Harry MacKendrick

The gurgling sound of the river running under the snow was my warning that I was skiing on thin ice — literally .

It was beautiful and sunny as I skied up the Brazeau River on a late March day . The river was covered in deep snow and its channels and gravel bars were vague undulations . At times , the river ’ s ice was so thick it could support a vehicle , but there were also open leads of water and thinly bridged spots . The sound of the river beneath my skis meant it was time to change course .

A few weeks before , I met with friends to commemorate an eight-day backcountry ski trip we had done from the Kootenay Plains to Lake Louise . It was surprising to me that twenty years had passed since then . As I swapped memories with my old ski buddies , I began to wonder if I would ever use my winter camping gear again and whether I could handle the physical challenges . As the nation prepared to shut down to control the COVID-19 pandemic , it occurred to me that a solo ski trip would certainly be a way to selfisolate . I dusted off my old touring skis and headed to the Brazeau Reservoir two hours west of Edmonton . I planned to travel up the river from the dam area , breaking trail as far as I could go , and then return in my allotted time . As I hauled a twenty kilogram ( fortyfour pound ) pack onto my back , I realized that this trip would be a trifle more exercise than I had done in the gym lately .

Surrounding the Brazeau Reservoir , there is some oil patch activity , but the hill tops afford a great view of the Rocky Mountains . It ’ s not untouched wilderness , but there are maintained access roads and permissive rules that allow random camping with campfires .

The reservoir freezes over in the fall with a full basin of water , and during the winter the electric power generating station adjacent to it continues to draw water . As the water level drops , the shoreline ice collapses into ragged formations of thick slabs . Snowmobilers keep well clear of this hazard , which makes it a quiet place for the self-propelled traveller . Navigating these tricky ice jumbles on skis just adds to the adventure . Upstream from the flooded area , the river is natural “ Lower Boreal Cordilleran ” forest , where one can ski for distances without seeing any signs of human impact .

I admit that helicoptering into a lodge is a great way to get into the backcountry in the winter , and I have enjoyed such trips for their spectacular alpine scenery that I could never get to on my own . That type of adventure seems to be the trend among my peers , and when the temperature falls

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