Trip Report
Cross-country Ski - Lost Lake
this was a really fun overnight trip - that we shared with the inaugural winter bikepacking trip...same route, different modes of snow travel, same camp - shared kitchen, food & companionship.
Janette Powell
- Fri, Mar 3, 2023 — Sat, Mar 4, 2023
- Cross-country Ski - Lost Lake
- Lost Lake
- Cross-country Skiing
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The trail was groomed for the first two miles - snow was soft & a bit sticky - they'd had 6 inches of fresh snow. Once we turned to follow Roaring creek (FR4580) it was evident that many snowmobilers had been on the road (it had been groomed the night prior & then 6 inches of fresh snow was on top & most of it was churned up by the snow mobiles)
On arriving at the boat ramp area it was evident that the soft snow was deep. we knew this would be a travel challenge for our bike packing buddies - so we tried to choose a site that was easily accessible for them.
We all knew this route well - the bikers & the skiers had all travelled to the lake this winter. We all wanted to test out this route loaded up with winter camping gear. We collaborated on the planning. We knew there would likely be different travel speeds between the bikes & the ski's - so we devised our communication plan (yeah for satellite communication - InReach).
The skiers left first (we were delightfully surprised by the large blue patches of sky). The first two miles are on groomed trails 
after about 1.5 miles my fellow skier had a ski that delaminated (they were older ski's & the base pealed off) we got to troubleshoot a quick repair (leukotape) which helped for about .5mile & then the snow abraded thru. We talked & strategized thru our options & they choose to keep going, the ski felt a bit sticky, but not bad - we could always camp at a closer location or turn around at any time & try this again with different equipment on a different day.
Once we turned to follow Roaring creek (FR4580) we kept scouting out campsite options - but the delaminated skier was doing OK & kept opting to continue on. After Roaring Creek community the incline increased - but we also knew we were now getting close to lost lake.
We'd been communicating with our biker buddies along the route (they were closing the gap between us en route). On arriving at the boat ramp area we selected a campsite within the trees - plenty of room for a number of tents, not excessively snow laden trees, relatively flat surfaces.
We had barely got our tents/hammocks set up & our biking buddies arrived.
once everyones tents/hammocks were set up - we made a simple kitchen & enjoyed our meals & each others company (I'm lucky all my friends like great treats - so there were many belly's very full of delectable food). We were so lucky that the snow didn't start to fall until after camp was set up (not a heavy fall, but a persistent one).
We got to hear the groomer go by during dinner & the light that it cast across the way was lovely.
we all slept well, surfaced from our sleeping locales around sunrise...had breakfast & pulled down camp & explored the lake briefly - taking pics & then headed back down the trail.
this is a pic Emma took of Brian & I down at the lake edge.
with plenty of soft snow - it's wasn't a speedy run, but it was beautiful.
this is another pic Emma took of the two skiers & Brian on our return route.
this was all of us at a great viewpoint (about 1.5 miles down - on the speedy fun section, not that it was that speedy) I love this viewpoint here.
A delaminated ski still worked good enough on this trip (a bit more sticky, but manageable & that skier had all the say in whatever was the best next step on the trip). Snow conditions are always changing. It was so fun collaborating & sharing this trip with two different modes of snow transport & awesome to share the great times in camp.
I'm looking forward to the next time we plan & shared a mixed outdoor sport adventure. The skiers were definitely slower than the bikes - but on firmer snow that gap would likely be more narrow.