2025 - 2026 Registration is now open
Skills Development Programs
The Golden Nordic Ski Club offers Skill Development Programs for youth ages 3 to 14 years old. The programs offer a fun and active way for children to enjoy cross-country skiing with qualified and trained NCCP coaches.
Children will learn essential ski techniques, critical coordination, and balance skills through games and challenges. By being outside in the winter, playing on skis, having with other children, and being led by a supportive coach will put them on a track to love cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing is a low impact, low risk, fairly affordable outdoor winter sport. It is truly a sport for life.
Skill Levels - GNSC will do its best to put your child in the suitable level group based on age, ability, and coach availability. When registering please let us know what level your child has already achieved in the program, whether they are new to the program, or continuing to the next age category. The categorization of kids in suitable levels is at the discretion of the program coordinator and coaches.
Location - All our youth programs take place at Dawn Mountain Nordic Centre, located just past the Kicking Horse ski base at the end of Hector Trail. Our comfortable and beautiful Chalet clubhouse serves as our home base for getting dressed before skiing, warming up, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and cookies, and having dinner or lunch after the ski session. There are bathrooms, a kitchenette, a children’s play area, tables and couches, and a change room. The ski learning area is right in front of the Chalet on a flat, open space we call the Stadium. Groups will ski with their coach and parent-leader on the flat and hilly trails, exciting adventure trails based on their fitness and ability. They sometimes enjoy a visit to the woodstove-heated trailside cabin.
Membership & registration - All youth program participants are required to have club membership to Golden Nordic Ski Club, either under a family membership or as an individual. Program registration is on the same Zone4 online form as membership registration. If you have already purchased your family membership before Oct 8th, please use the option “I am already a current member for 2025-2026 and just signing up for a program” to register your child/children for a program. If your child will be the only person in your family joining this season, please use the option “Youth Membership” or “Child Membership”, depending on their age, before proceeding to register for a program.
Parental involvement - Our youth program is entirely dependent on volunteers. Volunteers are needed for coaching, tail guiding, lodge sitting, and many other duties. All parents of the Bunnyrabbits age children must accompany the program (on skis) for the full hour to help the coach and your child. Jackrabbits and Nordic Cruisers coaches expect at least one parent to join their session each week. This helps in case of an incident. The hours that each parent assists the group can be hours put towards their volunteer club membership rate.
Cost - $60 for Bunnyrabbits / $120 for Jackrabbits & Nordic Cruisers plus $21 CCBC/Nordiq Canada membership, $12 CCBC program fee, Zone4 online platform fees, and taxes. Children who are the only skier in their family will select the appropriate amount for their club membership based on their age. Entry to the Huckleberry Loppet is included in the registration fee.
Waitlist - We aim for 8 children per coach. We may have more children interested in joining a program than we have space for. Please email programcoordinator@goldennordicclub.ca to be placed on a waitlist.
Our volunteer coaches - Golden Nordic Ski Club coaches have a passion for working with children and making every session the best, ever! They have completed extensive, required training and have a cleared criminal record check. They look forward to skiing with you this season! Please consider joining the coaches’ team this season so that the children can get out and have a great time developing skills, meeting new friends, gaining confidence, building fitness, and getting a start on a lifelong sport. Here’s our website page on how to become a coach.
Financial assistance - If a family needs financial assistance in order to participate, they can apply for KidSport by filling out the online application. Select BC Provincial Office as your community chapter. Also, they could complete a paper application and send it into their office: Katelynn Ramage at kidsport@sportbc.com. They can provide grants up to $400 per child, per calendar year towards registration fees.
Bunnyrabbits (ages 3 - 5)
A fun introduction to cross-country skiing for the little ones. 10 weeks of 1 hr/session.
Jackrabbits (ages 6 - 9)
Develop technique, balance, and fitness through games and challenges. Jackrabbits has 4 levels of achievement. 12 weeks of 1.5 hrs/session.
Nordic Cruisers (10 -14)
Develop ski skills while having fun with friends. Play games and enjoy adventures in the outdoors. 12 weeks of 1.5 hrs/session.
Biathlon
Biathlon for Youth (8+)
Try you aim at biathlon this winter. Golden Nordic offers programs using electronic rifles that are safe and quiet. Cross-country skiing experience is expected.
Ski to School
Ski to School (ages 4+)
School groups in the Golden area bring their classes to Dawn Mountain to learn the basics of cross-country skiing while building fitness and enjoying the outdoors.
Teachers are invited to reach out to programcoordinator@goldennordicclub.ca to book their sessions.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Golden Nordic welcomes Special Olympics BC - Golden coaches who teach the fundamentals of cross-country skiing to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Interested in joining as a coach or as a Special Olympics athlete? Reach out to golden@specialolympics.bc.ca to learn more.