Saturday was “take 2” on the annual Luskville falls/firetower hike. Unfortunately the last minute change of date meant Mike (still) couldn’t make it and Dave was tied up with “new home renovation” work. As it turned out Bryan was able to convince (bribe?) his family to come along so we had an official “party” to put this one in the books. Turned out to be a spectacular day. Soon the bugs will be out but Saturday it got up to the mid 20’s and was sunny for the morning anyway so it felt like full on summer (sans bugs). I had to get up extra early to do a distance certification ride for the MDS Nordion 10k (all is in order now so here’s hoping we get a world record run on the course). As it turned out that worked out well as Bryan could only rouse his family later in the morning so I headed straight up to the Luskville parking lot and met up with them there.

Quick gearing up and we were off…. Stop! Sara had to demonstrate genetics rule by immediately nabbing a snake (like father, like daughter). Even more interesting was no sooner had she nabbed the snake then she had also named it (Edward) and started work to convince Mom and Dad they should take it home to join the family collection of pets (it proved no sale and Edward the snake was returned to his (her?) habitat). From there we were off in earnest and up, up up we went. Several nice breaks on the climb to take in the views and with no leaves on the trees yet there were lots of views to be had. Finally at the upper lookout we stopped for a well earned snack break. Here Bryan deployed some interesting treats from his pack. Chocolates, and several kinds of sweets were dispensed keeping the crew happy. I notice he doesn't carry that kind of stuff when he hikes with just us... I felt like a bit of a fool with my carrots and triscuits. From there we headed up to the tower proper. Clouds had rolled in and a few patches of rain fell but they only served to cool us down and never lasted more than a minute or two. Another good break at the tower and then it was time to head down. By now a lot of people were heading up the trail so we must have picked a pretty good time to head up, beating the hordes who were looking to take advantage of the beautiful (albeit now cloudy) day. No sign of Edward at the base so it was off to the local poutine shack (part of Bryan’s bribery agreement I understand). As it turns out this shack has the “meilleur poutine du monde” (it said so right on the sign by the road so it must be true). Who would have thought, in all of the world, we would stumble across the best poutine anywhere – lucky days indeed! An excellent hike with a good crew. Glad we were able to get this hike in the books pre-black flies.

The ski season has now wrapped up for me. Most of my skis are cleaned up, storage wax applied and put away so it was time to think about other activities. After a weekend of lethargy (following last weeks "work" chaos - an exhausting week where nothing seemed to go as planned) Monday was to be the annual hike up to the Luskville fire tower. Bryan had booked it months ago but – as with anything booked months in advance – turns out one of the regulars couldn’t make it and the weather looked a little sketchy so we decided on another option. Instead we headed to P16 , dropped a car and then drove up to P15 to hike the snowshoe trail into Healy and Herridge shelters with an exit route down the Pine road to the first car. Turned out to be a nice little loop. The snowshoe trail still had a few spots where the snow was pretty deep but the trail “spine” was solid so walking was easy. There were also a few flooded sections but short bushwhacks were not too tough. We met up with three gentlemen who were pre-hiking the trail, checking the trail condition in advance of a larger group coming in on Wednesday. They were busy building up “bridges” where there was water to cross and dragging off blown down branches to clear up the trail. I wonder if the NCC was giving them a fee for the hard work. Probably not but they were doing a fine job so we let them go ahead of us :). Once at Healy we enjoyed lunch in the dwindling sunshine. After lunch, I noticed a live animal trap had been placed behind the shelter. Whoever had dropped it had clearly forgotten it as the trap had been sprung and the victim had expired inside the trap. In fact the poor thing had been mostly devoured by other creatures that had managed to pull it bit by bit through the bars of the cage… talk about picking at your food. Not a good way to go. On to Herridge (Dave’s first visit) where we inspected the bird feeder which was a busy spot as always. By this time the clouds had rolled over and the temperature was dropping so we didn’t stay long and were soon on our way down the trail for home. Scattered along the ski trail on Pine road a few patches had a lot of snow - over a foot deep in spots. Not too good for skiing though as there were long stretches with no snow at all followed by 2 or 300 meters of good skiing. Clearly we’d made the right choice by walking today. Firetower or no this was a good start to the hiking season.

Even the snakes would give a thumbs up for spring(if they could)...

Truly a beautiful Easter weekend. The sun shone, the birds sang… and the skiing was pretty good. Alas, all good things must come to an end and I fear, as this weekend draws to a close, so too does the ski season. I skied all 4 days and little by little the snow is starting to recede. No word from the snow gods regarding my last plea for more snow. I think they’ve started their journey to the southern hemisphere so we won’t be seeing them again for a while. Double digit temperatures all this week with lots of sun in the forecast. Doesn't bode well for the snowpack.

