Mid-February blues? In Alberta the third weekend is a long one with a Monday " Family Day ". 

For the first time in about 3-4 years got to go up to Jasper Alberta and joined several families in the annual x-c ski weekend in the Rockies...a tradition of almost 30 years. Our group which included at least 12 children  stayed at Athabasca Youth hostel and the other more adventurous group went to Beauty Creek further down the highway 93 south of Jasper. Dorm style cabins and outdoor johns and lots of fluffy snow made for a good adventure for all...one dad here adjusting the bindings for his pre-schooler... Short skis up the — at Athabasca Falls road or Geraldine Creek, slippery walk up  Maligne Canyon Jasper. ...( it was just above freezing...note the snowballs ) and swimming in Jasper town site with day trips. Reading books, lounging in long johns, board games, & shared meals all made a perfect getaway from the city .

Lesson #65: if your bindings keep slipping out on the first Sunday run from the top of the basin when yesterday “everything worked” something is wrong!..e.g.grabbed the wrong rental skis or someone else yours.

Lesson #15:next time when booking the hotel and looking forward to an end of the day soak specify a bath tub as well as the queen sized bed, other wise it is a shower due to full bookings!

These are a few of the humorous learnings from the past weekend, which was quite perfect and fabulous considering that I had not been downhill skiing in the Rockies for at least five years or more. Usually this time of year I am working up north. Decided to get a package that included bus up and back to Jasper and hotel on Saturday night. It was great not to have to do that 4-hour drive but we left at an ungodly hour of 5:30 AM, so had to be up and packed an hour earlier to get across the city. On bus ride up about 9 am just out side of Jasper Park boundary Day light breaking from bus window... slept for first half and stopped at A&W in Edson for breakfast Got dropped off right at the main entrance and lift tickets already purchased...no line ups!  Looking out from deck of lower lodge...getting boots on, & putting other bags in day locker about 11 AM Outside main lodge. Note the snow covered spruce trees Beginning of the day ...line up for two chairs but all went fairly quickly Map of Marmot Basin runs...yellow denotes skidoo runs and red is out of bounds...were doing a few shots to trigger avalanches in these areas Saturday was sunny just a few degrees below freezing and fresh packed snow...just perfect conditions Looking down hill about noon...green means easiest runs

Stopped at edge of run near spruce trees..Lots of fresh snow from previous day…this photo confirmed my later suspicions of rental ski switch! My first fall practically on the flat!

About noon Saturday looking down towards the main lodge Slow and merging trails are marked by warning signs looking down valley ski patrol assisting after an injured skier

Stuck to the main chairs and just sunglasses needed Stopped for lunch at upper lodge...melting icicles on window pane Snowboard collection outside upper lodge at lunch Last run from top on Saturday about 3 PM Unloading at top...new high speed chair lift

Jasper the Bear.. taken Saturday evening after wandering to see outdoor street winter festival “ Jasper in January” Stayed overnight at Astoria Hotel and caught 9:40 AM shuttle bus in morning.

Weather on Sunday still lovely but changing between overcast and sunny. View from chair ..sun through trees   

Overcast. like the sun behind the peak, ski instructor with student

Can't get much better than this!