Donald Teuma-Castelletti
BRISTOL Feb. 3, 2018
Lighting a path through the darkness once again, Ski Pontiac had torches blazing at their second Moonlight Ski of the year.
Held at Pine Lodge, guests had the opportunity to ski to their heart’s delight along a path illuminated by burning torches, although the track was a bit shorter than what regulars are used to.
“We’ve shortened the trail because of the ice conditions,” explained Connie Renaud, event organizer with Ski Pontiac. “The rain we had a week ago wrecked everything.”
Renaud said that the back and forth temperatures experienced in January allowed for a buildup of ice that makes skiing difficult.

“Normally, we’d have a kilometre, a kilometre and a half,” said Renaud. “Tonight, we have maybe half a kilometre.”
Fortunately, the group had a backup plan in the form of snowshoeing – folks were welcome to borrow a pair of snowshoes from the club and still enjoy the trek. Some guests came out solely based on hearing that there was a snowshoeing option, allowing the event to attract a whole new audience.
Still, for those who aren’t into outdoor winter activities, there’s still a draw for those looking for an after-dark drive.
“The big draw is the torches, people love to look at them,” said Renaud. “People driving will slow down to take it all in.”
The nighttime ski event is accompanied by a meal at Pine Lodge, where guests could enjoy a homemade dinner, with the proceeds benefitting Ski Pontiac.
Renaud was hoping for close to 100 people at the event and was happy to have seen a few families in full attendance at the event.
“A big reason we do this is to get families out and moving in winter,” said Renaud.
Up next for the club is a loppet on Feb. 17, where skiers and snowshoe users can enjoy a few kilometres of trail as well as hot chocolate at Pine Lodge, starting in the early afternoon.