October 26, 2002

Continuing Sunny but Cool

October is winding down and there is still very little snow on the mountain, but it isn't quite time to worry - yet. It would actually be unusual to have lasting snow at the base at this time of year, but a little more up top would be reassuring. Still I figure that I won't start to get twitchy for another two or three weeks - well not much.

It has been a glorious fall though, with lots of sunshine and while temperatures are now getting low enough and the ground frozen enough to make mountain biking less appealing, most days it is still glorious just being up on the mountain.

There has been some major scraping and pushing taking place on Silver Fox, where a significant amount of slope has been re-contoured in preparation for the aerials of the World Cup Freestyle event to take place here this winter. It is hard to tell just yet what it might look like when it is all done or how much of the slope might be excluded from normal skiing.

Construction of a McDonald's restaurant is now well under way in the Northlands development in Fernie (just North of the new Best Western). This is surely the final sign that Fernie life as we knew it is now officially over. ;-)



Even up on White Pass there is only the faintest trace of snow.

Many of the trees on the skier's right of the steep narrow cat track that leads from Deep Sea to lower Siberia Ridge have been zapped, leaving what might be a somewhat easier way around Deep Sea. It will depend on the snow though as this area is not overly endowed with it.

Looking back down from near the top of that cat track. The cat track itself has not been changed and should continue to provide excellent quick turn practice. :-)

Heartland.

The middle sister on the left and Mt. Procter on the right in this image from the top of the main part of Diamond Back.

A shot up the valley reveals a brown smear in the air that is probably the result of everyone firing up their fireplaces and wood stoves with the newly brisk weather. I know these are a tradition folks love, but personally I prefer clean air.

Silver Fox has been undergoing serious cat surgery in preparation for the World Cup aerials. I wonder if anything will be left for normal skiers?

Looking up from the same place shows that a lot of dirt has been moved.