The alarm went off way too early. I looked out the window to find everything covered in snow. A careful drive on snowy and icy roads got us to the Tim Horton's in Cochrane. There we met Jungle Jon, Betty, White Mule, CrazyFamilyof5, Green1, and ourselves (Erebus). Regrets came from piyeguyo last night, as he had guests.
- Six Delicas in a row. One just has to be different and back in.
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We did see a Delica in Cochrane, but it didn't join us. Both White Mule and CrazyFamilyof5 couldn't spend the day, so only 4 Delicas with 7 people and one dog headed west. The 1A was not too bad, but the Forestry Trunk Road was snow covered, with an icy layer below. After about 70 km, we turned onto the TranAlta road towards the Ghost River. The TransAlta road is a narrow winding dirt road, and pretty rough for the first ten kilometres. Several centimetres of snow had fallen overnight, and was still falling. Where it was packed down it was pretty slippery, so on one or two hills we would go 1 at a time. Handy to have radios to be able to tell the next vehicle that you've made it to the top.
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From here, we could look down and back at the Ghost River floodplain. This shot looks to the southeast, but we would be going west.
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At the steep hill that drops down to river level, we take a walk to check it out first. All is fine, so down we go, one at a time, using 1st gear in low range so no brakes are needed.
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A 5-kilometre drive along the Ghost River, and we arrive at river branch that was easy to cross last October, but this time is a little deep. We watched a Jeep cross and listened to him bottom out. There wasn't any point in trying to cross this little branch because 500 metres further the main creek would probably be a foot or more deep. We all gathered in Betty's 8-seater for lunch.
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When we get back to the steep hill, we find it a little slicker than before, since several vehicles had now spun their way up. Three of us make it up no problem, but the fourth (I won't embarrass Jon by naming him) has trouble. Even though his tires look better than Green1's, they just dont have the grip.
- Green1 coming up the hill, the river in the background
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We decided I'll head down to tow him up, since I have a good trailer hitch. When I get down there, I discover a Unimog is there, and willing to tow him up. Much better idea. Half way up, they have to stop, so the Unimog can tow a pickup truck with chains that got stuck. Then they finish pulling Jon up. At this point I'm wondering if I'll get up by myself, but it turns out to be no problem.
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After that is is just a matter of an 80 km drive on icy snowy roads back to Cochrane, where we all go our separate ways.
And a good time was had by all. Green1 has a wish list: he's always wanted a photo of a Delica pulling a Hummer out of trouble. Me, I want a photo of my Delica pulling a Unimog out of trouble. Ya, I know, it ain't gonna happen
I don't usually get out of bed till 0915
I guess if you've got to be helped up, cant complain about being helped up by a mog. She's got a nice beauty mark below her wiper from those big tires kicking up a rock. 
) and then this morning I zoomed past a blue and white, 4x4 stickered, BC plated Delica. I waved but they looked shell shocked at encountering rush-hour Deerfoot trail at 6:45 in the morning. 