Life above the Clouds at the McKinney Nordic Ski Centre

McKinney Nordic Ski Centre is located just 27km from Oliver on the road to Mt. Baldy (a 35 minute drive). There are 14 km of cross-country trails, with a variety of levels of difficulty and the trails are groomed and trackset regularly by a volunteer groomer. Additionally, McKinney has wonderful dedicated snow shoe trails which we are continuing to improve. The cross-country ski trails are well marked and are very picturesque. The longest circuit around McKinney takes you up to a mountain-top lookout with lovely vistas into the valley. When the weather report calls for sun and you wake up to very low cloud in our valley, it is usually absolutely beautiful above the clouds. Some people may be surprised to find out that the equipment (boots, poles, skis and bindings) for cross-country skiing has changed considerably over the years. The boots are extremely comfortable and warm. The binding systems attaching your boots to the skiis have also improved; most new binding systems are simply engaged by stepping into the binding and getting out only requires a push of a pole tip. The skis are now made with light composite materials and can be bought in a variety of lengths and widths and some skis now come with steel edges. The cost of new startup equipment is very modest when compared to many winter sports and after your initial investment you can expect it to last many years. Both cross-country skiing and snow shoeing can be enjoyed by folks of any age and ability.  So, whether you would like a lovely outdoor experience, a great workout or simply a refill on your Vitamin D, I would encourage you to consider trying cross country skiing & snow shoeing) this year. Hope to see you at the center.