The best Christmas present…

Pocaterra near the Lynx junction

… is new tracksetting on Pocaterra! Excellent conditions on last night’s tracksetting between Lynx and Packers, good conditions between the hut and Lynx. 

Pocaterra near the Packers junction

There’s a couple cm of new snow over the 2-day-old tracksetting between Whiskey Jack and Packers but I’d have to rate it as excellent also. 

Air temperature at Boulton Creek was -17°C at 1 pm and the snow was -16. Easy waxing and great grip with VR30(-10/-30). 

Pocaterra at the Whiskey Jack junction

It’s a lot easier to withstand the cold when the sun is shining as it was today. I also have my skis waxed to perform better on cold snow. It truly makes a considerable improvement in the glide. I used Swix LF4. 

Pocaterra near the Lynx junction

Whiskey Jack is in great shape and it was easy climbing with the cold snow and remarkable grip. I met Roma, Chloe, Olivia, and Brad at the Moraine junction as they were half way through their loop on Boulton Creek and Moraine. They said Boulton was in nice condition. 

From the top of Whiskey Jack to the Packers junction, my descent was a little slower because of the new snow, but it probably only took me 11 minutes rather than the usual ten. 

The six lane practice grid is in excellent shape at the Pocaterra hut

Merry Christmas to everyone from SkierBob on Whiskey Jack

It was heavenly to reach the new tracksetting at the Packers junction and I had a beautiful, fast downhill run for 3K to the Lynx junction. 

Between Lynx and the hut I encountered occasional dirt mixed in with the snow and the odd twig and grass which was compacted into the tracks. It was easy enough to avoid any of these minor inconveniences. 

It was a pleasure meeting snow carpenter/couch builder MaSid at the Pocaterra hut as he was enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. 

I’ve included a photo of Packers in the gallery below. Two skiers had just climbed it and said there was a big ice flow in the usual spot.

If Pocaterra is the Christmas present, we have a nice stocking stuffer, too: The Banff trail report indicates Redearth Creek is trackset and in excellent condition!

The Great Divide at Lake Louise was also groomed and trackset today. 

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  1. Hey Bob,
    We are so excited at the Outdoor Centre for the great conditions in PLPP! Especially the grid at Pocaterra. Would you mind if I shared your shot of the grid on our Instagram? I would give you credit of course.

    Good to see you are out braving the cold!
    Fin

    Finlay MacNeill
    Cross Country Ski and Paddle Programs Coordinator
    The University of Calgary
    Outdoor Centre

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