Being partly of Norwegian descent, skiing runs in my blood.

I’ve literally been downhill skiing since I could walk. My experiences with cross-country skiing started even earlier, as my dad used to tote me around the trails in a backpack when I was a baby.

My mom jokes that when I was very young, I used to call cross-country skiing “uphill skiing.”

Over the last few years, I’ve spent a lot of time skiing on the trails at the Walden Cross-Country Fitness Club in Naughton. However, in February of last year, my family and I decided to take a much-needed mid-winter vacation partly devoted to our collective passion for skiing.

We spent part of our time at an 8,000-acre cross-country ski and snowshoe resort called Stokely Creek Lodge, in Goulais River, located off Highway 17, about half an hour away from Sault Ste. Marie.

Stokely, which features many kilometres of groomed trails, is honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

On the first morning, my parents had taken off for a photography session on nearby Lake Superior.

My sister and her husband are much more advanced skiers than I am, so, after consulting with staff at the resort as to what trail I should take, I found a four-kilometre trail that was about my speed.

I waved goodbye to my relatives as they swiftly skate-skied off into the distance. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and there had been a heavy snowfall the evening before.

I could feel the stress of newspaper deadlines melting away as I looked at the sunshine glinting on the snow blanketing the trees and the ground, and focused on the athletic task of propelling myself around the trail.

Although I was a bit nervous about getting lost because I was unfamiliar with the trail, I managed to get myself back to the lodge in time for lunch.

My family and I were pretty hungry, and did justice to the delicious but simple buffet lunch that the lodge staff had cooked.

My brother-in-law had fun snickering at the senior citizens in the lodge who were bragging to each other about their athletic prowess.

That afternoon, my family headed out to explore more of the trails, and I headed out for another four-kilometre ski.

Because I was back at the lodge long before they were, I found myself a quiet place in front of the fire in one of the lodge buildings, and caught up on my reading.

The next day, I headed out onto the Stokely trails again with my mom and dad for a nine-kilometre ski on some of the resort’s upper trails.

The day was unseasonably warm, causing snow to collect on the bottom of my waxless classic skis, which was quite frustrating.

Still, I appreciated the beauty of the frozen waterfalls and lakes, large coniferous trees and pileated woodpecker sightings.

After several hours, and, I admit, more than a little whining, we made it to “Homerun Hill,” a large hill which brings you swiftly back to the lodge.

Although my family and I didn’t stay there, Stokely offers accommodations in the lodge or in chalets, along with amenities such as meeting rooms, a recreation room, wireless Internet access and a sauna.

We instead stayed at The Voyageurs Lodge and Cookhouse in nearby Batchewana Bay. This motel features comfortable rooms with fun, kitschy Voyageur-themed furniture.

I was pretty excited when the owners of this motel, Frank and Gail O’Connor, were presented a Northern Ontario Business Award by Northern Life’s sister company last fall.

Anyone interested in learning more about what Stokely Creek Lodge has to offer, can visit stokelycreek.com, e-mail info@stokelycreek.com or phone 1-866-STOKELY. More information about The Voyageurs Lodge and Cookhouse is available at voyageurslodge.com, by e-mailing lodgekeepers@voyageurslodge.com or phoning 1-877-877-7385.

Heidi Ulrichsen is Northern Life’s health, education and mining reporter.

Posted by Jenny Jelen