I didn’t get out skiing today, and won’t be out at all this weekend. I’ll be depending on your comments to keep everyone informed of the conditions.
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Baker Creek Banff Bill Milne Blueberry Hill Brewster Creek Canmore Nordic Centre Cascade Valley Castle Lookout Confederation Park Golf Course Dog-friendly Elk Pass Emerald Lake Evan-Thomas Frozen thunder Goat Creek Golden Great Divide Hawkridge Healy Creek Hydroline Kananaskis Kananaskis Fire Lookout Kananaskis Village Lake Louise Lake O'Hara fire road Moraine Lake road Mt Shark Nipika Olympics Pipestone PLPP Pocaterra Redearth Creek Ribbon Creek Sandy McNabb Shaganappi Golf Course Skogan Pass Spray River Tyrwhitt Watridge Lake Road Wedge connector West Bragg Creek Wheeler Whiskey Jack YohoSkierBob
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If someone asks you to name a winter sport, chances are you’ll say skiing. Skiing is become so popular.
Hi Bob, I just spoke to an employee at the PLPP visitor centre. They confirmed the decision to not groom or trackset the Ribbon Creek trails this year. I was given this link to voice complaints: http://gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca/feedback.aspx
Let’s flood them…
John M
Thanks for the update on Emerald Lake trail maintenance. It must be a lot of fun tracksetting in -33. Looks like we’ll have tolerable temperatures for the upcoming weekend.
re:”BTW we have not seen her in pics of your recent ski trips!”
Rob; Cheryl’s been under the weather for a few days, but your comment sure lifted her spirits!
Hi Bob; I just got in from trackseting emerald lake again, it will be cold this week but maybe warmer than Alberta by next weekend. I’m digging away at the Emerald connector toward the Natural bridge. It may be too cold too trackset much at L.Louise for a bit, but I’ll do what I can.
see you on the trails
Thanks for the great website with the most up to date information on trails. I skied today in Peter Lougheed and it was great.Skier track set only but, cold snow so very easy for waxing.Did the Whiskey Jack/Tyrwit Loop and Blueberry Hill.With this very cold weather be prepared with extra warm clothing and mitts.I check this site ofen for current information on conditions.Really glad I bumped into your very attractive girlfriend a few weeks ago who told me about your site.BTW we have not seen her in pics of your recent ski trips!!Did she start her own blog? Lol.
Skied Elk Pass and then part way up Blueberry Hill on Saturday, the roads out there were surpisingly good, once you got out of Calgary. Conditions were skier trackset with 4-8 inches of new snow, hopefully this will provide enough base to get some decent grooming for next weekend.
At the Canmore Nordic Centre, the Banff Trail is now open but only to junction one. That’s almost a kilometre.
Hi Steve;
Thanks for all the info.
The rumour about Ribbon Creek is not a rumour, it’s true. I spoke directly with the person in charge of K-Country and he confirmed it. I had a blurb about it on the blog on Nov 20:
“No grooming or tracksetting at Ribbon Creek:
Due to cutbacks at Alberta Tourism, Parks & Recreation, there will be no grooming or tracksetting on the Ribbon Creek, Kananaskis Village, Skogan Pass trails this winter. That’s a huge disappointment. Contact your MLA and let him/her know how you feel about this. I’ve contacted the Calgary Herald and hope to see an article on this.”
Out Saturday in the backcountry off the Smith-Dorrien road. 15 cm new at roadside with more up higher, about 10 cm new at Pocaterra Hut. Temps of -10 in the am falling to -15 by 3:30. Roads were in good shape for winter driving once out of the city. Bragg Creek trails were packed with a minimal base this past week, the recent snow should give some OK skiing, and maybe enough for further grooming. Speaking of trails closer to home, rumor has it that the Ribbon Creek area trails will not be groomed this winter. The official reply regarding this, to a query from the tour boss of the Norseman Ski Club, seems to sidestep the issue, adding to my worries that this rumor may in fact be true.
Anyone else heard what is going on?
It may be a good weekend to ski the local trails close to home.
Check out the AMA Road Report before you head out. The good news is that the worst of the stormfront has passed, so road conditions should get better. Surprisingly, while the road conditions are poor around Edmonton and Calgary its great driving in Banff.
The bad news, it could be cold and nasty, as the week progresses as this cold system entrenches. The old addage it may be warmer in the mountains may apply…so check out the federal weather report. Also look at the reports for the ski resorts. To the west it looks like Yoho may be a bit warmer, and Invemere warmer yet …so Nipika might be a good consideration for some midweek skiing.