Mike Edwards

The snow is long gone now and the weather has finally gotten warm and sunny as we wait for another winter season.  Telemark is a wonderful place to visit in the off season (spring/summer/fall). 

People often come up to Telemark for hikes, dog walks, mountain biking, horse back riding and even birding (Telemark is a noted birding hotspot on ‘ebird’).  It’s a little cooler up here and a great place to get away from the summer heat of the valley.
We hosted the Girl Guides for their Night Trek Event May 9-11, 2025 (check out the attached photo).

Most people stick to the ski trails but it is also possible to hike/bike on the some of the snowshoe trails. The snowshoe trails are not maintained for hiking or biking and have some rough/wet areas. In the fall our youth programs kids do several trail running sessions at Telemark. Motorized vehicles are NOT allowed on most trails although you may see trail crew volunteers doing some summer trail maintenance in a vehicle.

Telemark and surrounding area is designated rangeland for cattle and there are about 120 head (cows & calves and a couple of bulls) that you may see on the trails.  They start out on the lower trails in June and July but make their way up to the top of Crystal Rim trail and beyond over the summer and fall. Then they are rounded up by the end of October.

There is no fee for enjoying Telemark in the off season.

If you come to Telemark in the spring/summer/fall please be prepared.

• The daylodge is not open, the trails are not patrolled and there are not as many people around. So please make sure someone knows where you are and you know where you are going and what you are doing.
•  There can be wildlife.  Bears have been seen as well as coyotes.
• There are mosquitos…especially in June and July.  They generally peter out by late summer. Come prepared with proper clothing and bug spray.
• The weather is changeable so take extra clothing and rain gear if the weather is unsettled.

We hope to see you up at Telemark before the snow flies. Season passes will be going on sale in August.  Get your season pass early.

When “Lake Fern” forms we know its time to end the season!

While there is still good skiing & snowshoeing on some of the trails, the conditions have deteriorated enough that skiing & snowshoeing are no longer recommended – we are not able to groom the ski trails safely – and sadly, its time to close for the season.

Thanks to all our season passholders and day users for another wonderful season. We received just enough snow to open by Dec 15th and conditions just got better and better through the winter with great skiing and snowshoeing right up to the end of March. We had great weather this year with no extended cold snaps and no mid-season melting. So conditions for skiing and snowshoeing were consistent and fantastic all season.

We introduced some fun social events – hosted a couple of successful events (Biathlon BC U13 Champs and the Teck XC BC Champs) and our programs, from Bunnies/Jackrabbits to the Competitive Racing Team to Special O had successful seasons with lots of smiles. We have an incredible community of volunteers, coaches athletes and staff that make it all happen – THANK YOU everyone!

We hope you have a wonderful summer and we will see you back for another great season of XC skiing and snowshoeing in the fall.

Telemark is available for hiking, biking, dog walking and horseback riding in the summer as a public facility of Recreation Sites and Trails BC. Everybody is welcome and there is no charge. Trail use is best after the snow is all gone and the trails have dried up. This is usually by sometime in May. The daylodge is closed during the off season and there are no services or staff available. The washrooms are always open.

Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin Italy 2025 – By Annabel Stanley

I have just returned from Italy for the Special Olympics World winter games as head coach for the Cross country ski team.

The Special Olympics Team Canada 2025 consisted of 90 athletes, 24 coaches and  5 mission staff from across all 12 Provinces and Territories and we competed in Cross Country skiing, snow shoeing, alpine skiing, figure skating and speed skating.

My team was made up of 20 athletes from Labrador to Vancouver and included 3 athletes from Telemark Nordic , Francis Stanley, Tracey Melesko and Kelsey Wyse.

I had 5 assistant coaches with me which included Ty Wilkinson also a member of Telemark , and Les Sigal from Sovereign Lake Nordic.

The snow shoeing team included David Wilkinson (Coach) and his son Tony Wilkinson (athlete). Note that Ty, David and Tony are all from one family which made this an extra special games for them and they have Italian heritage too!

We were away for 2 weeks which started with gathering the team in Toronto ,flying to Italy and spending a couple of days seeing the sights of beautiful Turin.

The opening ceremonies arrived at last and were held in the Olympic Stadium in Turin attended by 102 countries which was spectacular as we all marched in and assembled in our countries uniforms, from Albania  to Kazakhstan, Oman to Tajikistan, Israel to Egypt and of course Canada.

Tim Shriver ( Chairman of Special Olympics International) gave a very moving speech as he said Special Olympics was a country of no borders and no exclusions and this message shone through out the week of competition as we celebrated the achievements of all our athletes, leaving current politics behind .

The next day March 9th we were on the bus for Sestriere up in the mountains and at last we had our first day on snow at the ski venue in Pragelato , a 15 minute bus ride from Sestriere .

