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Adventure Aborted in Winter Wonderland
Report Submitted by Diana Piggott
(trip) Date: Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Submitted: Saturday Apr 06, 2024 at 17:31
Participants:
Yours truly yet again
Discussion:
I arrived fairly early at West Bragg Creek, and got on the trail by 8:45. The snow seemed quite cold, but alas, I had missed the powder. Melt - freeze conditions left crunchy tracks, and a variable soft crust that was *sometimes* supportive.
I took Mountain Road to Moose Connector, made first tracks down the short steep hill, but at the bottom found not only other ski tracks, but what looked like grooming for fat bikes. That definitely made the going easier, except up the steep hills.
At the Moose Junction, grooming went north, but I decided to do a bit of the south side, not feeling strong yet. A young couple passed me at that point, going north and planning to ski the whole loop. I hope they made it, and might even post a report? On the south side, I followed tracks of a couple of skinny skis as far as the first creek crossing, where I was surprised to see them turn off up Tom Snow trail. Curious, I followed them, but after a bit the trail went up a steep hill, and the skinny skiers removed their skis and apparently started hiking. Having no idea where the trail went, I turned around, did a little more of south Moose, and then back to Mountain Road.
Across the road, I skied up Moose Connector to lower West Crystal, and back to the parking lot. By then, the sun was coming out, snow softening and getting a bit sticky, and West Crystal was getting quite busy with skiers who described conditions as "rough" and "challenging". It was snowing moderately from about 9:45 to 10:45.
Total distance: 8.30 Km
 Fat bike grooming on Moose Connector north, guy ahead of me had a hard time herringboning up that hill!
 Skinny tracks going up Moose loop south. I improved the tracks with my LT skis :-)
 Skinny skiers heading up Tom Snow from little bridge.
 They removed skis here, I turned around.
 Moose Connector south.
5 comment(s) posted
Comments:
2024-04-06 at 18:28 - comment by MaSid
You can follow that Tom Snow trail all the way south to mountain rd. The hill that was hiked is short lived. Then rolling/flattish terrain, a few short moderate hills, similar to fox creek. Best done in cold powder conditions with LT gear depending on travel. Ungroomed, but seeing more skier travel lately.
2024-04-06 at 19:53 - comment by Diana Piggott
Thank you, MaSid. I hope to try it another day, and my skis are of LT persuasion. Not knowing the trail, I feared it might keep going straight up!
2024-04-06 at 20:14 - comment by Alf Skrastins
MaSid and Diana... the good news about that short, but crazy steep bit on Tom Snow is that the new West Bragg Creek Trails Master Plan includes a proposal to re-design that section so that it is less steep and safe for most people to use all year round.
2024-04-06 at 22:46 - comment by MaSid
Sounds great Alf, making both directions more palatable. Didn’t notice that on the proposed trail map. Maybe I didn’t scroll down far enough.
 Some proposed new routes from the Master Plan.
2024-04-06 at 22:53 - comment by Alf Skrastins
It's not a new trail, just upgrading the existing Tom Snow. That will people to make a loop with proposed trail #7 and West Meadow, as well as proposed trails # 15 and #16.
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