-The Great Divide is rough but skiable.-
Yesterday(Thursday), I checked all the packed trails at Lake Louise. We’re usually skiing on a good base with trackset trails by the middle of November, but not this year. Skiing is possible but you won’t find great conditions.
These pavement heaves on the Great Divide are prevalent and require great care to avoid damaging your skis
There’s not a speck of snow in the weather forecast, so what you see is what you get for the forseeable future.
The Great Divide is skiable but the snow cover is very thin over old pavement which is crumbling and heaving. Consequently, there are numerous hazards (which you will observe in the photos). Most of the hazards are avoidable, but I’d still highly recommend using rock skis.
Moraine Lake road
Moraine Lake road is much the same as I reported on Monday. The snow which is there has been well-preserved, and you’re in no danger of hitting any pavement unless you venture beyond 7K at which time the snow cover is thinner.
The air temperature was -13°C, and the snow temp was -9, so another easy waxing day.
Look at this great snow on Upper Tramline
The best skiing of the afternoon was on Upper Tramline. This part of the trail runs from the Chateau parking lot to Moraine Lake road, a distance of 1.7K. The snow cover was good, with only one clump of dirt showing about half-way. The first bit has seen a lot of foot traffic, but don’t be dismayed. The walkers turn off after 300 metres and it’s beautiful thereafter.
Lower Tramline is a different story. I don’t know where the conditions worsen, but I stopped at the train station and had a look at the beginning(or end, depending on where you start), and the trail was strewn with exposed rocks(see last photo in the gallery).
If you’re thinking of spending the weekend at Lake Louise, The Mountaineer Lodge is offering 20% off their room rates to SkiHere readers.
If you’re looking for skis and boots, Wilson’s in Lake Louise is selling last year’s rental gear.
Would Skier Bob and his readers want to perhaps tell their personal stories of how they manufactured their own pair of ‘rock’ skis? -)
Hi Henry,
Back in 1998 I bought my first pair of “racing skis.” I only paid $150 for them at a ski sale, so not real high-end gear. They were demoted to “rock ski” status about ten years ago when I graduated to much better equipment. We’ve had such good conditions here, even in early season, over the past ten years that it’s been difficult inflicting much damage on them. I refer to them as my “workhorse” skis, as they get used a lot and are still amazingly fast(lots of glide-waxing keeps them that way).