Kicked off the climbing season with a walk up Mt. Seymour on Saturday. The hike is not the longest (nor too short), and the climb isn't the hardest (tho' not easy) – perfect to start things off without killing myself first time out. Mike and I went down relatively early and started the long flat approach hike in the cool morning air. Things looked overcast as we drove down but they were forecast to clear out so we booted up and headed along the trail.
The Sewards (4 mtns. in the range including Seymour) are an interesting group of mountains. Apart from long distance views (20+km) you can’t really see them as you approach. The roads have too many trees along the side or twist just the wrong way to provide a nice view. As you drive into the trailhead the tree canopy is too thick. The approach walk is relatively long and flat(5 miles) and is entirely in dense forest. It’s not until you climb the herd path to the summit and get pretty close to the top that you finally see the mountains you have been labouring to get up. It’s a nice surprise to see such rugged mountains as you poke your head out of the trees at the top.
As we summited we discovered it had indeed cleared up and we enjoyed a nice sunny lunch on a good viewing ledge. For the most part it was bug free but by the time we headed down the blackflies had woken up and were a little annoying but not too bad. The long walk out had us both a little leg sore by the time we got to the car but all in all a good first hike of the season. Bodes well for things to come.
Seymour 22 of 46
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Lead women at the ING Ottawa marathon
Well I managed to get through another Race Weekend here in Ottawa. Things worked out pretty well this year. Not a lot of sleep over the last week (seems like the last few months) but it paid off in the end. No one got lost, the course worked well, the weather gods gave us perfect weather (cool and drizzly) and the crowds (runners and spectators alike) had a great time. It's quite an amazing thing to see how big this monster weekend has become. We have a race committee of 25 people who organize the event. Once the weekend arrives this whole mass of runners, spectators, suppliers and contractors swings into action and takes over the downtown core. It can sometimes be tough to imagine there's any control at all in this beast... but it all ticks along without issue. Moving 30000 runners through the streets of town over two days of races is a sight to behold - not something you soon forget.
But it's over for another year... a few wrap up items to take care, a couple of days to catch up on my sleep and then time to plan some hiking trips for the summer.
But it's over for another year... a few wrap up items to take care, a couple of days to catch up on my sleep and then time to plan some hiking trips for the summer.
Monday, May 21, 2007
May 2 4
Ahhh the first long weekend of the summer. Queen Victoria's birthday seems a strange reason for a holiday yet we celebrate it with vigour here in Canada. This usually involves a cottage (not important who's) some fireworks (the bigger the better) and perhaps a few beverages. Of course if you're up to the cottage (especially if it’s not yours) then there are chores to undertake to get it up and running for the summer. I got conscripted to help build a new dock at a friend’s cottage near Maniwaki. We spent two days working on "Super dock" and managed to get it about half done. We had several helpers come by to help with construction but this monster of a dock will take a few more weekends to complete. Saturday was warm and sunny but the blackflies were taking a serious toll (I’m scratching pretty bad as I type this) while Sunday was freakishly cold (8C), drizzly and windy (no bugs). Hard to tell what weather was more conducive to productive carpentry? My friend was pretty pleased with the progress. He still has the second half of the dock to get finished but he can putter away with it through the summer - most of the big jobs have been completed. At the end of each days labour there was some good eats (plus a drink or two), a campfire and a healthy sized box of explosives.
I had thought of perhaps making a run to the Adirondacks on Monday to get the first climb in of the season but I was pretty beat from dock construction. With the busy week ahead (it's Ottawa Race weekend coming up) I decided to stay home and relax. Much to do in the next few days…
I had thought of perhaps making a run to the Adirondacks on Monday to get the first climb in of the season but I was pretty beat from dock construction. With the busy week ahead (it's Ottawa Race weekend coming up) I decided to stay home and relax. Much to do in the next few days…
Friday, May 18, 2007
Evening ride
The mountain bike trails are open once again for another season of riding. I grabbed the bike after work and went up for a ride. I've been riding on the road a little bit this spring but facing the short but very steep pitches of mountain bike trails is always a bit of a struggle first time out of the box. I managed to ride up everything (sometimes pretty slowly) but I didn't go for the truly steep trails (not yet at least). I'll get a few more rides under my belt before I go for the steep and deep trails. It was actually surprisingly cool out tonight. Single digit temperatures seem to have discouraged the bugs completely which was a nice treat. Two weeks ago they were getting pretty active but the cold has curtailed their activity. Stopped at the Wattsford lookout to take a picture of the evening light spreading over the city in the distance.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
The end of a good hike
After Sundays great hike up the Eardley escarpment, Mike, Bryan and I couldn't restrain ourselves and headed back on Monday afternoon for another hike. Spring is the best time of year to hike - cool weather, no leaves blocking the views and no bugs. Well.... that last one seems to be coming to an end. Todays hike had the black flies out and a little more focused on their mission. They still weren't biting much but they were certainly starting to swarm around us. At the end of the hike we found a great spot on the edge of Lac Carmen and the cool breezes kept the bugs at bay.... but soon they will be stronger, highly motivated, organized blood sucking machines. As I mentioned yesterday it will only be for a short period so I'll let them take over the Park and soon enough they'll start to die off. It's kind of like fall colours... the "leaf peepers" come out, race all about in a flurry of activity and take over the Park - but you give them their 2 weeks and they start to dissappear again. Patience
Monday, May 07, 2007
Trash out
A couple of back to back hikes in the Gatineau's as spring starts to take a stronger hold on the situation. Sunday I went for a climb with Mike and Bryan up the Eardley Escarpment just below the Western ski hut. Well,... we didn't actually know that was where we would end up but as the trail got steeper and we entered a rockfall below the cliffs, we could hear voices above us... and it wasn't angels. Turns out the trail we had chosen climbed through the rocks to the base of the cliff that Western Hut sits on. As we got to the top there were several large groups having lunch and enjoying the day. Guess they took the easier trail from Champlain lookout. It was a great day to be out but I fear spring weather is about to change as the blackflies were starting to make an appearance. They weren't biting just yet but they were flying around so it won't be long before the woods become an unpleasant place to be - for a short while. Usually blackfly season is only 10 days or so... but then the mosquitoes come out... and then deer flies... and then I suppose the snow arrives so perhaps I should look on the bright side.
It also became apparent we were approaching civilization on our hike as we discovered a lot of trash in the rockfall below the hut. I assume it had been chucked over the cliff from the hut. Lots of beer and pop cans, a fair amount of broken glass, old buckets, signs and even a fire extinguisher. In the photo, Bryan is demonstrating how the trash arrived in this spot. We decided to take the extinguisher home with us. I have access to a "hazadous waste" collection at work so it would be best to properly dispose of it rather then leave it to decay in the woods.
It also became apparent we were approaching civilization on our hike as we discovered a lot of trash in the rockfall below the hut. I assume it had been chucked over the cliff from the hut. Lots of beer and pop cans, a fair amount of broken glass, old buckets, signs and even a fire extinguisher. In the photo, Bryan is demonstrating how the trash arrived in this spot. We decided to take the extinguisher home with us. I have access to a "hazadous waste" collection at work so it would be best to properly dispose of it rather then leave it to decay in the woods.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Spring colour
It always amazes me how quickly the spring colours come in. After four or five months of a monochromatic landscape the grass turned really (really!) green in the last few days. Also, these colourful plants start popping up adding splashes of colour everywhere. I'm sure, for the most part the colour seems dramatic because everything has been black and white (and salt stained) for so long. The grass is probably no greener then it will be in June, July or August.... but it seems really intense right now after the winter.
On another note, I thought flowers turned their heads towards the sun. These daffodills seemed to be pointed in almost every direction regardless of the sunshine..... strange. I found them at the side of the freeway so perhaps some of the flowers were put off by the traffic noise and exhaust and had turned their backs in disgust in spite of the sun.
On another note, I thought flowers turned their heads towards the sun. These daffodills seemed to be pointed in almost every direction regardless of the sunshine..... strange. I found them at the side of the freeway so perhaps some of the flowers were put off by the traffic noise and exhaust and had turned their backs in disgust in spite of the sun.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Open Parkway
It was a pretty wet weekend but the sun finally came out on Sunday after lunch. I went for a ride in the Gatineau, hoping for some quiet roads with the parkway gates still closed from ski season... but it was not to be. I guess the spring cleanup of the parkways has been completed and the NCC opened the gates to motorized traffic for the season. It was pretty strange being up there with cars and motorbikes screaming around. For the last few months the Park has been so peacfully quiet - skiers are a relatively quiet bunch. Now the park echoes with high revving motorbikes who treat the Parkway as their personal Laguna Seca speedway (most cars seem to obey the speed limits). The racing motorbikes is nothing a few RCMP speedtraps won't cure (a spring ritual and I believe a real RCMP moneymaker ;-) but the cars are back on the roads for the season I suppose. Two more weeks before the trails are dried up and open for mountainbikes. I suppose I can wait that long.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Marathon course measurement
This morning was course measurement time. As part of my duties as co- route coordinator to the National Capital Marathon I get involved in the measurement of the race course for the upcoming marathon. Today we headed out to certify the new course to the correct distance. This is done on bicycle with a calibrated instrument attached to the front wheel. The riders ride the full route and must ride the tangents (shortest distance) through all the curves. This sometimes requires riding on the left hand side of the road and drifting back and forth as the curves of the road dictate in order to get the shortest (straightest) line which the runners will use on race day. To do this safely we hire two police cars to drive as our escort - protecting our pack of riders from any early morning traffic. In theory it sounds easy but most motorists we meet at 6am aren't ready to deal with a fleet of squad cars (sometimes on the left) with lights and sirens blazing. In a few cases they panic and do strange things. Pictured here is the "hand off" from Gatineau police to Ottawa police as we cross the border back into Ottawa. It wasn't too smooth and a few cars leaked into our group... but Ottawa police quickly neutralized any movement and we were soon on our way again.
