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Elk Pass & Fox Creek

Report Submitted by Alf Skrastins
(trip) Date: Friday Apr 07, 2023

Submitted: Friday Apr 07, 2023 at 21:46

Participants:

A few folks

Discussion:

There wasn't much of an overnight freeze at Peter Lougheed Park and it was already +4C in the morning, so there was not point struggling with wax. These are the conditions where skin skis shine!
The Tuesday night grooming was still in nice and crisp, but the warm temperatures was having an impact on the snow. The tracks were glazed, but provided good grip and great glide for skin skis. In many places at lower elevations, on Elk Pass and Fox Creek, the tracks were charcoal grey or black as millions of Colembolla (spring trails / snow fleas) were crushed by passing skiers. Higher up, towards Elk Pass and Blueberry Hill, the tracks were still mostly white.
We did an off-trail meadow loop to West Elk Pass and packed the snow on the sagging "Snowfa". Travel conditions on the meadow were still quite good, but poking at the snow with my ski pole suggested that the snow was not far from becoming isothermal and unsupportive.

Although it didn't rank as best-of-the-season conditions, like Wednesday, it was still an excellent April ski day!

Clean snow and great tracks on Elk Pass trail

Black ski tracks on Fox Creek trail.