BOU AVENUE
Chester Lake Ski
After checking out of the Windtower Lodge & Suites in Canmore, Alberta on 13 February 2005, Kelly Wood and I headed to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park for a quick ski up to Chester Lake.  The snowy weather unfortunately obscured much of the views of the surrounding mountains, but at least the snow conditions were excellent which made some of the narrower and steeper sections of trail much easier to negotiate (our first ski trip here a few years ago was much the same).  Just as we reached the lake, the sun briefly made an appearance and revealed the impressive northwest face of Mount Chester.  Ensuing heavy snowfall prompted us to make a quick descent back to the trail head (round-trip time about 2.5 hours).
Great snow conditions! Kelly climbs up the lower (one-way) section of the Chester Lake trail.
Get metal edges! Kelly demonstrates her herringboning technique on one of the steeper sections.
Lots of snowshoers come here too! Kelly reaches the big meadow just before Chester Lake.  At left in the background is Gusty Peak.  Note the snow level surrounding the sign in the foreground.
Something about skiing on a frozen lake is akin to walking on water... Sonny skis out onto the frozen surface of Chester Lake.
Not bad...more than we saw the last time we were up here in winter. The northwest face of Mount Chester towers above its namesake lake.