The trails were icy and challenging on that first day and a great deal of chat amongst the coaches was about waxing, the athletes conversations were more about the amazing food and where our next gelato was going to be!

That night it snowed and snowed and we awoke to a winter wonderland for our first day of divisioning, which is important as we structure fair competition to ensure athletes compete against others of similar ability and gender.

By Wednesday 12th we were into finals and Francis won us our first Gold Medal in the 10km free with a time of 23:15.18

 Tracey took up Skate skiing only 3 years ago which for a woman of just 50 years old has been impressive to watch and she had a decent result of 6th place.

The next day, Tracey was back and placed 5th for 2.5km free.

We could not have put on this competition without the many volunteers who were not only Italian , but from many other nations, I met Finns, Germans, English and even a Canadian from Golden all returning and celebrating seeing each other from previous games .

Francis flew out of the starting gate on the 14th March in the 5km free and captured another Gold medal with a time of 10:04.67

It was now Kelsey’s time to compete on the 14th March and she had back to back races – 500m and 2.5 km classic in which she had stiff competition and placed 4th in both.

Last day of competition arrived on the 15th, my team had won 18 medals and I had relays and 100m finals to go.

I had 4 Canadian relay teams, and an international team consisting of a Fin , 2 Czechs and a Canadian (Owen from the Yukon).

The day was started foggy with light snow but the team spirit was high and athletes and families ( who came to support us all week) were anxiously waiting for the first team to compete in 4 x 1 km loops.

The gun fired and the race was on, Francis’s team of Colin, Darby and Layne flew around the stadium and  over the line 20 seconds faster than China and then 2 seconds later by Norway, winning Gold!

My 2nd relay team beat Lithuania by nerve wracking 4 seconds earning another Gold.

The 3rd relay team with Tracey , Kelsey, Elouise and Brita beat Germany’s 2nd place  by a decent 32 seconds, winning , guess what? Another Gold!

And the fourth relay team brought in another Gold beating the USA in 2nd place.

Spirits were high amongst the Canadian sideline waving the maple leaf with pride.

Then the mixed Nation Relay was on and Owen’s team placed 3rd with a Bronze medal, His smile radiated with pride as he was awarded his first medal of the Games.

The last race was the 100m and 63 year old Tommy from PEI who’s 6 sisters and 4 other members of his family had been cheering him on all week waited for 

his heat to start.

The gun fired and he was off double poling to a 2nd place and his first and only silver medal, the tears streamed down his cheeks as did mine as I watched him hug his whole family and finally me.

My team returned with 23 Gold medals, 6 Silver and 8 Bronze.

Every athlete gave it all they could and came home proudly wearing at least one medal. Which is pretty impressive.

Tracey and Kelsey both have a Gold for the relay and Francis has 3 Gold medals.

I am so proud to have represented Canada as the Special Olympics cross country Head Coach and thanks goes to Telemark Nordic for all their support and inclusion they have given to these 3  Cross Country skiers and Tony Wilkinson ( Gold and Bronze) in Snow shoeing.

Our moto is “Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt” and all athletes showed determination, sportsmanship in defeat and winning and bravery when they represented Canada at the Special Olympics Winter World Games in Italy this March 2025.

With cool nights and a little fresh snow over the last couple of weeks the snow conditions have been holding up and we have decided to stay open for a BONUS week. Telemark will be open now until Sunday March 30th. Conditions for both xc skiing & snowshoeing over the last little while have been some of the best all year. We will continue to groom most trails regularly over this last week and conditions should be good through to April.

We will be open daily 8am to 5pm until March 30th. When the daylodge is closed – rentals, food etc are not available. The downstairs of the daylodge is open 24/7 so you always have a place to change, stay warm and keep your belongings.

When the daylodge is closed there are also no staff available. Ski/snowshoe at your own risk.

Spring Conditions! While we still have lots of great snow and we are grooming regularly, spring is here and conditions may vary. The snow is generally thawing during the day and freezing in the evening. The best time to ski will be on the groomed snow in the mornings when the snow is hard, fast and smooth.  The snow will get softer and slower in the afternoon but skiing will still be very good. In the evening when the temperatures cool the trails may be a little icy but still skiable on the easier trails for the experienced skier.

Even though there is full snow coverage now, conditions may change quickly and you should always be aware that the snow may start to get thin and rocks and dirt may suddenly appear.

While we will still be grooming regularly we may be cutting back on grooming on some of the lesser used trails. Check our Trail Conditions webpage to see the latest grooming and conditions.

Come on up to Telemark for some amazing spring skiing and snowshoeing while the great conditions last!

The xc ski & snowshoe season is winding down at Telemark. We still have very good conditions with full snow coverage and we will be open until at least Sunday March 23rd. If the snow holds out we may be open for a few days longer. We’ll let you know.

