JM and Mandy Hike (And Other Outdoor Stuff): December 2020

Monday, December 28, 2020

December 27, 2020 - West Bragg Creek Trails, Night Skiing

Amanda and I went out to WBC Trails yesterday afternoon for a cross-country ski. Unfortunately over 1,000 other people had the same idea. There was over a hundred people around the trail head/ parking lot area alone, and we decided it wasn't for us, so we turned around and drove home. We decided it might be a good idea to come back at night after everybody had gone home. We convinced Sam to join us and headed out around 6:30. When we got to the parking lot there was probably only two or three other cars.

The temperature was ~ -14C, and the sky was clear. There was a near-full moon so we barely needed our head-lamps. Although the tracks were in rough shape (probably mostly due to walkers on the wrong trails), it was very skiable. The solitude and quiet of night-skiing is unmatched, and we had a really great time. We did end up passing one group (the two sets of glowing eyes gave us a start, but we quickly realized it was just two dogs tagging along with the group), but after that we had it all to ourselves, and were happy to that we made the decision to come back.

Night-Ski Selfie

Sam and JM

Moon Shot - Sam and JM in the distance.

Trails: West Crystal - Loggers - Sundog East - East Crystal

Sunday, December 13, 2020

November 30, 2020 - Powderface Ridge (Loop), Elbow, Kananaskis

I decided to squeeze in one last hike before the winter gate closure. This would be a solo effort as Mandy was busy that day with some other errands. I decided to try Powderface Ridge, which I have done a few times before, but this time I would try to walk the entire ridge and come down the back way. Most people usually pop up onto the ridge for a bit, turn around, and return the same way.

I was hoping the sunrise at the end of our driveway was a good omen.

Sun peaking through the trees

I thought these clouds looked cool over Forgetmenot Ridge

Ridge shot (clouds still looking cool)

The walk up to the ridge got snowier and icier as I went, but my mocro-cleats made easy work of it. Once on the ridge, I realized how sheltered I had been in the trees. It was very windy up top. With almost no snow that I could see I decided walking the ridge and coming down the other side was a go. As I worked my way down the ridge it got snowier, but fortunately I had the hard work of another hiker to guide me through the snow and trees to the descent point. The trail they left behind looked like it had been there for a couple of days by then. The descent back to the main trail was nice, with one steep part near the end. I would recommend this method of doing Powderface Ridge, especially in the summer when the footing is likely quite good.

Happy to have done a trail I hadn't done before, I enjoyed the last couple of kilometers down to the trail head. With the winter gates closed now, I'll have to wait another six months to try it again. 😒

November 29, 2020 - Indian Oils Trail To Hill 617118, Sheep, Kananaskis

With the upcoming winter gate closures about to occur, we wanted to get a few last hikes in before we no longer had access. Today we decided to head down the Sheep River valley to Indian Oils. We made a last minute decision go to the The Knob, but when we got out of the car we realized how windy it was out so we reversed our decision and headed back up the road a couple of minutes to the Indian Oils trail head. There were already about a half a dozen cars in the parking lot, but we would end up having the trail to ourselves as the rest were doing to the more popular Mount Hoffman trail (one of Amanda's favourites).

First Viewpoint

There are not a lot of viewpoints, but it is a very nice trail walk through the forest. The first viewpoint is a good spot for a rest, and I suspect is the turnaround point for most. We stopped for a minute, then continued on a few more kilometers to our destination.

View From Our Snacking Spot

As we got further along the trail, the snow got a little more deeper and required more effort. We turned around at our end destination, walked back a kilometer or so, and then climbed a small hill to have a break and eat our snack. It was brisk and grey out, so it didn't take long to start cooling down. We quickly ate the treats that I stole from Mandy's Christmas baking stash and got on our way.

Mandy On The Trail Back

JM And A Big Rock

The rest of the way was smooth and easy (thanks to our micro-cleats). It was a peaceful and satisfying hike, and I was glad to be able to get out into the Sheep Valley one last time in 2020.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

September 6, 2020 - Summer Recap

My last post was mid-May. Because I have been delinquent in regards to our outdoor activities I have decided to list some of them here with a picture or two from each. We've done a number of new hikes over the summer which has been exciting for us. Moving last year has put us much closer to the places we love so much, and we are trying to take as much advantage as we can. This season we were lucky enough to do some amazing hikes on our own, as well as with friends from all over the country (Kanata, ON, Fort McMurray, AB, Prince George, BC), as well as with some new hiking buddies from the Calgary area. We are truly spoiled to have access to these beautiful places. With all that has gone on this year, being able to be outside in nature has become even more important for both physical and mental health. I hope everybody is staying healthy, and that you have been able to get outside to enjoy the fresh air. 😊

May 28, 2020 - Jumpingpound Mountain

JM, Mandy