Cross Country Skiing in the Yukon

Whitehorse, Yukon is a wonderful place for cross-country skiing! The Whitehorse Nordic Centre offers 85 kilometers of groomed trails for both classic and skate skiing. The trails are wide and excellently maintained. Gorgeous views of mountains and boreal forests surround you as you ski through this northern winter wonderland.

A Rude Awakening

Skiing in Wisconsin

I always thought I was pretty good at cross country skiing. In the ski areas around my hometown in Wisconsin, I opted for the trails rated “Difficult.” I’ve been cross country skiing since I was six years old. My dad greatly instilled in me the Three Rules of Skiing: 1. Keep your skis together 2. Don’t let them cross 3. Don’t do the splits. As long as I followed these rules, I was golden.

My First Yukon Ski

When I got to the Yukon, however, I realized the trails labeled “Beginner” were far more challenging than the “Difficult” trails of flat Wisconsin. I guess I never learned how to properly ski down a hill on cross-country skis. Hills in Wisconsin are few and far between. If there happens to be a stray hill, chances are it’s short and not all that steep.

I quickly discovered that I must learn how to descend hills, unless I wanted to emerge from my first Yukon winter a bruised, battered, and broken-boned woman.

Some of these “easy” Yukon trails require you to descend steep hills with sharp turns at the bottom. If you miss the turn, you either run full-speed into a tree or into a fellow skier. Or, you could opt to not even try the turn and fall down quasi-voluntarily in an attempt to avoid the tree. However, you may find that you pick up just as much speed on your rump and crash into the tree anyway.

After my first day of skiing in the Yukon, I retreated to the car feeling very sore, a little crabby, but dazedly determined to improve at this sport. What else are you going to do when you live in a place that is snow-covered eight months of the year?

Practice Makes Perfect?

My husband, who is essentially a professional skier, took me to the small set of hills behind the ski chalet to practice the snow-plow technique and making turns. Of course, the area was filled with small skiing children racing down the hills and doing jumps. Meanwhile, I would lose control as soon as gravity kicked in, and I crashed to the hard ground many times in front of my elementary-aged audience.

Cross-Country Ski Trails that are Actually Easy

My husband eventually just said that it was time to try the trails again. This time, we went on the easiest possible trail – the Dog trail. The Dog trail is mostly flat, and any ascents and descents are gradual and straight. One of the biggest challenges of this trail is staying on your feet when suddenly there is a huge dog running at breakneck speed right past you. But some of the dogs wear cute boots, so that makes up for them startling you half to death.

The Dog trail eventually takes you up a slope to the adorable Harvey’s Hut. There is a fireplace with provided, pre-chopped firewood, and incredible views of Mount McIntyre.

From Harvey’s Hut you could turn around and descend on the Sundog Trail. The descent is very long and very gradual. I have never fallen down on it! Once I even successfully dodged a skier who was coming up the wrong way on the one-way Sundog trail.

A roundtrip from the Dog parking lot to Harvey’s hut and back is about 6 kilometers. If you want a longer ski, you could continue past Harvey’s Hut to the Lower Selwyn trail, which takes you down into the forested mountain valley.

If you look at the map above, you’ll see that the Copper trail is also labeled as “beginner,” but so far that trail has been too difficult for me due to some steeper hills with turns.

Trails for More Advanced Skiers (than Me)

I asked my husband which trails he recommends for skiers who are better than me but not as good as him. He said the Raven to Coyote trails would be best, as they aren’t as steep as some of the other ones.

He also said that the best views are at the Falun Lookout, but you have to take the advanced trails to get there.

The most difficult trail you could do at the Nordic Centre is the ascent and descent of Mount McIntryre. The ascent is long and arduous, taking you on switchbacks up the mountain. You may want backcountry skis, which are wider and usually have metal edges. You may also want skins for your skis. These prevent you from sliding backwards but don’t hinder your forward, uphill movement. The descent follows a straight backcountry road. Its challenge is due to the ruts and bumps in the road caused by snowmobiles and other vehicles.

Skiing is Fun for All Ages and Skill Levels!

Even though I have experienced some small injuries due to so many falls this winter, I still have had a lot of fun out on the trails. It is best to not compare yourself to others when skiing. I’ve seen an 85 year old woman who looked more physically fit than me. But, I’ve also seen professional-looking skiers in their sporty, colorful outfits fall down too. It’s all part of the learning experience! The trails in Whitehorse, though difficult for me, are still the best trails I have been on. I highly recommend trying cross country skiing if you spend a winter in the Yukon!

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