Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

INUVIK
The term "hitting the trail" takes on a different meaning when one signs up as a member of a maintenance crew.

Inuvik Ski Club member Eric Baron helps clear the club's trails last month. More than a dozen people gathered last month to do the work. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

That was the case recently as 13 people assembled to tackle the sprawling trails network operated by the Inuvik Ski Club late last month.

The trail stretches out in a series of loops that add up to more than 10 km, and everything needed to at least be looked at, said trails and maintenance director Fraser Pearce. Anything encroaching on the trail, primarily the ubiquitous and fast-growing willows, needed to be trimmed back.

Pearce had a plethora of tools on hand as well. Pretty much anything one could use to whack, cut, trim, lop or saw trees and wood was handed out.

Several people travelled on skis to their designated spots, combining a little work with pleasure, while others hopped on the venerable Alpine Ski-Doos the club keeps on hand for maintenance and grooming.

Luckily, the weather was fair with a temperature of around -25 C and little-to-no wind. That was ideal to keep the crew in the field for several hours.

The labour consisted mostly of cutting back the pesky willow shoots growing into the trail, but several larger operations were done as well.

"Basically cut anything that's growing into the trail," said Eric Baron of the trail-keepers' targets.

"Choose your weapon," he added, pointing to the cargo area laden with a variety of tools that might have made a medieval torturer blanch.

The maintainers worked away for the better part of an hour, stopping at one point to take down a small dying conifer with a Swede saw.

Some sections of the trail, notably on the curves, had some significant undergrowth closing in the trail, while many others were wide open. Overall, it was pleasant work and not terribly cold.

Pearce and Baron took down a conifer leaning somewhat precariously inward along the trail.

"I hit this one with the groomer every time," said Pearce.

Baron shovelled furiously down to the base of the tree, trying to minimize the stump that would be left. "The snow in here is four or five feet deep," said Pearce. "And it's all loose powder," added Baron. The chainsaw roared and a few minutes later the tree was down and tossed off the trail. By close to 4:30 p.m., the crew was calling it a day. Many were chilled to the bone and tired, but also quite pleased with the day's work. "We got 10 times as much done doing it this way as compared to doing it piecemeal," Pearce said. "I am absolutely pleased."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.