This was another clear day, which meant a cold overnight low just above 0F. So I took my time getting going, had a late breakfast and started skiing at 11AM, with temps showing 14F at the base of the White Pass chair after riding Timber to get there. I took a lap on White Pass, skiing just inside the ropeline to the Knot Chutes, followed by a cruise down Highline. Next I skied the 123’s into Currie Bowl. These are shaded north facing but up high had some wind effect. View up there where I came down between the trees at upper right.
View down Currie Bowl overlooking the town of Fernie.
Returning up Timber I skied Big Bang to the White Pass chair.
White Pass chair was windy at the top. Overall weather and surface conditions were similar to Kicking Horse, cold enough that sunny exposures had not melt/frozen. Coverage of steep terrain was better due to Fernie’s higher snowfall. I next headed for Polar Peak.
View down south side of Polar peak toward top of White Pass
I was meeting Craig Morris of http://www.redtree.com/far at 1PM, so had time for only one Polar Peak run. Patrol sign up there.
Last year that sign said, “Falling is forbidden.”
I took that run on Mama Bear.
All of the “Bear” runs on Polar Peak are a sustained 40 degrees. There was a mix of firm chalk with some windsift. Craig says occasionally the windsift will fill in enough to ski those runs less defensively, similar to the top of Mammoth.
I then traversed skier’s left in Currie Bowl to Corner Pocket. View down the rope-and-tire entry.
Easter Bowl had windbuff at the top and lightly tracked powder lower down.
I met Craig and we headed up to Cedar Bowl. We traversed out Snake Ridge to the top of Gorbie Bowl.
View down Gorbie Bowl
Snow here was tracked and set up a bit but still fairly soft.
Up Haul Back and Boomerang we next skied Cedar Ridge. This north facing broad area of scattered trees has consistently good snow. View across Cedar Bowl from lower down on Cedar Ridge.
At the top of Boomerang a raven was resting on the trail sign.
We skied back to the base via Linda’s Run, another shaded stash of soft snow.
We took Timber and White Pass, then traversed out to Concussion.
It’s now past 3PM so light is better on a sunny run like this. We went up Timber one more time and skied similarly sunny Morning Glory to the lower part of Mars.
I was glad I had the late start as my stamina is down a bit and I knew the skiing with Craig would be at a brisk pace. I skied 25,600 vertical, certainly more than I intended. However, it’s difficult to be restrained with such interesting terrain and local guidance.
As many of you know, Craig Morris was one of the first ski bloggers, posting periodic reports and pics online starting in 1996 on his site http://www.redtree.com/far. His reports were sufficiently frequent and detailed that I was able to construct a chart of Fernie’s weekly snow conditions for 12 years: http://50.87.144.177/~bestsnow/fernhist.htm. Craig resumed his blog in 2011 but since then is skiing less each season. This was his 12th ski day of the season but my 33rd. Craig and his wife are leaving this weekend for Utah, not skiing but hiking in the southern Utah national parks.
View down Currie Bowl overlooking the town of Fernie.
Returning up Timber I skied Big Bang to the White Pass chair.
White Pass chair was windy at the top. Overall weather and surface conditions were similar to Kicking Horse, cold enough that sunny exposures had not melt/frozen. Coverage of steep terrain was better due to Fernie’s higher snowfall. I next headed for Polar Peak.
View down south side of Polar peak toward top of White Pass
I was meeting Craig Morris of http://www.redtree.com/far at 1PM, so had time for only one Polar Peak run. Patrol sign up there.
Last year that sign said, “Falling is forbidden.”
I took that run on Mama Bear.
All of the “Bear” runs on Polar Peak are a sustained 40 degrees. There was a mix of firm chalk with some windsift. Craig says occasionally the windsift will fill in enough to ski those runs less defensively, similar to the top of Mammoth.
I then traversed skier’s left in Currie Bowl to Corner Pocket. View down the rope-and-tire entry.
Easter Bowl had windbuff at the top and lightly tracked powder lower down.
I met Craig and we headed up to Cedar Bowl. We traversed out Snake Ridge to the top of Gorbie Bowl.
View down Gorbie Bowl
Snow here was tracked and set up a bit but still fairly soft.
Up Haul Back and Boomerang we next skied Cedar Ridge. This north facing broad area of scattered trees has consistently good snow. View across Cedar Bowl from lower down on Cedar Ridge.
At the top of Boomerang a raven was resting on the trail sign.
We skied back to the base via Linda’s Run, another shaded stash of soft snow.
We took Timber and White Pass, then traversed out to Concussion.
It’s now past 3PM so light is better on a sunny run like this. We went up Timber one more time and skied similarly sunny Morning Glory to the lower part of Mars.
I was glad I had the late start as my stamina is down a bit and I knew the skiing with Craig would be at a brisk pace. I skied 25,600 vertical, certainly more than I intended. However, it’s difficult to be restrained with such interesting terrain and local guidance.
As many of you know, Craig Morris was one of the first ski bloggers, posting periodic reports and pics online starting in 1996 on his site http://www.redtree.com/far. His reports were sufficiently frequent and detailed that I was able to construct a chart of Fernie’s weekly snow conditions for 12 years: http://50.87.144.177/~bestsnow/fernhist.htm. Craig resumed his blog in 2011 but since then is skiing less each season. This was his 12th ski day of the season but my 33rd. Craig and his wife are leaving this weekend for Utah, not skiing but hiking in the southern Utah national parks.
