December 28, 2012 (Radium, B.C.) – Happy Holidays from Nipika! We hope that you get to spend some time outside in true Nipika style: some cross country skiing, snowshoeing, toboganning, ice skating in crisp winter… followed by a hot tub or sauna and a delicious home-cooked meal.

If you can’t get out for an overnight or day visit to Nipika this holiday season, consider coming out in the New Year.

Nipika Cross Country Ski Camp – Jan. 20-25
Join Nipika director (and x-c ski guru) Lyle Wilson and Black Feather director Wendy Grater for 5 days of expert instruction and coaching. Relax at the end of the day in the wood fired sauna or hot tub. Accommodation each night is in the comfortable lodge and includes delicious, home-cooked meals and great camaraderie. Skiers of all levels will enjoy this cross country ski adventure week. More info HERE.

Nipika and Toby Creek Nordic Loppet Weekend – Feb.2-3
The Loppet Weekend is fast approaching. The Nipika Classic Loppet is on Saturday, February 2 and the Toby Creek Skate Loppet is on Sunday, February 3. Registration is already open and selling fast. The loppets are always a lot of fun – and the BBQ the follows is a huge highlight. If you’ve not tried a cross country ski event, this is probably the best one to cut your teeth. More info HERE.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in the new year! Have a safe and happy holiday!

December 06, 2012 (Sovereign Lake, B.C.) – International skiers from Sweden, Brazil, Peru, Switzerland and New Zealand are descending on Sovereign Lake for the Teck BC Cup and Haywoond NorAm races this coming weekend.

From across the water, Matthew Bull who is 14 years old and lives in Sydney will be racing in the Teck BC Cup. Bull trains with the New South Wales cross country ski team. He has been ski racing for approximately 7 years and has participated in a BC cup race in 2010 and placed 3rd. He is living with a host family in Vernon for this season to train with the SLNC during Australia’s summer break.

Joining the international racers in the Haywood NorAm will be Catharine Pendrel, an Olympic and World Champion mountain biker from Kamloops who will try her hand at ski racing this weekend. Pendrel, a guest and keynote speaker to Supercamp was brushing up on her ski technique in the past two weeks with the Supercamp coaches. The early season ski camps hosted by Sovereign Lake and Silver Star ran the last two weeks and finished up on Sunday.

Along with the international competitors, Pendrel and Bull will join teams from all over Canada and the U.S. to compete in two days of racing. The assorted competitors from the U.S. are coming from Minneapolis, Winthrop, Oregon and Spokane. Some of the competitors, including the Swedish team will go on to race at the World Cup in Canmore the following weekend.

Saturday’s classic technique races will start with the Teck BC Cup in the morning and the Haywood NorAm and Teck BC Cup mass start taking place in the afternoon. Viewers will be able to watch the races in the stadium from the lodge at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre.

Sunday’s free technique races will include similar scheduling with interval starts for the athletes. For more information visit www.sovereignlake.com.

November 09, 2012 (Vernon, BC) – Despite recent warm temperatures, Silver Star Mountain Resort is tracking for its scheduled early season opening third week of November, 2012. Over 40 cm of snow have fallen in the two weeks setting up the trail conditions for an early season for the resort and the neighboring Sovereign Lake Nordic Club. The partnership between the two provides cross-country enthusiasts access to more than 105 km of some of North America’s best Nordic skiing.

“We’re excited about the upcoming season and our renewed partnership with Sovereign Lake,” says Guy Paulsen, Nordic Manager at Silver Star Mountain Resort. “For the first time in Silver Star’s history, we’ll be co-hosting Canada’s longest running early season camp. Skiers across Canada and the U.S. have come to trust our early snow and excellent coaching to start off their season.”

Registrations are flowing in for the 2012 Cross-Country Supercamps, which begin on November 19. Five-day camps run November 19 to 23 and November 26 to 30. Weekend camps will run the last two weekends of the month and all camps include a biathlon option and the opportunity to experience shooting on skis.

The camp agenda also includes a relaxing afternoon at the neighboring Sparkling Hill Resort, the only European spa of its kind in North America, where campers will have access to seven unique aromatherapy sauna and steam rooms and a hydrotherapy pool. The evening will finish with a five-star dining experience overlooking Lake Okanagan.

In addition to the dual area pass, full cross-country access is also a feature of the new My1Pass. In honour of its 10 millionth skier visit, Silver Star Mountain Resort introduced Canada’s first all-inclusive season pass and day ticket. With the My1Pass, alpine day ticket and season pass holders will have free unlimited access to 115 downhill trails, 55 kilometers of Nordic trails, 16 km of mapped and marked snowshoe trails, Tube Town Adventure Park, and outdoor skating on Brewer’s Pond.

