The Anglin Lake Trails are tracked. This makes for much easier skiing. Maybe it's cheating, I think the lead person should have to suffer a bit. The entrance to the trails crosses a narrow section of Anglin Lake with a small bridge. The bridge is mostly provided so that park rangers can get in to their fire watch tower.

Elaine, Sandy, Jay and Rick crossing the bridge.

The trails are well marked, and at most intersections there is even a map! Since they are only a 15 minute drive from our cabin, the trails are not to be missed. (In the summer, I have also mountain biked in along the park boundary road)

1997

February 23. We are up at the lake to celebrate Sandy's birthday. The weather is gorgeous: sunny and about -18. Perfect for skiing. We go. We choose a place to start, unload the skis, then see the other vehicle pass us, without seeing where we have stopped. So, we pile back in to the truck, and check with Rick that all the skis are loaded. A nod from him, and we are on our way, chasing the other vehicle. We catch up to them, and decide to start at an alternate location, near the bridge. We unload, and Elaine discovers her skis are not with us. Everyone looks at Rick. Rick feigns innocence. A few of us hop back in to the truck, and zoom back... and find the skis lying on the road, right where Rick had ignored them. Zoom back to the rest of the group and finally start skiing. Across the bridge, and into the trails.

Rick, resting in the snow while waiting for stragglers

Warren and Sandy "You go first." "No, you go first"

We ended the trip, elated and glowing. Rick went overboard.

Rick, stripped down in -20 degrees.

2001 January 1

After a very pleasant experience around the Spruce River Highlands the day before, (click here to read about it) we thought we would take a quick spin around the Anglin Lake ski trails. This time we had Andrew, Bill, Gillian, Joan, Shannon and Warren. Rick had also lent us his video camera.

We arrived and unpacked. Once again the weather was gorgeous. It is always tough figuring out where to park the vehicles: should you can take the risk and drive down the "logging" trail and maybe get stuck? Or just park out near the street, causing problems for the traffic (all 10 cars which might pass by while we were out skiing)? In my Pathfinder, I would have chugged on down the hill, but in a friend's vehicle (Kim&Karin's Explorer) I chose not to, so we opted to block traffic.

Unloading by the side of the road.

We took off along the trails, gliding easily on the tracked trails. Quite a contrast to the day before on the hilly and untracked Spruce River Highlands. After about 2 kilometers, Bill and Shannon turned back and the rest of the "hardcore" skiers carried on. At each and every intersection, we opted for the longer route. A nice downhill run, and then, the compulsory uphill climb.

Joan took off her skis and started walking up the hill.

"It's a little early to go to plan B, don't you think?", said Warren.

"This is plan A" replied Joan, " I never had any intention of herringboning up these hills!".

After 10 meters of uphill climbing, Gillian fell forward to her knees, intending to crawl up the next 50 meters of hill. Luckily, the group was able to convince her of the folly in this... (mostly jeers and catcalls for the rest of your life!).

Gillian, Elaine, Andrew & Joan (no skis!)

Once at the top, we had a couple of pleasant little swoops down into the valley below, where we met up with a bunch of skiers going the other way, and a group of hikers. Some easy gliding for a few kilometers, then the climbs came back into play. But easy gentle ones.

Somehow, we gained enough altitude so that we ended up with an easy LONG downhill, of about a kilometer. No poling or anything. Just stand and glide along at a reasonable speed. We all remember this fondly. Then, back to the climbs.

Once again, as soon as we came to a junction, Elaine opted for the one which went UPHILL. We went up near the firetower, and then back down the park border.... This was too much like a boring road, so at the first opportunity, we headed back into the bushes!

More climbs, but we were now mostly going downhill, and it was pretty easy going. Having skidded around a corner on one hill, Warren decided that this looked like a good photo opportunity. There aren't many photo ops in xcountry-skiing that don't involve scenery! He was rewarded with the following sequence.

			Andrew skidded into the bushes.
			Gillian then skided out and lay down.
			Elaine then skidded out and fell down trying to avoid Andrew.
			Joan managed to fall down before the turn, and therefore made the turn easily at slow speed.

Gillian down, while Andrew walks on down the hill

All we had left was a big downhill to the bridge...

Joan celebrates...

A bit prematurely!

Then across the bridge, up to the car and home to brag about how far we had skied!

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Please send any comments to warren.long@shaw.ca