Lookout! It's Winter!

Sat. 19 November:  Kananaskis Fire Lookout

How suddenly the seasons turn here in Alberta.  Last weekend I was happily hiking across the largely snow-free foothills.  Six days later, I was skiing across snowy hillsides in temperatures below minus twenty degrees C. 

Not many people would welcome a forecast of such bitter temperatures.  But I knew that, under sunny skies, such cold weather would make ideal waxing conditions for my cross-country skis, as long as there was enough snow on the ground.  And down in Peter Lougheed Park, there was already plenty of snow.

Strictly speaking, mid-November is still “Fall”, not that that means anything around here.  So this was an early start to the winter season.  The winter gates on the highways into and through Kananaskis Country don’t close until December 1st, so this is a very narrow weather window for trips which are impossible when the gates close. 

My plan for today was to tackle the Kananaskis Fire Lookout from the short-cut “back door” route.  There is a short section of gated fire access road which connects the Kananaskis Highway with the extensive ski trail system, but it requires the Highway to be open, as the trailhead is about ten kilometers beyond the winter gate.  I had never explored this short fire road connector before, and so it was a pleasant surprise to find that it was a short and relatively flat ski from the car parking area through the trees to the upper regions of the Pocaterra ski trail.   

It took me a little while to organize myself before heading down the trail.  I had five layers of clothing including my jacket, and three wooly hats on my head, and I was just warm enough.  It always seems to take time for my hands to warm up, even with two layers of gloves.  While I was warm enough today, I felt no need to remove any of these layers of clothing during my trip!  The waxing of my skis was simple, it being below minus twenty.  In the meantime, while I was preparing for the trail, I was greeted by a curious coyote who crossed the road, had a good look at me, then continued on into the forest.

At the junction with the access and Pocaterra trails, I turned left and followed the snowy route towards the lookout hill.  I was first on these routes today, and so was breaking trail through perhaps six inches of fresh snow.  There was a faint sign of a previous ski trail below the snow cover, but it was still too early in the season for the track setting which they do so well throughout the winter.

Passing the Whiskeyjack junction and its lonely snow-covered picnic table, I soon came to the Lookout junction, and after rounding the first bend, came to the black sign warning of the steep hill ahead.  Here I took off my skis and hid them behind a tree, continuing in my boots with MICROspikes for traction.  I might have been better off with my snow shoes, but I managed well enough with the boots, as the snow was perhaps only about ten inches deep at worst, and often less than that.

The final leg of the switchback trail up to the lookout was longer than I had remembered from last time, but finally I came out into the sunshine at the top of the hill.  The Kananaskis Lookout commands one of the great views in the Rocky Mountains, with the Kananaskis Lakes spread out below, surrounded by grand mountains, many of which are over ten thousand feet high.  Although it was a cloudless morning, some traces of early morning cloud remained, and across the Great Divide, clouds were boiling over the peaks.

I climbed up the steps to the lookout viewing platform for a spectacular view all round.  There was hardly a breath of wind, which was very helpful at these temperatures.  The forecast had suggested windchills around minus 35 degrees C.

I cleared off the picnic table in the snowy meadow below the lookout, and signed the visitors book which was hidden inside the snow-covered mailbox. The last people to sign the book had been up here six days previously, on the 13th.

As usual it was a fast descent to the bottom of the hill, where I put on my skis and glided smoothly back down the trail to the car.  It was along the upper section of the Pocaterra trail that I met the only other skiers so far to venture out – two separate couples, who were making good use of my track-setting!

By the time I reached the car, it really didn’t feel particularly cold, until I removed my layers of hats.  Then it was time to jump in the car and turn up the heater.  Winter had arrived in a hurry.  Judging from today’s trip, this season promises to be full of fun.

Statistics
Kananaskis Lookout
Sat. 19 November
Total Dist.	3.0 km (hike)   + 5.2 km (XSki) = 8.2 km
Height Gain	900 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,950 ft.
Time	2 hrs. 56 mins.

Other Stats.
Start ski:         9.15 am Start hike:     10.05 am Arr. L/O:       10.50 am Dep. L/O:      11.10 am End hike:      11.30 am Ret. to car:    12.11 pm	Temp: Cold; minus 21 to minus 17 C Cloudless, almost no wind.  4-10 inches of snow on trails.