Silver Star – Sovereign Lake are world renowned for its cross-country skiing facilities and is a training ground for some of the best racers in the world. The first of the international competitions is set for December 8 and 9. Sovereign Lake, near Vernon B.C., will host both the Teck BC Cup 1 and the second of the Haywood NorAm Race Series, with elite and developing skiers from Canada competing head-to-head with guests from the U.S. The Teck BC Cup Series is the premier race series in British Columbia.

For reservations and to register for the 2012 Cross-Country Supercamps, call 1-800-663-4431 or visit www.skisilverstar.com.

August 15, 2012 (Silver Star Mountain, BC) – The gang at Silver Star Mountain is offering you a chance to win a free Season’s Pass! When you complete a brief survey, you will be automatically entered into a draw to win. It’s that easy! We want to be able to offer you deals and packages that match your lifestyle and what you need in a mountain vacation.

Whether it’s coming up on weekends with the family, or a weekend of shredding with the boys, we want to get you back up here and making some more memories.

Please take a few minutes to complete our brief survey HERE that will help us to determine your needs and wants. As a token of appreciation for your time, each completed survey will be entered to win a FREE Season’s Pass for the 2012/13 season!

January 27, 2012 (Sun Peaks, BC) – Students at the Discovery Centre for Balanced Education at Sun Peaks Resort will be giving a new sport a try as part of their school curriculum this February.

The Nordic Ski School at Sun Peaks Resort will be teaching 45 students (K-7) the basics of cross country skiing at three upcoming classes: February 8, February 15 and February 29.

The Discovery Centre first opened in September 2010, with a new twist on standard education. In between math and spelling lessons, taught both in person and via Skype, the students have an opportunity to learn about winter sports. Whether it be alpine skiing at lunch, or going on a class snowshoe tour, and now…an introduction to Nordic skiing.

The Nordic Program is one that has taken huge steps to expand this year, with a two-day Nordic instructional camp this weekend with former Olympic Coach Gunner Rasmussen, to a 24 kilometre race coming up on February 26. Plans for additional programs and classes are already in the works for the 2012-13 winter season.

For details on Nordic programs at Sun Peaks Resort, click HERE.

For more information on the Discovery Centre for Balanced Education, please contact info@balancededucation.ca.

November 05, 2011 (Silverstar Mountain, BC) – With our official Nordic Opening now just a week away, I thought it a good idea to pass a long some timely and good news about our upcoming Cross Country Camps.

Accommodation Promo Extended until Dec. 2
We are extending our 20% off promotion on your on-mountain accommodation until December 2nd when you book your Silver Star Mountain Cross Country Camp. Based on an average two person stay this means anywhere from a $50 savings on accommodation when booking your Weekend Warrior Camp (2 days) to over a $200 savings on your on-mountain accommodation when booking your Go the Distance Camp (5 days.) This is something to smile about!

Win a complete Rossignol Skate or Classic Package!
All Silver Star Cross Country Camps registrants are eligible to win a complete Rossignol Skate or Classic Package when using their “Camp Reward Card” at The Den Bistro & Bar on Silver Star. Who would ever think eating & drinking could be this good.

Hats off to our cross country camp supporters Halti, Fischer, Swix, Rossignol, SkiTrax, Cross Country Skier, Sauce Headwear, Fast & Female, Village Ski Shop (formerly Valhalla Pure) for providing some great prizes as well as gifts for our valued (and hardworking) cross country campers!

Great Après Skiing Events
Après Skiing Events will be happening throughout all of our Weekend Warrior & Go the Distance Camps. Some notable après ski events for Silver Star Cross Country Camp participants will be SSASS Skier’s Gala Ball & Silent Auction (November 26th. Order tickets in advance @ 250.260.3737) Art of Flight Movie Premiere (NATC – November 25th. Purchase tickets @ the Ticket Office) “Grand Frosto” Village Bike Races ( December 2nd & December 3rd. Register at Guest Services Desk in Village Center) Swix Wax Workshops (November 22nd, 26th, 29th, December 3rd.)

Snow!
Snow, snow, snow and more is scheduled for early next week. All of our Upper Trails have been rolled and now await the next snowfall. We are confident we will have good early season trail conditions for November 11th. Leaving from our village today for some “snow inspection” I must say it was nice to have the wind in my face again.

Our great team of coaches and grooming staff look forward to seeing you back at our camps. Don’t delay and register today with our convenient Silver Star Holiday Team at info@skisilverstar.com / 1-800-663-4431 / 250-558-6083