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2023-01-21 at 19:47 - comment by DEMOCRATIZE AB
Howdy HenryL,
Thanks a million for the comet notice. That would be really cool to see out skiing. I have never seen a comet skiing before. Too bad I left my binoculars at the farm. Hopefully I can borrow some binoculars to spot this once in 50,000 year opportunity because the way the body feels, I may not make it to the next sighting opportunity.
I will have to plan out a ski to see this comet. If the snow was decent enough, Dinosaur Provincial Park would be a great place to see it with the big starlit sky. A stop at the Patricia Hotel Water Hole for a bison burger or preferably a bison steak after the comet watching would be a real Prairie ski treat to remember.
2023-01-21 at 09:56 - comment by HenryL
Hey Dem, if you are out in the hills in the next few clear nights, consider taking a small pair of binoculars and enjoy Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF.
Presently it's down between the northern horizon and handle of the Big Dipper. Over the next 10 days it will go way up towards Polaris and the Little Dipper and so will be visible earlier in the evening. Right now you'll need to wait until after 10 or 11 pm.
It should also be brightening for the next 10 days or so. Make your friends in Australia jealous, because they lose the view soon.
Have fun on your night ski trips.
Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF, Sky and Telescope
2023-01-21 at 05:49 - comment by Normand
I can testify that if you don’t slow down in fast ski conditions, one could easily lose control after that second/lowermost narrow bridge, after the right angle turn. Thirty years, I coming down REC for the very first time with LT gears, at full speed with a heavy backpack from Egypt Lake. The fellow that was ahead of me had a big wipeout; I followed with the same scenario immediately after that narrow bridge. Good shoulder dislocation for me with a minor concussion. Bottom line, adjust your speed around that right angle turn, according to the snow conditions and type of skis. Obviously I wasn’t at the time or felt invincible, although I didn’t know the subtilties of the trail. Ski safe.
2023-01-20 at 12:18 - comment by DEMOCRATIZE AB
I forgot to add a suggestion to my Shadow Lake trip report. When skiing down the Redearth trail and approaching one of the narrow little bridges lower down on the trail, slow down more than normal if the snow is fast like last night.
I believe it was the last narrow small bridge that had a much bigger ramp than normal, due to the low snow fall. I thought I slowed down enough to handle the ramp as per normal but obviously not. I hit the ramp and flew through the air and crashed well past the confounded bridge. I landed on my side and my toque and headlamp flew off as my head smashed into the snowmobile trail. When I came to a stop, the first thing I checked for was a concussion. Luckily the body came through the crash fine with just a slightly sore head. I gathered my toque and headlamp and skied on with lightening fast acceleration on the fast snow.
This is the first time ever a big ramp on a bridge has caught me off guard resulting in a crash in many decades of skiing. All the bridges on the trail up to Shadow Lake have bigger than normal ramps this year. I do recall Chuck making a recommendation to "adjust" the ramp that I hit in a report in a previous season.
Skiers beware of the confounded bridge ramps, particularly when the snow is lightening fast and the snowpack is below normal.
SHADOW LAKE +
Report Submitted by DEMOCRATIZE AB
(trip) Date: Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Submitted: Thursday Jan 19, 2023 at 23:28
Participants:
Mr. Real Democracy on 205cm 60mm Madshus Voss metal edge skis.
Discussion:
Great skiing as Normand says in his report. Nice winter snow. Slightly variable speed snow on Swix V30 wax ranging from somewhat fast to fast.
I did ski beyond the warden cabin and up the first switch back to check the snow out. There is a faint old ski trail that heads towards Egypt Lake. In the afternoon, the temperature was -3c at the warden cabin.
I skied up the Ball Pass trail just a couple of hundred meters from Shadow Lake. It is your typical rotten Rockies January snowpack with a crust on top. Trail breaking is difficult on 60mm wide wax base skis.
At Shadow Lake Lodge the temperature was -6c before pitch dark. By about 7:30 pm the temperature dropped to -8c. Great echos at the Lodge.
Democratize AB
Legalize Real Democracy Party (.ca)
Total distance: 32.00 Km
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