Mt. Nusatsum

Mt. Nusatsum

Sunday, January 3, 2010

XC Skiing

Today was dedicated to XC Skiing with my wife and the dog.   The dog and I did the 12 km track while my wife did the 7 km track on the fabulous East Branch crossing country skiing area in Tweedsmuir Park.  Volunteers maintain 30 km of tracked trails through beautiful Chilcotin pine forests.  It was a fine day for it, -3 C in the Bella Coola Valley and only - 6 C up top in the park.  There is over a metre of snow base and good fast conditions.  It's what makes Bella Coola special - that we have access to such 'interior' activities so close to a 'coastal' location.


The photo is along the way of the 12 km trail on the west end where the 2500 ha Heckman Pass wildfire swept through this area in late July of 2009.  It's beautiful in it's own way with the contrast of the burnt trees on the snow, but also sad to see the end of an amazing stand of Lodgepole Pine  (Pinus contorta)  in this area.  Some of these trees had reached 50 cm in diameter and were very old because the growing season at 5000' elevation is short.  Unfortunately if the fire hadn't killed them the Mountain Pine Beetle was well on its way to creating the same result in this area.  Grizzly

1 comment:

  1. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

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