The Passionate Hiker: TOP TEN (7): Skoki Lodge (January 1985)

TOP TEN (7)

More than three decades ago, between 1983 and 1987 the Passionate Hiker was busy setting the foundations for his career, and his family, in Alberta, but it didn't stop him from going on a number of exciting adventures in the Canadian Rockies.

Here is the seventh of his selected "Top Ten" trips during that time frame. The narrative comes from his diaries, written at the time. There were no photographs taken on this trip, so the author has accessed the internet to find pictures which best reflect the scenery and the weather on that amazing weekend in the deep snow of the Canadian Rockies.

The Skoki Trail

FRI./SAT. 25^TH/26^TH JANUARY 1985:

SKOKI LODGE

Background to this Story:

Skoki is a remote and historic lodge in the Canadian Rockies, hidden away in the mountains near Lake Louise. It is accessed during winter by a challenging cross-country ski trip. This was an adventure I had looked forward to for some while. On a glorious winter’s weekend in 1985, along with some of my outdoor friends, I made it to Skoki, and beyond, and was not disappointed.

Our two-day adventure to Skoki Lodge and back

My Diary:

This remote ski lodge in Banff National Park was originally a major back-country ski centre back in the 1930’s. The lodge was built in 1930 as only the second ski hut in the Canadian Rockies, and apparently there’s a lot of history and legend connected with it.

Our team consists of the ‘English Mafia’ at Fluor, namely Nigel H, Roger H, Simon H, Mike S and myself. We check in at the Lake Louise ski lodge. Along with a handful of others we climb aboard a dirty old ski bus for the long climb up the Temple fire road through the forests. This is quite steep and our student driver shows off the extra low gear.

Just below Temple Lodge our [11 km] journey on skis begins. Snow conditions down here are excellent. After crossing the ski slopes above Temple Lodge, we head into the trees and follow a track-set trail up the valley. A lot of snow has fallen, so on each side of our trail there’s 2 to 3 ft. of soft snow.

Two kilometres later we break out of the forest and up the open alpine valley towards Boulder Pass. On our left is the Half-way Hut, full of history and ghost stories! Now we’re climbing steeply up to Ptarmigan Lake up a little ravine. Suddenly we’re up and over Boulder Pass, and Ptarmigan Lake stretches out ahead of us. A series of poles marks the route right across the middle of the lake.

Now we start to climb towards Deception Pass. Wax up for the steep open hillside. It’s not too hard and before too long we’re on the top of the Pass, at 8,200 ft. [a height gain of about 1540 ft. from Temple Lodge]. From here it’s all downhill. Open, gently rolling hillsides lead down into Skoki Valley.

Halfway down we are passed by a girl, her long dress flapping in the wind – “I’m your cook”, she exclaims as she whizzes by.

Once down in the valley it’s a pleasant ski through the trees to Skoki Lodge – a winter back-country paradise. This rustic lodge sits on the valley floor, surrounded by the forest, with some scattered cabins nearby. A log-cutting shed sits behind and a little swing out front. Timber, the enormous guard dog, sits outside in the snow.

Inside, the lodge seems large. A warm stove and hot drinks are welcome. This lodge is run by a guy and his red-headed young wife, from Revelstoke, and a couple of other girls. There’s no electricity here and only a radio-link to Lake Louise. In emergency only, one can get out of here by skidoo.

Roger and I make an afternoon trip down through the forest to the wide valley floor, on a fast trail with little room to slow down. A rather long uphill return to the lodge. The lower valley is surrounded by magnificent peaks, behind which the sun soon dips.

An evening of fun and entertainment at the lodge. About 20 of us share the 2 tables for a good candlelight meal – two of us packed-in bottles of wine. Alongside the dining area is a comfy lounge with large fireplace. We enjoy a very lively game of Trivial Pursuits!

Upstairs are some cosy bedrooms. However, our team of 5 sleeps in one of the nearby cabins, warmed by a standing log stove which we get going in time to warm the cold night air. It’s a clear evening and it dips down to around minus 20°C, which is cold, especially as the stove went out around midnight.

After a good breakfast, we set out eastwards up the valley and then gradually downhill towards the Red Deer Lakes, then turn south through a gap in the mountains.

This next section leads up through a narrow gulley through the forest, in deep snow, widening out into a pretty valley, leading to a much larger wide-bottomed valley. The valley floor makes superb skiing. We then swing right, on a steep climb up the valley side. A pretty trail in and out of the trees then down a little chute to a lunch spot just below Baker Lake. Deep snow and bright sunshine.

Baker Lake is over a kilometre long and we ski right along the middle of the lake at top speed! At the far end of the lake is a steep open slope leading to Boulder Pass and Ptarmigan Lake. Here, a keen cold wind forces us to put on anoraks and balaclavas.

The steep descent back down into Temple Valley is great fun. Pass several folk on their way up. Before long we are back at the Temple Lodge, where we sit out on the sun deck and enjoy a coke and a sunbathe. Very few people here, considering it’s a Saturday.

The last part of our trip is the ski-out to Whisky-Jack Lodge which I whizz down like a maniac! Join the throng of skiers in the lodge. [Our return trip from Skoki to Whiskey-Jack was roughly 20 km.]

On our way back we stop for a pint of English beer at the pub in Canmore. An excellent two-day ski adventure in superb mountain country – and surprisingly good weather for January.

STATISTICS:

Summit Elev. = 8,200 ft. (Deception Pass)

Height Gain = 1,600 ft. (on way in)

Ski Distance = 11 km (Day 1) + 20 km (Day 2)

= about 31 km total over the 2 days

Time on Trail = best part of 2 full days

(o/night at Skoki Lodge)

NOTE: I took no photos on this trip so these are all from the internet, showing what I recall as the best examples of the route, the Lodge, and the snowy conditions we enjoyed.