Activities
Cross Country & Back Country Skiing
Grande Cache is in Chinook country, so this activity is largely dependent on weather conditions.
Groomed Trails
Grande Cache Municipal Campground and Golf Course
- Located within Town limits
- Part of the campground is lit so provides about a kilometre of night skiing opportunities — great for those short mid-winter days
- Total distance combined for Campground and Golf Course is about 8.0 km (4.97 mi.)
- The campground and golf course is groomed and track is set for either classic or skating skiing
- Area is wide open and therefore not intimidating to beginners
- The Golf Course is a great spot to ski with a view
- The Golf Course can get severely windblown at times, so for best conditions try to hit it on a calm day soon after some fresh snow
- Watch for signs of elk or deer, which sometimes bed down here
- Please stay off the greens
Pierre Gray Lakes Recreation Area
- 20 minute drive south of Grande Cache on Highway 40
- About 15 km (9.3 mi.) of tracked trails for classic skiing and a wide, groomed section for skating.
- There’s a warm-up shack, picnic tables, and a small toboggan hill for those too young to ski located in the McDonald camping area.
- The snow here is fairly consistent most years. Even when the townsite is swept clear of snow by chinook winds, it is usually possible to find good conditions at Pierre Gray.
Back Country Touring
Once you venture off the beaten track the whole countryside is somewhat open to you. You’re no longer relying on someone else to groom your trail for you, and so you’re not restricted to those places where they do. However, since you’ll be breaking your own trail, don’t expect to travel the distances you’re used to on the tracked trails. Generally, you’ll want slightly more rugged gear (slightly stiffer boots and wider skis) if you plan to ski the valley trails, and much more rugged gear (even stiffer boots and even wider, shorter skis) if you want to ski the mountain trails. You’ll probably be going into more remote areas where fewer people go, and you may be going greater distances as well. Maybe the solitude is part of what attracted you to go off and beat your own track in the first place, but there are a few extra skills and responsibilities that go along with it.
You’ll want to carry a larger pack, with more clothes and equipment just in case you should get into any kind of trouble or the weather takes a turn for the worst. And you’ll need at least a basic knowledge of route-finding, winter survival, avalanches and first aid. Consider carrying avalanche transceivers and shovels if you plan to venture into the alpine areas.
