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 probably ski Little Shovel Pass on Saturday and Bald Hills on Sunday. 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 the trails. The tours we plan are rated "intermediate" in Scott & Farley. Some trail-breaking and route finding is likely. We stick to lower avalanche risk areas but some exposure is inevitable, so Winter in the Mountains or AST1 is required.

Accommodations are up to each participant. We'll arrange carpools to the trailheads depending on participants' preferences. There's no fee for participation.

We'll all ski on Saturday and Sunday. Michele and Lee have Monday off as well, and will ski that day too; anyone else who's free is welcome to join.

• 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 are not fun on the trails we'll be skiing.
• Climbing skins (kicker or half skins are sufficient)
• Avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe
• Daypack

Insulated pad for sitting on at lunch stop

Sunscreen

Thermos