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CASCADE VALLEY SHORT OF ELK TRAP

Report Submitted by DEMOCRATIZE AB
(trip) Date: Saturday Apr 08, 2023

Submitted: Sunday Apr 09, 2023 at 01:19

Participants:

Mr. Legalize Real Democracy on 60-50-55mm 205cm skis using V45 Swix wax.

Discussion:

The Cascade Trail to Cascade River bridge is generally excellent spring skiing. Lake Minnewanka Road is still holding up well although the trackset is a little washed out in places. The trackset on the Cascade Trail improves further up. The snowfall earlier in the week is making for nice soft spring like snow. The base is very solid underneath the newer snow. Snow speed varies from moderate to fast depending on aspect and elevation.

Beyond Cascade River bridge the trail has not been trackset probably since February but the trackset is still visible but shallow to Stoney Creek. The base is solid under the newer snow to the end of the trackset trail. Skiing is excellent for spring.

Beyond the trackset trail to within about 2 kilometers of Elk Trap the trail was covered with 3 to 8 cm of wet snow. It was pretty heavy on my skis and approaching boot top breaking trail up the valley.

There is a lot of cold rotten rockies snow in the Cascade Valley with up to 20 cm of wet snow on top. The cold snow is very dry deeper in the snow pack. I would not consider the snow pack isothermal as there is a big temperature gradient in the snowpack in most areas. It is critical to stay on the old skier tracks that were developed earlier in the year otherwise you may find yourself sinking up to the thighs. New ski tracks made in the last number of weeks are susceptible to collapsing into the rotten rockies snowpack. If cold weather comes in later in the week, the travel will be much easier to ski up towards Elk Trap, particularly if a crust forms.

If temperatures drop to below normal, the Cascade Trail has the potential to last a couple of more weeks or so, particularly if more snow falls. It is still worth skiing.

After sunset the temperature at the Stoney Creek Warden Cabin was +4c, cloudy with the odd snow flake falling.

lrdp.ca


Total distance: 36.00 Km