Nakkertok Nordic

Nakkertok is an Inuktitut word for « moving swiftly on snow ». Founded in 1971 by a group of families interested in cross country ski racing, Nakkertok has become the largest ski club in Canada. Thanks to the generosity of several landowners, in particular the Weber, Van Wijk and Holloway families, our 1,400 members have access to the finest cross-country skiing lands in the Ottawa-Gatineau area

Located within 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa, our trail network consists of 80 km of trails concentrated in two sectors called Nakkertok South and Nakkertok North, with a backcountry trail linking the two. Non-members are asked to deposit a day use fee in the box at the trailhead.

Nakkertok South is located in Cantley. Access is from the north end of Gatineau Avenue, which leads to the main chalet and a stadium that is lit at night. Trails are expertly groomed for both classic and skate skiing under the direction of Dirk Van Wijk, who was Chief of Grooming at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. Two trail loops are lit at night. The main chalet has wood heating and lightning, and so does the multifunctional building behind it, where the wax room is located. A few kilometres to the north is Owl Cabin, which offers a resting place during the day and can be booked for overnight use by families and small groups.

Nakkertok North is located in Val-des-Monts. Access is from Highway 366, east of the junction with highway 307. Trails are groomed for classic skiing only. Here at North you will find the peaceful solitude of wilderness skiing. Two small cabins with wood stoves are accessible to members during the day and can be booked for overnight use.

A 24 km backcountry trail links Nakkertok North and South. It crosses a relatively isolated and rugged area known as the “Middle Kingdom”. For experienced skiers only.

Programs
We offer family oriented Learn to Ski programs such as Bunny Rabbit and Jackrabbit and our non-competitive Adventure program for older children. Our racing program starts with Racing Rabbits and continues through Midgets and Juniors for older children. Our club has ranked amongst the best in Quebec, Ontario and Canada for several years. Our racing program has a facebook page that you can visit here: https://www.facebook.com/NakkertokRacing/.

Not to forget that skiing is for life, Nakkertok also offers programs for adults from time to time, including classic ski lessons for beginners and Women on Skis.

Races
Nakkertok hosts several races each year: the Nakkertok Juniors, a friendly race for toddlers to young adults; the Nakkertok Invitational; the Hans Weber Nakkerloppet, a 24km backcountry ski tour; and Thea’s Race, a spring fun race. We also regularly host the Eastern Canadian Championships.

Volunteer Spirit
Nakkertok uses a co-operative approach. Adult members are asked to spend two days per season helping with various volunteer tasks, including trail clearing, ski instruction, race organization, facility maintenance and social activities. Payment of a fee-in-lieu is required for those members who do not have time to honour their coop commitment. The club is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, voted in at the Annual General Meeting.