skating Bowness January 6, 2026

 a second yet a first

Today was my second time skating this season yet my first time this year! I was putting off heading anywhere to skate given the city of Calgary is under Stage 4 Water Restrictions due to a catastrophic watermain break on December 30th, the second time in less than two years. That means no flooding ice surfaces.  It means lots more too that I won't get into because it is not pleasant. This new norm means not taking for granted that we have water. We have been told this is the new norm for Calgary and the restrictions could be in place for up to two years. When I saw a sign saying that Carburn Park is flooding their ice with nonpotable water, I thought maybe Bowness would be too.   

I arrived to see the ice had just been swept on The Lagoon and The Canal.  There was no one flooding the ice while I was there.  The sign said the ice was in "rough" condition.  I took a closer look at it before lacing up. It looked fine to me!  I laced up and skated off!  

a panorama shot from the far end of The Lagoon looking west

Yes, it is chinooking!  That means all the rime ice disappeared just like that. It was not that windy while I skated but the chinook winds were picking up as I drove home later.  I feel like I want to shout out "chicken little the sky is falling"!

As soon as I arrived I captured photos of what rime ice was left!

view along The Canal looking west at the chinook cloud

getting ready to make a video

Here's The video with my first skate greeting of the year!  I sure hope to make many more but will take each day as it comes with the skating thing! I keep checking the Lake Louise webcam, they still have not cleared the ice to skate nor have they built the ice castle yet.  

some colour along side The Canal

ready for a fire to be made

It appears they have more Ice Bikes this year!

the moon holding up the chinook cloud

I'll shout it out again "chicken little the sky is falling"!

Just like when I skated The Ice Trail on Dec 29th, once again I skated just over eleven kilometres.  If this is as good as the ice will be on The Lagoon and The Canal, I will take it. I have skated on it when it was not as good.  We are in for warm temperatures over the next while so that will be another thing to watch when it comes to ice conditions.