Early Season Ski Touring in the Blow me down Mountains, Newfoundland

  By Keith and Heather Nicol

Trevor Beck skinning through the small trees

     So far in the winter of 2013 it has been quite windy and snowy in early January and so we decided to check out the snow stability and skiing in the Blow me down Valley area of the Bay of Islands in Western Newfoundland. We drove from Corner Brook along the south shore highway and parked near the Blow me down Brook Nature Parking area lot (UTM 21 0410043E 5434993N). From there we put on skins and headed in along the summer trail which is hard to see in the winter but is marked occasionally by flagging tape and small wooded signs.  The area is quite open so route finding is not too difficult. The route passes by many rare white pine trees and this really adds to skiing in this area. The mountain tops were visible through a light snow but a real highlight was the lack of wind. When you head into a valley called “Blow me down” you really appreciate a light wind day. 

Checking the stability in the snowpit

        After about an hour we crossed a brook draining a large bowl and gradually climbed up to a small gully which local skiers have called Market Gully. There we decided to check out the snow depth and dig a snow pit (21 0410947E 5431978N). The snow in the gully was between 1.8 m and 2.4 m, although along much of the way in we skied across snow that was less than half that amount. The effect of wind was very apparent since the ridge crests were blown free of snow and we could see a large cornice (produced by wind blown snow) at the top of an adjacent bowl. We could also see the remains of a deep fracture line of an avalanche that had occurred just below the cornice.  The snow pit showed very solidly packed snow with very few signs of layering or instability. I think we all expected there to be more powder snow but we had to settle for anywhere from 2- 20 cm of fresh snow which gave us some nice turns on the way down. From there we headed to the south to check out area called Palaceglades. Here the new snow was deeper and we made many turns through the velvety snow (21 0411539E 5431918N). This trip also gave me a chance to try out a new G3 carbon speed tech probe and G3 Spade Tech shovel (http://www.genuineguidegear.com/).  I really liked how light the probe was and quick it was to put together. A bonus of the Spade Tech shovel is its small size so it fits nicely into your pack. If you haven’t been into this area it is worth checking out for anyone into ski touring or snowshoeing. Also if anyone is interested in doing an avalanche awareness course this winter contact Keith Nicol at knicol@grenfell.mun.ca  We have received funding from the Canadian Avalanche Foundation to do school visits, search and rescue group sessions and AST Level 1 courses as well to meet with other interested groups.

Andrew Stokes skiing in Market Gully

Explore Newfoundland on a cross country ski trail this winter

by Keith and Heather Nicol

Cross country skiing is good exercise

        Cross country skiing is a great way to get out and enjoy winter in Newfoundland. Cross country skiing is good exercise since both legs and arms get a workout. Like its name suggests, you can cross country ski just about anywhere there is snow. But a popular option for many people is to visit a cross country ski facility. Many communities in the province have ski clubs where there are trails groomed specifically for cross country skiing. These community based clubs often have a base lodge where you can socialize and many offer programmes for kids and adults alike.

   

        Cross Country Newfoundland and Labrador (CCNL) is the umbrella group for cross country ski clubs in Newfoundland and there are hundreds of kilometers of groomed tracks waiting for any visiting skier. There are 18 clubs spread across the province and many have well groomed tracks for both classic and skate skiing.  Also many ski clubs now have designated snowshoe trails to cater to this popular activity. Most have clubhouses which offer food and chance to warm up, rest and relax. A number of ski clubs are located in Western Newfoundland where there is usually consistent snow and there are several clubs in Labrador where the season may run from November to April.  There are also several cross country ski facilities in central and eastern Newfoundland.  The CCNL web site: http://www.crosscountrynl.com/ has lots of information and links to these cross country clubs and is a great resource for anyone planning a winter holiday in the province. The CCNL also hosts a variety of races and loppets and its web site has a detailed event schedule. Winter is a great time to see many parts of the province under a snowy blanket and there is no better way to explore than on skis or snowshoes. 

