Mark your calenders!  Grand Prairie`s “Eggstravaganza”, is just around the corner. Eggstravaganza is a word now heard throughout the world describing events set up at Easter mainly for pre-teens.  It’s a catchy name, and refers to activities that vary from location to location.  Happening at Easter, however, there are common threads amongst the offerings.  Many activities are free or at minimal cost.  Just about all of them feature egg hunts, egg dyeing, and candy.  As Eggstravaganza has spread from city to city, so have its attractions, which range from face painting to athletic challenges, to workshops and even courses for the academically inclined.  It all depends on what the talent of your community wishes to offer.

Let’s assume you are keen to spend some quality time with your family on some snow trails in the vicinity. You have only a day on the tracks together, so you want to go on well groomed trails. Although you want to be together for at least part of the day, you each are also excited about spending at least a little time improving your skill level.  Thus, part of the day’s criteria for each family member is to face opportunities at their own level.  This means the area for outdoor adventuring in the snow must have a variety of trails, be well groomed, and feature different levels for different abilities.

Does anywhere in or around Grande Prairie meet these conditions?  Glad you asked, since you will be blown away by our findings!  The Nitehawk Recreation Area, is along the Wapiti River and is a mere ten minutes from Stanford Grande Prairie Hotel. It features 14 trails. It is a phenomenal place for anyone seeking the sun and outdoors and especially beginning skiers. Family skiers and advanced skiers may find it a tad less challenging, but everyone will enjoy the friendly atmosphere and should be ready for weather and conditions which will appeal to them.

As of the date this was written, all trails were rated Excellent.  The Will-0-Way, Bob’s Bump, Easy Street, and Slow Poke are easy trails enjoyed by beginners, but also worth cruising on by experts and Intermediates.  Temptation and the Shoot will intrigue Intermediate skiers.  Two runs, Show Off and Home Run, are available for the experts.  Intermediates who ski responsibly and experts can both enjoy schussing down Upper/Lower Roller Coaster, Connector, Highway 40, Aquatera Tube Zone, and Terrain Park.  Everyone will find The Mogol Patch worthwhile.

We realize that conditions change with the weather, so invite all thrill-seekers who want up-to-date conditions reports and a list of operating days and hours to contact the Hill Hotline at 780-402-8977, or log in to gonitehawk.com/hill-report/trail-report.  There, you’ll find whether to expect good or fair ratings for each trail, if it’s open or closed, and, best of all, whether fresh powder awaits you.  The website also provides rates, information on a half-dozen or so clubs for all ages, and blogs which really tell it like is.  Example, one February blog entices visitors with news of on-site barbecues to dare and tear themselves away from snow which had created epic snowboard and skiing conditions.

If you thought that Nitehawk was just a quaint little ski hill, think again. It is the Northern Alberta centre for training of ski and snowboard instructors.  It operates a triple chair and platter lift.  Ski lessons and rentals for over 300 sets of skis and boards are available.

Nitehawk may be smaller than ski hills located in National Parks, but its location means that you are safer since you don’t have to worry about driving in those dangerous mountain passes. 40,000 visits to the hill in one winter suggest its popularity. Nitehawk supports Grande Prairie interests big time. “Supports” is the right word because since its beginning in 1960 the area is run as a non-profit.  And, its chalet in the wilderness can become the venue for a variety of events such as weddings, conventions and banquets.

Nitehawk is sure to answer your needs for exercise in the winter’s fresh air. Don’t be disappointed by the thought of winter ending, however.  Once the melt is underway, look forward to the summer events which occur in a multitude of settings in the area: the Wilderness Campground, Gravity Mountain Bike Park, Luge Track and the Freestyle Water Ramp, where you can even practise ski jumping in the summer!  No wonder Grande Prairie is so proud of the all-season Nitehawk development!

When you plan a winter festival, you do everything possible to take advantage of all that living in the icy, cold north has to offer.  You actually relish the thought of unplugging your car to motor off to an event Southerns can only dream about.  Imagine putting on your long johns and visiting a family-friendly site where you can sled, skate or toboggan with your children, and then warm up in community-built-and-maintained fire pits.  Later, think about ways to celebrate your forays into the freezing cold by enjoying a hot meal together in the Friday fundraising barbecue and entertainment event.

Where and how was all this supposed to take place?  Why, at Grande Prairie’s initial Frost Moon Festival, of course!   What happened?  Well, the weather gods who normally supply sub-zero temperatures and conditions in our area must have eaten too much Christmas Fruit Cake.  This year, the event planned for what is normally a snowy January week has had to be postponed until February 21-24.  The reason?  Rain combined with abnormally high temperatures for this time of year eliminated the snow.  With snow completely gone, building ice sculptures is a tad difficult.  So is skating and sledding. We wonder how the Snow Volleyball Tournament might have been affected.  The latter event is a take-off on beach volleyball, with the added attraction of a glow-in-the dark ball. We are dying to see how participants and spectators might select their styles of dress:  will they mix bathing suits with snow suits? 

Not to worry, since our hardy community organizers never admit defeat for any reason.  Instead of canceling the Frost Moon event, they had the foresight to move it into February.  Maybe they rationalized that the weather gods who necessitated the change just wanted to please us by by supplying some balmy, unseasonably warm weather in January for those who prefer indoor activities. Whether January or February, Frost Moon promises plenty of activities for those inclined to stay reclined, or indoors.  Grande Prairie winters will now be famous for refuting that slogan that “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too”.

Travelers fortunate enough to stay at the Grande Prairie Stanford Hotel during the Frost Moon celebration are a short distance from the event’s main Montrose Site at 9839-103 Avenue.  All activities appeal to all ages and skill levels, and are free, except for the reasonably-costing family, fundraising barbecue. Further information can be obtained from the Regional Tourism Association located at 11330 106 Street, telephone 780-539-7688.  Be sure to be in town for the event, and invite your friends from the South, who may otherwise never know what they are missing in our winter paradise.