After meeting at Beamers in Canmore the group weighed our options and decided to try the upper Chickadee valley. It was a cold start when we left the continental pass parking lot and headed out. We kept moving to keep warm, having a small bite at the last tree, and doing two laps on the lower angled slopes near the head of the valley . The wind affect with softer snow underneath, made for fast runs on the way down. The low altitude of the sun meant that we were always in the shade. A recurring problem on this January trip.
Shirley and the two Davids deskinning upper Chickadee valley
Ramblers in the upper Chickadee
We drove to Golden for supper at The Island and then continued on to our accommodation at Il Nido. Our hosts Susan and Maurizio are just wonderful people. Our three breakfasts and two suppers were highlights of the trip. I cannot speak highly enough of the accommodation and the food.
Ramblers enjoy breakfast at the Il Nido Inn near Golden, BC
Ramblers enjoy breakfast at the Il Nido Inn near Golden, BC
For the first day at the pass we went up the Asulkan valley in cold weather to the Mouse Trap and continued upwards to the triangle moraine . Here we separated into mice and men. The " A" team headed up to the very top of the moraine below the Cleaver while I led the mouseketeers down from the crest of the moraine. Since there had been no new snow at the pass for at least 5 days, there were tracks everywhere . Yet we all found lines of relatively untracked snow to ski. The snow was good . We all got back to the cars at the same time and enjoyed a terrific meal at Il Nido.
Ski trail in the Asulkan River Valley
Il Nido The Hawk bedroom queen sized bed
Il Nido The Hawk single bed and kitchen
Deskinning on the triangle moraine in the Asulkan
Wednesday after a fantastic breakfast it was back to the pass. Another cold morning as we skinned up the Illecillewaet valley. The group split just below the practice slopes with the A team heading up to Lookout Notch and the mouseketeers heading up the practice slopes . A delightful time was had by all. Those of us on the practice slopes got two laps in on fairly good snow plus the benefit of sunshine for our lunch and rest break at the top. The Lookout Notch gang got higher in the shade and enjoyed the ski down.
Deskining on the practice slopes above the Illecillewaet River. Lookout Notch and Peak in background.
Lunchtime on the Practice Slopes.
Thursday, another breakie to die for. I will need to go on a diet! Kim and David Kirk headed back to Canmore while the rest of us met at the info center to plan the day's activity. We hummed, we hawed. Too much terrain skied out, too many slopes too far away, so NRC gullies it was. From the parking lot a gruelling 5 meter approach had us start on the steep and slippery uptrack . Another cold day. At the top, a smidgen of sunshine had us deskinning for a good run down . A bit of suncrust at the top and beautiful cold powder lower down. We found room between and beside the previous tracks . At the bottom, our two Austrian-Canadians wanted more . So they skinned up for another half lap . The rest of us went to the info center to warm up and wait for them. An uneventful drive had us back in Calgary for the six o'clock rush.
Uptrack NRC gullies
MORE PHOTOS TO FOLLOW I HOPE
photos courtesy of Dave M. and Roy S.
Participants: Kim, David, Manfred, Shirley, Inge, David, Clifton, Ed, Barbara, Roy