Hi Everyone:
We went ski touring today in Peter Lougheed Park looking for corn skiing on the large southerly avalanche paths around the Fist. Temps were around -2 C when leaving the car at 7 AM. Generally good refreeze in all open areas with clear skies overnight, only in the tight woods our skis sank into isothermal snow occasionally when too close to trees. The crust was supportive until we finished our last run around 11.15 on the large slide path from the Mt. Smuts - Fist Saddle. 45 minutes earlier the corn would have even been better..... The ski out back to the road was still frozen and traveled fast. Back at the car around 12 AM.

Of note was an encounter with what we believe was an adult grizzly about 30 meters west of where one usually pulls the skins off on top of the Tryst Lake Ridge before skiing the southern aspect "Super Slope". We were scoping a possible traverse on foot across the rocks into the slide path when we noticed the head of a bear poking out and looking at us from behind a little ridge. We turned around and expedited our ski descent in the other direction, feeling pretty good that we had brought the bear spray along today.

The Spray Lake area seems about one month ahead into spring and none of the larger, western aspect ski ascents north of the Mt. Shark turn-off seem doable anymore this year.

Jorg Wilz
Mountain Guide ACMG / IFMGA