Though Saturday’s storm forced the Carlton Trail Ski Club to postpone its annual Valentine’s Day loppet, skiers were left with fresh powdery snow and beautiful weather.
“Every time a storm comes we’re happy, because sooner or later we’re going to be able to ski on that nice snow, and today is the day,” said Dave Martinuk, president of the ski club.
He added that in planning, they have to take into account the safety of people driving to and from the event, as well as the condition of the trails, which is why they decided to postpone.
“If you were skiing at 1 or 2 o’clock, you would have had trouble seeing the trails and you would have been a bit cold too,” Martinuk said.
In its heyday, the loppet drew up to 150 people. This year, 20 people registered to take advantage of the snow. Participants came from Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, Humboldt, and more. In the past, they’ve gotten participants from as far away as Hudson Bay.
A loppet is a gathering of skiers where participants traditionally go longer distances. The Humboldt loppet began at 10 a.m. and the trails closed at 2:30 p.m. Checkpoints were placed along the trails for skiers to warm up, eat a snack, or have a hot or cold drink.
There were also door prizes such as balaclavas or flashlights and couples could enter to win a dinner for two at the Bella Vista Inn.
Martinuk said it was important to offer the event to people in the area as a social event and a source of exercise.
“It’s a chance for people to meet socially. Some of these people might only meet once a year on the trails,” he said. “You look at the articles on fitness, heart attack and stroke ... they all point to the fact that we all need to keep moving, and cross country skiing is an excellent type of cardiovascular exercise.”
It’s the 34th year for the loppet, and shows no signs of slowing down.
“We’ve got some of the best snow in the province right now,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful, wonderful day to be out here.”
