Trail Cafe: Trip report - Peter Laugheed Prov Park Pocatera - Morain-Elk Pass-Tyrwhitt-Whiskey Jack

Summary:

Title: Peter Laugheed Prov Park Pocatera - Morain-Elk Pass-Tyrwhitt-Whiskey Jack
Trip type: skiing
Summary: Late season cross country trip in the southern part of the Peter Laugheed Prov. Park ski trails.
Author: M. Tanton
Date of Trip: May 2009
Country: Canada
Province: Alberta
Location Route: Peter Laugheed Prov. Park ski trails
Distance: 17km
Directions to Set in or Trail head: West from Calgary on Hwy 1 to hwy 40. Turn south for 50km, turn left on RR904A (just prior to gate). Follow the road for 9.5km and turn right into Boulton parking lot
Directions to Take out: loop
Partners: solo
Author's Experience level: Novice-Intermediate
Authors Trip Rating: Good
Trip's Good Points: Groomed tracks, fantastic views, reasonable number of people
Author's Email: Myrlmungeattrailcafedotcom (remove 'munge', convert 'at' and 'dot' accordingly


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Trail Description:

The Peter Laugheed Provincial Park cross country ski trail system, is often referred to as Pocaterra, Elkwood, Boulton, or Elk Pass. Each of these names are the names of the parking areas, that offer access to the overall trail system. According to the brochure, which I recommend you pick up for $1.50 or so at the information centre just after the entrance to K-country, there are over 75 km of trails in this system.

Even if you do not buy the brochure, it is often worth a stop at the information centre to get recommendations on which trail, or trail system you should head out to for the day. These are (periodically) groomed trails, and the folks at the info centre will have good information on trail conditions. The people there have always been very friendly, and helpful. Today while looking at the map, Bob (or perhaps Don?) suggests that anything to the right (East according to the map on the brochure, which is off by 90 degrees) of Boulton should be good as it was groomed the day before, although there was a bit of light snow the night before.

Bob mentions that these trails allow for a more challenging options than my normal set of trails. This sounds good to me, I'm not an expert cross country Skier by any stretch, so I'm going to try and stay on the easy and intermediate rated hills. Today I'm running solo, so these routes are a bit harder than I normally ski on with family (5yr old) and/or friends.

Heading off towards Morain Trail Heading off towards Morain Trail
I get to the parking lot just before 12:00. It is -1 deg C, so I put on the red wax, which is much softer than I'd have thought (first time I've used it). At first it seems like I'm wearing long snow shoes, this is just loose snow sticking to the skis. Once moving in the tracks the snow scrapes off and the glide is fine, allowing for the relaxing cadence that is part of what attracts me to skiing. From the parking lot straight "North" (really East) for a few hundred meters on a dual track run, then East onto Moraine trail.

A bit of a view. A bit of a view.
"Moraine - 2.4km - Intermediate", according to the brochure. Heading out onto Moraine it is clear that only 2 or 3 people have been on the trail in front of me since last nights snow . There is only a single track which varies from tree enclosed, to opening over a clearing below, it makes for an enjoyable and intimate trail. On the edge of the hill, there are a couple of benches along the way, the first is just behind you as you turn parallel to the ridge, its easy to miss. Its a nice change of scenery to suddenly have a view. Soon you are back in the trees again. The second half of the Moraine trail is marked as intermediate difficulty. I recall one section of "difficult" according to the sign, consisting of a short steep incline. At least I think it was on this section of the trail (It may have been later though).

Creek crossing. Creek crossing.
The Moraine Trail ends in a "T" intersection with Fox Creek trail. According to my brochure: "Fox Creek - 1.6km - Easy, This trails offers an easier route to Elk Pass than the Elk Pass Trail, since it bypasses a difficult hill in the first 1.5km of the Elk Pass Trail". Turning left on to Fox creek, the trail continues to be a single track, with the trees in close, with the creek for ambiance. At the second(?) bridge I am hot, I stop and take the time to strip off the sweater I'm wearing over my tee shirt. The place I've stopped at is a small foot bridge over Fox (or Boulton?) creek. Right now the creek is in a of partially open and partially iced over, with a couple feet of snow pile on the ice. It makes for a very picturesque place to stop for a break. There is a handy bench to sit at take a bite and relax, and in fact there is a group of three stopped here for a snack. The only people I see on this section of trail.

View of Mt Fox (I think) from the Elk pass trail
View of Mt Fox (I think) from the Elk pass trail
The second leg of elk pass (2.6km) begins after another creek crossing and is a double track run with Fox creek down to the right. Although in this case the creek was fully covered in snow. The left side of the trail is the high side of the hill bank. Above the creek and the trees the mountains (Mount Fox) are occasionally in view, mostly towards the end of the second segment of elk pass. The view today is often reduced by the clouds. This section of the trail is a long steady but gentle climb.

