Nordic skiing out of 2022 and backcountry skiing into 2023 with a stop in Minneapolis in-between!

brianzurek
Jan 22, 2023
6 min read

2022/23 marks my 3rd year spending winter in Calgary with Eva. While going into January the snow has been sparse we have been making the most of it by exploring the backcountry - Eva with Mt Richardson in the backdrop.

WARNING!!! ahead lies a large amount of ski photos - to see what else we have been up to skip to the end ;-)

Skiing

Early Season

The year started out with a bang - no sooner than I arrived the snow began to fall. Mid November and it was time to pull out the classic nordic skis and prep them for the season ahead

A nice day out with our friend Adam in Peter Lougheed Prov. Park.

Fresh snow coats the trees

Emerald Lake Lodge

For Eva's birthday we headed up to Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park. On our way out we stopped in Banff for a nice ski up through the trees.

Eva skiing in the snow covered trees

Eva looking at trees from a bridge

After Banff we drive on up to the lodge, Brian enjoys the view

before he warms his feet by the fire

and Eva enjoys some goulash soup!

the next day we ski along the Kicking Horse River

maybe one of the more under-rated ski routes, as it has some spectacular scenery

Brian ignores the views and stops to check his phone and wonders why he isn't a vanlife celebrity influencer yet...

meanwhile Eva enjoying the view

While Brian decides its a good time to keep an eye out for horses that kick

thankfully the sun is out, scaring the kicking horses away

The trail head is at a 'natural bridge' over the river, in the winter the river is frozen making for an interesting area to explore

Now its Evas turn to enjoy the views back at the lodge

time to enjoy another dinner back at the lodge - Brian disappointed by the lack of Caribou on the menu eats a Buffalo burger

On our last day of the trip we ski up some trails around Lake Louis before heading home

A gray day, Brian heads up to the lake

Eva at the lake

and so ends a nice 3-day trip to Emerald Lake Lodge

A night at Kananaskis Hostel with Will and Trish

With Christmas around the corner we head up to K-country for a short 2-day ski. On the first day we hit up the ribbon creek trails, a nice rolling adventure

Perhaps thinking of dinner Eva looks for fish

While clouds loom overhead

The night was spent with our friends Will and Trish at the local Hostel - here we all enjoy some of Evas famous mini-pies for desert!

The next day we ski up to an overlook to get a nice view of the valley below...

Eva happy to have some fresh set tracks

the view

Rockbound Lake - a new year / a new adventure

For the start of the new year we set the goal of getting more into off-track / backcountry skiing - this is the beginning of the journey, no more groomed trails, today we set out into the wilderness with just the skis on our feet and packs on our backs... what happens next? Will man best nature? or will we be lost to the call of the wild? Thankfully we have our friends Will and Trish to guide the way and lend us some skins to ski up the icy slopes up the side of Castle Mountain...

Trish and Eva go over strategy at the trailhead

Eva shows no fear and leads the way up the trail...

Brian and Trish enjoy the snow

Eva and Will enjoy a snack

Eva with skins on climbs up a short steep slope

A frosty Eisenhower tower looms overhead

The team continues with the final push on up...

At the lake...

we continue on...

the view

ice crystals - pretty!

time to head down...

for fear of certain death if focus wasn't 112% the decent was left undocumented - did it or didn't it happen? did Brian make it down unscathed or fall on his butt 10 to 20 times we may never know... but this much is certain a good time was had because this would not be the last backcountry adventure

Paradise Valley

For our next backcountry ski adventure we are again joined by Will and Trish and this time we come prepared with skins and Brian with a new pair of skis and boots! Skied up and ready to head out! look at those fancy skis and boots!!!

Heading off the beaten track...

Eva crosses a snowy bridge...

the team skis on...

The trees clear to show us a glimpse of the landscape that surrounds us.

and on we go...

time to skin up...

up we ski to Lake Annette

taking in the view

and stopping to enjoy some lunch

Eva thinks she spots the elusive Yeti

after lunch its time to head down

no shortage of pretty views

Eva smiles to be almost back at the car

Healy Pass

Another weekend another backcountry ski adventure with Will and Trish... the first 1/2 of the trail was an icy mess, the lack of new snow is beginning to show. That said once we got up aways the snow improved. Breaking out of the trees we were rewarded with a light layer of fresh snow

Up we go...

we stop for lunch

make some fresh tracks

Eva taking it all in - still on the lookout for the elusive Yeti

Regrouping

and heading down...

Skoki Lodge

With a few outings under our belt we were ready to head out to the famous 100 year old Skoki Lodge for a night - famous for hosting Prince William and Kate on their honeymoon - if its good enough for them well maybe it might meet our standards... Normally only available for a minimum of 2 nights we managed to grab a single night by booking late, which works perfect with our inability to plan far in advance - win/win! The Lodge is only accessible by skiing in 11km from Lake Louise. This is our route in...

Eva at the trailhead

Brian packed for a nights stay, eager to get going

Eva heading out

Eva heading up Boulder Pass

At the pass...

Crossing Ptarmigan Lake

Here comes Eva with the sun peaking into view

Almost to the base of Deception Pass

At the base and skinning up

Skis back on...

up we go...

Brian happy to be at the top

what a view!

Brian smiles after making a few telemark turns

Brian still smiles after he fails to complete his telemark turns...

Eva showing proper downhill technique in nordic gear on steep slopes

and like that we arrive at the lodge

Brian wondering if its ok to enter

Eva enjoys her afternoon tea

as does Brian! an added bonus we are the first to arrive and have the place to ourselves...

After tea we enjoy some time by the fire

and a dinner by candlelight

Fresh salmon for dinner!

with no electricity lighting is done by candle and lamps...

The next morning its time to ski back out...

Happy to be back out

we check out a frozen waterfall

take some selfies

take in the views

stop to skin up

and ski back up the backside of Deception Pass

did I say ski up?

happy to be back at the top!

Looking back where we came

Brian all smiles after successfully skiing down the pass while making telemark turns

Brian photobombs Eva's celebration selfie at the base of the pass

Eva heads back across the lake

While Brian stops to take photos

said photo...

View of Mt Temple from Boulder Pass

...and back at Lake Louise - trip is complete!

Map with ski adventures for season

and with that we conclude the ski tour portion of this post

Christmas in Minneapolis

Besides skiing we went to Minneapolis for the holidays to visit Brian's family... Extended family portrait on Brian's Dads side

We went to the Como Park Conservatory with Brian's mom, sister, niece and brother in-law

the Conservatory was a nice break from the cold, Eva looks for the elusive sloth...

happy to have found it...

and enjoys the flower room

Not trying to get too comfortable we also go ice fishing...

Eva ready to catch a fish!

Only Melanie, Brian's sister, has such luck

We also enjoy time in the city

a day of, yes, skiing in Theodore Worth Park

and pastry breakfasts at his moms

Eva enjoying the Christmas spirit...

Finally puzzles and cookies!

If you have made it this far you know this time of year is really about cookies and puzzles. Eva worked long and hard and made some amazing Christmas cookies