Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 26, 2007

HAY RIVER - Mike Mitchell has been a skier for 30 years.

That may not be that surprising, except he is only 33-years-old.

Mike Mitchell, the president of the Hay River Ski Club, holds an old pair of wooden skis that turned up at the club. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Mitchell, the volunteer president of the Hay River Ski Club, began skiing in his home province of Ontario.

"I skied mostly downhill at three-years-old," he recalled.

One of Mitchell's goals now is to promote skiing - the cross-country and biathlon varieties - in Hay River and to get more members for the club.

"I think it's a great family activity," he said. "It's an opportunity for everyone to get active."

Mitchell said that, instead of parents watching their children play sports like hockey, skiing allows everyone to participate.

When asked how many people he would like to see involved in skiing, he replied with a chuckle, "I guess there are 3,500 in Hay River. Everybody loves to ski. They just might not know it yet."

Last year, the club had close to 100 members and many other people would ski there occasionally.

Mitchell said he has been involved in the club since he arrived in Hay River in 2003.

"I call it the jewel of Hay River," he said of the skiing facility, located about 12 kilometres from downtown. "I joined as soon as I got here."

The club has 14 kilometres of groomed trails, including seven kilometres of lighted trails.

Mitchell said he would like to see people ski more, whether they join the club or not, and especially more people from the Hay River Reserve.

The club is organizing a series of events to promote skiing.

Among the events will be so-called mystery skis on previously untracked trails within the populated area of Hay River. Mitchell said that is to let more residents actually see people skiing and to bring the club closer to the community.

The club will also be holding an adult beginners night on Dec. 5.

A course on skate skiing is also planned.

Mitchell was acclaimed president of the ski club at its annual general meeting in October. However, he had served as interim president and secretary since March of last year.

In addition, he is vice-president of the NWT Ski Division, which is affiliated with the national organization Cross-Country Canada.

Mitchell came to Hay River as a teacher at Diamond Jenness Secondary school, where he taught an outdoor education program for two years. It involved survival skills and outdoor activities such as canoeing, skiing and using a compass.

Later, he also taught a similar program for Chief Sunrise Education Centre on the Hay River Reserve.

Currently, Mitchell works as a recreational trails development co-ordinator with the Northwest Territories Recreation and Parks Association.

Trails, which can be used for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and interpretive tours, are one of the lowest cost recreational facilities a community can have, he said, noting they are much less expensive to build and operate than arenas, for example.

"I don't think people think of it that way," he said.

His job developing recreational trails takes Mitchell all over the NWT.