What Happens In The Winter At Falcon Ridge
This winter downhill skiers will enjoy well groomed, snow covered slopes, boarders will thrill in our snowboard terrain park, "The Bear Pit", and tubers will race down our tubing hill. You can enjoy fabulous cross country ski trails or snowshoeing through the jack pines. We offer activities for the whole family.
Downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and snowboarding equipment is available for rent.
Our pro shop stocks mitt guards, head bands and toques, grip waxes and corks, fleece tops and goggles. As well, our pros can expertly wax your skis or board and do an equipment tune-up for you.
If you're a beginner or just need a refresher, snow board and downhill ski lessons are available from our certified instructors.
In our chalet, at the Falcon Ridge Café, you can grab a bite to eat. Hamburgers, fries, salads, homestyle soup, a wide selection of beverages and much more are waiting for you.
Or, you can just relax in front of the roaring fire.
history of
falcon ridge ski hill
The Falcon Lake ski hill has been an integral part of the local community and an important player in bringing winter sports to Manitoba.
• The Falcon Ski Hill opened in the winter season of 1959-60 with four runs and one rope tow, which was powered by a tractor motor.
• Electricity had not yet reached this far east-end of Falcon Lake.
• The following season of 1960-61, after a summer of hard work (mostly by the prisoners from the prisoner camp at Falcon Lake) clearing more slopes, Falcon Ski slopes opened with eight runs and two ropes tows, a toboggan run which shot out onto the lake, complemented by a chalet with a warming fireplace, coffee and hot dogs cooked on a wood fired cook stove.
• In the 1960's Falcon Ski Hill was packed every weekend with an average of 500 skiers per weekend, made up of mostly families.
• The large parking lot would soon fill up and the Parks Department had to plough snow off the ice to make additional parking.
• It was soon clear that the chalet was too small and an addition with proper washrooms and electricity was added in the early to mid 60's. This was followed by the development of the beginner hill and two more rope tows.
• In the early 1980’s rumours of possible closure began to circulate:
• The Parks Department cited high costs to run the ski hill and budgets cuts.
• The Falcon Ski Club (made up of local families including current owners Craig Christie and Barb Hamilton) recognized how important the ski hill was to the local kids, local businesses open in winter, cottagers and visitors.
• To keep the ski hill open, upgrading and promotion was essential. The Ski Club started lobbying the Director of Parks and getting involved in promotion, and fundraising and applying for grants to upgrade the ski lifts.
• The ski club purchased the T-bar from Minaki Lodge and installed it in 1987.
• The Ski club invited new user groups to come to Falcon Lake. Biathlon Manitoba developed a national standard range and skate skiing trails (1986-1988)
• The Falcon Ski hill hosted the Biathlon Western Championships in 1989, the National Championships in 1990 and the world Junior Trials a couple of years later.
• Local residents saw the arrival of the Biathlon Association as an opportunity for their children. Resort owners Barb and Craig, Murray and Marg Imrie were among about five families who started a Biathlon Club complete with a Biathlon Bears program for kids. Their efforts fostered the development of a world class athlete, Falcon Lake’s own 2010 Olympic hopeful Megan Imrie.
• The Parks Development/Department of Conservation made it clear that they no longer wanted to be involved in the Ski Hill. Barb Hamilton and Craig Christie, very active volunteers for the ski club, approached the Park Superintendent and Minister of Conservation in with a vision for a revitalized skill hill area.
• The idea was well received and was followed by a public proposal call for the development of the Falcon Ski Hill Area. Barb and Craig, together with their then partners Mike and Yuki Vlasman and Rich and Lois Pettit, were the successful proponents and they established the Falcon Ridge Ski and Recreation Area managed under Falcon Trails Resort.
• Today, the hard work and dedication of many volunteers is evident in the valuable and viable recreational facility at Falcon Ridge where everyone can enjoy the downhill, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and tubing trails and a world-class biathlon facility.
