November is my Favourite Month to Visit Banff (for real!)

I love the month of November because of two magical words:  Skating Season!

Skating on Johnson Lake, Banff

I use the term "skating season" to refer to the very short window of time when some of the lakes around the town of Banff have frozen without becoming snow covered yet.  When the conditions align just right, it is absolutely magical to visit Banff for early November skating.

Skating to the end of Johnson Lake

The challenge is timing your visit to Banff just right!  One year we were skating on Johnson Lake (our preferred lake for November skating) on November 11th and the ice was coke bottle green with not a speck of snow.  The next year, the lake wasn't even close to frozen yet by mid November.  Last year, barely frozen!  I think we were the only crazies to go on the ice at all that season at Johnson Lake.

Perfect skating on Johnson Lake, 2011

Skating on Cascade Pond, 2012

Back to Johnson Lake in 2013 (and this is as far out as we skated)

Johnson Lake 2014 - made it to the back of the lake

This year, the ice was well frozen on Johnson Lake when we went out today but it also had snow on it.  Nothing like the perfect skating day we had in 2011!  However, some awesome guys had gone ahead of us and plowed out a path to the end of the lake complete with oval at the end!  It was a beautiful skate and we had so much fun today!!

Skating on the oval at the back of Johnson Lake

Have you ever made a snow angel in the middle of Johnson Lake?  I have!!

First Side Plank in Ice Skates

Skating at the back of Johnson Lake with Cascade Mt. in the background

We had a fabulous day skating today on Johnson Lake and it was one of my top ten favourite days so far of 2014!  I love "wild and natural" skating on lakes that have not been professionally groomed or maintained, that don't have staff people checking the conditions daily, and where there's a sense of risk.  We always try to be careful but still, there's risk involved in outdoor skating on lakes and ponds.  And I love it!

Ice Crystals on Johnson Lake

Sometimes if you want to skate, you have to do a bit of shoveling first

The ice was bumpy and rough at the beginning but got better the further we went

Always bring a hockey stick in case you have to pull somebody out of the lake

Beautiful day to be skating in Banff!

For more information on skating in Banff, and for ice safety tips visit the Town of Banff website website.  There is a lot of information on their site about safety, knowing when to venture on ice and choosing a lake to skate on in the park.  And if this wild and natural skating isn't for you, don't worry because the town maintained rinks and ponds will all be open soon.  (Which is a much safer way to enjoy ice skating in Banff.)

You don't need to be an expert skater to get outside and try skating

Toboggans and sleds are great for pulling kids around on the ice

My favourite little skating buddy

Pulling novice skaters with a hockey stick works really well!

Want to try skating on Johnson Lake?  Go now!  As in tomorrow or over the next couple of days.  It's supposed to snow again in Banff soon and then the clear ice will be covered again.  You'll have to bring shovels and clear a patch of ice to skate on again. There's a very short window for "skating season" in Banff.  Myself, I'm heading back out in a couple days for one more go at it.

Skating over Ice Crystals on Johnson Lake

Introducing: Polar Stroller- Skis for Strollers & Chariots (and a Giveaway!!)

Polar Stroller is a small family business, owned and run by parents, Kelly & Glenn. They are based locally here in Calgary, Alberta and are responsible for the unique design and manufacture of these stroller skis.

Polar Stroller - Unique Stroller Skis

Polar Stroller in action

They founded their business in December 2013, after a month of trying to push and pull an all-terrain stroller through the snow.  Once the trails and paths became compressed snow, the ride was also extremely bumpy, causing them concerns.  Being avid outdoors people, who love to reap the benefits of being outside and staying active with their child, they began to develop a way to make this possible and more enjoyable. Glenn, a design engineer, went to his drawing board.

They wanted to be able to use their regular stroller to stay active during the long winter months and explore this winter wonderland we live in. After several prototypes, they came up with skis that attach onto the existing stroller wheels.

The skis attracted a lot of attention and interest when out and about and everyone said, “You should go on Dragons den.” Instead they decided to go into production and launch Polar Stroller.

Hiking with the Polar Stroller

Serrated pattern on base for resisting backward motion

The skis are based on cross-country skis, made from very durable, high-density polyurethane. They have a serrated pattern on the base, which resists backward motion when going uphill. The adjustable bindings, which the stroller wheels fit in to, are made from lightweight aluminum alloy.

 The skis are very quick and easy to put on and take off, great for when you need to grab a coffee or the paths have been cleared.

In the deep snow they give you the float you need and on the hard, compact, bumpy trails, they glide over it, giving your child a smooth ride.

Smooth and comfortable

Polar Stroller has just launched their 2015 line, which requires no tools to adjust the binding size.  Just turn the knob and slide. They have also replaced the white strap, which went around the wheel, with a black silicone anchor strap that feeds through the wheel and hooks onto the knob. These new features make the skis even more user friendly.

The skis fit a wide range of strollers, including special needs strollers,  joggers, chariots, and even doggy strollers.  The company also welcomes custom orders. If you have something unusual, these guys will look at designing you a solution to fit. The skis are also very reasonable, starting at $99.99.

The skis fit all sizes of wheels

The Polar Stroller skis are great for walking, hiking, jogging, snowshoeing, visiting the ski hills, and basically anything outdoors during the winter snow covered months.

These stroller skis are every parents' must have to stay active once the snow flies. Get outside with your stroller or chariot and children and enjoy the long winter ahead.

Polar Stroller at the Ski Hill

Winter hiking with the Polar Stroller Skis

To see the skis in action, visit the Polar Stroller page on You Tube.  They have several videos that show the skis in use while hiking, snowshoeing and walking. 

For more information and pictures visit www.polarstroller.com

Also follow the company on Twitter at @polarstroller, Instagram at polar_stroller, Facebook at Polar Stroller and Pinterest at Polar Stroller.

