The Bittersweet trails are operated and maintained by the Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Club. Situated in the Assiniboine River valley, they are a short 1½ hour drive from Winnipeg, 50 km SW of Portage la Prairie on highway 242 between highways 1 & 2, just north of the Assiniboine River bridge at the top of the hill.
The 21K of classic trails and 12K of skate trails are in a hilly wooded area. They are continuously groomed and offer an experience for all levels of skiers, from beginner to expert. The trails range from easy to challenging. To maintain the intimate, woodsy feel of the trails, most of the skate and classic trails are separate to minimize trail width. The skate ski trails can only be accessed from the Oak Meadows Trailhead.
There really are hills in Manitoba (Bittersweet video)
Signs at the three trailheads state that dogs are not allowed on the trails.
There is a heated Nordic Centre building at the Oak Meadows Trailhead. It features a large south-facing deck, big windows that overlook the trails, comfortable seating, hot drinks, and (one of the grand ideas from Maplelag Ski Resort) a “bottomless cookie jar”! A new Terrain Park is also located at the Oak Meadows Trailhead.
The wood-heated Ski Hut is located among the trails for your convenience, either as a rest stop or as a lunch spot to meet with your fellow skiers.
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Bittersweet has developed a new map for its trail system. It uses the Avenza Maps app and a georeferenced PDF file (Bittersweet Trails Map). The Avenza Maps app uses your phone’s (or tablet’s) built-in GPS to precisely track your location with a moving blue dot in real time. It does not require cellular service or internet access to function. The app also provides a number of other features, including the ability to zoom in or out, record your track distance and time, drop and label placemarks, attach photos, and more.
To use the Avenza map:
— Install the free Avenza Maps app from Google Play (Android), the App Store (iOS), or the Windows Store.
— Download the Bittersweet Trails Map (2.8 MB PDF). (The map can also be printed or viewed without using the Avenza Maps app.)
— Open the Avenza Maps app, configure Settings from the menu, and import/copy the downloaded Bittersweet Trails Map into the app. Tap the map to begin using it.
Info and support:
— avenzamaps.com
— avenza.com/pdf-maps
The updated map has been printed on aluminum and mounted at all trail junctions. There are also large versions in the Nordic Centre and the Ski Hut.
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Membership to the Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Club can be purchased on-site or by going to zone4.ca and searching for Bittersweet Ski Club.
The club produces a newsletter in the Fall and Winter that it emails to members. Non-members can be added to the distribution list by contacting McMaster@xplornet.com .
Non-members must sign their names and the date in the registration books provided at our trailheads, and are thus covered as day users by our liability insurance provider for that particular day. Appropriate signage to this effect will now be posted at our trailheads. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. We hope that the benefits you gain, access to our beautiful trails, will justify the trouble of reading and signing the necessary forms. Also, please make a donation in the locked box to help the club with the expense of operating the Nordic Centre and grooming the trails.
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Bittersweet’s annual recreational skiing event is held every year on the Sunday of the Louis Riel long weekend. It’s listed on CCSAM’s Events Calendar.
Group Admins
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Gary posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 4 days, 22 hours agoI skied all of the skate trails yesterday afternoon. There was about 2 cm of fresh snow and very few bare spots. More snow is falling today and I anticipate another go at it tomorrow.
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 6 days, 16 hours agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Thursday evening:
We were excited to have 4.5 cm fresh fluffy snow on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, it proved just too little to enable a good grooming job, groomer’s skills notwithstanding. Skiers should ski only on trails which have been freshly groomed. -
Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 week, 1 day agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Tuesday morning:
Snow is not snow any more, it is ice. Trails are scary fast. All of the west side is closed. All major hills on the east side should be avoided, or walked down. Grass and twigs are showing up in some spots. Skiing on the flats is possible with klister, but even the small hills should be approached very…[Read more] -
DaleK posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 week, 4 days agoThanks to the groomers for doing the Cottonwood and Red Hill. It made a huge difference both climbing and descending (safer). Because the temperature didn’t rise as much as expected today, tomorrow morning should be very good. The skiers were spread out over the 25 K of trails, with skiers very careful about the Covid rules. Highly recommend…[Read more]
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 week, 5 days agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Friday evening:
Our groomers have been out all of Friday evening, working to make our trails as good as possible. The trails should set up well overnight, and be ready for weekend skiers.
Come try them! -
DaleK posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 week, 6 days agoThe last two days were great skiing although some of the tracks on the hills have suffered from the odd falls of skiiers. Badger and White Tail are two black hills to really reduce your speed for safety. We did them Monday at -17 when it was slower. We did most of the east side twice, Wed. and Thurs.- Parking lot to Woodward’s Cabin, Farm…[Read more]
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 3 weeks, 5 days agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Friday evening:
Bittersweet had 6-7 cm of new snow this week! Both classic and skate trails are now freshly groomed.
Skiers report that the tracks are good, but advise caution on some hills that may have a few wobbles, as our special Yellowstone Tracking Pan, meant for low snow levels, does not have the stability of our…[Read more] -
arden hill posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 month agoWe skied Bittersweet yesterday and the trails were in pretty good condition as mentioned by Kevin and Ardythe. Quite a few sticks showing through on some trails but they did not pose much of a problem. We need more snow. The tracks have held up nicely, and on some of the hills (Pine Hill!!!!!) were in excellent condition. The day was so peaceful…[Read more]
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 month agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Friday afternoon:
Bittersweet trails are in pretty good condition, considering the season we are having. Occasional light snowfalls have been worked into the tracks by the skiers over the week, but no grooming has been done. Skiers should enjoy good skiing as long as they pay heed to the trail conditions, and be careful on…[Read more] -
Gary posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 month, 1 week agoSkated the Oak Meadow and Skaters Waltz. A few thin spots but easy to dodge so I did 2 laps. My complements to Scott Smart who is obviously a talented groomer!
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 month, 1 week agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Friday morning:
Bittersweet trails are now re-opened! We have had a few light snow flurries. Sections of trail protected from the winds have well defined, ski-in tracks. Open areas need to be skied in, but fresh snow is everywhere.
Some grooming is planned for Saturday. Cottonwood Classic trails, and the World Cup section…[Read more] -
Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 1 month, 3 weeks agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Thursday evening:
After a wonderful holiday time, with so many happy families out enjoying the mild temperatures, Bittersweet trails have suffered from the unrelenting mild temperatures. There are many bald spots, especially on the south facing slopes, and there is no snow to re-groom or even refresh. In the interests of…[Read more] -
Andrea J posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 2 months agoSkied Bittersweet on Dec 29. A little light on the snow but still very much skiable. I found more twigs and grass exposure to the eastern trails then the western portion. As usual, Bittersweet is the most fun!
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Kevin Miller posted an update in the group
Bittersweet 2 months agoFrom Ardythe McMaster on Tuesday morning:
All trails are open and skiable at Bittersweet. Some grass and twigs where there is low snow. More snow is forecast for today!
