BOU AVENUE
Kananaskis Lookout Ski
After a six-year absence, Kelly Bou and I skied up to Kananaskis Lookout in Alberta's Peter Lougheed Provincial Park on 9 January 2010.  This was my fifth (and Kelly's fourth) trip up there--all on skis.  Given my reluctance to repeat trips, that speaks volumes about how much I enjoy this outing.  Starting from Elk Pass parking lot, we essentially did a clockwise loop following Boulton Creek, Whiskey Jack, Lookout, Hydroline, and Elk Pass trails.  The final descent along Elk Pass trail from the powerline right-of-way to the parking lot is still my all-time favourite end to a ski day (round-trip time of 4 hours).
We actually took the Boulton Creek trail by mistake, so this was actually my first time skiing this section (and maybe my last!). Despite the abundance of people in the park on this day, Boulton Creek is serenely quiet.
Stickier wax helps a lot here! Kelly leads the way up to the start of Whiskey Jack trail.
This section always seems to take longer than expected! Kelly skis up the northern half of Lookout trail.
2 hours 40 minutes up (including a lunch break at Pocaterra junction). The lookout building is within sight.
Not a bad day to be up here... This is looking south toward Mount Aosta (left of centre).
Can you also spot Mounts Invincible and Warspite? Mount Indefatigable and Lower Kananaskis Lake are visible to the northwest.
The clouds that fill this valley always look surreal... The Elk River valley stretches away to the southeast.
Looks dark and brooding on this day... Mount Fox dominates the view to the southwest.
The sign says that you're at 2073 metres and to stay off the private property, blah, blah, blah! Sonny poses in front of the lookout building.
Get ready for a wild ride downhill! Sonny begins to ski the southern half of Lookout trail.
Both Kelly and I had minor wipeouts on the way down! After some thrills and spills, Kelly skis along a tamer section of the Lookout trail.
It would be another six years before I would return to Kananaskis Lookout again.