We skied up the River Loop and then did the Lake Loop (total of 7.06 km).  We left the parking lot at 10:30 and the day had already started to warm up.  Going in was fine as long as your skis stayed on the snowmobile track.  We saw very large cougar tracks, maybe a day old along the River Loop.  The snow was soft.  My friend used a red 'bubble-gum' wax and I used a klister (10 to -3 range).  Both worked well.  However, glide was intermittent through sunny and shady areas.  The Lake Loop had some bare patches that we had to walk through and the snow along the lake was very soft (our dog was sinking to his belly when he ventured away from the ski tracks).  At one point, it appeared that there had been a moose fight.....lots of deep randomly scattered tracks in a tight patch (we concurred that this time of year they might have been enjoying recreational sex :) We got back to the parking lot at 1:00 

 

The folks at the Beaver Mines store showed me a printout from an internet weather channel and it would appear that we could get significant snow in the coming week. 

Today, Sunday, starts sunny and cool. Some new snow at Castle Mountain apparently, but not likely at the Syncline Trails. It will likely be crusty for the first couple of hours.

Don't forget a trail map posted on this blog on January 26, 2013.

The Syncline Trails are quite good, a decent base with about three inches of new snow on top - now skied over somewhat.

Unfortunately, our trail packer is on a two week holiday. We are working on finding a substitute while he's gone, but if it snows lots in the next two weeks, it'll be the winter outdoor version of aquasize, i.e. snowasize.

Happy trails.

Regardless of how little it has snowed outside the mountains, our scouts say the skiing is very good on the Syncline X-C trails, about 4 inches of new snow over the last couple of days.
We've posted a trail map of the ski area today, so you can print and carry it as you go.

Syncline X- Country Ski Trail map

SCaT Map by cfischbuch

though the trails at Syncline could use more snow, apparently the skiing and snowshoeing are still quite acceptable.

Six inches of new snow on the Syncline Trails last weekend. But not over much of a base. Those cold temperatures are gone for a while, so it might be worth an outing now.

Out yesterday and looked at the Syncline Cross-Country trails, but there's still not enough snow, unless you're using your rock skis.
However, we kept driving to Castle Mountain Resort and though they don't have quite enough to open for alpine skiing, there was plenty in the valley bottom for cross-country. So, we skied up the valley to the first big opening, on snowmobile tracks, and put up with a little bit of snowmobile traffic.

We went out 3 weeks ago and it was great skiing but now we need snow again.
Our group has been out 3 times to clear the trails and put up signs. More signs have been ordered to replace old or missing signs.
New trail maps are being printed off and ready in a couple weeks – coming from a member in Medicine Hat. We will have them in the brochure box at the main parking lot and at the Beaver Mines store, just west of Pincher Creek on the way to the Syncline X-C trails.
With enough new snow, we'll be packing the trails throughout the winter.
Pray for snow.

There's now very good snow out on the Syncline Trails and more falling as I write. The trails will be packed tomorrow, Saturday.

Have fun

Alas, the ski season might well be over on the Syncline trails. I was out on Sunday last and there's close to no snow under the evergreen trees, sometimes a little ice. The rest of the system had good coverage, though if it rained there much in the last few days it too might be gone.
I understand the Chinook Allison trails are still decent and, of course, going high (like into Waterton's Cameron Lake) you'll find good snow too.

I managed to wangle the day off today and got out on the Syncline Trails this afternoon - after a 45 minute long blizzard dropped snow nearby.

Strangely, though about 3" had fallen in Beaver Mines, only half that at the Trails. Nevertheless, the skiing was very good: that new snow over a well established base. It should be well worth your effort to get out.

Not too bad

Out skiing on the Syncline Trails this afternoon, and it wasn't too bad: a solid base with an inch and a half of new snow on top. A little skimpy under a thick overhang of conifers, the downhill sections might get skied out too soon, but with caution they should be alright.

Have fun.

Let's all take a moment to mark the passing of a friend.

Good Snow is gone.

I have to admit I haven't been out to the Syncline Trails, but it rained in the morning at the ski hill today, according to a friend, and he said the snow was gone from the parking lot. I don't expect there's anything decent to ski on at the Trails, nor will there be until we get New Snow.

Out skiing today on the Syncline Cross-Country Trails. A good base of packed snow, but with the warm weather it's a little fast and nobbly. Another 10 cm of snow and it would be very good.

I managed to get out Saturday just before dark. Called it wrong for the wax, but limped around one loop anyway. And I can say, the ski season has begun. Not much of a base, but usually enough. The new snow adequately covers any ice or bare spots. I'm anticipating the weather forecast will be accurate and will drop another several centimetres in the valley through the week. Then it will be all that much better. If enough snow does fall, we're hoping to get a packing done before the weekend. Maybe it will warm up by then too.