By Richard Townell
On behalf of Hang and Hov; Arlene; Dave Allen; Marilyn; Debbie; Sue and Richard; Karen; Dianne; Trudy; Lorna and Richard.
If you want guaranteed good weather and gourmet food, go with Marilyn! Twelve of us did on that weekend and enjoyed a beautiful ski on fresh snow in warm weather into Paradise Valley. We started at the Morraine Lake Road parking lot and followed a gradually rising trackset trail up the Morraine Lake Road to the Fairview Loop turn off. A little way up the Fairview Loop we left the beaten track and ascended through the trees to the first bridge in Paradise Valley. Such snow – white and fresh and as much as we have seen there! It is a great route for a beginner to get a sense of the backcountry with minimal risk. We skied pristine meadows to the second bridge and looked around at the mountains, capped with clouds to add a little bit of drama to the landscape. Temple on the left was not visible behind the clouds but the mountains on the right were dramatic. The second bridge was our turnaround point, though the trail goes further, across avalanche slopes, a risk we did not want to take.