From a riding perspective its one of the nicest (safest) rides I've ever taken. We ride wherever we want and the police cars lead the way - traffic rules be damned! It's a bit pricey but if you get the opportunity, I strongly recommend it.
From a riding perspective its one of the nicest (safest) rides I've ever taken. We ride wherever we want and the police cars lead the way - traffic rules be damned! It's a bit pricey but if you get the opportunity, I strongly recommend it.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Barn near the Luskville falls
Today I took what is becoming a spring tradition - the hike up to the firetower along the Luskville falls. It was the first really warm day of spring today (20C) with a cloudless blue sky. Perfect weather to make the climb. This hike is a great warm up to a summer full of hiking/climbing that lies ahead. A few steep pitches but never too long. Just enough to get the heart rate up and remind you that going up hill is hard work. Mike, Bryan and I went up to the firetower on the main trail and then descended (bushwhacked) closer to the climbing crags on the way down to watch some rock climbers in action. A great hike.
Some of you may be wondering what happened with the last big snowstorm Monday. Well it did snow a bunch (close to a foot) but the grooming contract had expired so there was no compaction of the trails. Many people went skiing anyway and made their own track but I decided against it. This storm exposed a weak link in my ski fleet. I wasn't prepared (for one or two days in April) to put klister on my classic skis (perhaps pure laziness on my part). What I need - for just this condition - is a pair of waxless skis. Hmmmm, perhaps I need to review some online ski shops and see if I can add another pair of "boards" to the fleet. It would be silly to miss out again next year should this or other conditions present themselves. I promise to be better prepared for next year. In the meantime I await the first snows of November... and start work on the summer climbing
Some of you may be wondering what happened with the last big snowstorm Monday. Well it did snow a bunch (close to a foot) but the grooming contract had expired so there was no compaction of the trails. Many people went skiing anyway and made their own track but I decided against it. This storm exposed a weak link in my ski fleet. I wasn't prepared (for one or two days in April) to put klister on my classic skis (perhaps pure laziness on my part). What I need - for just this condition - is a pair of waxless skis. Hmmmm, perhaps I need to review some online ski shops and see if I can add another pair of "boards" to the fleet. It would be silly to miss out again next year should this or other conditions present themselves. I promise to be better prepared for next year. In the meantime I await the first snows of November... and start work on the summer climbing
Saturday, April 14, 2007
April skiing
Well I managed to finally get some April skiing in. I was more or less commited to go south (yes south!) this weekend to find some snow. Word had it there was some good skiing to be had in southern Vermont and I was going to check it out but, with the car half loaded, it snowed here... a bunch. I decided to save some gas money and ski at home instead. We got 10 - 15cms of snow in the Park on Thursday and I went out Friday after work (in a soft drizzle) and again Saturday morning. The new grooming contractor had been out to groom the parkway from P10 up to the lookouts. They even groomed a classic track. The snow was wet and soggy - a little mashed potatoe like - but perfectly serviceable and I had a good ski both days. Used good skis and didn't scrape through to asphalt once. There were quite a number of people up.... okay only a few, but it is mid-April. The weatherman is calling for another "heavy snowfall warning" Sunday night.... Here's hoping the Northern Pikes are right - Snow in June, It happens all the time....
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Spring Parkway
Went for an Easter ride today. For those looking for snow - it's still there, but we certainly didn't get the 3 foot snowstorm I was hoping for. There are now only a few stretches of snow on the parkway. They only last for a few hundred meters each so skiing would be a lot of walking. To my surprise I only saw two other cyclists in the park... I guess they don't like to walk either. Actually I was able to quite happily ride over the snow so it didn't slow me down much.
Cold and murky weekend. It was actually snowing the whole time I rode today but nothing really accumulated. I had full winter clothing on as it never got above freezing. It was nice tho' to get out and stretch the riding muscles. Some of them have been dormant for a while.
Cold and murky weekend. It was actually snowing the whole time I rode today but nothing really accumulated. I had full winter clothing on as it never got above freezing. It was nice tho' to get out and stretch the riding muscles. Some of them have been dormant for a while.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
I went for what will probably be the last ski this season on Saturday morning. It was a beautiful day and the snow - where I could find it - was great but the walks between sections of snow had grown surprisingly long overnight. I stuck to the Parkways and enjoyed the warm sunshine. Not a great ski but a nice day to be out regardless. Lots of people up enjoying the day with a little skiing and then partaking in Lafleurs' (farewell) season ending picnic. Lafleur won't be back next year so their expert grooming will be missed - hopefully the new contractor can fill their big shoes.
Today was mostly overcast and rainy so I took the rock skis in and cleaned them up ready for next year (or Easter weekend if we get a sudden 2 ft dump of snow... it could happen!).
Pictured is one of the poorer sections of snow. The skis were willing but the owner is perhaps turning his thoughts to the next season. Mud season will perhaps limit the amount of climbing to be done for a little while but the bike has been lonely... and there's this event I'm involved in just 8 weeks away which should fill my time.
Today was mostly overcast and rainy so I took the rock skis in and cleaned them up ready for next year (or Easter weekend if we get a sudden 2 ft dump of snow... it could happen!).
Pictured is one of the poorer sections of snow. The skis were willing but the owner is perhaps turning his thoughts to the next season. Mud season will perhaps limit the amount of climbing to be done for a little while but the bike has been lonely... and there's this event I'm involved in just 8 weeks away which should fill my time.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Pick your line
Had an afternoon appointment across the bridge today so, rather then race back to work, I headed up to get in another ski. It was a strong decision and I stand by it. Beautiful sunny afternoon today. I didn't bother with layers of fleece but just went in t-shirt and shorts. Skied up the Parkway, went out Ridge towards Penguin and then came back and ventured a little further up towards Blacks. The snow was pretty good with a few sections of walking. The walking sections are starting to get a bit longer but so far aren't too bad. Quite a few (several?) others up today including a few people at the parking lot who cautiously asked "how far can you go?" when I got back to the car. "Far as you like if you don't mind a few walks along the way. "
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Going, going...
After yesterday’s torrential rains and today’s 15C sun I grabbed my skis after work and headed up to the Park to see what was left of the snow. It actually wasn't too bad. The photo shows a thinner section of the hard compacted base with the parkway's yellow line peeking through. Still frozen solid, the base melts on the top (from the warm air) to give a nice texture to hold the edge of the ski while skating.
I skied up from P10 and out to Black Lake before returning with a quick detour up to the lookouts. There was one section of "grass skiing" ('bout 100ft.) but the rest was pretty good and some sections were really good. I took a quick look up Ridge and it was reasonable as well although the steeper descents probably aren't covered anymore.
Unfortunately the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny and warm so those thin patches (like the photo) will start to break through to road... and then it will become an exercise in finding long enough patches of snow to bother skiing. I'll keep plugging away this week. Heavy(?) snows in the forecast for Easter weekend... might not be the end just yet...
I skied up from P10 and out to Black Lake before returning with a quick detour up to the lookouts. There was one section of "grass skiing" ('bout 100ft.) but the rest was pretty good and some sections were really good. I took a quick look up Ridge and it was reasonable as well although the steeper descents probably aren't covered anymore.
Unfortunately the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny and warm so those thin patches (like the photo) will start to break through to road... and then it will become an exercise in finding long enough patches of snow to bother skiing. I'll keep plugging away this week. Heavy(?) snows in the forecast for Easter weekend... might not be the end just yet...
Sunday, March 25, 2007
I went up to the Park today with the intent to head out to the firetower. We got some snow last night - about an inch - and Lafleur had done their usual expert job grooming the Parkways but they didn't go out the trails so I had to reconsider. I skiied beyond the lookouts for a ways but decided the new snow was really only effective at hiding rocks and gravel where the base snow has melted through. I had my rock skiis on but there are limits to how much gravel sliding I will do. Instead I came back to the carefully groomed parkway and skied up to Black's before turning back to P10. The Parkways looked to be in midwinter form but the icy base(which is none too thick) was just beneath the new layer of snow.
