It was a brisk -16C at the Tramline parking lot when we started out, but it was clear and sunny which helped raise our spirits for the prospect of a good day. Tramline was double trackset, uncrowded and in good condition, and there was a little heat in the sun at the Tramline lookout:
Barb enjoys the morning sun on Tramline trail
There were lots of cars at the Moraine Road parking as we went by on our way to Lake Louise. The lake was rather uncrowded on this off-season weekend, the lower parking lot was barely half full. We managed to get a few minutes of sunshine at our lakeside lunch spot (temp -10C) before the sun disappeared behind Mount Fairview:
Ron, Clifton, Barb & Anne at the Lake Louise lunch stop
We backtracked a bit and hiked down to the trailhead for Great Divide (old 1A Hwy) trail. Lots of cars filled that parking lot and spilled onto the road. The trail was also in good shape and double trackset. We checked out Lower Telemark trail as we went by the junction and noted it wasn't groomed above or below Great Divide with lots of bushy stalks sticking up - those trails will have to wait for more snow. We turned around at the lower junction with Lower Telemark and skied back to the trailhead, hiked up to Tramline and had a nice fast run back to the cars where it was -5C. It had clouded over with high thin clouds at the finish and got thicker as we returned to a coffee stop at Canmore. Just after exiting the mountains it became drearier and started lightly snowing for the rest of the drive, but only slightly accumulated in a few spots and was mostly wet and sloppy pavement. Thanks to a great group for coming out!
Participants: Ron C/S/P, Barbara, Clifton, Anne
Animal report: nice herd of elk bucks near the Cascade hydro plant, one elk right beside the Canmore overpass, a number of Canmore feral bunnies, some big fat ravens patrolling the Lake Louise parking lot and sled dogs yelping.
Trail info: asked the info centre about Pipestone trails, they hope to have the water supply construction up Pipestone Creek completed by the end of December and reopen the trails then.