View from the picnic table View from the picnic table
After the fork that if taken to the left will put you on "Patterson", it is another 3km to the Blueberry Hill fork. This stretch has the scenery open up a bit more, but the weather plays coy providing partial views of the mountains. At the Blueberry Hill fort there is a picnic table, where I join another pair and have some lunch. Good old peanut butter and jam. My lunch mates they tell me that Blueberry Hill trail starts with a bit of a climb, goes around a corner then has another longer steeper climb. Those who take it are rewarded with a good view from higher up. It's an extra 3km or so that I'm already not feeling like taking, as I'm tired already. Sitting at the table the clouds have broken apart somewhat, and here at the picnic table are the best views of the mountains so far. Another good spot for lunch.

At the start of lunch there is what looks like a father and son combinations re-waxing up their skis, during lunch another couple goes by, and we are joined by yet another couple at the picnic table, just as my original lunch mates are leaving. This loop, and I think along with the Hydro-line trail seem quite popular... but then maybe it is just because I'm stopped here that I now seem to see so many people. Although away from the city you are far from alone out here, everyone I meet is very pleasant. The second group talks of plans they have a summer to canoe-run for a month from Sask to Cambridge house (?) on Hudsons bay. Apparently every one is going to be running in birch bark canoes. An interesting plan, and I'm keen to get my own canoe out.

The final 1.5km section of elk pass, continues up the side of the hill, and terminates at the Hydro-line trail, easily verified by it's namesake. There is a wide cut-line, with large power lines running through. Presumably the power is sourced at the generation station between the Kananaskis lakes, or perhaps at the Barrier dam. The hydro-line affords a good long view, down what seems a very strait trail.

After this begins the 4.5km "Tyrwhitt" trail. From the brochure: "Tyrwhitt - 4.5km - Intermediate, This trail runs through the gently rolling Tyrwhitt Valley from the south end of the Pocaterra trail to Elk pass. The trail is at the 1981 m elevation level and considerable snow accumulation allows for skiing as late as May. For your safety, please don't stop between the Avalanche Danger signs".

Crossing the Hydro line trail Crossing the Hydro line trail
After crossing the fairly wide Hydro-line, which affords a view down the long strait trail, Tyrwhitt begins as a narrow double track. Near the start is a bit of a down hill, marked as "difficult" on the signage, but intermediate on my brochure's map. I'd say the Map is correct, it is a bit of a nice run down hill after so much of mostly steady uphill skiing. The trail starts running to the east, but bends and runs north from most of it's length. There was a fair bit of traffic on the Elk pass trail, I'd probably seen a dozen people in total. On Tyrwhitt trail I only see 3 or 4 people over a similar length of trail. The views provided by Tyrwhitt are of the mountains to the East (Elk Range) and North (Gap Mtn, and the trees often open to provided vies of them.
Part of Elk Range to the east side of Tyrwhitt Part of Elk Range to the east side of Tyrwhitt
However they are obscured by the white of the clouds often today. The pictures lose the snowy mountain tops in the over exposed washout, and the vapours of the clouds in and around them.

Some time after about 10km, and around the middle of Tyrwhitt, I realize that I'm getting tired. I'm definitely out of shape in a bad way. My original plan is to run all the way around Pocaterra, which is easy/intermediate. However now I find the shortcut runs (Whiskey Jack, and Packers) beginning to beckon. Sections of these trails are marked black for difficulty, and that in my direction of travel that means downhill. As I said earlier I'm an intermediate cross-country skier, thoughts of careening off the trail, temper the optimism for the speedy short cut to the car. I decide to decide when I get to the fork in the trail.

[pic 15r]I do not see a single soul on the whole of Tyrwhitt, until I get to the first junction towards the end of this section of trail. This is the junction to the Lookout trail, but it is not really much of a short cut as it swings way back. Worse, there is a lot of black (i.e. Difficult downhill) on the look out Trail. I chit chat a bit with the fellow waiting for a friend at the junction. He tells me Pocaterra has a lot of ups and downs, and that my original plan will take a fair bit of time. Between Whiskey Jack and Packers trail, he suggest Whiskey Jack is the easier of the two shorter options.

Still on Trywhitt Still on Trywhitt
With that I continue in the direction I was going, and take my next left on to Whiskey Jack. At the start of this trail there is another handy picnic bench for a rest. This is not the first time I've been on this section of trail. My buddy has brought me out here, on my first X-country trip since the 1980s, and the first one in the mountains. That was two winters ago. I remember being pretty... well.. terrified is a bit strong, but not much, when going down this trail last time. This time is better but even with a full on snow plow the inch or so of snow above the smooth and icy base does not prevent me from gaining speed. I never get out of control, but it seems like I'm on the edge. Good thing no one was coming up this narrow trail. Visions of careening off the trail down the embankment do occur, but I manage to stay on the track. This is pretty much exactly the same as how it went last time too.

The Whiskey Jack trail becomes easier after the first descents, it comes along side the campground road, and leads me right back to my car. 17km in all today.



Gallery

Heading off towards Morain Trail

Start of Morain trail

A bit of a view.

Nice single track

Creek crossing.

Looking at the creek

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heading up Elk pass

View of Mt Fox (I think) from the Elk pass trail

View from the picnic table

Crossing the Hydro line trail

Entrance to Tyrwhitt trail

Part of Elk Range to the east side of Tyrwhitt

Hey what is that Black diamond sign!

flat section along Trywitt

Still on Trywhitt

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Content Copyright M. Tanton 2009


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