Ice in Alberta, Canada

[david-d]

Hälsningar från Kanada

(Sorry for writing in English. Jag kan läsa svenska ganske bra)

I was in central Alberta Dec21-Jan6. I was visiting my sister and mother about 130 km south of Edmonton. Alberta is about 5000 km west of my home in Nova Scotia!

The ice on the lakes was SUPERB for both tour-skating and kicksledding. Ice was over 30 cm thick and very clear. There was hardly any snow and temperatures were -5 to +5 C with light winds.


My sister has 2 sparks (kicksleds) (earlier Christmas presents from me), so my sister, twin nieces, brother or mother sometimes came with me on the ice on the kicksleds while I skated.

The small lake nearest to my sister's farm, Alix Lake, has a shoreline of about 5 km and I did many laps of it. The best lake was Buffalo Lake with over a 60 km shoreline, but I only had time to do some sections of it. Closer to Edmonton I went on Pigeon Lake and Cooking Lake. One day on Pigeon Lake I went 45 km (35 km spark, 10 km skate).

Skating condition haven't been this good for 10 years and probably will not continue for long. So, if anyone is going to Alberta in the next few days, take your skates.

Photos and lake maps at:

http://www.dermott.ca/alb2005/fotos.html

MVH
David Dermott, Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada

 

[boe skates]

Looks great!

 

[Bertil]

Ice in Alberta and Stockholm

Hi David,

Always nice to hear from you and read about your skating experience from the other side of the Atlantic ocean, the photos on your WEB site shows a nature that looks very similar to the Swedish, even the ice roses looks the same These ones form a lake 70km SW from Stockholm.

http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/rose.jpg

If you have broadband, try this video link (19MB) taken on the same lake as the ice roses Jan. 5th -06

Video 19MB: http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/lakeskate.wmv

Now we have had some days with strong winds and a temperature above the freezing point, all snow is gone and the lakes are superb with a smooth surface, good for the upcoming weekend!

Keep on skating David! // Bertil S
[Ändrat av Bertil 2006-01-12 kl 19:18]

 

[Maua]

Hi David,

It shure looks nice up there!

Sorry for going a bit of topic, but me and some friends at work, were discussing over lunch today, how common it is for people in canada/ northen US to go "cross contry skating?
Does it exist at all, as i does here?
I know you do it but I kinda got the impression u got it from here?

Thanks,

Fredrik

 

[david-d]

Tour-skating in Cnada and northern USA

Hi David,

It shure looks nice up there!

Sorry for going a bit of topic, but me and some friends at work, were discussing over lunch today, how common it is for people in canada/ northen US to go "cross contry skating?
Does it exist at all, as i does here?
I know you do it but I kinda got the impression u got it from here?

It is very rare to see people tour-skating
in Canada.

Even people in most sports stores that sell
cross country skis have never heard of
"långfärdsskridskor".
I searched for a year before I found
touring skates. There is
one store in Ottawa that sells them,
and maybe a store in Edmonton.


In Canada skating = hockey,hockey,hockey !

The main expert in North America
is Jamie Hess in Vermont.
He discovered it in 1999 when
he skated the Vikingarännet.
I buy most of my skating equipment
from him:
http://www.nordicskating.org/

Last winter, I met a Swedish
couple on a nearby lake. The
husband had his grandfather's
"gillbergare" wood skates!

PS I found this tour report from
SSSK about skating in Banff, Alberta:
http://www.sssk.se/medlem/databas/fardrapport/fardrapport-v.asp?ID=2613

 

[Malindo]

Hello David,

thanks for interesting info!

personally, I live in mediteranean Spain, so I can forget about skating, skiing etc. at the moment, much to my regret

My Spanish wife has the oportunity to work in Alberta as a teacher, but she is not convinced about the place (cold, very rural etc).

I, on the other hand, who love the mountains, the snow etc, is rather keen to try it.

What's your general opinion about Alberta, Edmonton vs. Calgary etc?

Thanks and best regards, Mats

 

[Fransila]

I was in Prince George in BC 4 years ago and actually found Skyllemarks långsfärdskridskor in a skate- and bicycle store! Which means you can find a pair where you never thought you could imagine to find them

 

[david-d]

Nordic Skates in Canada

I was in Prince George in BC 4 years ago and actually found Skyllemarks långsfärdskridskor in a skate- and bicycle store! Which means you can find a pair where you never thought you could imagine to find them

WOW! There is a winter triathlon in Prince George
and a 400 m speed skating oval. It seems that
many racers use "nordic skates" in winter triathlons
http://www.mag-net.com/iceman/

There are also winter triathlons
(ski-skate-run) in Ottawa
and Edmonton. That seems to be the main use
of "nordic skates" in Canada. There are
also some plowed tracks near Montreal (5 to 8 km)
and in Ottawa on the Rideau Canal.

But today (Jan 13) we had 3 pairs
of nordic skates on the very small
Silver Lake, about 20 km from here!
My old cycling friend, Eric, just
bought some Lundhags skates and I
brought my pair for his wife
(born in Hjo on Vättern!).
Very nice ice until the temperature
got above +5.
Photos at:

http://www.dermott.ca/ice06/icefotos.html