When I started my ski the trees were all covered in the fresh powder like a nice coating of white icing but by the time I returned the temperatures had climbed above zero and the icing had mostly fallen off. One nice view I had at Huron lookout (pictured here) was some thermal stratification (of sorts) with layers of cloud on the valley floor and high above me while a nice clear layer of sky was open at my level. Further on at Champlain the clouds were spilling over the escarpment down into the valley. For the most part the high level clouds stayed with me so no sunny skies today. Tomorrow it will rain and the rest of the week will be quite warm. I'm pretty sure this will be the last weekend of skiing.
When I started my ski the trees were all covered in the fresh powder like a nice coating of white icing but by the time I returned the temperatures had climbed above zero and the icing had mostly fallen off. One nice view I had at Huron lookout (pictured here) was some thermal stratification (of sorts) with layers of cloud on the valley floor and high above me while a nice clear layer of sky was open at my level. Further on at Champlain the clouds were spilling over the escarpment down into the valley. For the most part the high level clouds stayed with me so no sunny skies today. Tomorrow it will rain and the rest of the week will be quite warm. I'm pretty sure this will be the last weekend of skiing.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Into the tunnel
Today's ski was a good one. I did a lap of the Parkway and the snow has held up surprisingly well. These (spring) days the snow freezes overnight and melts during the day but Lafleur did their usual expert job of grooming early in the morning to leave a good surface with enough texture to hold an edge. There were a few bare patches but coverage was complete enough that I didn't have to take my skis off anywhere except crossing the Meech lake road. Today was a bit of a grey day so I have one more photo from Lake Placid showing the culverts that allow skiers to go under the roads beneath the auto traffic. They work great. Snow gets plowed into the culvert and then groomed up for the skiers and we don't have to run across a highway to get to more trails. Perhaps the NCC should invest in some of these along the Meech lake road!
In spite of the good skiing I expect there will only be a few more days of skiing. Temperatures in the teens are forecast for a few days so I'm putting my good skis away. I'll keep the rock skis handy tho' in case we get a rogue storm
In spite of the good skiing I expect there will only be a few more days of skiing. Temperatures in the teens are forecast for a few days so I'm putting my good skis away. I'll keep the rock skis handy tho' in case we get a rogue storm
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Russian Hill
This is the top of the 'Russian Hill' at the Lake Placid ski complex. The trails were designed for the '80 Olympics and the Americans wanted to show how tough they were.... the Europeans were not impressed when they arrived! The name suggests a favourite spot on the course for the Russians but in fact the Russians made a formal protest that the whole course had too much climbing - a protest that was duely noted and rejected. The Americans then decided to name the biggest climb after the Russians because the two nations were such great friends at the time ;-) Of course the Russians ended up taking (almost) all the medals anyway so apparently they didn't find it too hard afterall.
The trails are mostly one way which has many advantages. First off, when you're climbing a wickedly steep hill you don't have to keep looking up to see if someone is barrelling down on you. Second, the trails get worked in specific to the direction of travel - nice "V's" going up and smooth trail on the descents. I'm told they even designed the downhills to be slightly gentler then the ups so they won't get washed out by people snowplowing down them The descents may be "gentle" but it's all relative. I found them pretty fast (and fun). The climbs can be brutishly steep but thats part of the equation. In some locations, if you are able to use your speed off a descent correctly, you can roll almost right up the next climb.
The plaque in the photo is dedicated to a former volunteer who used to work at this location marshalling ski races. I thought it was a nice touch although I first thought - as I approached it - that it could just have easily been a spot where someone expired. The 'Russian Hill' is wicked steep and long... and just climbs hard up and away from you. I chose to stop and take a picture (not cause I needed to ;-) (no really!)
P.S. Check out the colour of the sky! I didn't make that up either. Today it is raining and hot :(
The trails are mostly one way which has many advantages. First off, when you're climbing a wickedly steep hill you don't have to keep looking up to see if someone is barrelling down on you. Second, the trails get worked in specific to the direction of travel - nice "V's" going up and smooth trail on the descents. I'm told they even designed the downhills to be slightly gentler then the ups so they won't get washed out by people snowplowing down them The descents may be "gentle" but it's all relative. I found them pretty fast (and fun). The climbs can be brutishly steep but thats part of the equation. In some locations, if you are able to use your speed off a descent correctly, you can roll almost right up the next climb.
The plaque in the photo is dedicated to a former volunteer who used to work at this location marshalling ski races. I thought it was a nice touch although I first thought - as I approached it - that it could just have easily been a spot where someone expired. The 'Russian Hill' is wicked steep and long... and just climbs hard up and away from you. I chose to stop and take a picture (not cause I needed to ;-) (no really!)
P.S. Check out the colour of the sky! I didn't make that up either. Today it is raining and hot :(
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Lake Placid timing shed
I took the day off and went down to Lake Placid to ski at the (former) Olympic facility. They have an excellent trail network that is maintained at world-class levels. I like to make the trip at least once a year just to change it up and ski some new trails. Last year I waited too long and the snow disappeared before I got around to it... so it had been too long.
The day was absolutely gorgeous but what strange (beautiful) weather I had. I arrived at 9:30 (first car in the lot) and it was 5F. By noon it was 25F and when I left it was 35F (sorry for the units... L.P. is in the States...). It was sunny and cloudless all day so the temperature soared with no apparent front moving through - strange (but beautiful!). The snow was super cold and dry, packed powder when I started in the morning and starting to get slushy by the end of the day. I had 2 pairs of skis (both waxed with blue glide – real smart :-o ) so I had about an hour midday when the skis were rocketships - before that they were slow and by the end they were really slow.
But today wasn't about fast skiing; it was about having fun on the windy trails that zoom up and down. I did a lap of the main loppet trail in the morning (~25k) and then after lunch I poked around on some of the smaller ones and took a few pics. This photo is of a timing shed on the course - a remnant of the 1980 Olympics. This one is at the base of the Porter mountain trail climb. I guess they took split times of the Olympians at the bottom and top of this massive climb to see who could climb the fastest. They could have timed me with a calendar today ;-) but it was still good fun! I’ll post a few more pics over the next few days. As I got back to Ottawa the rain started…. Skiing could have an abrupt ending in the next few days.
The day was absolutely gorgeous but what strange (beautiful) weather I had. I arrived at 9:30 (first car in the lot) and it was 5F. By noon it was 25F and when I left it was 35F (sorry for the units... L.P. is in the States...). It was sunny and cloudless all day so the temperature soared with no apparent front moving through - strange (but beautiful!). The snow was super cold and dry, packed powder when I started in the morning and starting to get slushy by the end of the day. I had 2 pairs of skis (both waxed with blue glide – real smart :-o ) so I had about an hour midday when the skis were rocketships - before that they were slow and by the end they were really slow.
But today wasn't about fast skiing; it was about having fun on the windy trails that zoom up and down. I did a lap of the main loppet trail in the morning (~25k) and then after lunch I poked around on some of the smaller ones and took a few pics. This photo is of a timing shed on the course - a remnant of the 1980 Olympics. This one is at the base of the Porter mountain trail climb. I guess they took split times of the Olympians at the bottom and top of this massive climb to see who could climb the fastest. They could have timed me with a calendar today ;-) but it was still good fun! I’ll post a few more pics over the next few days. As I got back to Ottawa the rain started…. Skiing could have an abrupt ending in the next few days.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The bridge at Fortune lake
Today was a gorgeous sunny day. There was a bit of a wind blowing but for the most part, in the trees, it was warm (-1 to -5C) - perfect for a ski.
I took the classic boards out again and did a tour of some of my favourite backcountry trails. Skyline, Upper Sparks, Western, Pipe dream, even some of Highland.... all the gems. I haven't really had a chance to ski the backcountry trails as there hasn't been enough snow this year.. and perhaps that's still the case. Keeping a sharp eye out for rocks, roots and "water hazards" was the rule on todays ski. Mostly they were avoidable with some care. My skis have been pretty beat up over this season so perhaps I was a little less cautious then usual. I'll just get 'em stone ground down. "Could you grind a 1/2" off the base of this pair to get them flat again please?" ... or maybe I'll just buy a new pair.
Lots of families out today on the main trails (and even a few on the "reds"). The powder snow had been groomed down on the main trails and everyone seemed to be enjoying the day. This is likely the last Sunday ski on good snow. Hints of +17C are in the forecast before the weeks out. That could be troubling for the snowpack (if you can call it that). Still, perhaps one or two more good skis up my sleeves before that rolls around - and maybe one or two after that as well.
