Bit of a chill in the air

Bit of cold weather has set in over the last few days. Good for the snow to help firm up the tracks but sometimes a shock to the system when you actually get out into it. I guess the first cold snap is time to toughen up and get ready for the much colder days ahead in January. Always seems like my mid-weight fleece layers have gotten a little thinner though and aren’t providing the same insulative properties they did last year. The lint trap in my dryer might corroborate that evidence (all that fluff has to come from somewhere) but perhaps I just have to suck it up and get out there. Once I actually get going it’s never too bad.


The ever present Lusk Lake residents come to collect the "rent"

Saturday I made the long drive up to Lac Phillipe to check out the conditions high in the park. The drive is now 30 seconds faster thanks to the new highway extension which I got to enjoy (with promises of another 30s shaved off my drive time by 2012!). The grooming on the whole was pretty good but I wonder if the guys doing the grooming actually know what skate skiing is. I seem to recall a similar “ditch” being a constant problem last year… but too soon to start complaining. As Johnny Klister suggests (#6) no point developing the rare grooming technique of tilling 12” deep in 7” of snow so perhaps we’ll have to wait for a bit more snow before assessing the grooming quality. The classic tracks looked great by the way and the ditch only forced me over to one side a little bit so it wasn't the end of the world. To be honest I was the only person I saw all day that was skating so if its just for me... I was fine with it! I skated up to Lusk Lake first where there was still a little warm sunshine to be had. Beautiful spot to sit on the deck even if the Hut marauders set upon you with blinding efficiency. Surprised to have the trail and hut to myself but I stoked the fire as I left and met the overnight guests at the bottom of the hill as I skied out (Good advice Mike - stoking the fire – thanks). Another quick trip out to Taylor lake and I see they’ve moved the hut out there again. No longer out on the point it is instead set back in the trees. Nice new deck here as well so I’ll have to test that out on a sunny day. Finally a trip along the Pine road towards Herridge. For the most part – while it was pretty cold there wasn’t much wind to speak of so all in all a beautiful day on the trails.

Sunday the wind picked up so it was both cold and a bit raw. I tried to stick to the trails in the trees skiing out of MacKenzie King and down to the CEGEPs. The Parkways were beautifully tracked and (as long as the wind was at your back) a great ski. Unfortunately the trails in the trees still are a bit thin with occasional rocks poking through and even a couple of small water hazards spotted on trail 15. Makes it a bit of a game of "spot the obstacle" (rock, dip, divot or creek) and then dodge around it. More snow for Christmas is on the agenda so hopefully that will fill things in nicely... and maybe I’ll check out some post-Christmas sales to get some new fleece – just in case it happens to be cold in January.