Print this page

Cross Country Skiing

The Royal Ottawa has much to offer its members but we often forget the huge acreage available to us for cross-country skiing. In a good snow year this gently rolling land and the woods make for wonderful skiing.

While members have skied for many years, and there some are photographs of them in the new lounge, it became more organized in the late sixties. A major figure was Air Vice Marshal Jack Easton. He later became Club President in 1978 and was enormously energetic. He organized a group of about 20 wives and husbands who came out mainly on the weekends. They broke trails themselves, skied for 2 to 3 hours and then met in the Pine Room for drinks and lunch.

While winter is not a great time for seeing birds and animals we have seen a great owl, the foxes, and the occasional deer. After a fresh snowfall with bright sunshine and under a cloudless blue sky, cross country skiing is truly seductive. The calm pristine diamond glistening snow, the blue shadows and the quiet are a never ending wonder. The feeling of virtue that hard physical exercise and being a real outdoor Canadian can make you talk to yourself or even sing aloud - if no one else is around.

We have a wonderful resource on our cold winter days - we have a warm Club house, saunas and showers, good food and drink. It only needs you. We hope to see you. It’s much more fun when friends are there.

- Stanley Mercer