I took the classic boards out again and did a tour of some of my favourite backcountry trails. Skyline, Upper Sparks, Western, Pipe dream, even some of Highland.... all the gems. I haven't really had a chance to ski the backcountry trails as there hasn't been enough snow this year.. and perhaps that's still the case. Keeping a sharp eye out for rocks, roots and "water hazards" was the rule on todays ski. Mostly they were avoidable with some care. My skis have been pretty beat up over this season so perhaps I was a little less cautious then usual. I'll just get 'em stone ground down. "Could you grind a 1/2" off the base of this pair to get them flat again please?" ... or maybe I'll just buy a new pair.
Lots of families out today on the main trails (and even a few on the "reds"). The powder snow had been groomed down on the main trails and everyone seemed to be enjoying the day. This is likely the last Sunday ski on good snow. Hints of +17C are in the forecast before the weeks out. That could be troubling for the snowpack (if you can call it that). Still, perhaps one or two more good skis up my sleeves before that rolls around - and maybe one or two after that as well.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Fresh tracks
We got a little storm blow through last night which was a good thing. Most of my skiing this week has been on hard frozen crust which - while really fast - is really really fast ;-) That is to say easy on the uphills and a little frightening on the descents. Today there was a nice layer of powder on top of the frozen crust. We didn't get quite as much as predicted but there was a good 3-4 inches down.
I headed up to the Wakefield trailhead (I was the only car when I arrived at noon!) and headed into Lac Philippe. No grooming (too soon as it was still snowing) but I had one set of tracks to follow. Unfortunately the tracks only went as far as the base of the long ridge climb and then turned back. From there to Pine road I was breaking trail. It wasn't too bad but a little slower then I had expected. Toured down to Lac Phillipe and then decided to head back. Got some nice powder descents and finally started meeting some other skiers as I got within a few k of the car. Where was everybody? This snow isn't gonna ski itself!!!
The long range forecast looks troubling. Double digit + temperatures and some rain for several days at the end of the week. We don't actually have much snow down so it could be a fast, early end to skiing this year. We'll see what happens but I think its time I switched to early morning weekday skis just to be sure I get my fill before spring arrives.
I headed up to the Wakefield trailhead (I was the only car when I arrived at noon!) and headed into Lac Philippe. No grooming (too soon as it was still snowing) but I had one set of tracks to follow. Unfortunately the tracks only went as far as the base of the long ridge climb and then turned back. From there to Pine road I was breaking trail. It wasn't too bad but a little slower then I had expected. Toured down to Lac Phillipe and then decided to head back. Got some nice powder descents and finally started meeting some other skiers as I got within a few k of the car. Where was everybody? This snow isn't gonna ski itself!!!
The long range forecast looks troubling. Double digit + temperatures and some rain for several days at the end of the week. We don't actually have much snow down so it could be a fast, early end to skiing this year. We'll see what happens but I think its time I switched to early morning weekday skis just to be sure I get my fill before spring arrives.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Sunny bench
Today was quite a contrast to yesterdays icy storms. The clouds blew though and I (finally) got a beautiful blue bird sky with warm temps (+1C). Lafleur de la Capitale was heroic in their efforts to groom up the frozen crust from yesterdays rain and the trails were a perfect corduroy.
I did a Tour du Lac up at St Cecile end of the Park visiting Lusk, Taylor, Phillipe and Mousseau lakes along with a few other puddles in between. The skiing was gorgeous and I took plenty of time to enjoy as many sunny spots as I could. The bench pictured is always a favourite to stop at and enjoy the spring sunshine. Almost makes me glad that spring is arriving.... alas along with the warmer days go the gently melting snows. The track was mostly a nice snowy trail but it did start to soften up where the direct sun sat on it all day. That said, for the most part it was fast skiing.
Not too many people up at the north end of the Park. Those I did come across were all smiling tho'. Sunny skis are always a nice experience.
I did a Tour du Lac up at St Cecile end of the Park visiting Lusk, Taylor, Phillipe and Mousseau lakes along with a few other puddles in between. The skiing was gorgeous and I took plenty of time to enjoy as many sunny spots as I could. The bench pictured is always a favourite to stop at and enjoy the spring sunshine. Almost makes me glad that spring is arriving.... alas along with the warmer days go the gently melting snows. The track was mostly a nice snowy trail but it did start to soften up where the direct sun sat on it all day. That said, for the most part it was fast skiing.
Not too many people up at the north end of the Park. Those I did come across were all smiling tho'. Sunny skis are always a nice experience.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Approaching storm
Today was a tough day for a ski but I went none the less. I had originally planned for a classic tour with Mike and Bryan but - with the prediction of an approaching freezing rainstorm - they decided to bail out. It was probably the wise thing to do as the freezing rain made the classic tracks hard and icy - very difficult to ski on (even for Mr. Waxless). When they called to cancel I decided to grab my skating skis and head up anyway. Skating in freezing rain isn't too bad because you tend to ride a little more on the edges of the skis so you can break through any icy crust that form.
The predicted freezing rain started just as I drove out of my driveway but it wasn't too heavy so I headed up to P9 (passing a few cars in the ditch - slow down morons!) and strapped on the skis headed for the lookouts. The skiing wasn't too bad when I started but after an hour or so some very dark clouds rolled in and the freezing rain started falling in earnest. In short order I was soaked and the track was starting to get a little glassy. From there on it was a carefully measured effort. Being soaked meant you can't stop for a break or risk chilling down very quickly (hypothermia style) so I took a nice easy tempo that I could maintain back to the car.
Also a problem was that my glasses iced over - no deicer to clear the windshield so to speak! With Thursdays ski (when my eyes froze shut with a -27C windchill) and today's iced over glasses, I'm getting a lot of opportunity to put in to practice my saying that "I know the trails so well I could ski them blindfolded." At any rate I made it down safe and sound. By the time I got to the car, the surface of my clothes had formed a thick layer of ice so it took me a while to "melt" on the drive home and then a long hot shower brought me back to life.... but it was still fun.
The weather finally went above zero in the afternoon and the freezing rain turned to rain so tomorrow might be an interesting ski. The trails could freeze over or be warm and sloppy in the sun. Spring may be coming earlier then expected.... Hardly seems like winter was here.
The predicted freezing rain started just as I drove out of my driveway but it wasn't too heavy so I headed up to P9 (passing a few cars in the ditch - slow down morons!) and strapped on the skis headed for the lookouts. The skiing wasn't too bad when I started but after an hour or so some very dark clouds rolled in and the freezing rain started falling in earnest. In short order I was soaked and the track was starting to get a little glassy. From there on it was a carefully measured effort. Being soaked meant you can't stop for a break or risk chilling down very quickly (hypothermia style) so I took a nice easy tempo that I could maintain back to the car.
Also a problem was that my glasses iced over - no deicer to clear the windshield so to speak! With Thursdays ski (when my eyes froze shut with a -27C windchill) and today's iced over glasses, I'm getting a lot of opportunity to put in to practice my saying that "I know the trails so well I could ski them blindfolded." At any rate I made it down safe and sound. By the time I got to the car, the surface of my clothes had formed a thick layer of ice so it took me a while to "melt" on the drive home and then a long hot shower brought me back to life.... but it was still fun.
The weather finally went above zero in the afternoon and the freezing rain turned to rain so tomorrow might be an interesting ski. The trails could freeze over or be warm and sloppy in the sun. Spring may be coming earlier then expected.... Hardly seems like winter was here.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Norway day
Today was bar none the best ski day I've had this season. The snow was, well,.... actually snow!!! Grooming was immaculate and the weather was just about perfect. I skated from MacKenzie King up to the lookouts and did a few loops along Ridge before stopping in to Huron shelter.
It was Norway day today which means good eats served up by the Norwegian Embassy. I got there before the big crowds so I didn't have to wait too long for vaffels with jam and goats cheese along with black current tea. A tasty treat that was the perfect refueling stop before my ski back to the car. The crowds were starting to come out in force so I took my leave and headed down Ridge to the parkway. Lots more folks skiing up to Huron so I guess they had another successful event.
The ski back to Mac King was pretty quiet. It's a little bit of a lonelier track with few intersecting trails and a bit of distance to any of the parking lots. It was such a nice day though so I was glad to have it to myself. Skiing on actual snow was a little more difficult then some of the hard, icy track we've had this season. Takes a litte more out of you to maintain your speed and the climbs seem a little longer but its all worthwhile when the snow is so nice.
It was Norway day today which means good eats served up by the Norwegian Embassy. I got there before the big crowds so I didn't have to wait too long for vaffels with jam and goats cheese along with black current tea. A tasty treat that was the perfect refueling stop before my ski back to the car. The crowds were starting to come out in force so I took my leave and headed down Ridge to the parkway. Lots more folks skiing up to Huron so I guess they had another successful event.
The ski back to Mac King was pretty quiet. It's a little bit of a lonelier track with few intersecting trails and a bit of distance to any of the parking lots. It was such a nice day though so I was glad to have it to myself. Skiing on actual snow was a little more difficult then some of the hard, icy track we've had this season. Takes a litte more out of you to maintain your speed and the climbs seem a little longer but its all worthwhile when the snow is so nice.
