We start out with an avalanche training session the Wednesday prior and worked out how to find someone buried in the snow. We also covers the things that cause avalanches. Our objective here was to get a more real environment and try out the avalanche beacons again. Penstock trail offers lots of other points of interests. The trail loops around Loon Lake but the trail parallels Lower Kananaskis Lake by the dam. They have an aqueduct leaving the bottom of the dam that offers quite unique ice form made by small leaks in the wooden pipe.
The boys found huge ice slabs exposed by the receding water level in the dammed lake. It was like climbing around in a fissure from a glacier. We came to a cool spot where a stream entered the lake and left a high wall of drifted snow. Boys immediately seized the opportunity to start tunneling into it and make some snow shelters. On our way out we stopped at the Peter Lougheed Visitor centre and had a well earned meal of our leftovers. The facility offered a museum with many interesting facts about the area and wildlife.
There are many other interesting snowshoe trail in the area. See http://tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/Snowshoe_Trails.asp
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Karl Burndorfer - Scout Leaders / Parents |
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Liam Davey, Daniel Urquijo, Kevin De Oliveira - Scouts |
The expedition begins... |
Important to start with the right attitude! |
You got food back there? |
Really, I do tricks for food. |
No, I don't drive yet. |
According to the map we go left, no, make that right. Well maybe we're
going in the wrong direction. |
We could vote on it? |
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Look, I'm skateboarding down on this broken off piece of ice. |
Ok, now I'm just sliding off it. |
Gravity is not my friend. |
I should have sharpened the claws on these snowshoes while we were driving
up. |
OK Sam, you run this rope down to him..., stop eating the rope Sam. |
Want to see me start an avalanche, heave... |
If I lick it will my tongue freeze to it? |
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I think my tongue is stuck |
Hey you're right, your tongue does stick to it. |
Hey look an ice fissure |
Lets climb in... |
It's so cool in here... |
I'm in.. |
Ok , get me out now |
Look guys, my new Ice Guitar. |
Do you think it will melt before I get it home? |
Slippery, no, I'm just doing pushups. |
Where's my camera? Too late Kevin, the march of the penguins has already
passed us by. |
Hockey anyone? |
Look at those strange foot prints, Oh, hi Sam. |
Hey guys, look at these cool foot prints... |
Real men eat white snow. |
This is what happens when you don't walk on your snowshoes. |
Nothing like eating fresh snow face first. |
Important lesson, don't get snow in your pants, and for dogs.... |
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Scout spelling class. |
Whacking through a new trail is hard work. |
If one guy falls, it's like dominos |
How do you like my 'Wise old sage' look |
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Riding a snow drift wave... |
An Eskimo's life for me... |
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Hey, this one comes with a polished floor. |
Gofers got nothing on us. |
Our new home, still working on the adjoining rooms though. |
Comes with a maximum 1 month warrantee. |
How was I to know there was a hole under the snow? |
Ready to spear the elusive snow frog. |
Rat's, missed him. So much for dinner. |
Team ready to handle the return trip. |
Sam did a real fancy dance getting across this ice. |
So the boys try to show him up. |
There's the aqueduct, charge.. |
Cool aqueduct |
Guess it's got a few leaks. |
and more leaks |
and still more leeks |
Does any water make it to the end? |
Press here and fountain starts... |
Oh, there it is... |
Bit hard to get it in the right spot, but still refreshing. |
Hey an open stream |
Nothing like luxury dining facilities. Did you tell the butler to bring us
some waters? |
Liam provides for entertainment |
Really, it's OK to feed me.... |
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This was a senior citizen from a wolf pack. |
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