The Elk Lake Hut Backpack Trip, Saturday/Sunday 28th 29th Nov. 2015.  Thanks Tudor for the trip report.

Sunny skies and great skiing weather, compared to last year’s -30 and cancelled. The set tracks  and snow conditions very good. Depth of snow 40 cm on our downhill to hut. Temp: -19 at start at trail head parking, to plus in afternoon sun. We were eight: Kelly, Linda, Judy, Barb, Amanda, Bob, Dion and Tudor; and Saturday sleepover with four others in the hut.

Backcountry Backpacked Steed.

We’re off the set tracks;

Barb’s behind pulling bobsleigh,

and whipping this unbroken back country bronco

on a rough tracked carousel.

 

I wobble, mogul my way

down the steep Hydro cut line,

levelling off at times;

and on challenging mid section,

bucked off many times

into feathery deep snow…

….my head a merry-go-round,

getting no-where fast,

but past the saying:

three tries for a Welshman!

 

After my eighth, I prank off my skis –

“I’ll walk,” and duly stepped through

the thin packed upper crust,

to the knee deep base.

 

Fall after fall, takes my stuffing.

With Alpine Christmas-turkey-supper ahead,

back on, couple more blips,

then near perfect bottom section

to the hut.

Many a but, but not beaten.

 

Back out, a re-waxed new day,

through overnight gloriously cut diamond snow,

uphill to track set, with rocking horse stability…

…and stable tracked sprint to finishing post.

 

Next year, skins for sure.

©  Tudor (this, my first Club trip, first loaded backpack, and mogul like downer)

Many thanks to Kelly and Linda our trip leaders, and all for your preparation, company, advice, fun.