Ski tips
Today was a mixed bag of skiing. After yesterday's big storm I headed back up to the park to do some classic skiing in the fresh (soft) tracks. It was a beautiful day, 0 to -2C with occasional passing flurries. The skiing (and the countryside) was beautiful - an ideal Christmas ski... oops, we're into March aren't we.
I skied along the Discovery trail with thoughts of a loop but the waxing for these conditions was pretty tricky. Cold(ish) dry snow(yesterday) with a fresh layer of wet, warm snow falling as I skied. This made the conditions perfect for big layers of icy snow to build up on my wax pocket allowing for ZERO glide. I reached into a my bag of waxing tricks and called on a technique the racers are now using. I layered up with carrot wax (-1 to -4C) covered with flouro blue (-4 to -9C). The carrot was perfect for grip on the warm damp snow and the cover of blue wax prevented icing up. So goes the theory anyway.... and it wasn't too bad all things considered. I should have brought a cork to work in each layer of wax but other then that it worked pretty good.
But wait a minute! I thought the rule was you couldn't cover a warmer wax with a colder wax!! That's the conventional wisdom I was taught long ago (thanks Dad) but I guess you need to know the rules before you can break 'em. The racing set are always looking for ways to improve grip vs glide. Sometimes with mixed success - just ask anyone who followed the World Championship men's 15k classic race (fiasco?) last week in Sapporo.
It was still a bit of a battle knocking the ice off the bases once in a while but I probably had fewer problems then most people. That said, everyone I came across (most of whom were scraping ice off their skis when I passed them) had big smiles on their face. Fresh snow will do that to a skier ! In the end I just did a smaller loop and took a few more pictures along the way. A great day out indeed.
I skied along the Discovery trail with thoughts of a loop but the waxing for these conditions was pretty tricky. Cold(ish) dry snow(yesterday) with a fresh layer of wet, warm snow falling as I skied. This made the conditions perfect for big layers of icy snow to build up on my wax pocket allowing for ZERO glide. I reached into a my bag of waxing tricks and called on a technique the racers are now using. I layered up with carrot wax (-1 to -4C) covered with flouro blue (-4 to -9C). The carrot was perfect for grip on the warm damp snow and the cover of blue wax prevented icing up. So goes the theory anyway.... and it wasn't too bad all things considered. I should have brought a cork to work in each layer of wax but other then that it worked pretty good.
But wait a minute! I thought the rule was you couldn't cover a warmer wax with a colder wax!! That's the conventional wisdom I was taught long ago (thanks Dad) but I guess you need to know the rules before you can break 'em. The racing set are always looking for ways to improve grip vs glide. Sometimes with mixed success - just ask anyone who followed the World Championship men's 15k classic race (fiasco?) last week in Sapporo.
It was still a bit of a battle knocking the ice off the bases once in a while but I probably had fewer problems then most people. That said, everyone I came across (most of whom were scraping ice off their skis when I passed them) had big smiles on their face. Fresh snow will do that to a skier ! In the end I just did a smaller loop and took a few more pictures along the way. A great day out indeed.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Heading into the Tempest
Today was a rare treat. We got snow. Mounds of it. So thick you could hardly see kinda snow. Bryan, Mike and I headed up to Western Hut for a ski today. An excellent destination on any day but today was doubly fun with gobs of snow falling.
While the storm started early in the morning it had not amounted to much by the time we got to P12. We headed up McClosky in a light snowfall. It's a long slow climb but once we topped out we could sort of cruise (in 3 inches of fresh powder) over the trails to the Western hut. Had an excellent lunch by the fire as the storm picked up speed outside. As we peered out the windows to the raging storm our motivation to go back out into the heart of the tempest waned. It became obvious how hard it was snowing when others arrived at the hut covered in a blanket of snow.
Eventually - food and drink gone - we realized we had to head for home. The snow was coming down furiously at this point and any tracks were quickly consumed so it was fresh tracks most of the way home. The lads gave me the point so I got a few sections of "first tracks" on the descents but I suspect they let me lead to break trail on the flats more then anything. Ah well, price well worth it. An excellent day out and we should be set for a (slightly) longer ski season now.
While the storm started early in the morning it had not amounted to much by the time we got to P12. We headed up McClosky in a light snowfall. It's a long slow climb but once we topped out we could sort of cruise (in 3 inches of fresh powder) over the trails to the Western hut. Had an excellent lunch by the fire as the storm picked up speed outside. As we peered out the windows to the raging storm our motivation to go back out into the heart of the tempest waned. It became obvious how hard it was snowing when others arrived at the hut covered in a blanket of snow.
Eventually - food and drink gone - we realized we had to head for home. The snow was coming down furiously at this point and any tracks were quickly consumed so it was fresh tracks most of the way home. The lads gave me the point so I got a few sections of "first tracks" on the descents but I suspect they let me lead to break trail on the flats more then anything. Ah well, price well worth it. An excellent day out and we should be set for a (slightly) longer ski season now.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Champlain lookout
This weekend I took some time to enjoy skiing the trails. I headed in to the Park with no real plan and took trails that looked (or I knew) would be appealing. I skied a little of Ridge, all of Burma, some of the racing loops at Fortune and a few other sundry trails. All good fun. Actually I was reminded that - even though March is just around the corner - I haven't really skied too many of the smaller trails this year. There just hasn't been the snow - and in fact the side trails are still a little light in areas so you have to watch out for the odd rock, divot or water hazard here or there. I found the short steep climbs to be really taxing on the lungs but nothing slowing the tempo down can't solve. Left my watch at home and didn't worry about distance or time - a real treat after stressing about being ready for CSM for the first half of the season. The temperature climbed to -2C today with the sun starting to flex its muscle a little bit. Felt warm - nice to enjoy the sun but I expect it will mean an early end to the snow.... still a few weeks left tho'. Time for a few great outings.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Leaders at the waterfall
Here's one more shot from the Keski skate race. This is the lead pack as they went through the 43k mark. Just in the background you can see Ottawa native Karl Saidla getting "unhitched" from this lead trio. Unfortunately he says it was here that he could no longer keep up to the torid pace and had to settle in to a more sustainable tempo to conserve a 4th place finish (2 minutes back at the finish line). A noble effort indeed and well done not to completely blow up and fall further in the field during the closing kilometers.
Most of my pictures from the weekend have been posted up at XC Ottawas site (in the sidebar) along with a bunch of other great photos from the weekend - feel free to click through and check them out..
Most of my pictures from the weekend have been posted up at XC Ottawas site (in the sidebar) along with a bunch of other great photos from the weekend - feel free to click through and check them out..
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Keski start line
Today was the big Keskinada race. The "Casino Lac Leamy freestyle" 53 k race is part of the World Loppet series and brings in racers from all over the world. I took a similar route to Saturdays events, skiing and driving (and skiing some more) to take some photos of the racers as they stormed through the park. The weather was not too bad as Keski goes. The day hovered around -11C but there was a bone chilling wind that brought the temp down to -25 (that's MINUS 25 for my readers in Ozz ;-). Some fresh cold, dry snow made the skiing something less then speedy but the top racer covered the course in 2 hrs 30mins which is pretty darn fast.The local team had a strong showing (their link is on my sidebar) and scored a victory in the 29k race and 4th and 3rd place finishs in the mens and womens 53 k races.... Well done.
That marks the end of formal skiing activities for this area....and some of the racers I know will now turn their thoughts to preparing for summer racing - marathons, triathalons, cycling and the like. For me this is the best time to ski. The snow is good, the sun stays up a little longer and the weather usually warms up. Time to take advantage of the trails and some decent fitness and get skiing. Summer will arrive soon enough.
That marks the end of formal skiing activities for this area....and some of the racers I know will now turn their thoughts to preparing for summer racing - marathons, triathalons, cycling and the like. For me this is the best time to ski. The snow is good, the sun stays up a little longer and the weather usually warms up. Time to take advantage of the trails and some decent fitness and get skiing. Summer will arrive soon enough.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Keski classic lead pack
Today was the first big day of races on Keskinada weekend. 53 and 29 k classic races with a 16k race later in the afternoon. I went out and chased the leaders around (mostly in my car) taking pictures as the race unfolded. The course had been changed due to it being a low snow year (sound familiar?) to be mostly on the Parkway which is a shame. We got a big dump of snow in the middle of this past week... but I guess it was too late for the organizers to change their mind again. In terms of a competition it was a bit of a non-starter. Phil Shaw - distance specialist and past winner of the event - pulled away at about the 15k mark and never looked back winning by 10 minutes. He is at the back of the pack in the photo taken at roughly 5k - sizing up the competition.
From a weather standpoint it was just about a perfect day, -10C and the wind died down just after the race started. The snow was perfectly groomed. Tomorrow is the skate race. Should be a bit more competitive field. Phil came second in the skate race last year after winning the classic race. He'll be out there again tomorrow looking to take the double.
