Playing Catch-up!

Nicola, a 2010 winter visitor at Bowron Lake, e-mailed me some time ago to find out how fellow winter enthusiasts, Steve and his group, did during their icy ski around the chain. I had hoped that one of Steve's group would send me a report, but to-date none has arrived so I confess that I must play catch-up without them. From memory then... Steve's group which consisted of four men and two dogs -- sort of 'skiied' -- the chain during our exceptionally strange 2010 winter. They left on Feb. 27th, 2010 and were welcomed to Bowron Lake with the seasons first 'downpour'... down right blasphemy in February!! Luckily it hit just as they reached a cabin. They returned 8 days later after completing the full circuit. They reported wonderful winter conditions despite the shortage of snow!? They found bare ice most of the way, only part of Isaac Lake had an actual thin layer of snow where they could kick and glide. They ended up double poling pretty near the whole way and reported ending with arms as big as apes and thigh muscles strained from trying to keep their skiis together. The trails, they said, were bare most of the way, which necessitated pulling their sleds over gravel.

The rivers were open and open leads of water greeted them at McLeary Lake where the Cariboo River joins in. They had to 'beat their way thro the bush' for most of the river. They reported at least 12 inches of ice on most lakes, and thin ice shelves along the edges of the rivers. They heard wolves and saw Ravens on Sandy Lake, a good indication of a 'kill' nearby. The ice 'talked' on most of the West Side, but Bowron Lake by far, took the cake with it's cracking and rumbling, this would be because they came home on a beautiful sunny day and the ice loves to snap and move when the sun hits it! Only one of the four had skins on his skiis which he said helped him even on the smooth ice. All had good backcountry ski gear with sturdy covered polks (sleds). Even the dogs, who carried small packs with their dog food, were frisking and happy on their return.

OK guys... now that I have written this up in such a public place ;-P send that report so I can see how 'correct' my memory is!!