Monday 25 January 2010 – Rain, a Film Show, and some Chance Encounters

Here’s Ken, aka ‘summitboy’, tending assiduously to Sunday’s excellent BBQ.  At the time it was still around –10C, but then…

…it warmed to nearer +10C, and rained heavily.

This was bad news for any thoughts of skiing.  So Ken went to work and Helen and I went shopping.

Wow!

I’ve now replaced the bum bag that seems to have transferred ownership within our household.

I’ve never seen it as warm, or rain so much, on any of our many winter trips to Ottawa, and I’ve certainly never seen the following message, which seems to me rather unprecedented for this time of year.

Ah well, just as well I regard this trip as the closest I get to a ‘Beach Holiday’!

It was not however a day of total leisure, as after tea we tripped into town to watch seven films selected from the 2009 Banff Mountain Film Festival.  It’s at least the third time I’ve been to this function - the ‘World Tour’, and this year’s films, for me, had the edge over previous years, not being entirely adrenaline driven, although six out of the seven had a fair dose of that attribute.  Luckily, the longest of the films, tracing a family’s journey across Canada, mainly by canoe, to meet a legendary adventurer and author – Farley Mowat – was the exception.  A beautifully crafted film by Leanne Allison called ‘Finding Farley’. Click here for the trailer.

Chance Encounters

Coming back to the same place year after year means you meet people you’ve encountered before.

On Saturday it was Judy, at lunchtime in Huron Cabin.  We had met at last year’s skating party.  She is contemplating a trekking trip to Europe and was considering the Tour of Mont Blanc (TMB).  I think we can help there, with this, and I was able to assure her that a hired guide is not necessary and tell her that in truth there are many less crowded, and equally scenic, routes to choose from in preference to the TMB.

On Sunday we passed a ‘Phil’ near Herridge Cabin.  He probably knew we would be there.

And today we encountered Linda, with whom many happy hours of skiing have been spent, sitting in the row behind us at the film show.  She assured me that on Saturday and Sunday I had experienced the best skiing conditions of the season to date.  It has to be said, they were superb.  So aren’t I lucky!

Ermine

Finally, a doubting Thomas (or should that be a Philip?) has questioned the efficacy of our ermine sighting.  If you click here and scroll down the page to Ermine Photo, you will see corroboration of the sighting!  Of an ‘ermine’.