Winter trips out in the backcountry of the Bowron Lake Chain are getting more and more popular with each passing year. Perhaps with better x-country skis and coldweather gear, more and more people are able to consider extended backcountry trips into BC's winter wonderland. Seems, quite a few summer paddlers will complete the lake chain to have their interest piqued as to what wonders winter might bring.... or they may read (or hear) about trips which other winter enthusiasts have embarked on. I can only imgine a surge resulting from the current winter issue of BCAA's Westworld Magazine which, starting on page 28, features a multi page spead about a trip into Isaac Lake during the winter of 2011 and is accompanied by fabulous Chris Harris photos. This article can be found at http://digital.canadawide.com/i/92267
The winter enthusiasts are starting their planning early this year. Already I have received several e-mails from interested parties wanting information about the winter conditions on the lakes. As I have mentioned to some... there is alot of information that can (and should be) researched before embarking on such a trip. Dave Jorgenson of Whitegold Adventures is a good starting point. He can give information on what to expect and how to plan, as he is one of the most frequent skiers in the Bowron backcountry. I am a good source for current ice and weather conditions as I live and watch the lake on a daily basis.... mind you I only see Bowron Lake from my window, and any 'guesses' I make about conditions on the other lakes are just that.... guesstimates resulting from past records, personal outtings and other skiers who are kind enough to share their trip reports.
A couple of things that I always stress to anyone wanting to complete the WHOLE chain of lakes are 1) don't get your hopes up... completing the WHOLE chain is NOT the norm and depends wholly on current conditions which can change daily... if not hourly; and 2) take more then one means of transportation.... this usually means taking skies and snowshoes, tho there was one year when the travellers sure could have used their ice skates! You just never know what you will encounter while you are out there. There are two trip reports posted on my website which illustrate how quickly the conditions can change. The Bouwmeester group headed out on Feb. 3rd 2007, and the Holmes group headed out on Feb. 16th 2007... both encountered completely different conditions resulting in very different outcomes. You can find these reports posted on my website at www.bowronlake.com follow the path BRM Services & Prices > Winter Time and scroll to the bottom of that page.
So back to my recent backcountry ski enthusiasts who are enquiring as to conditions.... I will try to keep the winter, weather and ice conditions posted here for your info. As you can see, I do not get to my blog on a daily basis but when there is something pertinent to relate I will post it here.... so keep an eye here, or as always feel free to e-mail me at sandy@bowronlake.com If there are any skiers or off season visitors out there who have past trip reports they are willing to share, I always welcome any information I can get.... it really helps me to help others plan their trips.
Today the weather today, Nov. 24th, 2012 is -1 celcius, warm; moderate wind; broken cloud... a great day for a liquid paddle as you can see in the pictures -- the ice and snow is REALLY SCARCE right now, so no skiing or snowshoeing yet!!! LOL The close up shows Sugarloaf Mountain wearing her cloud veil.
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