Better than we expected
Cascade Fire Road beyond the campground. Feb 12, 2010
Upon arriving, we were surprised to find that Cascade Fire Road had recently been groomed and trackset. It still has some challenges – the meadow has a lot of exposed grass and the initial long hill has a few icy spots. Once you’ve crested the hill, however, your troubles are over. It just gets better and better the further you go.
Cascade Fire Road. Feb 12, 2010
We used our waxless skis today but the snow seemed cold enough for wax(even though the air temp was +4). If using waxable skis, you might have a few frustrating moments on the climb up the initial hill, as there were a few spots where the snow was thin and you could see an icy crust underneath. If you put gobs of sticky wax on your skis in order to make it up the hill, guaranteed you’ll be clumping and icing up further along.
Cascade Fire Road. Feb 12, 2010
The skating lane looked to be in good condition the entire distance. The portion of the track on pavement which leads from the parking lot to the meadow was extremely thin and icy as you approached the meadow.
Warning!
Something very disconcerting happened today at the parking lot. We saw two cars with broken side windows and two additional parking places where there was broken glass. Obviously thieves are at work, so do not leave any valuables in your car. I felt so sorry for the skiers who would be returning to their vehicles only to find them vandalized. One of the vehicles had U.S. licence plates – what great memories of Banff these folks will take home with them.
I am aware of a skier, tired of returning to his vehicle with a broken window, who leaves his doors unlocked at the trailhead parking lot. He puts a sign in the window: “No valuables inside. Doors are unlocked.”
Be aware. If you see a vehicle drive into the parking lot and go right back out again, get the licence number if you can. I may have escaped being vandalized earlier this year. I was returning to the trailhead late one day at Mt Shark, where you can see the parking lot for quite a distance. There was no one else around. I saw a vehicle come into the parking lot and someone got out and started walking to my car. As I got closer, they spotted me and took off.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do about this problem?
My ski group has always used the carpool lot just east of Stony Trail and Canada Olympic Park on the south side of Highway #1. Unfortunately, the last two times we have returned from skiing there have been vehicles with broken windows there, too.
I’m not sure what the solution is.
I was skiing the other day at Shaganapi and saw a truck that looked like it was from a dealer pull into the lot. It seemed suspicious. I got the license but am not sure if it would do any good.
I want to do that trail again, and your blog made me even more excited. Then I read of the criminal element that ruin our enjoyment and our reputation with the tourists to our area. It is so discouraging. My truck was broken into once and they did $600 of damage to steal a $15 cd. A friend of mine tried the open door trick only to come back from a scramle to find rude graffiti etched into his paint job by the criminal element.
btw: I love this blog!