Fourteen of us started out from Calgary at 8:00 AM and arrived at the Chester Lake parking lot at 9:30. Here we met D Mulligan who had come directly from Banff. The temperature was warm (about -5C) and the sky had mixed sun and cloud. There was about 1 1/2 feet of snow, 6" of which had fallen recently. By 10:00 we were on the trail, which had been snowmobile packed by K Country. As is usual with start-of-season trips, there were many stops to adjust wax, to put on skins, to take off a layer of clothing, etc. We arrived at the lake at 11:30 where we decided to stop for an hour or so to have lunch, and to conduct the planned transceiver search practice. (see photo of approach to the lake, with Gusty Peak on the left, and Mt Chester to the right).

The first exercise was to determine primary search grid distances. We found a wide variation in signal pickup ranges between participants' transceivers. Various reasons for this include 1) make of transceiver, 2) power of batteries, and 3) possible deterioration or drift in frequency of the transceiver signal crystals. In any event, about 30m was the determined search grid distance. This first exercise was done on the lake, but as it was not completely frozen, we then moved over to meadows west of the lake. Here everyone had two rounds in finding single buried transceivers, and a final search for two buried transceivers. These practices were well received, and should be performed regularly throughout the season.

During the practice we were joined by two more late starters, making us 17 in number. At about 1:00 we made our way up to Elephant Rocks (see photo), a grouping of large blocks about 15 minutes up from the lake. As it was still early in the day, we decided to ski up into Three Lakes Valley, and onto the ridge above Elephant Rocks (see photo). Here we had interesting views of surrounding peaks and the Chester Lake valley below (see photo). While there was about 3 feet of snow, it was fairly unconsolidated, resulting in a few rock scrapes into ski bases. We split into 2 groups on the ski back to the lake: one returning the way we came up, and the other down through moderately dense forest. Either way the skiing was quite challenging with the deep snow and hidden obstacles (rocks, branches, etc.) within it.

We regrouped at the lake, and about 2:45 we were on our way back down the trail. We met several other parties still on their way up, showing once again how popular this trip is. The ski down was fun and fast, taking about 45 minutes. Once back in Calgary, 12 of us went to the Clubhouse restaurant for a Korean dinner. Sim and the server decided on the menu, and we were given a feast that even we could not completely finish, all for $12.00 each.

Participants: Marg Lowndes, Dick Lowndes, Garry Denman, Yolande deVisser, Kaare Berg, Bernard Muller, Fred Appleyard, Arnold Westberg, Sim Galloway, Joan, Rosanne Cadieux, Philip Creery, D Mulligan, Elizabeth, Barb, and Bob St.John (coordinator and scribe).