Iron Creek at West Bragg Creek on Oct 21. Photo by Alf Skrastins.
Oct 22, 2020: This cold weather which is now upon us should put an end to the slushy spots which skiers have been reporting. That might allow more packing and grooming to occur before the weekend.
Great Divide at Lake Louise on Oct 21. Photo by Randy Perry.
We have photos and reports from West Bragg Creek which show that significant snow has fallen over the past few days. Normand’s photos show that PLPP has also received its share. Lake Louise has received enough to refresh last week’s grooming.
There’s more snow in the forecast for Friday and early Saturday. The high temperature on Saturday at West Bragg Creek is predicted to be -12°C according to Windy.com.
Pocaterra – Whiskey Jack junction in PLPP on Oct 20. Photo by Normand
What should we expect on the grooming front? I can only make educated guesses, but I’m pretty sure we’ll see more grooming before the weekend at Lake Louise. West Bragg Creek – maybe. I don’t expect any grooming to happen in PLPP or Ribbon Creek until the government makes the long-awaited “announcement.” The Pocaterra Back Door conditions should be pretty good with the new snow and cold weather.
Elk Pass in Kananaskis Country. File photo
Kananaskis Grooming
After the overwhelming response to my question What do you like about skiing in Kananaskis, I’m not even entertaining the idea that the government could pull the plug on grooming. We are eagerly awaiting the announcement that grooming will continue in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park(PLPP), Ribbon Creek, and Mt Shark. The post from a few days ago has elicited 97 comments to date.
Skiers enjoying the tracksetting in Kananaskis Country in 2018.
Below is the comment from Shulamit…
I rediscovered cross country skiing in PLPP in 2013, and it was a game-changer to my well-being. I went from being depressed in winter to loving it. From couch-potato to a fit, active person. PLPP gave me a place to escape life’s stresses and replenish my spirit. I then put my kids on skis, and it became our place of choice to enjoy time outdoors together. It would be such a personal loss if this resource were lost to us.
I can think of ten reasons at least why I love PLPP:
1. The groomed trails are accessible to everyone, young and old, beginner or advanced.
2. It’s BEAUTIFUL there.
3. PLPP retains its snow long after many other parts of Kananaskis are ruined by Chinooks.
4. It’s not too far from Calgary.
5. The trails are designed to take you places – you’re not stuck accumulating kilometers by skiing in circles.
6. The trails are busy enough that I feel safe there, even when I ski alone.
7. Speaking to safety again, the groomers keep the trails in great shape, and this adds a layer of safety.
8. The trails are not so busy that it feels crowded (except during the Cookie Race :)).
9. Every skier that I meet on the trails is always smiling.
10. I often meet people visiting from outside the province or Canada who tell me what a gem we have here.
