This year, KN is encouraging guests and members to participate in our photo competition for a chance to have your photo framed and hung up on the wall in the Woodfine Lodge.

The Canadian Ski Marathon is coming to Kawartha Nordic this year! Kawartha Nordic has a special connection to the Canadian Ski Marathon and this year it will be skied (at least in part) on our own trails.

It was 1969 when Bill Lech, Herb Ferguson, Al Daniels and Marjorie Shephard attended the Canadian Ski Marathon in western Quebec and returned to Peterborough so enthused with the idea of hosting a similar ski tour in the Kawarthas. From that trip, and many volunteer efforts over the subsequent years to clear a trail from Apsley to Buckhorn, the Kawartha Ski Tour was born. Of course the Kawartha Ski Tour would evolve into Kawartha Nordic Ski Club and the wonderful community we enjoy today.

Kawartha Nordic Canadian Ski Patrol Members welcome you to the 2021 Season!

What a year this has been. We now have some snow and the facility is open for us to use.

Whether you are a veteran club member, a first timer, a displaced downhiller revisiting the sport, or are someone dusting off some skis that haven't seen snow in years, here are a few things to help you stay safe and have a good time on the trails in this season.

Count your kilometres for prizes!

Cross-country Ski Ontario (XCSO) has challenged all Ontario clubs and club members to ski as many kilometers as they can this season.

They are offering prizes for the COVID Kilometre Challenge as follows:

• Top 3 Male & Female Individuals with the most kilometres skied 1 Jan to 31 Mar 2021
• Top 3 Clubs with the most kilometres skied per skier registered for the challenge
• Top Club with greatest number of total accumulated kilometres
• plus, some surprise additional prizes along the way

To participate (or to just see what everyone else is skiing), open the XCSO COVID Kilometre Challenge Google Sheet and add your name and kilometres to the Kawartha tab. You can add your kilometres every day, or just put them all in on 31 Mar 2021 before 8:31pm.

Additional details are available from XCSO.

Kawartha Nordic has special items to look for along some of the trails on site. This hunt is designed to help engage children (of all ages) in cross country skiing and add a fun feature to their experience. Each weekend beginning Saturday January 23rd we will provide a few items to look for over the weekend and throughout the following week. Leave the items where they are but add them to your list as you spot them. See how many you are able to locate over the season. Create your own list page or check back here for a printable sheet.

Please do not travel outside your Public Health Region to visit Kawartha Nordic.

The Premier of Ontario has declared a State of Emergency for the Province, and as such ammended the previous Province-wide Shutdown orders until Tuesday 16 February 2021.

We have confirmed with Peterborough Public Health, that as an outdoor amenity included in the allowed list Kawartha Nordic is permitted to remain open for personal exercise during the State of Emergency and that our COVID Safety Plan does not require revision. All programs and lessons will remain on hold until permitted by the Province.

KN staff and volunteers have been working hard to manage the safety of all visitors, and based on their experience over the last few weeks and feedback from members, they have identified a few key areas where we could do better at meeting Provincial directives:

1. Avoid Crowds: A crowd is now 5, so please do not congregate. Junctions have especially led to accidental groups that we need to be diligent to avoid.
   
   
2. Wear a Mask: A mask is required when not moving, and whenever people will be closer than 2m. As such, the deck of the Rental Shop should be considered a mandatory Mask Zone.
   
   
3. Widely Space: When exercising without a mask please be sure to give others their 2m space.

Together, we can ensure a safe experience for everyone, and continue to enjoy Kawartha Nordic for personal enjoyment and excecise. 

All visitors, staff, and volunteers must complete the KN COVID-19 Screening Tool online each day before coming to Kawartha Nordic.

If you are unable to use the online tool, please print and use the following screening tool.