From a weather standpoint it was just about a perfect day, -10C and the wind died down just after the race started. The snow was perfectly groomed. Tomorrow is the skate race. Should be a bit more competitive field. Phil came second in the skate race last year after winning the classic race. He'll be out there again tomorrow looking to take the double.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Johanssen pin
So that was the ski marathon this year. I had a long hard day on Saturday. Don't think I've ever skied that far in one day before( ~70k). As we rolled through Montebello and into the Chateau grounds (finish line) thoughts of food and dry clothes drifted through my head and carried me across the line such that the last k or so is a bit of a blur. Sunday was much more laid back as I only skied two sections (~30k). It was another perfect day and I took more time to enjoy the trail and the countryside. I was across the line by 12:30 and on my way home (with my medal pictured) by 2pm. An afternoon of lying on the couch and occasionaly eating was a good way to recover from the effort.
Will I go back next year? I'll have to think about it. It consumes a lot of time getting fit and up to speed. Covering the whole distance is a tough excercise. That said - if they have enough snow for the traditional route then I'd be interested to try it again. Perhaps I'll just do a few sections each day instead of forcing myself to cover big distance. Time enough through the summer to let the aches and pains fade from my memory.
Will I go back next year? I'll have to think about it. It consumes a lot of time getting fit and up to speed. Covering the whole distance is a tough excercise. That said - if they have enough snow for the traditional route then I'd be interested to try it again. Perhaps I'll just do a few sections each day instead of forcing myself to cover big distance. Time enough through the summer to let the aches and pains fade from my memory.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
CSM trail
This was the type of trail I really liked - a stretch through the countryside between woodlots and farmers fields. Unfortunately there weren't too many of these stretches this year. Most of the trail ran through the forest preserve. While it was a beautiful area to ski and an excellent trail (on section 1 and 2), it just seemed to be too much like the Gatineau Park that I ski all the time. When the trail opened up like this you got a sense of passing through the countryside and overland - a unique experience that you can't do everyday. Had the wind been howling in my face it might have been a different story but for the most part it was good weather - like this - so it was a great track to ski.
Another story about the army presence. They did a great job providing support and were very gracious bunch (tax dollars at work? hey, they have to train somewhere!) but I do have one beef with the private who started dinner (lunch?) at his camp just as I was starting the (long) last section of the trail. Seems the menu consisted of Brats and the smell wafting through the pine forest almost knocked us off our skis. It would be a couple of long, hard hours before there was any solid food for me ;-)
Another story about the army presence. They did a great job providing support and were very gracious bunch (tax dollars at work? hey, they have to train somewhere!) but I do have one beef with the private who started dinner (lunch?) at his camp just as I was starting the (long) last section of the trail. Seems the menu consisted of Brats and the smell wafting through the pine forest almost knocked us off our skis. It would be a couple of long, hard hours before there was any solid food for me ;-)
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
A couple of the steeper sections of the trail - particularly as we approached Montebello and the Ottawa river - had really low snow. This required you to take off the skis and walk for a few hundred meters here or there. It was a chance to use different muscle groups so it wasn't too bad. I'm told the CSM trail crews actually "tore up" what little snow there was in these sections in order to force people to walk these stretches. Better to be safe then have a lot of injuries.
I skied all the sections on Saturday (70km) and then decided to avoid these low snow sections the next day so I only did the last 2 stretches for 30k on Sunday. Not sure if I could have done the whole thing anyway on Sunday. I was pretty sore when I woke up in the morning but once I got moving things were okay. Still it was a long second day so I was glad with my decision.
This photo is borrowed from the "musician on skis" (check out her site in the sidebar). I took a number of photos but my small camera managed to "mangle" about half of them. Probably the last time I use it for special events. Had I known what it had done I probably would have tossed it in the river as I took the Rockland ferry back home Sunday night. Ah well, camera shopping soon.
I skied all the sections on Saturday (70km) and then decided to avoid these low snow sections the next day so I only did the last 2 stretches for 30k on Sunday. Not sure if I could have done the whole thing anyway on Sunday. I was pretty sore when I woke up in the morning but once I got moving things were okay. Still it was a long second day so I was glad with my decision.
This photo is borrowed from the "musician on skis" (check out her site in the sidebar). I took a number of photos but my small camera managed to "mangle" about half of them. Probably the last time I use it for special events. Had I known what it had done I probably would have tossed it in the river as I took the Rockland ferry back home Sunday night. Ah well, camera shopping soon.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
CSM Oasis
This past weekend was the Ski Marathon. I took part as a tourer and had a great weekend overall. The weather was just about perfect. -15 to start but warming to -6 on both days. We had sun and clouds and sometimes snow.... a little of everything. The new course(set up because of the low snow year) was not really what I had signed up for. The organizers had to scramble to make a 70km loop which had sufficient snow to welcome 2000+ skiers. The usual route goes overland from Lachute to Montebello on day 1 and then on to Buckingham on day 2... but it was not to be this year. Instead they developed a loop north of Montebello in the Kenauk wilderness preserve. We skied clockwise (sort of) on Saturday and counterclockwise on Sunday. There were a few out and back bits and some two way traffic lanes put in to make it a decent distance and allow for the logistics set up of checkpoints. Along with a host of volunteers, the army treats the event as a winter training excercise, providing support, communications, setting their own camps and montioring progress of skiers. In the photo one of the army camps along the trail set up a water station... much welcomed. For the most part it was good snow and well laid out. but it wasn't really the overland through the countryside experience I was hoping for.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Junior racer
Today was day 1 of the Eastern Canadian XC Championships in Gatineau Park. I went up to see if I could watch the elite racers doing a time trial classic race. Unfortunately the organizers didn't post a schedule on the website for the races so I didn't know what time the elites were racing. In the end I was there for the midget and pee-wee racers which wasn't really what I was looking to see. I skied around a bit and took a few pictures (none were too successful). It was kind of a bleak day while I was there, -7 but quite windy so I decided not to hang out too long.
Instead I went down to Montebello to check out the snow conditions for the CSM next week. The northen parts of the course look to have good snow but as you drop down to the river things get a little thin. I can see why they chose to adjust the course. Many of the spots on the old route have almost no snow at all and where it twins a gravel road (the CSM plows down the snowbank along a few roads to form a ski trail in a few spots) there are no snowbanks at all. We'll see how this new course goes. I could only get to a few spots as the main part of the trail goes into the Kenauk Wilderness reserve.
Unfortunately, the many long training days - trying to get into shape with a limited number of snow days- seem to have left me with a bit of tendonitis in one of my feet. I may not be able to ski long days next weekend. It hurt a lot for three days after my long ski last weekend and is still annoying right now. Strangely it doesn't bother me to skate - I guess the foot flexes differently when skating rather then the classic stride. I'll see how it goes on Saturday next week. Hopefully I can manage a few sections without too much discomfort and still go back for more on Sunday. Doesn't really matter too much. Its a tour so I'm looking forward to skiing some of it and then I'll call it a day when/if the pain gets too great.
Instead I went down to Montebello to check out the snow conditions for the CSM next week. The northen parts of the course look to have good snow but as you drop down to the river things get a little thin. I can see why they chose to adjust the course. Many of the spots on the old route have almost no snow at all and where it twins a gravel road (the CSM plows down the snowbank along a few roads to form a ski trail in a few spots) there are no snowbanks at all. We'll see how this new course goes. I could only get to a few spots as the main part of the trail goes into the Kenauk Wilderness reserve.
Unfortunately, the many long training days - trying to get into shape with a limited number of snow days- seem to have left me with a bit of tendonitis in one of my feet. I may not be able to ski long days next weekend. It hurt a lot for three days after my long ski last weekend and is still annoying right now. Strangely it doesn't bother me to skate - I guess the foot flexes differently when skating rather then the classic stride. I'll see how it goes on Saturday next week. Hopefully I can manage a few sections without too much discomfort and still go back for more on Sunday. Doesn't really matter too much. Its a tour so I'm looking forward to skiing some of it and then I'll call it a day when/if the pain gets too great.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Taylor Lake
Another great weekend of skiing. It was again a little cold with windchills dipping into the -20C to -25C range but for the most part in the woods it was a beautiful couple of days. I got a late start both days as I wanted to watch some of the Rolex 24hrs race in Daytona but once on the trails I enjoyed pretty good snow and it was none too busy. It's surprising how little snow we actually have and every now and then you are reminded of this with a protruding rock or some gravel. I toured the Lac Phillipe sector today and did an enjoyable loop out behind Taylor lake and then down along the main Lake itself. Took this shot near the yurt on Taylor lake. With a perfectly good trail along the shore line, somebody's always got to be an individualist.
