We had an excellent ski tour with a yoyo run below Crowfoot Pass.
Thanks to other vehicles already parked at the side of the highway we found the best spot to start this tour.  Setting out at 10:00 in mixed sun and cloud with temp a little below zero we crossed Bow Lake and ascended an existing uptrack to the top of Crowfoot Glades.  


Crossing the outlet of Bow Lake with Crowfoot Glacier in the distance

We had some great views especially early in the day.  


David and Gerald touring above Crowfoot Glades

 


Taking a break above the glades

 It got fairly overcast later, but generally not so bad as to affect skiing other than when later in the day one skier took a tumble over a bit of a roll to the amusement of most of the rest who could see what was going to happen.

We forewent a run down Crowfoot Glades and started the long, somewhat convoluted and occasionally quite rocky traverse over to Crowfoot Pass.   


Traversing the plateau with Crowfoot Mountain in the background

 


Touring below Crowfoot Pass

We reached the area of the pass a little after noon and hunkered down in what little shelter from the wind that we could find.

Near the pass, the snow was a little wind hammered but lower down we had some excellent skiing with a few inches of loose snow on a fairly solid base.  


Crowfoot Pass - preparing for a yo-yo run

 


Carl and the gang skiing down the gully below Crowfoot Pass

 


Dave cranking turns below Bow Peak

  


Kevin below Crowfoot Pass

  


David B below Crowfoot Pass

 The snowpack this December is looking really awesome compared to the usual Rockies unconsolidated mess.  (I am touching wood as I write this.)  We opted for a yoyo run of perhaps 150m elevation and thought about another but the days are short and the return can be a little tricky.  Below our yoyo we quickly ran into tracks from other skiers who had stayed below treeline and generally followed their tracks back to the outlet of the lake (and the start of the Bow River).  


Smiling faces after a great day of ski touring and yo-yo turns

We were back at the cars before 4.  One car stopped for dinner in Banff to see David and Cathy's daughter.  The Nourish restaurant served an excellent meal in which we shared the five dishes that we ordered.  And that from an inveterate meat-eater about a vegetarian restaurant.

Many thanks to Jeannine, Cathy, David, Clifton, David, Gerald, and Kevin for joining me, Carl (C/S).

 


Google Earth view of our tour (thanks Gerald)