PLPP grooming update

According to the Alberta Parks trail report, the following trails in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park were roller packed on Monday Nov 23:

• 

  Nov 25, 2019: Lower Pocaterra after the first roller-packing

  Pocaterra from the Hut to Packers (aka Lower Pocaterra)

• Rolly Road
• Come-Along
• Lynx
• Amos
• Meadow
• Woolley
• Wheeler

Nov 25, 2019: Lower Pocaterra after the first roller-packing

Expect lots of early-season hazards on this first roller-packing such as thin spots, dirt, rocks and ice. The photos at the side were taken after the first roller-packing last winter. 

Purchase your Kananaskis Parking Pass online. 

Kananaskis Parking Passes update

Thanks to Ken Hewitt of Nordiq Alberta for this information…

-Just over 2,100 season passes sold to date, and just under 100 day passes (which went on sale last week).

-Donations from 368 individuals of over $15,000.

-Self-pay drop boxes at Pocaterra Lot (near washroom) and Mt. Shark (at Mt. Engadine Lodge entrance sign) are all functional… we’re still waiting for completion of construction at Elk Pass parking.

Predictions are hard – especially about the future

 
Climate change was supposed to put an end to skiing due to lack of snow. Reality: Two of the past three years have seen exceptionally good snow. Last winter was the best ever in my 23 years of skiing. 

Nov 20: Kids on Blueberry Hill. Photo by Tanya

Track skiing was supposed to be a dyeing sport due to it being an old person’s activity and young people weren’t taking it up. Reality: The trails are busy with parents and children. Stores have sold out of gear. This shapes up to be the busiest xc season ever. 

Views to this blog are up 101% over last year. Yes, more than double. 

A blogger in Calgary who is a backcountry skier, but gave fat-biking a try, made a prediction three years ago that grooming for xc skiing would soon end and the trails would be groomed for fat-biking instead. Reality: Thousands of skiers who wanted grooming in Kananaskis were willing to pay for it. He deletd this post so nothing shows up when you click on it. He’s obviously not too proud of his prediction. https://mountainwagon.com/the-blog/riding-with-the-fat-bike-liberation-front