The Meltdown is coming. Where is the colder snow?

Emerald lake

Skiers on the Emerald Lake alluvial fan

Get out your waxless skis(or the dreaded klister). For Banff, the weather network is predicting a high of +5 for Saturday and +8 on Sunday. Environment Canada’s forecasts are for +3 and +9. To add insult to injury, the nightly lows will not even go below zero. We can expect much the same for Kananaskis.

The Emerald Connector had about 10 cm of fresh snow before today's tracksetting

The Emerald Connector

If you’re willing to drive further, it looks like Lake Louise and Yoho will escape the worst of this meltdown. The warmest day in Lake Louise is Sunday at +1.

We haven’t had much news from Emerald Lake and Yoho lately, so I was glad to receive this report today from Marilyn at the Kicking Horse Ski Club regarding Emerald Lake:

Emerald Sports and Gifts runs the ski rental shop at Emerald Lake

The ski rental shop at Emerald Lake

“New Tracks! Joe did it ALL today! There is still slush and icy sections on the lake but all trails are good as can be!

Both our Track Setting Machine hydraulics are stuck with the track DOWN so please be very careful on the downhills — walk or snowplough very hard–do not get your skis stuck in those tracks on the downhills.(or sit) It’s quite mild and beautiful soft snow….come on down this weekend.

Rick Mercer at FieldIt’s also “YOHO BLOW DAZE” this weekend in Field–and–Rick Mercer will be here in town!!! Come have some fun! I skied just 2 kms on the Connector after work and saw moose tracks, lynx tracks and pine marten tracks….Nice.! And we put out the bench at the Emerald Creek–can someone help pack that area out if you are skiing by??”

A $40 membership in the Kicking Horse Ski Club(KHSC) will assist the club with maintaining their equipment and fixing the tracksetter. Don’t forget about Emerald Lake Lodge’s midweek special rate which is available to all members of the KHSC.

3 Comments:

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  1. Don’t count on Lake Louise or Yoho – forecasts available on the Parks avalanche bulletins are predicting rain up to 1900 metres – that’s over 6000 feet. Call before you drive out!

  2. Wondering if anyone has any trail updates on West Bragg going into the weekend? Might be a good time to get some running in and stay off the trails?

    • The West Bragg Creek trails were still in pretty good shape on Thursday, given that it has been very mild and several weeks since the last snowfall. Temperatures are too mild for track setting to occur, but the skate lane on East Crystal, north Iron Springs, Sundog and Mountain Road was renovated and groomed on Jan 21. I’m sure the mild temperatures today and as forecast for the weekend will not be helpful for XC trail conditions.

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