 

The Giveaway to WIN your own set of Polar Stroller Skis

You can enter the contest below to win one of two sets of Polar Stroller Skis.  Please note, that the stroller or chariot does not come with the skis. You will be receiving a set of skis to attach to your existing stroller or chariot.  The contest is open to all Canadian Residents.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer:  This post was written by Polar Stroller and published in exchange for participating in this giveaway on my blog. 

November Hiking and Backcountry Sledding at Highwood Pass, Kananaskis

November is one of my favourite months of the year because it ushers in a new season of snowshoeing, winter hiking, sledding, and skiing.  The challenge though is finding good snow so early in the season.  Thank goodness for Highwood Pass!

November snowshoeing at Highwood Pass

Highwood Pass is located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis, and is reached via Canada's highest paved highway.  Hence, why we head here every November to find good snow!

Pulling the red Pelican sled up to Ptarmigan Cirque

We headed out to Highwood Pass last weekend hoping to find tons of fluffy white snow, but things didn't look promising as we drove Highway 40 towards the Pass.  In fact, there was absolutely no snow on the ground to speak of until we reached the Pass, and not a kilometre sooner!

Getting higher into the backcountry - and the snow is finally getting deeper

Reaching Ptarmigan Cirque

We started off our hike with snowshoes, sleds, and even a Strider balance bike with ski attachment - hoping we'd actually get to use all of these toys.

Most of the adults left their snowshoes in the cars, figuring we probably wouldn't even need them.  And heading up the Ptarmigan Cirque Trail, it looked like ice cleats would have been a good idea for the day!  It was definitely slippery on the lower half of the trail up to the Cirque.

Once we got up to the Cirque, the wind started howling but we also found the snow we were looking for.  Snowshoes weren't entirely necessary (especially for the light children) but I enjoyed having mine on for grip.

We had planned to do a full loop of the summer trail, but the children found something else that ended up being a lot more fun!  A sledding hill!  Backcountry Sledding is now our new favourite winter sport and we will promote all future trips as sledding adventures rather than telling the kids they are going hiking.

Hiking into Ptarmigan Cirque

Wild Backcountry Sledding in all its Epic Glory

 

Sledding in Ptarmigan Cirque

We stopped at the top of a moraine and my husband got a great idea as he looked down.  We had hiked three sleds and a snow bike all the way up to the Cirque - might as well use them!  We had 8 children with us ages two to eleven and they all took turns with the sleds we'd towed in.

Noah also took a couple runs on his Strider bike with ski attachment.  He barely fits the little bike anymore, but it's fun in the snow and attaches to a backpack when not in use.

This was the first time we'd ever hiked 2 km to find snow for sledding, but it was worth the hike!  The scenery in the Cirque was also incredible as a backdrop.

Backcountry sledding and tobogganing trips are going to go on the calendar now all winter long!

Ski-Biking in Ptarmigan Cirque

Even the big kids had fun sledding in the Cirque

Sled Hiking - the fastest way of descending from the backcountry

For those who have hiked Ptarmigan Cirque in the summer, you'll know that the trail through the trees is narrow, twisty, and full of switch backs.  It's not exactly sled-friendly.  However, we used those sleds every chance we got and the kids all had a blast coming down the trail on the way out.  After all, why walk when you can glide?

Hiking out of the Cirque

Hiking the Rocky Sections

Riding the Bike Down from the Cirque

The Girls rode most of the way down to the parking lot

Everybody tried to hitch a ride in the sleds

The ideal way of getting kids down steeper sections by pushing the sled

 

Want to go up to Highwood Pass for some early season snowshoeing and sledding?

Go now!  The highway is only open until the end of November.  As of December 1st, you'll only be able to go as far as the Kings Creek trailhead where you turn off for the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Visitor Centre.  Highway 40 is closed over Highwood Pass every winter because the area receives way too much snow to maintain and clear.  And it doesn't open again until late June.

November snowshoeing in  Ptarmigan Cirque

 

Trails at Highwood Pass

There are two popular trails that you can head up in the Highwood Pass area.  The hike that we just did was to Ptarmigan Cirque which is a more advanced hike with snow, and not really recommended for families with young children.  We are slightly crazy, and made it - but it wasn't without challenges.  For a much easier trip, try hiking up to Elbow Lake.  This trail is much wider and can be done with a Chariot and ski attachment or with a ski pulk. It is not as steep and is also shorter.

The easier trail to Elbow Lake

We plan to return to Highwood Pass in a couple of weeks to hike up to Elbow Lake as is our annual tradition for late November.  To read more about our adventures hiking to Elbow Lake in previous years, read my story:  Family Snowshoeing Adventures - Elbow Lake.

Here are some photos from the Elbow Lake trip last year:

Snowshoeing up to Elbow Lake

The easy hiking trail to Elbow Lake

First trip with the Strider snow bike

The kids found a snow house at the lake and it was a lot of fun!

For more information on the Highwood Pass area in November, check out my story for Snowshoe Magazine:  Winter Comes Early to Highwood Pass in the Canadian Rockies.

Highwood Meadows in November

Sled Hiking at Elbow Lake at the end of November

Keep checking back regularly because I have a lot of cool stories coming up in the next few weeks on learning how to embrace the cold and fall in LOVE with winter as a family. 

I also have several giveaways coming up in the next month including skis for your stroller and a Strider Ski Attachment! To make sure you don't miss anything, enter your email address into the box that says "follow me by email" and you'll receive a notification each time I publish a new story.  The box is located on the right hand side of this page.

Final Photos from our Ptarmigan Cirque Hike:

Hiking into the Cirque

Backcountry Snow Biking

Summer trail marker