With the cancellation of the Cookie race, more skiers than ever are anxious to participate in the LL Loppet on Sunday March 1. Here’s a report from Alasdair Fergusson:
Lake Louise Loppet (file photo)
Hi Fellow keen XC skiers
Here is the latest snow & trail report for Lake Louise Loppet trails
– The Snow-Belt of Alberta!
The succession of “Pineapple Expresses” played havoc with the Lake – I have never seen such water and slush problems in February and never as bad as this in early March – There is a reason why we never have the Loppet later than the first Sunday in March.
Lake Louise Loppet (file photo)
Also the snow drought and creation of hard packed and occasional icy spots on the east end of Fairview near Moraine Lake Rd as far as Paradise Jct. and Upper Telemark trails
It was so warm that the Chateau and Nat Parks skidoos were in danger of overheating and the CSC was definitely not taking out our venerable skidoos out with no auxiliary cooling fans.
A group from CSC snow shoed the Lake the Sunday of Long Weekend and this has survived
Lake Louise Loppet (file photo from 2004)
Unfortunately the main trail from the Boathouse across to the Horse Trail and the trail to Prince Philip’s Heritage Monument Ramps had many pedestrians who punched through to create many footprints that instantly filled with water.
There were many wet feet on Sat and Sun of long weekend.
However cold nights of – 10 to -15 froze up the Lake very nicely since.
We now have a problem of rough frozen footprints to smooth out We will also pack and groom new trails on the Lake where we can
We spent yesterday ( Sunday) with 3 skidoos and grooming equipment to pack the Lr. Telemark trail wider to permit 2 tracks for the Loppet Finishing smoothing will be done on Wednesday ready for tracksetting for the loppet
However we will need a few cold nights and warm days to firm up these new wider margins to support ski pole baskets.
Please Pray to the Snow Gods for 15 cm more snow to cover the imperfections on both Lake and Trails BUT not too much to create another water and slush problem on the lake from the weight of the fresh snow.
Alasdair
Coordinator and Chief of Competition, Lake Louise Loppet 1986 – Present
Calgary Ski Club.
