Tales from the Hinterland: 2017/2018 edition

Looks like fun dudes :)

TR: Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017.

Headed to Arrowhead Provincial Park Nordic Centre with my S.O. Where we found they had managed to groom about 8k's of trails.   Skate skiing only -  so far - no track setting as there isn't enough base depth.  I should add that I really don't enjoy skating as it's an all or nothing technique..  As opposed to classic (diagonal stride/double poling, etc.) which can be done gracefully and even efficiently at just about any training zone (heart rate etc), not to mention the cross training benefit for skinning..

But skate I did, on too-soft-for-my-mass snow.   Felt great when I was done.  Bonnie kept looking behind her thinking there was some sort of lost in the space-time continuum steam engine chasing after her.  

Ok there.  I've confessed. There is a variety of skiing that IS NOT FUN.
(Cue a Peter Minde lecture... )

It seemed like a reasonable depth for my first day on skis:



LeChef and I followed the previous exped's tracks out to Secret Hill. Things had filled in over two days:



We were both in a mellow tour frame of mind, so after one lovely run down the hill, we toured over to Telemark Hill and back to the beaver pond:



It was a thumbs-up kind of afternoon. I'm glad I can see (more or less) without the glasses, because touring in them kind of sucks.



And of course, the long road up and out:



A very nice start to the season but boy, am I out of shape.

Nicely..  !   BTW, did you happen to notice the meandering track to Secret.?   I'm sure LeCheffie blamed me for getting a tad disoriented..  True Story!   Weird, or what?  

Telemark Dave wrote

Nicely..  !   BTW, did you happen to notice the meandering track to Secret.?   I'm sure LeCheffie blamed me for getting a tad disoriented..  True Story!   Weird, or what?  

Yes, you took a bit of detour beyond the whaleback. All good, I sorted it out. Just follow the fresher tracks next time.

I think I was following some wabbit tracks!  That'll teach me.  on the other hand it was an easy ski via Jackrabbit to Bonk..  I heart the Chargers..  No skins required now that it's nice and low angle..  I think LeChef was jealous of them, but he never admits it.  Just keeps saying they're a crutch fo the elderly..  
Sounds about right to me.

Telemark Dave wrote

I think I was following some wabbit twacks!

FIFY

Harvey wrote

Telemark Dave wrote

I think I was following some wabbit twacks!

FIFY

You're too kind Harv.  Hey, with a name like Harvey, you might be a wabbit!   Just Sayin'

We need a new drug for us out of shape old farts.

TR - Dec. 16, 2017

Met up with Lecheff to do a snowpack analysis at one of our stashes minutes from town.  The agreed upon consensus was yup, it's snow..  But barely enough to ski on safely.  We dropped into Obvi Bowl, decided one sketc run was plenty.  Skinned back up, then did a reconnoiter of new terrain..  And found another beauty natty hardwood glades bowl that followed a stream bed down the slope.   It was still in need of a ton more snow, but that didn't stop Lecheff from breaking his cable binder, and me from sticking my pole in between a couple of boulders only to yank the whole tip piece off with the basket..  

Turkeys are turkeys everywhere!

Sketchy tracks on sketchy terrain!

LeCheff, mid slope contemplation.

TR - December 17, 2017

Skip ahead a day and a couple of us headed SE to the village of Dorset, ostensibly to ski the Fire Tower Hill.
Little did we know (lack of local knowledge) that although Dorset is only about 30 miles SE of our local, it had got sweet-eff-all snow from last weeks Lake effect streamers off of Georgian Bay (Lake Huron..)
We made the best of it and got a good huff and puff skinning session in, took some pics and dropped back down the skin track - I haven't looked at my bases yet.  Too scared to.. Gonna need a bigger peetex candle.

Here in the Hinterlands, we're definitely not tree huggers.  More like tree humpers. McVittie, hoping this is a naughty (knotty?) pine!

The view over the bustling Hinterland metropolis of Dorset.  

We'll return when Ullr gets his shit together !

Telemark Dave wrote

We'll return when Ullr gets his shit together !

Good effort, gentlemen. You should introduce McVittie to the lush pow of Hundwalden and the joys of cat-sitting while I am away.

Short and sweet TR.  my sweetie and I got out for a Christmas Eve XC ski..  Best way to up my  slug like age depreciated metabolism prior to the next 48 hrs or so of cheer.  
Bonnie smiling away while our friend Jim pauses a second too long not to get his pic taken..  He's very adverse to social media..  weird, or what?  BWAHAHA!

Anyway MERRY CHRISTMAS to all you Harvey Roaders!  

So Santa-Ullr has thrown down and sent us a gift..  It's been puking all afternoon..  12-14" so far on top of about 5" last night..  It's forecast to continue overnight.. And then the bottom falls out temperature wise...... bluebird for tomorrow!  
Stay tuned.

Mining for white gold in the Hinterland hills today... I certainly didn't find the motherlode, but there were some pretty fine nuggets for this time of year..

Telemark Dave wrote

Awesome to have a spot like that to ski to.  Your quiver is righteous TD.

Just caught up on my Hiterlandainian ---- nice work gents

campgottagopee wrote

Just caught up on my Hiterlandainian ---- nice work gents

Thanks Camp!

No skiing today.  Looked at the thermo-meter and said eff-it.  Maybe tomorrow.

Happy New Year,  Harvey Roaders..  
It's been freaken cold here in the Hinterlands, but I'm guessing it's been the same in your hood.  Bonnie and I got out for a XC ski today..  Totally non eventful, as the masses stayed at home.   Gotta love dedication.  Anyway, I didn't take a single pic to share..  So there.

Telemark Dave wrote

Happy New Year,  Harvey Roaders..  
It's been freaken cold here in the Hinterlands, but I'm guessing it's been the same in your hood.  Bonnie and I got out for a XC ski today..  Totally non eventful, as the masses stayed at home.   Gotta love dedication.  Anyway, I didn't take a single pic to share..  So there.

Good for you, excellent effort. Tomorrow is supposed to be the "warm" day this, with forecasted high around -9 C (16 F). The overall news for the day is not so exciting:

WeatherOffice.ca wrote

 Tue, 2 Jan  - Mainly cloudy. A few flurries beginning early in the morning. Local amount 2 cm. Wind becoming west 30 km/h gusting to 50 in the morning. High minus 9. Wind chill minus 33 in the morning.

I have the day off but am still coughing up pieces of lung. Might drag my sorry butt around the slowshoe trail.