-The hugging tree on Elk Pass-
Elk Pass was in great shape today, and I made a point of getting a photo of Georgina’s hugging tree. I thought it was appropriate to use the above photo since Georgina pointed out that we have already seen some concrete results from Saturday’s love fest on here.
I have even more love to spread around: Thank you for all the supportive comments on the previous update: Consequences: the rest of the story
Jarret and Daiana on Elk Pass at 2.3K
For those who didn’t like it, all I can say is that if I tried to please everybody all of the time, this blog would be a blank slate. People nowadays have become paralyzed because they’re scared of offending someone. I especially enjoyed the comment from Jake, and the reply from Manfred Kintop. Jake really has his shorts in a knot.
For those of you who may not be wise to the ways of the world, I never asked for, nor expected an apology from Calgary Cycle, or anybody for that matter. I didn’t know that Calgary Cycle even existed. I had no issue with them. My concern was bringing this problem to people’s attention because it was a safety issue and nipping it in the bud before someone got hurt. The reason they apologized is because their trip leader got caught redhanded and they were getting really bad press, as many readers on here and on various Facebook sites were advocating a boycott. I have my doubts whether Calgary Cycle was really at fault here. They got caught up in a firestorm of controversy because of someone associated with them.
Fat bikers took a dog on the snowshoe trail because they said dogs were allowed. This is the sign at the Elk Pass snowshoe trail.
I feel sorry for Derek Lee of Calgary Cycle having to apologize for the actions of a trip leader who made an extremely bad choice. Derek had the insight to know he had to do something quickly and apologies were forthcoming. Stem the bad publicity ASAP. Rather than trying to make excuses for Corey’s bad decision, they took it on the chin and got out in front of it. Good choice, and people, including me, respected him for it. I don’t know Derek Lee but I can see he is obviously an astute businessman.
Just don’t be naïve about the whole process. Nothing would have ever happened if I hadn’t been there to take pictures and publicize it. Corey, the trip leader, didn’t show any concern until I said it was going on the internet.
Saved by the new snow
Carson had been to the Elk Lakes cabin and was almost back
I made a scouting trip out to PLPP this afternoon, not expecting to find anything skiable. I thought all I’d find are bobsled runs on Elk Pass after yesterday’s rains and today’s freezing temperatures. The Elk Pass trailhead had 2 cm of new snow and it got deeper the further up I went. Starting up Blueberry Hill, there was at least 5 cm.
Elk Pass had fresh snow but the tracks were still good
The big hill was in good shape on both sides. Returning, I was able to easily control my speed on the fast downhill.
Great conditions on Elk Pass
I didn’t get on the trail until 3:15 pm, so I was only able to go about .5K up Blueberry Hill, however, Jarret and Daiana went to the top and said there was lots and lots of new snow higher up. The trip report from Ron and Larissa says 10 cm higher up. It’s a good thing I don’t take for granted the spelling of people’s names or I never would have got the correct spelling of Daiana’s.
Starting up Blueberry Hill
The air temperature at the trailhead was -3 and it looked like it was trying to snow. The snow temperature at the Elk Pass – Blueberry Hill junction was -5. I used VR45(-2/-8) with great success, not having to herringbone once, not even going up the big hill.
Carson went to the Elk Lakes cabin today and said the ski down from the pass was pretty sketchy, mostly just a hard crust with a bit of new snow on top.
Pocaterra and Elkwood did not receive much snow, so those trails are very icy.
Parking lots are icy, so be careful.
I walked on ski tracks once – long before we were skiers. I didn’t actually know they were groomed; I just thought someone had skied by before me and made some tracks. Whatever 🙂 I was educated otherwise and NEVER made the same mistake again. Did I yell and cuss and holler a bunch of reasons why I had every right to walk there? Nope. I apologized and changed my behaviour. (I think that’s how you can tell the difference between people who give a crap and people who don’t.)
As fairly new family of skiers, we appreciate your being the voice of education, even when it gets loud (especially when it gets loud?). And we appreciate the heck out of this blog.
So sincerely, thank you for all you do!!!
I know you’ve had to confront issues in the past and held firm to your beliefs and upheld your reputation.
Stones of brass my friend.
Hi Bob,
Great site!
Let’s hope that all this conversation will turn into positive action and gets people motivated to implement compromising solutions! It’s a shrinking landscape and there are forever more of us in it and we all come with our “space requirements”.
If I could highlight an incident apart from this but with the same emotions involved. My husband and I decided to watch the Men’s downhill this past weekend and snowshoed up the NW side of the coarse. As we were descending along side the netting near to the bottom of the coarse an official (I suppose) yelled at us to get away from the side of the coarse, which had double spaced netting. I looked up and thought, hummm…if a racer falls on that turn he would likely travel in the opposite direction but if he hadn’t he would take out approximately 15 people (other officials) standing between the coarse and myself. I thought: “what can he do arrest me?”.
But after that we turned and snowshoed away from the coarse and I turned one last time to look up. He yelled at me again.
I reflected on the situation and realized that he was only trying to do his job (a good job) and my nose was out of joint for only being dictated by someone when I thought I was making good decisions. Human nature????
BTW I’m a very active xc skier.