Facts & History Here are some facts about the Overlander Ski Club and the Stake Lake Ski Trails

 

A huge thanks to Tourism Kamloops for putting this video together!

Facts

  • The Stake Lake Ski Trails are approximately 25 km south of Kamloops.
  • The elevation at the Day Lodge is 1315 meters; on the trails the low point is 1270 meters and the high point is 1410 meters.
  • The season runs from Late November/Early December to Late March/Early April depending on the snow conditions.
  • Skiers and snowshoers can enjoy our large and comfortable heated day lodge, plus shelters and outhouses along various trails.
  • There is a large and comfortable day lodge, plus shelters and outhouses along various trails.
  • The Overlander Ski Club had a membership base of over 500 for the 2015/16 season.

 

History

  • 1981 - 1991: Established as a non-profit society in 1981, the Overlander Ski Club took over the management of the Stake Lake Ski Trails in 1991.
  • Over the years the members have generously donated their time, energy and resources to improve the facilities we enjoy today.
  • 1994: The rustic log cabin day lodge was purchased from Wally Makortoff (from a field in Knutsford) and was put on its new foundation at Stake Lake and opened in January of 1994.
  • 1995: The first big groomer was purchased from Bombardier Canada in the fall of 1995. The machine was purchased entirely from club funds and trail revenues.
  • 2003: The big groomer we use now is the second one the club has owned. The Club received a $40,000 grant toward the puchase of a re-conditioned snow grooming machine from the Kamloops Blazers Foundation in 2003 and the "new to us" Bombardier Plus MP machine arrived in mid December 2003.
  • 2004: In the fall of 2004 a new machine shed (for storing snow grooming equipment) was contructed at the south end of Stake Lake with the help of a grant from the Gaming Branch of the Provincial Government.
  • 2005/06: The Ski School was started in the 2005 - 2006 season.
  • 2005: In 2005 six forest ecology interpretation signs were erected at key intersections around the trails. Funding was received from TC Canada Trust, Highland Valley Enhancement Fund, Ministry of Forests and Range, and Sage Orienteering Club. Salvage logging of beetle killed pine began that year.
  • 2007: The Snowshoe Trails were established in 2007.
  • 2008: The Dog Trails were opened in 2008.
  • 2011: The Mike Dunn Terrain Park was opened in January 2011. The Club hosted both the BC X-Country Ski Championships and the Ski for Light event for blind skiers the same year.
  • 2011: The lights for night skiing were also installed in 2011.
  • 2015: The new washroom building next to the day lodge was completed in 2014 and officially opened in 2015 thanks to a grant from the Kamloops Blazers.
  • 2022- The club purchased its first brand now grooming machine, a Prinoth Bison. Funds came from matching grants and from the large revenue from the Covid years