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Cross-country Ski Season Kicks Off in Gatineau Park!
By:  National Capital Commission   (2008/11/27)

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Canada’s Capital Region — The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to announce that a large section of Gatineau Park’s cross-country trail network is open to skiers for another promising year of cross-country skiing in Canada’s Capital Region.

Cross-country skiers will have access to close to 28 kilometres of compacted and groomed trails (17% of the overall cross-country ski trail network), including the Fortune Parkway, part of the Gatineau Parkway and the Champlain Parkway. Ski conditions vary from fair to good. Trailheads giving access to these Parkways are located at parking lots number 6, 8, 9 and 10 in Chelsea.

All services are operational, including the professional ski patrol, parking lot attendants and 24-hour trail maintenance. The Park’s 35-kilometre snowshoe and 10-kilometre winter walking trail networks are also open to users for the season. For up-to-date ski conditions and status of trails that are open, please visit the Gatineau Park website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca/gatineau or call the trail conditions hotline at 819-827-2020, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The NCC would like to remind users to stay on the designated trails, to not venture on to any frozen water surfaces and that domestic animals are permitted on winter walking trails only (on leash).

Gatineau Park boasts one of North America’s most popular and beautiful trail networks and it’s only 15 minutes from Parliament Hill. Close to 200 kilometres of cross-country ski trails wind through the Park’s forests, and along frozen lakes and river valleys. Dozens of groomed and patrolled trails make the Park a great destination for all skiers of all levels and styles. The Park’s trail network features ten daytime shelters where skiers can enjoy their lunch at picnic tables and warm up by wood stoves. Skiers and snowshoers also have the opportunity to extend their excursion by spending the night in one of Gatineau Park’s six cabins and yurts or experiencing winter camping under the stars at Philippe Lake (reservations required).

Seasonal cross-country ski passes can be purchased at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, located at 33 Scott Road, in Chelsea, at pre-season rates until December 15, 2008. Daily passes can also be purchased at the Visitor Centre and at the Park’s parking areas (P6, P8, P9 and P10) that provide direct access to the open trails.

For more information on winter activities in Gatineau Park, members of the public can visit the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, located at 33 Scott Road in Chelsea, call 819-827-2020, 1 800 465-1867, or visit the NCC website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca/gatineau. TTY (text telephone for the hearing impaired) is available at: 613-239-5090 or toll-free 1 866 661-3530.

Information: Julie Rocheleau   Jean Wolff

          NCC Media Relations  NCC Media Relations    

          613-239-5708 (office)  613-239-5703 (office)

          613-851-9465 (cellular)  613-797-0279 (cellular)

 
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