Slowpokes? Well, there's always someone faster than you, likely just not me! If you are happy with a gentle pace, no more than about 250 vertical-m/hour, come join us!
It is about a 5 km and 750 v-m ascent up to the pass, with the last 50 v-m or so being a boot-back . The ski down to the moraines above Lake Louise is rather steep but should be relatively low risk. Then there is about a 2km skin track along the lake, back to the cars, with big grins on our faces!
Leaving Calgary at about 6:30am should help us reduce risk of solar input on the east facing slopes from the top of Mount Fairview that will be above us on our ascent. Not to mention the north and NE facing avy chutes that we must cross.
So we will explore the up-track to Surprise Pass, and Surprise Pass itself. I've never been there, but it is a fairly straight forward route.
If avy conditions deteriorate, there are many options for a Plan-B in the area, such as up Skoki Trail to Purple Peak, etc.
Everyone please think about route finding, terrain management and avy conditions assessment and be prepared to contribute as a group. As always. Together we are smarter.
Required Items to Bring:
The usual 3-antennae beacon, probe and shovel.
Recommended Items to Bring:
Ski crampons might be nice (hopefully not needed).
How to Get There:
Carpool Departure Time:
06:26 AM
Carpool Location:
Valley Meadow Close NW, south of Valley Ridge Drive NW, beside the park.
Carpool Directions:
Carpool location is Valley Meadow Close NW, south of Valley Ridge Drive, on the road by the park near the community club, as shown in the following link:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0905565,-114.244789,152m/data=!3m1!1e3
Notes:
AST-1 is a minimum requirement for this challenging terrain.
If you don't have a "mini-ski resume" of info on your club web-site profile, please send to me a "mini-ski-resume" (safety courses taken, typical ski tours completed, etc) so that you may be accepted on the trip.
Perhaps someone who has been there will join us, so that finding Surprise Pass will not be a surprise.
*Cancellation Policy*: If a participant is unable to attend a paid course or trip, there will be no refund unless the participant finds a suitable replacement that is acceptable to the trip coordinator. Acceptable waiting list candidates will have priority. It will then be the participant's responsibility to recover funds from the replacement. If the coordinator cancels an event, participants get a refund (less any non-recoverable costs). Note that ACC National does not refund hut fees due to weather, delay, closures, or any other reasons. The Calgary Section of the ACC is a not for profit club and we only charge attendees what it costs us to provide courses or trips.
Trip Feedback If you have any feedback, positive or negative, concerning this trip or any other, we want to hear from you!
Click here to be directed to our "Contact Us" page and contact the appropriate Chair person or the Section Chair. This is also a simple way to make your section executive aware of any praises, suggestions or problems you may have with any area of the Calgary Section of the ACC.
Thank you for your response.
Registration for this event closed on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 04:00 PM.