Mount Shark X-Country Ski

More info to come.

Boulton Creek XC Ski

More info to come.

Previous trips in the area
Elk Pass
Elk Lakes Cabin (Overnight)

Pipestone Loop

Activity: Pipestone Loop X-Country Skiing

Distance: 15 km 

Area: Banff National Park (Lake Louise)

Crew: Bennett

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Bennett and I booked the Rundle Cabins in Harvey Heights for Saturday night and decided to pack up the vehicle with all of our different types of skis and head to the hills. We settled on cross country skiing the Pipestone Loop just past the Lake Louise Ski Resort. It was a beautiful day and we both had tons of energy. We later ate at the Blake (not the Drake) a new restaurant in Canmore, which was unbelievably delicious!

 Goon 1

Goon 2

Moraine Lake (Winter)

Activity: Moraine Lake Road X-Country Skiing

Distance: 16 km ?

Area: Banff National Park (Lake Louise)

Crew: Steph, Mark

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

After many -30C days this winter and many cancelled cross country ski outings with Steph, we finally decided that it was no longer an excuse to not go on a bluebird day. Mark joined us as we skied up the Moraine Lake Road in the wintertime - truly a beautiful trail and a great view of the Valley of the Ten Peaks at the end! To go all the way to the lake, there are a few avi slide paths to cross. Hearing a few avalanches around us as we skied, we decided not to venture any further.

 Temple, baby.

 Valley of the Ten Peaks

 The crew!

Me & Steph

Elk Pass

Activity: Elk Pass X-Country Skiing

Distance: 16 km 

Area: Kananaskis Lakes

Crew: Bennett

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

After some new snow, we parked at the Boulton Bridge Trailhead and were the first ones in (& surprisingly when we got back, there were only 2 other vehicles in the lot). We had a gorgeous x-country ski up along the trails: Boulton Creek, Elk Pass, then came down Hydroline, Fox Creek, and Moraine. We got some fresh tracks on the first trail (Boulton Creek), and my gooooodness it was gorgeous out! Surprisingly little people for a warm-ish day with new snow.
Another day here

 First out!

 Fresh tracks 

Bean  

selfie #1 

Selfie #2

Glacier Nordic Club

Activity: X-Country Skiing

Distance: ~10km 

Area: Whitefish

Crew: Steph, Diana

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

We x-country skiied at the Glacier Nordic Club (Whitefish Golf Course Location) after an amazing powder day downhill skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort the day before. It was a beautiful, sunny day! (Please let me forget about the new boots kerfuffle/the guy at MEC selling me SNS boots when I asked for NNN)...

 Moi

 *Steph hits her arm on the car door*

 CoaL

Brunch at the Buffalo Cafe afterwards - highly recommend!

 Noice day.

 Very noice day.

 3-lass-slef

Moose Loop

Activity: X-Country Skiing

Distance: 10km (RT)

Area: Kananaskis (Bragg Creek)

Crew: Ben, Steph

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes


Steph and I finally got a cross-country ski in together this season, at Moose Loop. I am getting over injuring my back from our Whitefish trip, and physio told me that I could give some of my usual activities a go! We were a little nervous about the -15 forecast however it was a beautiful, sunny day and we kept warm while skiing. We left early enough to have most of the trail to ourselves so we had a great time.

 Blue-bird day.

Steph and Bennett in front as we take a quick break in the sun

Bryant Creek Cabin (Overnight)

Name: Bryant Creek Cabin (Banff National Park)
Activity: X-Country Skiing/Overnight
Crew: Bennett, Jaimie, Mark, Oliver, Jon, Trevor
Dates: January 20-22, 2017

Summary:
Day 1 - Ski in from Mt Shark Trailhead to Bryant Creek Shelter (14 km)
Day 2 - Ski to Marvel Lake (6 km RT)
Day 3 - Ski back out to Mt Shark Trailhead (14 km)

Update: We stayed at this shelter again as a backpacking trip again in the fall of 2017, and in the winter again in 2019.. Unfortunately we did not have the whole planned group attend- there was a weird flu/cold going around and it seems like everyone caught it! Regardless, we had an amazing weekend with unreal weather and snow conditions. We arrived on Friday, the cabin was chilly as no one had been there for probably about a week, but we got the fire going right away, and by the second night the cabin had warmed up significantly enough that some people (cough Oliver) were wearing shorts.
Bennett and I made a few dehydrated meals using his dehydrator which were more successful than we were expecting! With eggs for breakfast as the clear winner for both of us.

 Approaching the cabin (Day 1)

Getting water from the creek - Oliver had to break through the ice with the axe to get to the flowing water

Woke up to this beautiful sunrise (Day 2)

 The shelter

 Bennett testing the ice on Marvel Lake (Day 2)

 Mark on Marvel (Day 2)

 Bennett

Oliver 

 Jaimie, Bennett, and Oliver crossing the creek to the Warden Cabin field

 The view from our water hole

Bennett and I in the field in front of the Warden Cabin

Island Lake

Name: Island Lake

Activity: X-Country Skiing

Distance: ~10km (RT)

Area: Fernie (Crowsnest - Cranbrook/Kimberly)

Crew: Bennett, Kristen

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Island Lake Lodge Parking Area

Additional Info:
I wish I had photos but I don't have many from our February trip to Lake Koocanousa. We went into Fernie one day and cross country skied up to Island Lake Lodge, hung out, ate lunch, and skied back. It was a beautiful trail but didn't have track-sets. And since I am pretty new to x-country, the downhills were a little nerve-wracking... but I made it!

Kimberly Alpine Resort

Name: Kimberly Alpine Resort

Activity: X-Country Skiing

Distance: ~10km (RT)

Area: Kimberly (Crowsnest - Cranbrook/Kimberly)

Crew: Bennett, Kristen, Jared

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Kimberly Alpine Resort

Additional Info:
I wish I had photos but I don't have many from our February trip to Lake Koocanousa. We went into Kimberly one day and cross country skied around the tracks. It cost ~$10 to use the tracks but it was definitely worth it!

Moab Lake

Activity: X-Country Skiing

Distance: 14km (RT)

Area: Jasper (Icefield Parkway)

Crew: Ben

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Bennett and I cross country skied to Moab Lake. It was such a beautiful day with the perfect temperature (okay, maybe on the cold side). It is trackset up until ~300m before the lake so you have to do some trail blazing/bushwhacking for the last bit but it is definitely worth it! I would love to go back...

Blazing Trail to the lake!