Frozen Thunder, Canmore.
Frozen Thunder officially opened this Saturday, Oct. 22, after an estimated 400 truckloads of snow were distributed onto a 1.3-kilometer groomed-and-trackset loop at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Another roughly 700 meters were expected to be added on Sunday making the loop a full 2 k long. Thanks to Bob Truman of SkierBob.ca for the photos.
Racing will begin Friday, Oct. 28, with 7.5/10 k freestyle individual starts. Two sprints on separate days will be held, with Frozen Thunder’s typical “King’s Court” format classic sprint on Tuesday, Nov. 1, and freestyle qualifier (no heats) on Thursday, Nov. 3.
According to a race notice, the sprint qualifiers on Nov. 1 and 3 will be used for selecting male skiers to the early season (November-December) World Cups.
The first truckload of snow being used to make a 2-kilometer loop at Frozen Thunder this past Monday, Oct. 17. (Photo: Bob Truman)
Trucks dumped snow from Monday Oct. 17 until Friday Oct. 21 in order to cover 2-kilometers of trails at the Canmore Nordic Centre. (Photo: Bob Truman)
A patch of dirt waiting to be covered on Tuesday Oct. 18 in order for Frozen Thunder to be ready for skiers by it’s official opening on Saturday Oct. 22. (Photo: Bob Truman)
Snow covering the start of a 2-kilometer loop at Frozen Thunder on Tuesday Oct. 18. (Photo: Bob Truman)
A groomer gets started on the 2-kilometer loop being made at the Canmore Nordic Centre for Frozen Thunder. (Photo: Bob Truman)
A groomer smoothing out the snow chunks on Frozen Thunder’s 900-meter loop this past Thusday Oct. 20. (Photo: Bob Truman)
Brian Gregg (r) heads out onto Frozen Thunder’s 1.3-kilometer loop on Saturday Oct. 22. (Photo: Bob Truman)
Skiers getting solid time on snow while skiing on Frozen Thunder’s 1.3-kilometer loop on Saturday Oct. 22 (Photo: Bob Truman)
Two skiers spend a little time enjoying the classic tracks set on the Frozen Thunder ski trail this past Saturday Oct. 22. (Photo: Bob Truman)
These "Two skiers" happen to be Marielle Ackermann and Annika Ackermann, two Kimberley Nordic Racer skiers, getting an early start on the season.
Snow is coming...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Chris Bloch-Hansen