Time to start tapering for CSM. Not sure what's going to become of that. I had already planned a shortened tour as I don't feel I've gotten the miles in... but I notice tonight that they've revamped the entire course to deal with the shortage of snow... so I'll have to rethink my strategy. Looks to me like they designed a bit of a small loop which you do a few laps of (for 70k each day).... maybe not the fun I was looking for when I signed up. We'll see.
Time to start tapering for CSM. Not sure what's going to become of that. I had already planned a shortened tour as I don't feel I've gotten the miles in... but I notice tonight that they've revamped the entire course to deal with the shortage of snow... so I'll have to rethink my strategy. Looks to me like they designed a bit of a small loop which you do a few laps of (for 70k each day).... maybe not the fun I was looking for when I signed up. We'll see.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Brule
Went for a ski last night - almost perfect conditions. Fresh snow falling, -2C. The P10 lot was crammed full but once on the trails it wasn't too bad. Most folks were in the shelters having dinner. One minor moment of drama near the lookout (the photo is from an earlier ski). As I approached the parking lot, the road sign indicating "Huron Lookout" started to move! Only moments before I collided with the moving sign did I realize it was a deer. She didn't use her signals and flaunted the rules of the road so I think I would have got off with her being "at fault" but fortunately no impact. In the darkness tho' - two (pairs) of legs seperating a large rectangular body - she did somewhat resemble the road sign. In the end I think it was indicative of the ski conditions. I was able to move pretty fast while not making much noise and she clearly didn't hear me coming. No harm, no foul so we both apologized and went on our way.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Clouds
Another long ski. Did a loop of the parkway and Ridge road. The trails were pretty busy today but that's a good thing. The NCC was hosting skifest which brought out the crowds. Lots of people out enjoying the Park. The trails were well groomed and for the most part I didn't see any rocks poking through so my ski bases were appreciative.
Speaking of bases, I used some of the (mildly) expensive glide wax on the skis today (low flouro Vauhti green on top of a CH green base for glide - Teho green binder with a Swix green top wax for grip) . Does it ever work a treat - money well spent. The skis were extra slippery today (with grip when I needed it). I could see how the expensive (high flouro) waxes might become addictive if they improve glide a further step over this low flouro stuff.
Towards the end of the day I had a a good view of the incoming front. Hopefully it will bring some more snow with it. Got home in time to see the Bears UNLEASH THE FURY on the Saints... Hopefully they'll do it again playing the Colts in two(?) weeks.
Speaking of bases, I used some of the (mildly) expensive glide wax on the skis today (low flouro Vauhti green on top of a CH green base for glide - Teho green binder with a Swix green top wax for grip) . Does it ever work a treat - money well spent. The skis were extra slippery today (with grip when I needed it). I could see how the expensive (high flouro) waxes might become addictive if they improve glide a further step over this low flouro stuff.
Towards the end of the day I had a a good view of the incoming front. Hopefully it will bring some more snow with it. Got home in time to see the Bears UNLEASH THE FURY on the Saints... Hopefully they'll do it again playing the Colts in two(?) weeks.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
P16 - Headin' home
Twas cold out today but the snow was good for the most part. I skied from P16 out to the Lac Phillipe gate and back. A long way but there are only 3 weeks to CSM so I've got to start stretching out the distance. For the most part the track was in great shape. There were a few spots where gravel edged its way through the snow but the rest was pretty free skiing. Lots of people out today despite the -25C wind chill. I guess folks have been eager to ski for a while now.
Friday night I went for a skate on the parkway. What a difference it makes to be skiing on actual snow... instead of the frozen, textured ice we've had up till now. It was hard work!! I guess the icy tracks we've had up till now gave me a false sense of my potential speed. I also dusted off my good skating skiis, which I hoped would help increase my speed. No dice. I may be a little heavy for the camber on these babies yet... just a pound or two hopefully ;-). I'm not sure but perhaps the summers beer and fries might have had a negative impact on my skiis?? Noooo, couldn't be. Maybe I'll give that some thought over a beer tonight.
Friday night I went for a skate on the parkway. What a difference it makes to be skiing on actual snow... instead of the frozen, textured ice we've had up till now. It was hard work!! I guess the icy tracks we've had up till now gave me a false sense of my potential speed. I also dusted off my good skating skiis, which I hoped would help increase my speed. No dice. I may be a little heavy for the camber on these babies yet... just a pound or two hopefully ;-). I'm not sure but perhaps the summers beer and fries might have had a negative impact on my skiis?? Noooo, couldn't be. Maybe I'll give that some thought over a beer tonight.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Wattsford lookout
Finally, winter has arrived… and I don’t see it leaving in two days with another warm front and rain. We got the first big dump of snow of the season. Looks pretty good for Decem… oops, January 15th. I headed up pretty late (~ 9pm) to check it out. I wasn’t going to go up at all as I had two long ski days on the weekend and needed some rest but the call of fresh snow was too strong to resist. That and it’s supposed to be –25C Tuesday night so I might not venture out then. The snow was groomed up, soft but fun. I did a short ski. Climbed up penguin to Wattsford lookout and took in the city. Grabbed this shot from the lookout. The orange glow from the city, accentuated by the fresh falling snow is a special view – glad I took the time to come up. After that a quick race down Penguin and home to bed. There’ll be skiing this year…. finally.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Brule lookout
Not much skiing since the last entry. The rains washed the snow back to a sheet of ice. Last weekend I debated going for a hike on the parkway with my crampons but decided against it. We finally got some cold temps and a little snow so I'm back in business with some sub-par skiing. There is enough snow to cover the parkway although the pesky ice peeks through in a few spots. I did a long classic ski today (gotta get the miles in) and for the most part it was okay. Wanted to continue out towards McKinstry and the firetower but Lafleur hasn't groomed that section so I had to stick to the Parkway. Not complaining tho' - You can see in this photo that there's no snow at all down in the valley so I'll take what I can get. At the midpoint of my ski I enjoyed the sun setting and still made it back to P6 before complete darkness. The days are starting to noticeably get longer now. While the days get longer it looks like winter is just around the corner (no really! this time for sure!!) with colder air and more calls for snow next week. Better late then never I suppose.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
night ski photo
The trails a real mess these days. Mostly glare ice, sometimes down to asphalt, always badly rutted. Makes for tough skiing. Last night I did a short ski up to the lookouts and took my photo gear with me. Set up the camera on a new tripod and took a few long exposures to try capturing a moonlight ski. Didn't work out too badly. Tried a few locations and got some interesting results. At least it made it worthwhile to get out on the trails.
Hoping for snow.....
Hoping for snow.....
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Spectator
It was winter for a second there. A bit of nice skiing over the Christmas break . A little thin but manageable. Got some nice long skis in - both classic and skating. That seems to be going out the window once again as rains and +10C weather by the end of the week should effectively destroy the little snow we have. Back to dryland training again by the weekend. Current conditions are acceptable for skating but the classic is out of the question. A little more like April skiing last night as I went along the Parkway. Had it mostly to myself which was a stark contrast to the weekend when it was overrun with skiers. The strange winter of '06-07 continues I suppose.
Met this curious spectator on Sunday. She's probably pretty happy for the low snow year. Gives her more time to watch the crowds on the ski trails.
Met this curious spectator on Sunday. She's probably pretty happy for the low snow year. Gives her more time to watch the crowds on the ski trails.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Winter again
Well its winter again... but only just. After a couple weeks of revisiting fall and a green Christmas the snows have returned. Tuesday we got a mini dump of wet snow. I tried to ski on it but it was terrible. Wet, sticky and none too deep made for an awful (and short) ski. Lafleur came to the rescue though on Tuesday night. As the temperature plummeted from +2 to -10C they went out and groomed the parkway and ridge - at exactly the right moment - so that a hard, skiable surface was ready on Wednesday morning. The Lafleur groomers have it down pat and can make (white) gold from lemons I'm sure.
Today another few centimeters of powder fell and I did my first long ski of the season. Skated about 25km on mostly perfect snow. Still too thin to groom a classic track although people have worked one in and it looks pretty nice (I’ll try it tomorrow and report back). In some areas the skis break through to the asphalt and there are a few rocks visible on Ridge road but for the most part it was great. No more precip. called for until the new year so I'll have to make due with what we've got. Time to put some miles on.
Today another few centimeters of powder fell and I did my first long ski of the season. Skated about 25km on mostly perfect snow. Still too thin to groom a classic track although people have worked one in and it looks pretty nice (I’ll try it tomorrow and report back). In some areas the skis break through to the asphalt and there are a few rocks visible on Ridge road but for the most part it was great. No more precip. called for until the new year so I'll have to make due with what we've got. Time to put some miles on.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Argggggh
Not enough snow left to ski.... too much ice to ride.
I tried to go for a ride today on the Parkway. +10C is not our typical pre-Christmas weather but its been like this for a week. The rain earlier in the week more or less washed the snow away but it left a thin sheet of ice. The ice wasn't everywhere - just enough places to make it awkward. Getting to a stretch like this forced you to get off and walk on the shoulder (which was too squishy to ride). I guess it was kind of a Duatholon, walk/ride/walk/ride.... but I'd like a little snow as soon as possible if it isn't too much trouble. Christmas break is coming up and I'm not sure what I'll do if there isn't any snow.