Cross country skiing is an ideal way to explore Newfoundland in winter

More Classic Roller Skiing Drills

by Keith and Heather Nicol

Roller skiing is the perfect way to practice x-c skiing

      Roller skiing is an ideal way of getting ready for the cross country ski season. It is so much like skiing that when you hit the snowy trails you feel like you already have lots of kilometers under your belt. I like to start out my roller ski sessions doing classic skiing and  I find the Jenex 125 RC roller ski to be an ideal choice especially if you are just getting into roller skiing. This is because it has 2 wheels at the back which gives it a solid feel. I also like the fact that these skis come with pneumatic tires which means it is good for rough roads and irregular pavement. Another bonus is that comes with an easy to apply brake which allows you to slow down if you come to an unexpected hill. To be safe ski at the edge of the road and wear bright clothing or a safety vest for visibility. Also a minimum of helmet and gloves should be worn in case of a fall. I usually ski on fairly level roads that allow me to mix up my technique from double pole to diagonal stride to kick double pole. The following new video shows some good balance drills for improving your diagonal stride on roller skis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUwRGPiQcI4   Thanks to Jenex V2 roller skis,  Rossignol ski boots and Infinity Ski Poles with their help with this video. For more classic roller ski tips see this post from last year: http://keithnicol.blogspot.ca/2011/12/roller-skiing-into-new-cross-country.html

Some great ways to get ready for the x-country ski season

    by Keith and Heather Nicol

Try a rocker board to improve balance

     An important skill to develop in all types of cross country skiing is balance. And the more you practice balancing exercises before you ski the easier it will be to find your balance on snow. Most of our summer activities like sea kayaking, hiking, or cycling may involve general components of balance but unfortunately this doesn’t transfer to x-country skiing. Therefore through the fall, we will practice on “balance boards” that are specifically designed to improve balance. This is an ideal exercise to do while watching T.V. and a favourite one is a rocker board (basically a square board that has a round piece of wood on the base). We will use one foot and try to balance on it for as long as possible until one edge of the board touches the ground. Be sure to alternate which foot you balance on. Another good balance board for x-c country skiers is the wobble board. It is well named and is a step above the rocker board in terms of difficulty. Again it is good for 1 footed balance exercises. Another board for practicing 2 footed balance is the Extreme Balance Board. As the name suggests this one is quite challenging. Check out Fitterfirst (http://www.fitter1.com/) for more information for various balance boards. We have posted a video of various balance board exercises on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R7ZSgWubtg.

     

The Extreme Balance Board is good for developing 2 footed balance

  

Fall hiking in the Humber Valley

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

Michael Newton walks through the colourful birch forest

       Fall hiking in the Humber Valley of Western Newfoundland has numerous options but a favourite with many people is the short trek to Barry’s Lookout. We did this trail on Sunday, October 14 and the autumn leaves were splendid. The trail was abit muddy due to the recent wet weather so waterproof hiking boots are recommended. What makes this trip such a standout is that it is short-just 1. 8 km (1 way) yet it gives outstanding views of Humber Valley.  Depending on how long you linger at the lookout bench and how many pictures you take enroute you can easily complete the hike in less than 2 hours. You can also extend the hike by walking further west along the ridge. On our most recent hike we saw a family with 2 young children out enjoying the hike as well as another person busy snapping photos as they hiked along.

The view looking east from Barry's Lookout

    The trail head is located in Humber Village and can be accessed by turning left on Maple and then left again on Pine. Drive down Pine to where the trail begins. One of the hardest aspects of the hike is to find the actual starting point-so here are the UTM coordinates for your GPS - 21    0442679 E   5426386 N. We usually park at: 21    0442803 E    5426419 N where there is room for a few vehicles. If there are readers that are interested in learning how to use a GPS for hiking or other applications let me know since we are planning another GPS-topographic map course for early November, 2012 in the Corner Brook area. Contact Keith Nicol at knicol@grenfell.mun.ca if interested in adding your name to list.

The yellow birch trees are at their peak right now!

Fall colours nearing their peak in the Corner Brook area

by Keith and Heather Nicol

This view overlooking Corner Brook shows off its fall colours 

   Corner Brook is the envy of many places in Newfoundland due to its impressive outdoor setting which really comes into its own in October when the trees change colour. As we write this on October 9, 2012 the colours are nearing their peak and the view of the city from the quarry overlook is one place to get great images of the whole area.

The tree lined Blomidon Golf Club is also very picturesque in the fall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Be sure to visit Margaret Bowater Park in Corner Brook where the autumn colours are particularly impressive.

Margaret Bowater Park is known for its fall colours