Great snow, not so great weather. The rationale for this trip was to get in one last day of skiing off highway 40 before the stretch between Peter Lougheed Park and Highwood Junction closes for the season. This was my 6th trip into the area since Nov 12. The report from Saturday's trip to Arethusa Cirque was not encouraging, but we thought that things might be a little different a little higher up and in an area where one can ski slightly different aspects.
On the way there we almost ran into a very nonchalant coyote who was quite comfortable for several minutes within 10-20 meters of the car.


Not-so-wily Coyote thinks the road is already closed

We set out from the pass on the trail towards Little Highwood Pass with just one couple a few minutes ahead of us. We followed their trail for a while and later broke trail for them. It was snowing lightly and quite overcast all day. But the snow was excellent with only a few spots having a sun crust from the warm weather on Wednesday. Most areas had as much as a foot of loose snow that had been somewhat tracked on the weekend with some fresh snow on top. It was socked in enough that we decided not to go all the way to Little Highwood Pass as planned and just played on the slopes of Pocatera Ridge.


Terry on telemark gear

Going back for more

Arnold on AT gear

We ended up making four runs on various aspects of the ridge. No one other than the one couple came out that way. There were a few AT skiers in the parking lot who had skied the steep slopes immediately above the pass on the east. On the way back, our outbound track had been obliterated and we ended up missing some of the return trail and detouring to the north for a km or so with a bit of bushwhacking required to get us back to the trail.
Thanks to Arnold and Terry for ignoring my not so encouraging trip description and coming out anyway to close the season on the Highwood Pass area of highway 40, Carl (C/S).