Rating : ***
In her article Moonlight Magic in Gatineau Park, Heather Burke talks about the beauty and serenity of evening skiing. She introduces the idea as a way to relieve stress after a busy day at work, and then she goes on to describe the mood of the park at night. The benefits of night skiing, such as the beautiful view, the commaradary of the other skier, and the non-existant park fees, are well described, but the dangers and inconveniences aren't forgotten. First of all, after 5 p.m., all patrollers come off duty, so if you decide to go skiing alone, which is a bad idea anyway, you're in for a long night with no help. Overnight, is also when the trail groomer comes out, so you have to be carefull. Lastly, if you head out for your ski trip while its snowing, you probably want to make sure you aren't out for too long, because the parking lots aren't plowed until the morning. Along with all these tips and warnings, Heather Burke tells about the best route for a short evening trip. Starting in P10 and heading up the Fortune Lake Parkway provides a wide, bright, and popluar trail, while also offering a straight route to one of the eating cabins. The last thing in the article is a short and easy recipe for "Cranberry Cabin Brie", a delicious snack for a cold winter night.
Although I already new about the sleeping and eating cabins in Gatineau Park, I didn't realize that so many people go night skiing. The way Heather Burke describes the atmosphere makes it sound like the ultimate stress relief, even with the knowledge that the eating cabins might be too full to find a place to sit, and that theres a chance of your car getting stuck. The inclusion of a fancy cheese and crackers recipe makes this article a sheer delight.
Burke, Heather. "Moonlight Magic in Gatineau Park". Ottawa Outdoors Magazine. Winter 2004/2005 Edition. Print. Feb. 19, 2014.
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