Snowshoe Snapshot

Sat. 12 May:  Snowshoe Snapshot

Photographers Unite!   Today I answered the call for a photo from a certain mountain viewpoint in deepest Kananaskis Country.  This request for the picture of Mt. Murray came from the author of a popular snow-shoeing guidebook, who is working on the next volume.

The weather promised to be perfect.  I knew that, even in May, there’d be plenty of snow in the Smith-Dorrien corridor, so it was an ideal first outing for my Jeep Liberty.

At this time of year, they close off the Chester Lake trails and parking area, to prevent trail damage during the Spring melt (and also perhaps to avoid bear encounters in this grizzly-popular area).  So I parked across the road in the Burstall Creek parking area and sneaked past the “no entry” tape to gain access to the snowshoe trails up the side of the Smith-Dorrien valley.

What really surprised me was that the snow was hard-packed the whole way up the trail.  I had worried that I might sink up to my knees in soft snow at every step.  Instead, I simply hiked up the hill wearing my MICROspikes for added traction.

This is not a spectacular hike.  The trail runs mostly through the trees.  However, there are some good views of Mt. Chester and, across the valley, the twin peaks of Mt. Murray.  The viewpoint itself is simply a partial clearing in the trees.  Nevertheless, I snapped away eagerly, to give my author colleague plenty of choices.  Here the snow was still several feet deep, and yet it still held my weight.

Since I had brought my snowshoes along, I strapped them on for the return journey, which was uneventful.  It’s “between seasons” up there in the mountains.  Although there is still plenty of snow, everyone is ready for it to melt so the hiking season can get started.  For anyone seeing my photo of Mt. Murray in the latest snowshoe guide, it would give the impression of a perfect winter scene, not a warm day in Spring. 

It was a short trip, but none the less enjoyable as it had allowed me to find another way to share my own passion for the outdoors - and it was an opportunity to inflict my scenery photos on the luckless reader!

Statistics
Mt. Murray Viewpoint
Sat. 12 May
Total Dist.	4.0 km (hike) + 3.6  km  (‘shoe) = 7.6 km
Height Gain	600 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,900 ft.
Time	2 hrs. 23 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike: 7.54 am Viewpoint:      8.58 am Ret. to car:   10.17 am	Start Temp:  + 3 C End Temp:  +11 C Cloudless, no wind