1. Do you have any one of the following new or worsening symptoms or signs, unrelated to chronic or other known causes or conditions? Yes or No
   • Fever and/or chills
   • Cough or barking cough
   • Shortness of breath
   • Decrease or loss of smell or taste
   • Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
   • Runny or stuffy/congested nose
   • Headache
   • Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, or other digestive issues
   • Extreme tiredness or muscle aches
     
     
2. Are you 18 years of age or older, and have any one of the following new or worsening symptoms or signs, unrelated to chronic or other known causes or conditions? Yes or No
   • Pink Eye
   • Falling Down often
     
     
3. Has a doctor, health care provider, or public health unit told you that you should currently be isolating (staying at home)? Yes or No
   
   
4. In the last 14 days, have you been identified as a “close contact” of someone who currently has COVID-19? Yes or No
   
   
5. In the last 14 days, have you received a COVID Alert exposure notification on your cell phone? Yes or No
   
   
6. In the last 14 days, have you or anyone you live with travelled outside of Canada? Yes or No
   
   
7. Is anyone you live with currently experiencing any new COVID-19 symptoms and/or waiting for test results after experiencing symptoms? Yes or No

If you answer yes to any of these 7 questions, please go home to self-isolate immediately and contact your health care provider or Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) for next steps.

If you answer no to all 7 questions, you are welcome to join us on-site at Kawartha Nordic, subject to our COVID-19 Safety Plan.

Please consult the full text of The Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 Screening Tool, if you have questions about the listed symptoms or other aspects of the screening tool.

We are happy to report that Kawartha Nordic will be open during the upcoming Province-wide shutdown. As per the Government of Ontario Announcement, cross country ski trails are a permitted amenity but with restrictions. Throughout the fall, Kawartha Nordic has developed our COVID-19 Safety Plan and implemented protocols and plans to protect staff, volunteers, and users of our facilities. With the announcement of the provincial lockdown, the following adjustments will be necessary:

• All programs and events are on hold until after the shutdown, including Youth Programs (Bunnyrabbits, Jackrabbits, Jack Attack, & Track Attack), Team Practices (U12/U14/U16/U18/U20/U23), Private & Group Lessons, Fat Biking Groups, all races, and all social events.
• All buildings, cabins, trailers, and tents will be closed to visitors, except for our washroom building which will have a reduced capacity limit.

As a reminder of our COVID-19 Safety Plan, please review the following important protocols:

• All visitors to Kawartha Nordic must complete the self-assessment screening questions available on our website before visiting the facility. Signage at the trailhead will remind you of this requirement. Currently, there is no need to submit this questionnaire to Kawartha Nordic. By visiting, you are attesting that you have passed the screening questions.
• Trails will be open for skiing and snowshoeing (when conditions permit), but trail users are to stay 2m apart from anyone that does not live in their household.
• The Canadian Ski Patrol (CSP) Members will be able to use their treatment room in the Woodfine Chalet to provide services. Trail-side cabins will be available for emergency use only. CSP Members will be following heightened national treatment standards and protocols.
• Visitors are not permitted to enter the Rental Shop. All service will be provided through the take-out window. Rental equipment will be available for curbside pickup by appointment only and will be sanitized after each use.
• Day passes and season passes will be available for purchase online.
• Staff and volunteers will be wearing masks and, if they must come within 2m of anyone, will also wear face shields.
• Staff and volunteers will be working to maintain our trails and facilities, to respond to online orders for passes and rental equipment, and to offer assistance when needed during our usual operating hours. However, we would ask that interaction with staff and volunteers be remote (e.g., by phone or email) whenever possible.
• When waiting in place (e.g., for rentals, for the washroom, in the parking lot) or when indoors, everyone is to remain 2m apart from those not living in their household and must be wearing a mask (unless they have a specified exception). As a reminder, a ski buff is not a suitable face covering.
• As advised in the provincial announcement, we ask that you take advantage of our trails for exercise alone or with members of your household, but that you not hold a gathering or event at KN, and that you not travel from outside our Public Health region to use the KN trails.

We hope to restart our programs once the shutdown ends and resume use of the chalet and cabins — pending government announcements. Please be considerate of these protocols so we can safely enjoy our favourite winter activity.