational demands increase significantly and staffing capacity can be stretched.

We are grateful to the volunteers who came out to support snowmaking efforts during the colder periods. Their contribution played an important role in rebuilding our winter.

This season has required constant adjustment. Temperatures have shifted quickly, snowfall has varied in quality, and forecasts have not always aligned with what ultimately arrived. Decisions have been made based on real-time conditions, with the goal of protecting the snow base and providing the best possible skiing experience for our members.

If you see one of our groomers or snowmakers around the lodge or out on the trails, please take a moment to thank them. They are often the ones in the grease-stained jackets, running on little sleep and long hours, quietly working behind the scenes to make skiing possible for us all.

Moving Forward

Earlier in the season, protecting and rebuilding our base was critical to keeping winter alive at Caledonia. Those decisions were not always easy, but they have paid off. Because of that effort, we are still skiing, and we have trails that continues to hold up despite a challenging winter. Did you know, Telemark Nordic was forced to close for the season as a result of conditions faced throughout BC.

At this stage in the season, our focus shifts to getting as much of our trail network as possible ready for skiing whenever conditions allow. Every weather window is an opportunity, and our team is ready to take advantage of it.

We understand that rapidly changing conditions can make communication feel inconsistent at times. We are committed to continuing to improve how we share updates and explain decisions so members have clear insight into what is happening on the ground.

Our purpose remains constant: to deliver quality skiing for our entire community — recreational skiers, families, youth programs, competitive athletes, and everyone in between — while managing the snowpack responsibly and sustainably.

This winter has tested all of us, but it has also highlighted the resilience of our staff, volunteers, and members. We appreciate your patience, your feedback, and your continued support.

Thank you for being part of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club community.

A Well-Deserved Thank You

to Our Grooming Team

I would also like to take a moment to recognize an exceptional group of individuals who have carried a tremendous load this season.

I have been fortunate to work closely with Peter Hoffman during one of the most challenging winters of my tenure. Together, we have navigated difficult calls, shifting forecasts, long nights, and complex decisions. I am incredibly grateful for Peter’s leadership, experience, and steady presence throughout it all.

Peter is supported by a strong and dedicated team: Kaleb, Steve C, Ed, Summer, Steve B (also known as “the other Steve”), and Nathanael. This group has shown remarkable commitment, creativity, and resilience. They have worked long hours in cold temperatures, in wet snow, during freeze-thaw cycles, and through unpredictable weather patterns — all with one shared goal: to provide the best possible conditions for our members.

They care deeply about the skiing experience at Caledonia. They want every member to enjoy their favourite trail. They take pride in their work, and they continually adapt equipment, techniques, and strategy to make the most of the winter we are given.

This has not been an easy season, but this team has met it with professionalism and determination. We are fortunate to have them.

If you see them around the lodge or out on the trails, please take a moment to thank them. Their work often happens behind the scenes, but it makes skiing possible for all of us.