JOHNSTON CREEK CABIN- Friday/ Night ski
Trip date: Friday Dec 03, 2021
Submitted by DEMOCRATIZE AB
Particpants:
MAKE ALBERTA A REAL DEMOCRACY AND HIS SIDE KICK
MAKE CANADA A REAL DEMOCRACY
Discussion:
I stared the Johnston Creek XC ski tour at Moose Meadows parking lot.
The ski base is generally very good to excellent. There is a great rain crust layer with several cms of new snow on top. The trail has been snowshoer and hiker packed. Snow speed was fairly fast. Shortly before the Ink Posts there are a couple of rocks or roots under trees where the snow is a little thin. There is some crud snow that could use about 5cm of new snow to smooth it out for nicer skiing.
From the Ink Pots to Mystic Junction, there was an old skier tracked trail that was set a couple of snow falls ago. Excellent base snow in this section with no rocks. A very nice crusty base with new snow on top is making for the best travel conditions I have seen on this trail at this time of year. It was easier to travel off the old crusty skier track. Generally ski penetration is a little less than ankle deep. The ski track turned up towards Mystic Pass.
From Mystic Junction to the old warden cabin the snow becomes harder, smoother and silkier the further up valley I skied. I broke trail on this section of trail but it was hardly breaking- less than ankle deep penetration. Fast snow. Glorious skiing on my 60 mm metal edge XC skis.
At the old warden cabin the temperature was -11c at dark 30 when I left. I got a very late start skiing. It took about 3.5 hours to ski to the cabin in which I arrive after sunset but when it was still light enough to see scenery. If I would have gotten an earlier start, I would have likely continued to Lullen Lake or Badger Pass Junction since the snow was so fast and the trail breaking so easy.
This was my 4th out of 5 days with no wax on my waxable skis. With the crust I am able lock my ski tails in place to prevent slippage. So ski-ably sweet not worrying about the wrong wax.
The Johnston trail is only recommended for advance+ skiers currently, until the crud disappears under more new snow.