Cascade Fire Road to Cascade R bridge & Bankhead Loop Track skiing on

A bit cool at the start (-14C). Although the trail had been packed and trackset before Christmas there was little evidence of this. We followed skier set tracks with a fair bit of powder in between the tracks. However, snow conditions were still quite good.

On the way out, we passed an overnight winter camper returning to the trailhead.

At the bridge we decided to do the campground loop. Here another winter camper was encountered with a small wood stove located in his tent and a chimney going from the stove through a hole in the tent roof. The camper claimed it was toasty warm inside although none of us went in to check it. He also had some large useful hand saws which he showed us for cutting dead wood for the stove. All this heavy gear had been hauled in on a sled pulled behind him. Must have been a challenging trip! He said the other winter camper had camped at Stoney Creek, as they had both started about the same time.

After the visit, it was about lunch time when we reached the fireroad main track. There wasn't a lot of sun at this point and it was quite cold still, so lunch was brief. As we began to cross the bridge we met two other Rambler day trippers (Janet and Pat) who preferred to go at a slower pace than ours. Lots of people out and seen on the return trip.

On the return a brief stop at a sunny open spot for photos and then back to the other Minnewanka road (currently closed to traffic).

At this point Ramblers could return to the cars or do the Upper Bankhead loop. Everyone decided to do the loop, as it was new to all except the coordinator. At the end this loop in the picnic area, we discovered that there was a broken track on what used to be the original Cascade fireroad to the open meadows where the ski access currently is located. Back in the early 1980's I can remember skiing from what was then a small parking lot at Upper Bankhead on this section of the fireroad. It is now somewhat abandoned and vegetation is starting to encroach in places but there is still a Parks Canada sign in the picnic area. We skied this section to a Parks Canada building where the broken trail exited back to the closed Minnewanka road. Something new for all of us! with this additional loop on the abandoned section of the Cascade fire road.

A good day out and for some their first or second ski trip this winter. Thanks to all for joining me and for the good company on this short and fairly standard route. Thanks to Bill for being the trip photographer.

Participants: Bill (Photos), Alda, Bob C/S, Clifton, Jane, Marianne