Thanks to Alf Skrastins, we have our first trip report of the season. You can see many more photos here: West Bragg photos from Alf
There is no better way to check out a new ski trail, than to ski it… so that’s what I did today. The Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association has spent the entire summer season working to improve the XC ski trail system in time for this winter. Much of the work has been completed and the snowfall of the past few days provided a great opportunity to test out how well these changes and additions actually work for skiers.
Loggers loop bridge
I arrived at the West Bragg Creek parking lot by pushing snow with the bumper of my van. 42cm in the parking lot! That would be a great snowfall in December. It’s completely amazing in September!
I started up the Moose Connector/Lower West Crystal Line trail. In about 1 km, there is a new junction. This is an easy connector that allows novices to avoid a steep uphill/downhill combination onto Middle Crystal Line. The short connection is lovely and smoothly transitions onto Middle Crystal Line. Another easy connection back to Lower Crystal Line is being cleared, but is not yet ready.
West Sundog
I followed Middle Crystal Line to Upper West Crystal Line and followed that all the way down the hill to a new re-route. The west end of West Crystal Line had a chronic icy/wet area in a black spruce bog. This has been replaced by a lovely gentle descent that crosses a (soon to be built) bridge right at the Moose Connector Junction. This is where the new trail work currently stops, so I returned back up West Crystal line to Loggers Loop.
There is a new NW junction for Loggers Loop, which eliminates an awkward off-camber turn on a steep hill. The trail now merges nicely into the high point of West Crystal Line.
Bragg Creek bridge near the trailhead parking lot
Loggers Loop is one of my favourite WBC trails because it holds snow so well and has several fun rolling hills. The snow depth was 46cm at the upper end of Loggers Loop.
From Loggers Loop, returned via the west half of Sundog Loop. There is one nasty spot on this trail that will (hopefully) be fixed before the ski season.
This tour only represents about 1/3 of the improvements that are being made to the WBC XC trails, and it looks like skiers will really enjoy the new and improved ski trail system.
…and yes, this does mean that I have skied at least once a month for 13 years!
Alf
Alf, congratulations for skiing at least once a month for the past 13 consecutive years. What a bonus to ski at West Bragg in early Septmember! Makes me super excited about the upcoming ski season! West Bragg Creek is one of Skier Bobs and my favorite areas to ski with our dog Tessa! Hope to meet you on the trails Alf!
Oh Alf, you are the Pied Piper of skiing. Thanks for the trip report. We’ll send y’all snaps of the action in Ohio… some time in January.
WEST BRAGG CREEK SKI REPORT #2
With an overnight low of -8C, there was no question about what to do today. So a few of us headed back to West Bragg Creek for another ski day.
It was -4C when we arrived, so I opted to wax my skis with SWIX V45 (Violet Special). This worked great to begin with. Later, as it warmed up, the sunny areas got sticky and then the skis would ice back in the shady areas, but with a bit of scraping, it worked well enough.
Today we checked out the improvements on East Crystal Line. This trail has been widened to 7m, in order to allow it to be groomed with 2 lanes of track setting, as well as a skate ski lane. There’s also an new easier alternate connection to the bottom bit of Sundog (along Bragg Creek).
I had hoped to do another loop after lunch, but by that time the temperature had reached +7 C, so the snow was getting pretty wet and the trees were shedding all of the snow that had been weighing down their branches. I was happy enough to be able to ski on two days in September!
https://picasaweb.google.com/112757355578245802406/WBCXCSkiSept112014?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnWhs_2kaGfkwE
PLEASE DONATE
It is very expensive to build and maintain ski trails. Trees need to be felled and removed, brush needs to be cut back and mowed down, specialized heavy machinery is needed to build a tread that is wide enough, smooth enough and properly drained and culverts or bridges need to be installed. Most of the trail work at West Bragg Creek is done by the Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association and the revenue to fund this work comes from memberships and donations.
If you enjoy these trails and want to see them improved and expanded, then you should join the GBCTA and/or make a donation. If you know of any club or corporation that would be willing to donate to this trail network, please contact http://braggcreektrails.org/donate-now.html
…and I still think that a ski ascent of Nose hill in September would have been a great way to mark Alf’s 156th straight month of skiing -)
Alf, congratulations on 13 yrs of skiing in every month.
It sure looks like December!
This is wonderful early activity on Bob’s blog.