feedback wanted on Banff, Silver Star, 100 Mile House

I am trying to plan my yearly nordic ski vacation. I am a recreational
skier looking for good track systems. Mostly classical style. This year I
am following the weather and thinking that Western Canada is the place to
go. I know it is early........I am trying to decide between the 100 Mile
House area of B.C.......Silver Star (Vernon B.C.) or Banff. Speaking of
Banff I know next to nothing about the trails in that area.

Any recommendations?

Mark

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, Mark Eastman wrote:

I am trying to plan my yearly nordic ski vacation. I am a recreational
skier looking for good track systems. Mostly classical style. This year I
am following the weather and thinking that Western Canada is the place to
go. I know it is early........I am trying to decide between the 100 Mile
House area of B.C.......Silver Star (Vernon B.C.) or Banff. Speaking of
Banff I know next to nothing about the trails in that area.

I often go to the Banff/ K Country area around New Year's when I'm
visiting my mother and sister in central Alberta. I may go again this
winter.

In Banff National Park the best snow conditions are up around
Lake Louise or even just across the BC border in Yoho Nat Park.
Most of the trails are classic only. The only skating lanes are wide
roads - like Rt 1A (Great Divide) which isn't plowed.

Lake Louise to Moraine Lake
Lake Louise- Yoho NP (1A) and continue to Lake O'Hara
Pipestone trail system
Fish Creek -Deception Pass- Skoki - a backcountry trail

Around Banff town there is usually less snow. If conditions are good
The Spray River- Goat Creek Trail is nice.(starts at Banff Springs Hotel)

The Canmore Nordic Centre is in the "snow shadow" of Mt Rundle and gets
much less snow. The exception is right now. Apparently Canmore
has enough snow for fair skiing on a few trails.
It's only about 5 km (and about 300 m up) up the road from Canmore
Nordic Centre to the other end of the Goat Creek Trail. It's
amazing how must more snow there is up there.

Further up that road (I haven't been past Goat Creek) is the Mt Shark
trail system which apparently have very good snow. They were rejected for
the 1988 Olympics and other international races because the altitude is
too high, but they are used for training. In 1986 the young
Vegard Ulvang and Bjørn Daehlie raced on th Mt Shark Trails
(ref G Daffern's book)

Another nice area is "Kananaskis Country" (K country), to the SE of
Canmore. And the best area there, in fact, maybe the best skiing in the
Rockies is in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (formery called Kananaskis
Lakes Prov Park). Part of it is on the continental divide (ie BC border)
and gets lots of early snow. About 90 km of classic groomed trails in a
semi-wilderness setting.

Ribbon Creek (30 km north) has some nice trails but gets less snow than
Lougheed Park. Ski to the top of Skogen* Pass and you can see past Banff;
if there is good snow, you can ski down the other side of Skogen
Pass almost to Canmore (usually not groomed)

* (current trail maps spell it as Skogan, but Ruth Oltmann named it
Skogen- Norwegian for forest)

2 books published the early 90's are extremely useful:

Ski Trails of the Canadian Rockies by Chic Scott and
Kananaskis Ski Trails, by Gillean Daffern

Banff National Park Ski Trail conditions at:
"http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_e.asp?oPark=100092"
"http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_E.asp?oPark=100438" (Yoho)

K Country's trails have a "new and Improved" WEB site.
Unfortunately, it requires the latest version of the "SWF Flash"
player in your WEB browser.

"http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/featured/kananaskis/trailreport.asp"

Included at the bottom is a "printable version" of trail conditions-
it's a 60Kbyte PDF file to produce 1 page of plain text!!

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/

--
Scott Elliot
http://www3.telus.net/selliot/

"Mark Eastman" wrote in message
ink.net...
I am trying to plan my yearly nordic ski vacation. I am a recreational
skier looking for good track systems. Mostly classical style. This year
I
am following the weather and thinking that Western Canada is the place to
go. I know it is early........I am trying to decide between the 100 Mile
House area of B.C.......Silver Star (Vernon B.C.) or Banff. Speaking of
Banff I know next to nothing about the trails in that area.

Any recommendations?

Mark

Here are descriptions of Peter Lougheed trails and links to other trail
systems in the Banff / K-country area.:

"http://www.canadianrockies.net/skithero/petermed.html"

That site has a trail map for Canmore Nordic Centre but are stiil
working on maps for other areas.

(does MMMMIKE still live in Canmore? :-) :-)

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/

David Dermott wrote in message ...




It's only about 5 km (and about 300 m up) up the road from Canmore
Nordic Centre to the other end of the Goat Creek Trail. It's
amazing how must more snow there is up there.

Further up that road (I haven't been past Goat Creek) is the Mt Shark
trail system which apparently have very good snow. They were rejected for
the 1988 Olympics and other international races because the altitude is
too high, but they are used for training. In 1986 the young
Vegard Ulvang and Bjørn Daehlie raced on th Mt Shark Trails
(ref G Daffern's book)

The Mt. Shark trail system is a good bet for both classic and
freestyle (skating). The area is typically groomed weekly with both
skating lanes and set track. As noted, the elevation is just above
the Olympic limit. The higher elevation and exposure make for good
snow conditions. Take the Mt. Shark turn-off at Mt. Engadine Lodge.
(PS Mt. Engadine Lodge serves a nice post ski "afternoon tea".

The Chester Lake trail head is several K south of the Mt. Shark
turnoff. Trails are skier tracked (classic) although K-Country has
groomed early in the season.

Another nice area is "Kananaskis Country" (K country), to the SE of
Canmore. And the best area there, in fact, maybe the best skiing in the
Rockies is in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (formery called Kananaskis
Lakes Prov Park). Part of it is on the continental divide (ie BC border)
and gets lots of early snow. About 90 km of classic groomed trails in a
semi-wilderness setting.


I should mention that Mt. Shark and K-country are without charge to
the user. Canadians are really nice folks.

Edgar

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, David Dermott wrote:


Banff National Park Ski Trail conditions at:
"http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_e.asp?oPark=100092"

K Country's trails have a "new and Improved" WEB site.

"http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/featured/kananaskis/trailreport.asp"

Here excerpts for Nov 20 snow reports for Banff and K-Country:

(Banff)
++ Updated: November 20, 2003
++ Approximately 30-50 cm of snow has fallen in Banff National Park over
++ the last 48hrs.
.....

(K-Country)
++ Winter Trail Conditions--Thursday, November 20th, 2003

++ Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park (403) 678-2400
++ 40 cm of snow was received in the last 48 hrs. ...

++ Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (403) 591-6322
++ On Nov. 18th-19th, 40 cm of new snow was received at lower elevations
++ increasing to 60 cm at higher elevations.

Sounds great!!

:-( Absolutely no snow here in NS. Today was rain and temp +14C :-(

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/