Category: snow

canada general moosling snow trip reports

Chariot multi-sporting (walking and skiing counts as multi doesn’t it?)

Post author By megan
Post date 27.1.2011
1 Comment on Chariot multi-sporting (walking and skiing counts as multi doesn’t it?)

So, today I tested the theory that I could stroll with the Chariot to the Nordic Centre carrying my ski gear; switch wheels off, skis on, attach skis and boots to me, ski a loop, then walk home again.

It worked!

The hardest part of the workout was pushing the Chariot up the hill to the Nordic Centre through all that slush.

Nearly there now (it’s a 3.5km walk)

Canmore Nordic Centre… January… 8oC!

On the snow, ready for transition

Transition complete, now to put skis on and away!

We ran into four other Chariots also out skiing – the warm weather was too tempting. Thanks to the wind though, a lot of the trails had a good coating of pine needles… and twigs… pine cones… small branches… a squirrel…

Back at the Daylodge

Hiking home with skis and poles strapped to backpack

(How it was done: The Chariot skis and pulling pole things fit in the back pocket, leaning against the handlebars. Meanwhile my ski boots went in my backpack, and skis and poles were strapped on the outside. After switching into ski mode, I locked the back wheels to the fence at the Daylodge, and just turned the strolling wheels upside down)

Tags canmore, canmore nordic centre, chariot, nordic centre

canada general moosling snow trip reports

Checking out the Goat Creek trail with Chariot

Post author By megan
Post date 25.1.2011
No Comments on Checking out the Goat Creek trail with Chariot

Goat Creek is the trail that goes from one end of Mount Rundle to the other, on the south side of the mountain. The Canmore end starts in the parking lot just beyond Whiteman’s Gap, and today we were just doing an out and back, not going all the way to Banff. We didn’t even get all the way to Goat Creek, as we had a “must turn around” time limit to meet up with friends who were hiking Ha Ling Peak (although in the end we probably could have made it down there).

Skinny skis were on – I’ve the feeling there’s a couple of downhills between the Canmore end and Banff that I’d happily walk while towing the Chariot with skinny skis. The Goat Creek trail is multi-use, and often looks like herds of elephants have been trampling along it – which can lead to challenging skiing conditions.

Finn naps, as per usual

Tags canmore, chariot, goat creek

canada general moosling snow trip reports

To Chester Lake with Chariot

Post author By megan
Post date 23.1.2011
No Comments on To Chester Lake with Chariot

The thing about finding ski tours to do without any avy danger – they all seem to involve skiing to lakes. Ok, not all, Goat Creek and Cascade Fire Trail are at least two exceptions I can think of. Nonetheless, on Sunday we skied to another lake.

Up and away

It was snowing the whole time – the cover of the Chariot got a good coating

A quick lunch by the lake

Happy to be out in the snow

And skiing back down again

The handlebars on the Chariot definitely come in handy for descents when some manoeuvring is required. Also on ascents on a narrow trail, as it likes to try and dive into tree wells – it really doesn’t track very well.

The Chester Lake trail is about 10km return, now with a one-way section in force for part of the ski trail (all signed and obvious). Nice and wide for the first half, turning into a thin and windy trail through tighter trees towards the end, but still plenty of room to get a Chariot through (although with the tree wells and sections that are a little off-camber, doing it alone could get interesting). Our heavy skis were overkill, seeing as we weren’t actually heading out for any turns – cross-country gear would be much more sensible (although the downhill is definitely much steeper than the Moraine Lake trail).

It’s pretty popular for snow-shoeing as well, though there’s a separate snow-shoe trail to the lake (no idea what that’s like for towing a Chariot on). On weekends in general the trail can be pretty busy, with half of Calgary turning up there – if you can get out and back early you’ll miss a lot of the other traffic though.

Tags chariot, chester lake

canada general moosling snow

To Moraine Lake with Chariot

Post author By megan
Post date 18.1.2011
2 Comments on To Moraine Lake with Chariot

In Winter the road to Moraine Lake is closed and becomes a ski trail. It’s 9km to the Moraine Lake viewpoint, mostly uphill (in a rolling sort of way, the first 4km has a lot more steep sections than the last 5km). Very do-able towing a Chariot, although we were hoping for better views. Also you’re in the shade for good chunks of the way if you ski it in the afternoon.

Clear roads as we drive out

Skiing up the closed road – the ski trail to Moraine Lake

Everyone else had either turned off or turned back by the 4km mark, so we started trail breaking.

Finally at the Moraine Lake viewpoint (this is where the groomed trail ends – which was irrelevant in our case, as the groomers had been trapped in Field by avalanche closures – but after this point the road to the lake also crosses a few avalanche paths, so it was our stopping point)

The view down to Moraine Lake. Less exciting when covered with snow.

Heading down again – well, it was supposed to be down, really it was just lots of slogging still. After 3km I gave in and let Alex tow again. Not long afterwards there were actually a couple of reasonable downhill sections. Bah.