Lake Louise, Canada

 Another easy start and big breakfast before driving up the road to Lake Louise, the other big ski resort in the area. I had been here in the summer to look at the fancy hotel and walk around the lake after a conference. The original plan was to ski until mid afternoon, then follow the mountain road up to Jasper and back to Edmonton.

The blizzards of the day before had closed the main pass so we had to go back through Calgary, much to my dismay .. but more later.

Parking in the already crowded car park we got ready for another stunning day on the hills. No sign of the blizzards from the Friday again, and lots of fresh snow.

We followed the same routine as the day before and spent the morning on the front face following a mixture of Blue and Black runs.

 The clouds began to roll in as the day progressed

 Wide open slopes of the front face

After lunch we went over the top to the Powder bowls, and after a run down the black bumps. Then I took Tony for an excursion into the off piste zone over the ridge from the chair ...  after all the time we had spent in Tony's comfort zone, now we were in mine..  role reversal.

A brief rest at the lodge around the back before making our way back up to the ridge ..  the bowls were calling again

And then back on the off-piste again for one last run.


Back at the car we quickly changed and prepared for the long drive back ..

I did the first stint again ... and going down the hill into Calgary past the Olympic ski jumps
I got caught on a speed camera .. The rental company sent me the bill several months later.

Back at Edmonton we settled into a hotel before getting up early to return the skis and also the rental before heading off to the airport, and the planes home.

A successful (except the later pain to the wallet) trip grabbed at an opportune moment.