West Bragg Creek(file photo)
These last few weeks before ski season starts, I am going to review some relevant issues which we haven’t addressed for a while.
A very popular page on this blog is Dog-Friendly Ski Trails. Calgarians are fortunate to have West Bragg Creek close by, but there is always confusion about the rules. This is what I posted a few years ago:
“West Bragg Creek ski trails are classified as Provincial Forest Lands(where dogs are not required to be on leash) and there’s a map which you can buy for about $15 at the Visitor Centres which show it. West Bragg Creek parking lot is classified as a Provincial Recreation area and dogs are required to be on leash. The rules don’t change with the seasons.”
Crystal Line east at West Bragg Creek(file photo)
I miss skiing at West Bragg Creek(since I now live in Canmore) if only to see all the happy dogs frolicking in the snow.
I have a permanent link on the Main Menu to the Dog-Friendly Ski Trails page. If anyone has updated information on dog-friendly ski trails, please leave a comment. It’s worth clicking over to the page and reading the 40 comments which have been posted over the years. Alternatively, it is also good to be equipped with some Puppy Pointers that’d greatly come to of help when touring such frigid places.
Abbey and Bob at Lake Louise
I can empathize with all parties when it comes to dogs. For the first 40 years of my life, I was indifferent, maybe even scared of dogs. I didn’t care for them. I was severely bitten as a kid which probably shaped my attitude for years to come. Then Abbey came along and changed my life forever. Now, like a reformed smoker, I’m on the other side of the fence and can’t go past a dog without stopping and petting it.
The photo was taken in November 1998, the first time I ever skied at Lake Louise. After skiing, we went to the lake to have a snack, when a throng of Japanese tourists came by and wanted to take our picture. I handed my camera to one of them and was rewarded with this picture which I treasure. It was before the advent of digital cameras so I had to scan this from a snapshot.
Besides taking your dog out for adventures, you also need to feed them the right food to keep them at their best health. You can find out more at https://bluebuffalo.com.
When I was living in Montreal, I skied the trails of Morin Heights and area as well as the Canadian Ski Marathon trail with my dog Gypsy. We would do as many as two legs return of the Marathon Trail (4) and we enjoyed each others company immensely. Gypsy was a great ski dog and mastered the art of slipping between my legs when things were easy and resolutely falling behind during a climb in deep snow to let ME break trail. I had to leave her behind when I came out to Calgary as I was unable to look after her properly and she was at home in the best sense with my parents. Out West I was taken aback by the resistance to having dogs on the trail but since any dogs that came later in my life were lap dogs, I did not dwell further on it.