Winter, summer activities on same day
Making Tracks
This is one of the best times of the Okanagan year, a chance to combine winter and summer activities on the same day, or during the same week.
So the Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen cycled the Okanagan Rail Trail from downtown to Kelowna airport on Monday; cycled the Mission area of Kelowna on Tuesday; and went downhill skiing at Big White Ski Resort on Wednesday while making plans to cross-country ski at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre on the weekend.
The rail trail was 12 C but a headwind when going downhill back to the downtown for hot chocolate at Sprouts. The bottom end of Mission Creek Greenway was still wet and muddy with a number of slushy spots so it will take a few more warm days to dry out. We turned back.
“This is going to be a perfect day,” CCC predicted on Wednesday as we pulled into the Happy Valley parking lot at Big White.
And it was. Brilliant sunshine (just like the webcams showed). The softest snow on groomed runs. It wasn’t the –11 C listed on the early-morning snow report. And there were virtually no lift lines for run after run on the Ridge and Bullet high-speed quads.
It was one of the best days, if not the best day, of the season with likely many more to come as we begin March.
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Speaking of perfect, the inaugural
Stride and Glide for KGH ended Sunday but last-minute donations were accepted until Friday.
“We blew through our wildest projection and the money is still pouring in,” a thrilled Lyle Nicholson said in announcing a whopping total of $46,439 as of Wednesday.
The Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club’s goal was $20,000 to support a revolutionary, comprehensive advanced stroke care plan that will transform treatment for patients living in the Southern Interior.
“We are deeply humbled by the community’s support,‚“said Nicholson, a key organizer and club director. “We wanted to create something fun and safe during the pandemic that still encouraged people to go enjoy the outdoors and support a good cause. We had over 100 people register and had over 50 fundraising pages created. It’s been a
pleasure seeing a little friendly competition take place, and all for such a worthwhile cause!”
Top individual fundraisers were Mary and David Horner who collected $10,900 while the top team was Get a Grip with $1,925.
And then, there was the incredible achievement of Amanda Kosmerly, an ICU nurse at Kelowna General Hospital, who challenged herself to ski 100 kilometres in one day. To top it off, she also created a fundraising page that raised more than
$2,000.
“I went the distance because I know athletes who have had a stroke and feel that the advanced stroke program will change lives. I chose 100 km because it was double the distance of my farthest ski and I knew it would be extra challenging - 100 km is super-far on skis - but I mentally broke it down into smaller bite sizes and focused on skiing in the
moment with purpose.
“Focusing on how beautiful Kelowna Nordic is and how fortunate I am to have all this in my backyard. I had some good friends out there feeding me, cheering and, at times, skiing with me to help make my day a success,” she said.
Marshall Moleschi, Kelowna photographer and veteran skier, captured wrap-up photos, posted at kelkownanordic.com.
“We know these are challenging and uncertain times and yet, you showed us there is still hope. No matter your reason for supporting the Stride and Glide event, rest assured you have made a significant impact for generations to come,” said Bettina Muller, KGH Foundation’s events and projects manager.
Nicholson has even bigger and better plans for 2022. ‚“Without the pandemic, we have the opportunity to really make it a thing. Think wrap-up celebration with cider tastings, food and beverage stations, and a more unified inperson festivity!”
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Provincial grants totalling $20 million were announced this week for 38 rural projects as part of B.C.’s $10-billion COVID-19 response. The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association will receive $450,000 for infrastructure improvements to the Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail, affecting Beaverdell, Greenwood, Midway, Naramata and Rock Creek, and advance implementation of the KVR master plan.
In another announcement, 54 new tourism projects will receive funding under the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program’s (CERIP) destination development stream.
In the North Okanagan, Predator Ridge Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort will connect to the Okanagan Rail Trail via a 1.3-km, three-metre-wide, gravel multi-use trail for $210,000.
In the South Okanagan, the Osoyoos Desert Society will receive $834,789 for replacement of the existing 22-year-old 1.5-km elevated wooden boardwalk trail and to build a new steel pergola at the Osoyoos Desert Centre.
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The 2022 BC Winter Games are coming to Vernon with Nordic events at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre.
More than 2,100 athletes, coaches, managers and officials will participate in approximately 19 sports on Feb. 24-27. Sovereign Lake will host Nordic events for athletes ages 13-14 in cross country, biathlon and para-nordic.
Due to increased interest and inquiry, SLNC Biathlon is opening up an expression-of-interest sign-up form for both youth and Masters biathlon programming, says general manager Troy Hudson. “Stay tuned for more info and the call for volunteers.”