First ski trip of the year was a good (and cold) one

Mark and Haley on Tyrwhitt

Like a dream come true, my favourite loop, Whiskey Jack, Tyrwhitt, and Elk pass
all had new tracksetting last night. I couldn’t have asked for better conditions for my first ski of 2015.

Skiers on Tyrwhitt. You can see the flags are authentic by observing the shadow on the snow

Near the end, when I had the choice of Fox creek or the big Elk pass hill, I took the hill, knowing it would be in good shape and it was. I broke the speed limit coming down. Moraine is rough, has a lot of tree debris, but it’s skiable.

The air temperature was -13 at Boulton creek parking lot, snow temp -12. The only blight on a good day was the blasted wind. I thought I had left the wind behind when I emigrated west from the open prairie of Saskatchewan, but today it was biting.

My vehicle thermometer registered three degrees warmer at Pocaterra hut as I was driving by.

Tyrwhitt was spectacular

My favourite waxing story: applied VR30(-10/-30) at the trailhead and forgot about it.

Thanks for all the trip reports today. Chuck posted photos of a wolf kill on Brewster creek. Amazing to see what’s left of the deer. I imagine the ravens helped out. The few times I’ve been on Brewster creek, I’ve invariably seen wolf tracks. It’s too bad the access to Brewster creek is so awful. I sure hope the Healy creek bridge is on the agenda for Banff National Park this summer.

Elk pass

It’s fitting that Delta Lodge at Kananaskis is now advertising on here, starting today, and is offering a special rate to this blog’s readers. I spent a weekend at the Lodge in Feb 1997 and stumbled upon the cross-country trails. Never having skied before, I rented a pair of waxless skis and had the time of my life on the village trails. I shudder to think how life would be without that fateful weekend.

More photos from today’s skiing…