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HEALY CREEK/ BREWSTER CREEK/ SUNDANCE LODGE +
Report Submitted by DEMOCRATIZE AB
(trip) Date: Saturday Dec 02, 2023
Submitted: Sunday Dec 03, 2023 at 00:17
Participants:
A political skier skiing in the politically run Banff National Park
Discussion:
From the Sunshine Road parking lot, the Healy Creek trail was better skiing than expected. The trail has been snowmobile packed. No trackset. Generally good skiing with a few thin sections under some trees. Sturdy but thin base. Rocks are avoidable. There is roughly 20 cm of settled snow. With 7 cm of new wet snow the trail can be trackset and should provide good to very good skiing.
I broke the Brewster Creek Trail to a little beyond Sundance Lodge. Above the big hills you will find my signature straight fast trail. Ski conditions were poor to good. As my usual early season public service, I herringbone and side ski packed the hills a fair bit so with about 10 cm of new wet snow they should be in fair to fairly good conditions with most of my ski track being good to very good as long as one skis in the tracks and not cruse out of them. I hit a couple of dozen rocks skiing up to Sundance but only about a dozen coming down in my track. The snow in the my tracks sintered somewhat on some aspects on the ski down. This highly abused corporate horse trail will require significant snow before it is rock free, particularly on the hills. The snow today was very sweet and silky with a mix of cold affected faceted snow along with big hoar frost crystals on the surface in many areas. On some aspects the snow kind of felt like roller bearings when I was cutting turns on corners. That is a sign of snowpack danger.
If Brewster Creek is representative of other valleys, there will be a very dangerous rotten rockies snow pack this year once again. On some hillsides where, the 2013 flood took out a lot of creek bank, just lightly pushing the snow with a pole basket caused significant shallow 15 cm depth avalanches like I have not seen for decades. The avalanches would grow latterly in upside down V shapes. They are set off extremely easily on 40 degree slopes. I would classify that as extreme avalanche hazard.
There was less snow at Sundance Lodge than in the valley bottom. The temperature around 7pm was-5C with clearing skies and calm winds. Lots of predator tracks in the area.
Total distance: 20.00 Km
5 comment(s) posted
Comments:
2023-12-03 at 11:24 - comment by Mike W
Thanks for the detailed report!
2023-12-03 at 11:32 - comment by SkierRoger
I fully agree, Mike.
It really is a well done report. Great detail
Much better than some of those Political Rants we get...
2023-12-03 at 12:06 - comment by DEMOCRATIZE AB
The political information I provide about skiing and our parks is in reality far more important information as it informs people about tax waste and bad undemocratic government decisions regarding ski trails and parks operations.
The media does not cover what I cover as it is bought or blinded with government advertising or is supported by the government. How else does the ski nation learn about the political situation facing trails and parks operations? I know some skiers appreciate being informed with such information and if I can provide an information public service to some skiers, it is far better than providing no information at all.
2023-12-03 at 20:07 - comment by SteveR
Always enjoy the reports, Mr Democracy, and I for one don’t mind if there is a BIT of a political component, as you are obviously passionate about our parks, and don’t spare either side of the political spectrum in your critiques. But, when they turn into more of a rant I think that you might turn some away. Looking forward to reading about more nocturnal adventures!
2023-12-05 at 10:01 - comment by Viking Skier
I'm surprised that your political rants and beliefs would allow you to partake in paying to enter a national park and ski on trails groomed by tax payer dollars. Just the ski report please, which was great. Leave the politics to another site.
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