Skiing from P10 today the walks were getting longer. Small gaps in the snow that were 5 steps on Sunday were 25 steps on Monday. In spots the snow is really nice. Above the Khyber pass and then again out towards trail 24 things were good - at times really good - but somewhere in between those two spots things are a little ugly with rocks and gravel poking through. I also skied out Ridge road from Keogan towards Penguin a ways and there the trail has reasonable coverage but was somewhat uneven thanks to hikers tromping along the trail. In fact today I think skiers were outnumbered by hikers. I guess most people have had enough of skiing for another year and are moving on to other pursuits. Bit of a melancholy ski back to the car. I don’t think the remaining snow, for me, is worth the drive up before work to get in some quick pre-work skis. Even with the short week this week I don't think there will be much snow to speak of next weekend. Maybe a little tele will be possible on the slopes of Camp Fortune but other than that I think the inevitable has come and it’s time to pack the skis away for another season. So it goes. It's been a good and surprisingly long season from October until now. Time to get the hiking gear out, scan some maps and plan a few trips… Clean up the bike and see how she rolls. And of course there is lots to do before the end of May so a lot of my time is already spoken for in the next little while. Apparently some pretty fast guys are chomping at the bit for some prize money so we've gotta get out and confirm the distances and make sure all is in order before race day arrives.

Spring is arriving so it's time to embrace it.

Signs of spring

Signs of spring
Originally uploaded by kenmores

Took another ski today. Thanks to tips from several other internet trail reporters I decided to wait until things warmed up a little letting the track soften up a bit. Got to P10 around noon and skied out to the trail 24 junction. Conditions were pretty good all the way with the snow providing enough texture to get a decent edge. A couple of thin spots here and there (including a nice "F1 style" gravel trap starting to open up at the bottom of the Khyber pass) but I didn't have to take my skis off except as I went past the Brule and Huron lookouts. It was a bit windy to find somewhere to sit and take full advantage of the sun today but the skiing was fine. Things were opening up a bit on my ski back so the season is clearly wrapping up. Another day or two and then who knows. Last time I "called it" we got 4 or 5 inches of fresh snow... Any chance the weather gods are listening again with another trick up their sleeve?

With some fresh snow falling during the week I managed to convince Mike and Bryan to dig their skis out of storage (yeah, like they’ve already gotten around to storing their skis) for one last ski. While the snow was probably the best around P10 and P12, the guys seemed intent on one last mission up to Lusk cabin… and who am I to argue. Sunny day, beautiful cabin by the lake…. let’s go! Seems like Lac Phillippe got a lot less snow than further into town near Fortune Lake but there was still skiable snow (after a short walk from the parking lot). It was a little cool when we started (-2C) and the snow pack was icy fast. It was also pretty badly chewed up by a truck that must have driven up the campground roads… but there was still good snow along the sides. Cruising along we found a few spots we had to portage but they were mostly short and painless. It was clear that some of the walks were likely going to be a little longer on the way out though as the snow was melting fast. Once at the turn off to Lusk cabin we had good snow all the way up to the lake – nice frozen base and skidoo/ATV tracks compacting the snow to give some easy skiing. In fact we met the ATV coming down from the cabin as we skied up. He had a big box of birdseed on the back so I guess today was time to refill the feeders. Clearly the birdseed they give to the birds at Lusk cabin must be like crack for birds as the chickadees at Lusk seem to be the most aggressive birds I’ve ever met at looking for handouts. Not just “Will you feed me? Tweet, tweet…” but more “Hey, buddy! Hand over your sandwich… and anything else you got in your pack. Do it now and no one gets hurt!!” Kind of like getting mugged by little birds.

Marauder demanding his due
Once up to the cabin we took up positions on the deck and enjoyed some lunch and the warm sunshine. Beautiful spot to spend a little time, read the cabin log book, eat (quickly before the birds steal your lunch) and enjoy a beverage. Finally it was either head back to the car or stretch out in one of the bunks for a nap so we strapped on the boards and headed down. Things were much easier on the descent. The warmth of the day had turned the top layer of the icy base into a nice layer of velvet. Quick stop at Renaud and then we headed back to the cars. Lots of people on foot along the campground roads – even a family on bicycles (walking them across the snow) and we came across the ATV again, this time hauling baggage into one of the huts (the guests don’t carry their own bags?). Longer stretches of asphalt on the way out but the warm sunny day made these seem like no big deal. I expect I’ll get out for some skiing tomorrow but, if today was any indication, this weeks last blast of winter is melting fast.