Friday March 14th is the last evening the daylodge will be open and staffed in the evening until 9pm. After that we will be open daily 8am to 5pm until we close for the season. We will keep the trail lights on for another full week for those keeners who still want to come up in the evening and ski under the lights. When the daylodge is closed – rentals, food etc are not available. The downstairs of the daylodge is open 24/7 so you always have a place to change, stay warm and keep your belongings.

When the daylodge is closed there are also no staff available. Ski/snowshoe at your own risk!

Spring Conditions! While we still have lots of great snow and we are grooming daily, spring is here and conditions may vary. The snow is generally thawing during the day and freezing in the evening. The best time to ski will be on the groomed snow in the mornings when the snow is hard, fast and smooth.  The snow will get softer and slower in the afternoon but skiing will still be very good. In the evening when the temperatures cool the trails may be a little icy but still skiable on the easier trails for the experienced skier.

Even though there is full snow coverage now, conditions may change quickly and you should always be aware that the snow may start to get thin and rocks and dirt may suddenly appear.

While we will still be grooming daily for a while we may be cutting back on grooming on some of the lesser used trails.

Come on up to Telemark for some amazing spring skiing and snowshoeing while the great conditions last! Check our Trail Conditions webpage to see the latest grooming and conditions and for updates on our closing day.

2025 Telemark Prize Raffle Winners: Congratulations!

Tom Barrow ~ Hornby Energy Bars & Miir Tumbler value $70

Sohayl Ghadirian  ~ Skogies $50 gift card & Outway Socks value $72

Lyn Mainwaring  ~ Nature’s Fare $50 gift card & Outway Socks $72 value

Pippa Dewitt ~ Creekside Theatre 2 tickets value $88

Ross Smith ~ Nature’s Fare $50 gift card, Fischer ski bag and Fischer drink belt value $136

Mary Hicks ~  Long John’s Pub $50 gift card, 2 pairs Outway socks & Nordic pass for 2 Silverstar

David Carmichael ~ Old Vine’s at Quail’s Gate Winery $100 gift card

Lisa Wood ~ KV+ $100 gift card

Mellissa Carroll ~ KV+ cold pro gloves & Kaslo Sourdough Pasta value $115

Abbey Ulansky ~ Tutt Street Tapas+Wine $150 gift card

Ken Ransom ~ Kelowna Cycle $250 gift card

Cal Gayowski ~ Swagman Sports Cargo Systems $250 gift card

Amy Koga ~ Waterfront Wines 3 course paired dinner for two value $250

Brenda Farnquist ~ Mosko Moto wildcat backpack $380 value

Phil Kachanoski ~ Salomon RC10 skin skis 196cm & ski bag value $849

Thank you to the generous support from the prize donors and we greatly appreciate everyone who purchased tickets for the annual raffle.

A total of 2417 tickets were sold for a total raised of $12,085. All funds raised support the Telemark Youth Competitive Program.

BC Gaming Event License #157978

Let’s celebrate the ski season! Please join us for the Telemark Friends & Family Spring Loppet –  Saturday March 8th.  Once again we will be running the Telemark Spring Loppet as a fun timed participation event with some differences from a regular Loppet.

• 5 different courses to choose from 1.5km – 3km – 7.5km – 15km (30Km lap #1) – 30km Lap #2 – 30km (Full) – Stadium Layout .Please check the maps so you know your course.
• Ski classic or skate technique or mix it up and ski 1/2 & 1/2. There is no relay event.
• Challenge the distance that best suits your mood and ability – No age categories
• No Mass Starts – Start anytime between 8am and 11am (must finish by 2pm)
• Pick up a timing chip in the stadium area
• Cross the start line to activate your timing chip
• Ski your chosen course with your friends & family, Youth Programs group or all by yourself
• Cross the finish line to get your official time
• No bibs, aid stations, prizes or medals
• BBQ included for all registered participants
• Music and fun for everybody
• Low cost – Only $12 for everybody.
• Registration on on Zone 4! Entry deadline: Friday March 7th 8pm

Telemark is hosting the Teck XC BC Championships Feb 28-March 2 – This weekend! This event will see 600 people (mostly kids) from all across BC and further afield come to Telemark for a weekend of fun competition.

It takes a lot of volunteers to host an event like this and we could still use a few more. We hope you have some time to volunteer and help make this a successful event. There are many different roles. Please go to our Volunteer sign up page through this link

We will be open to the public/members for skiing and snowshoeing. However with so many people here it will be exceptionally busy. The parking lot will be overfull and several trails will be temporarily closed. So we recommend waiting to come to telemark until later in the afternoon (2pm or later) on Friday Saturday and Sunday or coming back on another day.