Add a comment
Print report
West Bragg Creek - Telephone Loop
Report Submitted by Alf Skrastins
(trip) Date: Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Submitted: Saturday Apr 06, 2024 at 20:42
Discussion:
With all of the new snow at West Bragg Creek, I decided to do another lap on Telephone Loop, before it all melts away.
There was a good freeze overnight and a dusting of new snow, but it was already above 0C when I started out. East Telephone was quite easy and fast, on a firm packed base... thanks to the single track that the fat-bike groomers had packed yesterday afternoon, on their way back from Long Distance. The tracked motorcycles leave a packed tread that is exactly as wide as a skier-set touring track. However, that track width doesn't vary between flats, uphills or downhills.
Beyond the Long Distance Junction at the top end of Telephone Loop, there were no tracks at all. Just lots of untouched snow for trail breaking.
The temperature got up to +7C and the April sun added even more melting power to the snowpack. The snow got wetter and heavier into the afternoon. If it freezes overnight, that will create a pretty good crust in the morning.
This was my 8th lap around Telephone Loop this season. Five on skis and 3 on a fat-bike (when it was way too hard packed and icy for skiing... but perfect for fat biking).
 Packed "fat-bike" track on East Telephone. Same width as skier-set touring tracks.
 West Telephone. Lots of trail breaking, but there is now a skier set track all the way around.
5 comment(s) posted
Comments:
2024-04-07 at 07:37 - comment by Diana Piggott
That sounds like fun!
I'm curious to know where the fat bike grooming that I saw on Moose Connector went to on the west side?
2024-04-07 at 09:01 - comment by Alf Skrastins
The fat bike grooming typically goes from Snowy Owl (south of Mountain Road) to Moose Single Track-Merlin-Braggin Rights- Reconnect. To get there, they normally go up Old Shell Road when Bragg Creek is frozen over and Moose Connector is groomed for XC skiiing. However, the ice bridge is now gone from Bragg Creek, so Old Shell Road is no longer an option. So, they went up Moose Connector to get to Moose Single Track.
2024-04-07 at 09:01 - comment by SteveR
Excellent! With the dense or refrozen snow, that snowbike track is now likely very challenging if not terrifying on many of the downhills for those on xc equipment. I only made it to Telephone once this season instead of an average of 3 times. Hopefully next season will see more regular ski grooming on this gem of a trail.
2024-04-07 at 09:13 - comment by Alf Skrastins
The problem today is isothermal snow… with no overnight freeze. The problem right now is snow quality, since we are at the start of a melt-freeze cycle, with more melt than freeze. The skier set track would be just as difficult on steep hills as a groomed single track, if you are on skinny skis in melt-freeze conditions.
Hopefully next year, we get consistent snow falls. With new snowmobiles and the new Bobcat, Bragg Creek Trails will have the resources to do more regular grooming of Telephone Loop next winter.
2024-04-07 at 09:22 - comment by SteveR
Overall, we enjoyed lots of very good skiing at WBC this winter. Thank you grooming team, for making it so despite challenges from the weather and other factors!
|