I took this picture at 3pm...... sunset?
Dark days indeed.
I tried to go for a ride today on the Parkway. +10C is not our typical pre-Christmas weather but its been like this for a week. The rain earlier in the week more or less washed the snow away but it left a thin sheet of ice. The ice wasn't everywhere - just enough places to make it awkward. Getting to a stretch like this forced you to get off and walk on the shoulder (which was too squishy to ride). I guess it was kind of a Duatholon, walk/ride/walk/ride.... but I'd like a little snow as soon as possible if it isn't too much trouble. Christmas break is coming up and I'm not sure what I'll do if there isn't any snow.
I took this picture at 3pm...... sunset?
Dark days indeed.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Black Lake hill
Got a lot of good skiing in this weekend despite it being somewhat gray and bleak out. I did 3 long slow skis and felt good (as good as can be expected) on each one. Topped off Sunday with a 20km loop that took me off the parkway and onto Ridge road for the first time. The trail was in pretty reasonable shape although it hadn't been groomed and there were a few rocks poking through. What killed me were the little drainage ditches the NCC cut to prevent erosion of the trails in summer. With another foot of snow they will get smoothed over but for now they are jagged gullies that destroy any momentum. Frustrating.
The snow on the trails continues to hold up well although I am pretty pessimistic about what will happen this week. Rain and warm air don't bode well.... could be back to dry land training by next weekend. I guess well see.
The snow on the trails continues to hold up well although I am pretty pessimistic about what will happen this week. Rain and warm air don't bode well.... could be back to dry land training by next weekend. I guess well see.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
LT badges
A nice early Christmas present arrived Friday in the mail. My Long Trail badges! My trip report has been accepted and stored in the Vermont Long Trail storage locker in a fine government facility in Montpelier for all eternity. Now the thousands (tens of thousands?) of curious folk who delve into the third subterranean basement (with a flashlight cause the light is burned out) of Vermont state building 6C, to dig through the thousands of trip reports (3376 so far), can read about my journey and feel inspired. My patches are now ready to be installed on my pack. I guess I have to figure out what will be the best way to do it.... duct tape, caulking or perhaps epoxy ;-) I’ve got all winter to figure out the best procedure.
Skiing continues to be good but I fear we may lose the little snow we have next week as a warm front is heading our way with rain. Afraid my colleague Tripper may come back from his business trip to find the same green (ish) grass as when he left. Sorry man. Fingers crossed tho’. One never knows what the weather will actually be until it happens so it may turn in to snow up in the park….. It could happen!!
Skiing continues to be good but I fear we may lose the little snow we have next week as a warm front is heading our way with rain. Afraid my colleague Tripper may come back from his business trip to find the same green (ish) grass as when he left. Sorry man. Fingers crossed tho’. One never knows what the weather will actually be until it happens so it may turn in to snow up in the park….. It could happen!!
Monday, December 04, 2006
Snow.....
Finally some snow that stayed. We actually didn't get much snow on Friday. It was a crazy mix of snow... then rain... then some freezing rain... then ice pellets... and finally some more snow to top it off. A bit of everything! This strange concoction of precipitation seems to have done the trick. There's maybe only 2 inches of ... . of ..... uhmmm, stuff (?!) on the parkways but its hard packed (no grooming necassary) yet with sufficient texture to hold a ski edge. It makes for great skating and somewhat less excellent classic skiing. No grooming as of yet - it's probably too thin to get the groomers on it. It was however durable enough to withstand the traffic of hordes of eager skiers who flocked to the Park over the weekend for the first ski of the season.
I got three skis in over the last two days. Did a '2fer' on Sunday and then took my flex day to ski on the less crowded Monday with the retirees and the unemployed ;-) . I'm now aching in places I didn't know I had! It never fails to surprise me that - no matter how much dryland training one does - there are always some muscles (usually small ones) that haven't been used since I took my ski boots off last April. These muscles traditionally dictate the pace for the first week or two but little by little I'll get up to speed and the distance will of course come.
So it begins.....
I got three skis in over the last two days. Did a '2fer' on Sunday and then took my flex day to ski on the less crowded Monday with the retirees and the unemployed ;-) . I'm now aching in places I didn't know I had! It never fails to surprise me that - no matter how much dryland training one does - there are always some muscles (usually small ones) that haven't been used since I took my ski boots off last April. These muscles traditionally dictate the pace for the first week or two but little by little I'll get up to speed and the distance will of course come.
So it begins.....
Sunday, November 26, 2006
“If we don’t get some snow soon, I think I might Nye”. Those were my words – more or less – last weekend and we have no snow as yet so I decided there was nothing for it. True to my word I headed back this Saturday to the Adirondacks and hiked up Nye mountain (and Street Mt. which is on the same ridge). The hike to these “lesser” peaks (lesser in popularity) is relatively short, which was good considering the hours of daylight we have these days. A 5 hour round trip hike almost makes me question the 6 hour round trip drive down to Lake Placid but it was a great hike that turned out much better then I had expected it would. Nye Mountain has a wooded summit so there’s no view to speak of. That said the trail approaching the ridgeline has a few areas of significant blow down which open up the views along the way. The trail up is not too long but unrelentingly steep so it seems like there is never a chance to catch ones breath. Finally cresting the ridgeline I overtook a group of hikers who decided that the fork in the trail (right to Nye, left to Street) was the spot for lunch and they had spread out all their gear mid trail (to make it homey I suppose). Took me a minute to see the continuation of the trail – behind their clothesline of gear - and head over to Nye mountain (5 minutes away). When I came back to the junction they were gone but when I reached the summit of Street they had taken up residence there and had again spread all their gear around forcing me to pick my way over them to get to the view. Fortunately Street Mountain has a little opening just beyond the summit (probably cut by disgruntled hikers) that looks over the McIntyre range. It made for a nice spot to have lunch and take a few shots. My colleagues (for the day) didn’t seem interested in the view and instead remained seated in the wooded summit area. Their loss.
This time of year is always strange. The days seem to get incredibly short and often the daylight hours are gray and rainy. Today’s sunshine was a rare treat – about 0C when I started, and +3 or 4 when I got to the summit. As I was heading down the mountain the alpine glow of twilight overtook me and I started to pick up my pace thinking I would shortly run out of daylight. Moments later I did a double take on my watch as I realized it was only 1:15pm!! Hardly time for the sun to set (we don’t live that far north!) but the low angle of the sun at this time of year makes it feel like perpetual impending dusk. Returning to the car, it felt more like fall then winter. I lounged a bit around Heart Lake in 8C conditions enjoying the warmth of the sinking sun. December is around the corner so this certainly didn’t feel quite right…. But all the other hikers I saw had no complaints and for that matter, nor did I… so perhaps I was glad to Nye without snow….
Street 21 of 46
Nye 20 of 46
This time of year is always strange. The days seem to get incredibly short and often the daylight hours are gray and rainy. Today’s sunshine was a rare treat – about 0C when I started, and +3 or 4 when I got to the summit. As I was heading down the mountain the alpine glow of twilight overtook me and I started to pick up my pace thinking I would shortly run out of daylight. Moments later I did a double take on my watch as I realized it was only 1:15pm!! Hardly time for the sun to set (we don’t live that far north!) but the low angle of the sun at this time of year makes it feel like perpetual impending dusk. Returning to the car, it felt more like fall then winter. I lounged a bit around Heart Lake in 8C conditions enjoying the warmth of the sinking sun. December is around the corner so this certainly didn’t feel quite right…. But all the other hikers I saw had no complaints and for that matter, nor did I… so perhaps I was glad to Nye without snow….
Street 21 of 46
Nye 20 of 46
Monday, November 13, 2006
Booth estate
Waiting for snow. Not much activity of late. Doing a little riding, rollerskiing a bit, running occasionally and hiking now and then. But nothing planned and all to fill time until it snows. Twice it has snowed in the Park - enough to leave a blanket of white. Too quickly it melted down to nothing and I was left waiting.
Sunday I went for a hike with Mike and Bryan. Made a loop around Black lake and along the Hermits trail. Good hike on an otherwise gray day... at least it didn't rain on us. Stopped by the J.R. Booth estate. Not much left of this lumber barons summer mansion. Just the rock wall pictured seperating the house site from the lower garden. Also a few stone columns marking the entry gates.
Waiting for snow....
Sunday I went for a hike with Mike and Bryan. Made a loop around Black lake and along the Hermits trail. Good hike on an otherwise gray day... at least it didn't rain on us. Stopped by the J.R. Booth estate. Not much left of this lumber barons summer mansion. Just the rock wall pictured seperating the house site from the lower garden. Also a few stone columns marking the entry gates.
Waiting for snow....
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