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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 05:06 AM
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February 9:
I'm not very lucky with this and the previous winter. Every time I go out I get harsh weather conditions. This time was not exception.
We planned to ski Paradise Valley. Avalanche conditions were high and with the incoming snowstorm I convinced our group to ski up to Skoki Lodge instead. It's Class I terrain and the trail is maintained by Skoki Lodge staff (plastic poles are every 20 to 50 meters) so you can't get lost even in whiteout.
We started around quarter before 8am from Fish Creek Parking Lot and with a steady pace reached Temple Lodge soon after 9am. I was on light touring skis; the rest were on AT skis, which were way too heavy and slow for this gentle trail.
The temperature in Banff and Lake Louise was -26C, -34C with wind chill. It was quite cold at first but soon I warmed up enough to start feeling very comfortable. As we were proceeding to Boulder Pass we could hear the sound of avalanches every few minutes. They reminded me canon salvo. It was as if we were crossing the frontlines! Unfortunately, the snowstorm started soon so we could see very little of the surrounding beauty.
In a slow but steady pace in the whiteout condition we reached Boulder Pass at around noon and Deception Pass an hour and 15 minutes later. With all this snow and wind I got the impression I'm somewhere in Antarctica or Greenland! The navigation was not difficult though, we just followed the poles.
On Deception Pass our group leader decided to turn back. A severe weather could bring an end to the daylight sooner than usual and it would be quite challenging to ski in such conditions in dusk.
On the way back between Deception and Boulder Passes wind was blowing in our faces making skiing a little bit unpleasant. It was perhaps well below -40 at that time. On the other hand, the sky cleared up a little bit making it possible to take a few pictures:
1) Taking skins off on Deception Pass; 2) Mt Redoubt; 3-4)Skiing Ptarmigan Lake on the way back; 5-6) Mt. Redoubt from Ptarmigan Lake
1) 2)
3) 4)
5) 6)
Skiing back from Boulder Pass to the trailhead was a very pleasant and relaxing roller-coaster. It's possible to do this 9km section in less than one hour. We made a snack stop so it took us longer.
Overall, I enjoyed this trail a lot even though it would be a much more pleasant destination in a nice weather.
February 10: We skied Goat Creek from Canmore to Banff Spring Hotel. 18 km in 4 hours. We shared the trail with 100 and something people, over 50 of whom were from Calgary Ski Club. This not the trail to seek solitude. This is basically a nordic trail and views are very limited so it's a good place to go when weather sucks. The temperature rapidly dropped from -25 to above 0 (Oh, those Rockies  ) and I ended up skiing most of the trail in a T-shirt. Summer skiing in the mid of the winter!
7) East End of Rundle from the trailhead. A nice scramble in the summer; 8)Typical scenery of Goat Creek Trail; 9) Spray River and Mt Rundle; 10) Mt. Rundle from Bow River Falls. The sun finally appeared for a few minutes.
7) 8)
9) 10) |
Edited by - Engor on 02/20/2008 06:51 AM
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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13440 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2008 : 9:09 PM
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Interesting shots, that peak looks like it got ears of a cougar.
Now bring in spring.
K |
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Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2008 : 9:45 PM
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Nice work!
I'm surprised that Goat Creek was still ski-able! I did both directions last month and the conditions near the hotel were already starting to become thin.
I wonder if this weekend was warm enough to wipe out the trail for XC. |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2008 : 11:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by spicytuna
Nice work!
I'm surprised that Goat Creek was still ski-able! I did both directions last month and the conditions near the hotel were already starting to become thin.
I wonder if this weekend was warm enough to wipe out the trail for XC.
This was the trip report from early February. I managed to take 2 days off this weekend, skied up to Burstall Pass on Sat and today to Citadel Pass (almost). I burned my face so badly that fluids are running from it. Damn it!
Did you ski to Assiniboine? I wasn't able to take 3 days off to join you. |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2008 : 11:09 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by KARVITK
Interesting shots, that peak looks like it got ears of a cougar.
Now bring in spring.
K
Number 5? There is something feline in it |
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Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2008 : 07:50 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Engor
[quote]
This was the trip report from early February. I managed to take 2 days off this weekend, skied up to Burstall Pass on Sat and today to Citadel Pass (almost). I burned my face so badly that fluids are running from it. Damn it!
Did you ski to Assiniboine? I wasn't able to take 3 days off to join you.
Doh! I was looking at the number and not the month.
How were the snow conditions at the Burstall Pass parking lot?
I didn't bother trying Assiniboine this past weekend. I figured the snow conditions would be too sticky and too dangerous. I just spent most of the weekend working on my car. Haha! |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2008 : 10:03 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by spicytuna
Doh! I was looking at the number and not the month.
How were the snow conditions at the Burstall Pass parking lot?
I didn't bother trying Assiniboine this past weekend. I figured the snow conditions would be too sticky and too dangerous. I just spent most of the weekend working on my car. Haha!
We walked in ankle-deep water at the parting lot! The snow on the trail was very wet in the afternoon, which is not surprising. It was 15C on my thermometer! |
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Topic |
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Boulder and Deception Passes in extreme weather
