Snow Report: Jan 19/11 - Lots of Info

Trails are extremely rough! Flathead is painful - we have been so spoiled with all the grooming that it was tough sticking it out on the first 5km (it improves steadily farther you go down it) to make it to Barnes turn up but it was a very good day up in Limestone. Groomer is taking more work than originally thought and will NOT be out by this weekend so its only gonna get worse. Makes you appreciate Corbin Country Club grooming all the more. Pipeline is really bad also - its the warm temps that made the trails crusty and hard.

Was-17 start of the morning and was -10 by the end of our riding. Warmed up as you went up.

You will need scratchers on the trails. Curt was overheating on the way out on the Flathead.

Snow improved the farther up you went and at Limestone there was 6 inches of fresh on top of a firm base (not completely hard). In the trees there was plenty more.

We ran into James and Thomas (pictured in orange on the XP and blue on the turbo'd Nitro). Good guys from Calgary out for a day ride - grew up hanging out and riding with relatives in Crowsnest Pass. They went on to Rain Gauge and to all our surprise said the snow was deeper and softer and very good in there! Much improved from pre-dump of snow when it was wind blown to the rocks. I cannot tell you how safe it was in there except that they said not a bunch has come down on its own - and it will. These guys are experienced riders and I would not call Rain Gauge "a safe area" in these recent weather conditions but if you know where NOT to ride then you could check it out - stay in the trees in the middle best bet.

We went on to see if Elliott Lake had gotten snow and if all the big cornices had come down. Neither. Surprised that it wasn't full of snow - and everything was still up on the rock. Not safe and not really big boon docking worthy on the lake either.

Barnes Meadow has some open creek slush and the new snow there was not quite enough to cover old tracks yet. Didn't look like any of it had been rained on up there but the heat over the past few days certainly shrunk the big snowfalls days earlier.

Curt and Krauss going to try either Fernie area or McLatchie/Shepp Creek area tomorrow.

Over all - once we got past the trail we had a really great time climbing up in Limestone - playing and getting stuck in the trees. Good day. Our guests Ron, Ron and Mike from Red Deer really enjoyed that area also - something for everyone and safe with incredible vistas. Cheers-V