Groomed

Prefered parking
Originally uploaded by kenmores

And I’m not referring to my stylish new haircut. I’ll have to check with Ms Morrisette but I find it somewhat ironic that after my last post declaring it likely my last ski of the season… it promptly snows for three days. I headed up this morning with a renewed chance to get some more tracks in. While the city has only seen a dusting of snow stay on the ground, the park has received 4 or 5 inches of fresh powder. Exposed asphalt, rocks and roots are now once more buried under a white carpet. Conditions were amazingly good. I’d almost forgotten how good skiing fresh powder can be as we haven’t seen this much fresh snow since February. I brought my classic skis expecting to have only a hard fought "skied in" classic track to follow thanks to my fellow skiers. Much to my surprise – like the early October snowfall some months ago – I found a groomed track. Okay no classic tracks but nice smooth corduroy up the center of the parkway. Nice of Demsis to get out there some 10 days after the official “end of the season” and almost 2 weeks after the last sighting of the groomers. Turns out they had worked the Parkway from P8, around the Doldrums and up to the “T” as well as a little of Ridge road…. But it’s better than nothing. Slow work too as they only had the skidoos out pulling a grooming sled so it took many passes to get a wide enough track for skating. As I had my classic skis with me I skied in the "skied in" track left from my fellow skiers last night (thanks for your efforts). There were signs that some individuals had skated through the deep slow snow last night. For their heroic efforts I mostly left the corduroy for someone more deserving to cut in the first tracks. Met the work crews up at gossip corner and Shilly Shally as I worked my way around for a loop. Last season, in spite of mounds of snow the skiing ended abruptly with some sustained +20C days. This year its felt like the season has been wrapping up since early March… but it keeps on ticking along. Easter skiing here we come.

A sunny Sunday

The Champlain parkway
Originally uploaded by kenmores

Went for a ski this morning. Wasn’t sure what to expect and wasn’t feeling too good to boot so I opted for P6 as a starting point. Might have been a better guarantee of snow higher up in the park but as it turns out the parkway was in pretty good shape (all things considered). I probably could have done a lap of the parkway and only had a handful of short walks to contend with (although the Doldrums might be pretty thin by now). A nice light snow had fallen overnight and the base was still pretty fast so skiing wasn’t too bad. I skied from P6 up to the” T” and for the most part had first (ski) tracks despite my late start. It was also a good chance to spot a few of the parks other inhabitants’ tracks left behind in the fresh snow. I saw a lot of familiar ones (geese, deer, rabbits, maybe a coyote (but probably a dog)) and a few that I couldn’t identify (what do we have that has a long thin tail?). Certainly “name that track” made the time pass as I climbed the Black Lake hill. At the top of the hill there was the only long stretch of exposed roadway but the portage along the grass was a nice change of pace. There were also other skiers tracks (coming from P10) once I got back on the snow but in the end I only saw one other skier. There were however a number of people out walking around MacKenzie King and they gave me bemused looks as I skied past. As luck would have it the sun came out while I skied and it was a nice chance to be out and enjoy the day. It may prove to be my last ski of the year though as things are getting pretty thin. In fact small patches of exposed asphalt as I skied out to the T were noticeably bigger when I skied back. We have some more rain in the forecast this week. I suppose Ridge road may still have snow next weekend but once the hiking from one snow patch to the next gets to be more than the skiing I tend to call it a season… we’ll see what happens.

Too early

Ridge road
Originally uploaded by kenmores

With the promise of a nice sunny morning I headed up to the park to get in another ski. Alas with work commitments I had to go pretty early and in the end it proved too early for good conditions. A cool night coupled with yesterdays rain left the tracks frozen solid and icy. I skied up from P7... well, skied might be the wrong term. Skittered and scraped my way up might better define it. Up top on the ridge conditions were better but the descents were pretty fast and a little bit harrowing. Once to gossip corner I turned back with thoughts of a tough descent back to the parking lot. I walked some of it and could have used my crampons at that. Its too bad as an hour or two later conditions would be excellent as the warm sun softened the tracks making for some great skiing - and I would be sitting at my desk looking longingly out at the hills. Only saw one farmiliar car at P5 as I was driving out so I assume most of the other folks were wise enough - and didn't have any early meetings - to let the tracks soften a little before heading up for a morning ski. Rain on the schedule for the next couple of days.... what will happen to the trails then...

No foolin'

I guess skiing is free now?
Originally uploaded by kenmores

Went for a ski this morning… and it was actually quite nice. I also had a nice ski last night. Between the two outings I probably skied on roughly 30km of trails and only really had to “portage” twice over some exposed mud and no more than a few steps at that. Last Sunday’s rain smoothed everything out (and probably helped melt some of it away) but there is still lots of good snow to be had. Should be able to get some skiing in this weekend although at this time of the year you can never be too sure. As I pulled out from home this morning a bold red sun was rising in the east. That’s bad news for sailors but as a skier I was undeterred. Before I got up to the park the clouds had rolled over so in fact the trails were a little icy(no warm morning sun to soften the tracks). That said the trails weren’t too badly rutted and skiing was fast and easy. Once again I was alone on the trails with one other skier starting out as I arrived back at the lot. Quite a difference from Saturday’s crowd scene at P10 with an overflowing lot but of course that's to be expected. I also met some Demsis staff (at least I hope that’s who it was ;-) removing the trail fee pay box… so I guess I can leave my ski pass at home from now on. Nothing better than free skiing…