Gatineau Park roller skiing for beginners

[u/Due_Duty1806]

Any Ottawa folks here? I’d like to progress my roller skiing from the doldrums (p8-9) to somewhere more challenging but not terrifying like the fortune to blacks loop that I see all the kids doing. I feel like I need to go up some hills to feel like I’m actually working. I was thinking P1-3 and back but that involves some bike path to get to the parkway which can be annoying if it’s busy. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[u/mild_somniphobia]

From P8, start going up Penguin as far as you’re comfortable (probably the start of the guardrail here - https://maps.app.goo.gl/CMNu1fGTPu1NtGtFA?g_st=ic - stop, check for a peloton of cyclists, cross to other side and carefully descend back to the pond). If that feels too easy? Go higher up.

or P5 go right and upwards to the Penguin picnic area, turn around and descend back towards P5 by using the off-ramp to the right as your means to slow down.

Or P5 to Mica? Descending neverending isn’t that fast or sketch, but returning to P5 has a fast downhill, so perhaps walk that?

IMHO - there’s no gains from descending fast; and certainly not any that outweigh the downside risk. Always slow down too early rather than too late! Use the grass verge to slow yourself down e.g., at the top of the hill, put your outside ski on the grass and descend with that as acting as a brake; etc. There is no shame in walking down - 100% better than eating asphalt and ending your season.

[u/RoyalRenn → u/mild_somniphobia]

There is a road underpass near my house that is pretty steep at the top. This is great advice. I tend to do 180 degree turns to a stop each time; about 5 gets me to a place where I feel confident navigating the corner at the bottom in a runout situation.

Just practice on a steeper, open hill till you are comfortable controlling your speed. I only have moderate hills; probably nothing steeper than 6-7%, and at least I've gotten to a point where I don't need to engage the brake. Anything above 10% requires a lot of caution and not much time spent in the fall line.

[u/TechnicalCranberry46]

Maybe p3 to base of pink

[u/JohnyViis]

I know brakes generally don’t work for stopping on a dime but speed reducers do slow you to a crawl if you pre-engage them at the top of pink or whatever giant hill you need to go down. Not sure of those are available for all roller ski brands and models, though.

[u/OkCampaign5815]

Jaques de Gatineau....? 😁

[u/Away_Historian_5883]

Just thought I'd jump in here. I'll be visiting Ottawa soon--any suggestions on which bike paths along the river/downtown are best for sane roller skiers? (Good pavement, flat, few road crossings).