Minus 20º Celsius temperatures didn’t deter a dozen club members from heading up towards Nigel Pass for the first back country trip of the season. The initial plan was to spend Saturday doing turns at Parkers Ridge but some prior scouting on Friday by Vance and Derry found that snow conditions were not favorable for turns so we switched to Plan B and headed for Nigel Pass.
This is the fidgety time of the year, you can only wax your skis, sharpen your edges and check for loose screws so many times before you have to get out and find some snow. So what are your best bets for early season skiing?
I have seen a few online reports of skiers getting out on Rae and Robertson Glaciers but you may have to hike a bit to get to decent snow and be prepared for the hazards of glacier travel.
Looking over some of the Mountain Condition Reports from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides [ACMG] it sounds like there is significant snow accumulating in the Columbia Icefields area but the recent warm weather may have melted that away.
– For current Mountain Condition Reports from the ACMG check out: www.acmg.ca/mcr/
Moraine lake road in Banff National Park closes in early fall and does not require a lot of snow coverage to make it skiable. The road offers several kilometers of track-set skiing and an easy downhill on the way back.
– Check out the Ski Here! online blog for lots of local cross-country ski information: www.skihere.ca
The Canmore Nordic Centre has man-made snow in some areas which can help get a jump on the season and this year they built a small ski loop from snow stored over the summer. Contact them to check on current trail conditions: (403) 678-2400.
You might also find some early season skiing up at Chester Lake in Kananaskis Park.
Be aware that even early in the season avalanches can still be a factor!
At our October meeting the Parkland Cross Country Ski Club will host a special slide presentation by Lucille de Beaudrap on her ascent of Mount Everest this past spring. Lucille is an ICU and STARS nurse in Edmonton and has a diverse background of interests. Some of these have included paragliding, skiing, marathon running, ice and rock climbing to mention a few. High altitude summits include Aconcagua in South America and our very own highest peak in Canada, Mt Logan, which she climbed with club member Mike Spencer.
❄ There is no admission charge for this presentation so invite all your friends.
Hosted By: Parkland XC Ski Club
Date: Tuesday October 12, 7:30 PM
Location: Kerry Wood Nature Centre
Ascending to the high col. Fryatt Hut Trip
A few photos dug out of the 2004 archives:
