Everything started fine: I was just going to skate to the tower on superb skating conditions. OK! André & l’équipe de traçage had delivered the superb skating conditions on FP, CP, #1, and #1 blue. However I was seduced by ponds everywhere I looked - regardless of the quality of the groomed tracks, the ponds were better. By the time that I crossed the wolf ridge - it was game over. At the bottom of the west-side of the wolf ridge, before the creek and the new bench, there is a long pond to the south that is prime crust-cruising terrain and to the north a fen/meadow. The pond needed skating - not once but at least three times - it was great but there had to be even better. I knew that if I crossed the road, skied across the meadow, and bushwacked a little bit I would arrive at the pond that leads to Osprey Lake.

Without question Osprey Lake was worth the minor pain of a little bit of bushwacking. Once in the lake it was circuits of the lake interspersed with soaking up the sun. The attached photos are of the lake.

The skate back to P10 was good, maybe even great, but nothing compared to what I left behind on the lake and pond.

My tracks are there if you want to follow. Tomorrow I plan to go classic up #40 and hopefully to the tower and will see what that brings