Early Season Backcountry at Chester Lake

With snow finally falling in earnest and the ski hills already open, it is time to start getting out into the backcountry for some famous Rockies’ skiing! I headed up to Chester Lake last Saturday for an afternoon warm-up on this popular and scenic locals’ favorite. Beautiful day with great snow coverage for so early in the season. The Chester Lake/Burstall Pass area in Kananaskis country is part of a snow belt so it is one of the first skiable trails within an hour of Canmore. It was a stunning day for touring and a great location to enjoy for my first time on skis this year. Arriving back down to the parking lot after a quick descent, there was a huge cow moose and her calf hanging out right by the trailhead sign. I’d heard stories about an angry moose at this lot chasing skiers and snowshoers into their cars. With a calf added into the mix, I was especially careful to exagerate the slowness of my 50 m walk through the open lot to my vehicle. It was amazing to see such a powerful animal up close (but not too close!).

Our first Intro to Backcountry Ski course is coming up on December 11th – 13th/09. Come out and learn a great new sport to help you enjoy the winter backcountry.