Join us for a weekend of beautiful backcountry Nordic ski touring day trips in the Jasper area! If you're wondering what Nordic touring is about, check out the article in the Breeze: https://accedmonton.ca/2019-1-9-a-nordic-touring-primer/. We'll be targeting Little Shovel Pass on Saturday, and probably Bald Hills on Sunday (though we could just go lazy for a mellow ski up to Summit Lakes and back, depending on conditions). Check out Chic Scott & Darren Farley's "Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies" (available at Track'n'Trail and elsewhere) for the definitive beta on those trails. Some trail-breaking and route finding is likely. We stick to low avalanche risk areas but some exposure is inevitable, so avalanche safety awareness and gear are required.

Accommodations are up to each participant. Michele and I are staying at the hostel in Jasper, the HI one on Sleepy Hollow Rd. (Be aware that there is another, the Downtown one; we've heard it's nice too but haven't tried it ourselves.) We'll arrange carpools to the trailheads depending on participants' preferences. There's no fee for participation.

Skis: This trip is designed around Nordic touring (aka "light touring") gear: wide off-track cross-country skis with metal edges. AT and tele gear are OK too. Regular XC skis are not suitable; they are not wide enough and metal edges are required. Splitboards aren't fun on the rolling trails we'll be skiing.

Climbing skins (kicker or half skins are sufficient)

Avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe

Daypack

Pure Outdoors in Jasper (https://pureoutdoors.ca/winter-equipment-reservation/) now carries backcountry Nordic gear (they list it under "light backcountry") if you need. If you want to go full AT, Gravity Gear in Jasper is the place.

 We can reserve club avy gear for those who need it; just let us know as early as possible.

Sunscreen

Insulated pad for sitting on at lunch stop

Thermos (Some hot tea at the lunch stop is really nice! The Bear's Paw in Jasper has good tea.)