Lower Elk L (via Elk Pass) Trail Skiing on 26-Nov-2005
Thanks are due mainly to David for booking the beautiful ACC chalet and calling the trip, and to Anita and Marianne for organizing the Mexican theme and cooking appropriate dinner and breakfast. The men get credit for hauling over the stereo, the wine and the beergaritas. And the women brought their joie de vivre.
The snow conditions were reasonable on the way over Elk Pass on Saturday with the exception of the last kilometer down to the road from Elkford which had been bulldozed recently and so only had two cm of snow.
The trail to the Elk Lakes which some of us skied on Saturday afternoon was almost hikeable but we made it on skis to the Upper Elk Lake. On Saturday evening the weatherman’s promised 5 to 10 cm came, but without the accompanying poor weather and cold temperatures. So conditions were much better on Sunday. Our excursion to the Lower Elk Lake lookout which is a steep hiking trail provided a significant challenge for a few of the group.
Kaare had had to cancel off the trip and then was again available after his spot was taken. So he skied over with a huge (64 lb) pack and set up camp beside the hut, hence the question of whether we were ten or eleven.
Saturday evening was a blur of laughter, wonderful company, fine food, plenty of drink, more laughter, Mexican music, dancing senoritas, tricks with hats and wine bladders, conversation both serious and frivolous, and much more laughter. It was a great introductory overnight Rambler trip for this rookie member, thanks all.
We saw a cow moose on the road near Boulton creek, and a bull moose was not to be about be disturbed from taking his breakfast a 100 meters away from the chalet on Sunday morning.
A buck mule deer (and whisky jacks) joined us when we took breaks at the top of Elk Pass.
Señoritas: Anita, Carmie, Christine,Ginger, and Marianne
Señors: David (coordinator), Garry(photos), Jim, Kaare, Ron, Carl (scribe and photos)