Great Divide is trackset

Great Divide at Lake Louise. Photo by Chris Algeo

Chris took this photo this afternoon as they were tracksetting the Great Divide at Lake Louise. It is now double trackset with a skating lane. 

When the tracksetters finished, they moved over to Moraine Lake road to start the process. As Parks Canada had posted, there was an excavator at Moraine Lake which had to be moved out of there and it happened today, leaving ruts and ridges in the snow.

The tracksetters will be smoothing out the ruts tonight and hopefully leaving a reasonably level surface. If it snows tonight, they will return in the morning and trackset MLR. 

This is my friend Chip as he arrives at The Great Divide. Photo from 2012

There is light rain at Lake Louise which may turn to snow overnight. If the Weather Network’s prediction of snow materializes on Saturday afternoon and evening,  it should be trackset by Sunday morning, one could reasonably assume. 

The snowfall predictions for Lake Louise are 5-10 cm on Saturday and 2-4 cm on Sunday. 

There is spectacular scenery along the Great Divide. Photo from 2016.

As for distance on the Great Divide, from the Lake Louise trailhead it’s 7K to the continental divide where you can see the big arch. A further 3k will take you to the end at the Lake O’Hara parking lot. Being wide with very gentle hills, the Great Divide is an excellent trail for beginners and novices. There is a shelter at the divide where you can sit down to eat lunch.

I’m happy to welcome back the Mountaineer Lodge in Lake Louise as a supporter of this blog. They are offering a special deal to early season skiers of $50 off your room rate until Nov 28.