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Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club embraces the chill of the season

The Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club is a volunteer-run organization that offers children and adult lessons, rentals and access to freshly groomed private trails

Last year, skiers across southern Ontario missed out amid unusually warm weather and a lack of snowfall.

This year, thanks to a more traditional winter season, skiers with the Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club could not wait to hit the local trails and experience the beauty of a snowy landscape once again. 

“Last year, we had an ‘El Nino’ year, so we had lower membership,” said Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club president Brendan Delehanty. 

“This year, we are at about 350 members. This varies with men, women and children of all ages.” 

Delehanty said cross country skiing is one of those things you can do and enjoy at any level of skill.

“You can be a plodder like me, that goes out and just skis to be outside,” he said. 

“You’re not concerned about going fast or having perfect technique, you just enjoy being out there.”

The Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club is a volunteer-run organization that offers children and adult lessons, rentals and access to freshly groomed private trails located in the Puslinch/South Guelph area at Maltby Road, between Victoria and Watson roads.

The club's approximately six kilometres of groomed trails consist of multiple loops over open fields and through forested areas with hills and curves. 

The Eden Mills Jackrabbit Ski Club started in 1994 on trails in Eden Mills. About 10 years ago, the club relocated to the present location.

Although the focus was originally centred on skiing for children and the Jackrabbit program, the club changed its name to the Eden Mills Nordic Ski Club so adults know they, too, are welcome to join. 

“I signed up with the club in about 2007 when our oldest son was six or seven. We started by putting our kids in lessons and then eventually, when I was returning rental skis, one of the coaches raised the possibility of me coaching. So, I started coaching the bunnies, the entry level group of four, five and six-year-olds,” Delehanty said. 

Jackrabbit ski classes are for children five to 12, and the Royal Rabbit program is for 13 to 16-year-old youth. 

“And then you have kids that are interested in skate skiing. These eight or nine year olds just zoom up and down hills with complete ease on skis,” Delehanty said. 

“It’s one of those sports where you can take it to the level you want it to go. It’s open and easy.” 

Winter 2024/25 will be the 31st year for the Eden Mills Nordic learn-to-ski program for children.

The mission is to help participants learn and enjoy cross-country skiing in a safe and supportive environment. 

“We are very flexible. We are more oriented on skill level and on what the kids like. Some kids want to immediately switch to skate skiing instead of classic skiing,” Delehanty said. 

Classic skiing involves moving in a forward motion on two tracks on a groomed trail. 

“Skate skiing is on a groomed track that is wider, about three metres wide, where you do a skating motion. That really gets you going fast,” Delehanty said. 

The club also offers drop-in lessons for adults. Coaches are volunteers certified by Cross Country Canada. 

“Because our trails are all on private land, they are for members only,” Delehanty said. 

“Lots of people buy a membership because they want to get out and ski. We have lessons for kids, and lessons for adults who are interested in learning how to ski. That is more of a drop in basis.”

Some members have gone on to participate in organized ski events including high school ski teams, university, Cross Country Canada and international races.

“All of the trails are groomed by volunteers,” Delehanty said. 

“We’ve had a lot of people involved in organizing. There are people who have been grooming since the beginning of the club.”

For more information about the club, including membership costs and day passes, visit here.

“Our first COVID winter was an exceptional winter, in terms of weather. So many people registered because there was just such a desire to get out and do things. We had high membership,” Delehanty said. 

“We stopped doing day passes during COVID but we did resume them just this year. Lots of people just want to come out and try the trails. So, it’s great that there is that day pass opportunity.”