Craig's Report - February 16, 2005

Dull Report

I must confess I had some trouble finding the motivation to do a report today, so this will be pretty basic. It's not that there isn't some pretty fine skiing out there, but I guess after a couple of really good weekend feasts, I am having trouble enjoying the left overs.

After an impressive helicopter bombardment yesterday, the avalanche board is now completely green and I am sure there was some excellent powder for those who caught the openings on places like Snake Ridge. However fluffy turns were becoming hard to find by this afternoon, leaving a diet of generally tasty moguls and excellent groomed, with the odd spot of crud and dash of hard pack thrown in for seasoning. Down low there was the odd rock or brown spot and the usual high traffic trouble makers, like lower North Ridge, were again starting to be a bit of a pain.

It was a gorgeous blue sky day today and while it might have been a bit nippy this morning, by the time I straggled out well past noon, it was quite pleasant. As it comes up on six in the evening, the porch thermometer is reporting -6 C under a cloudless sky.


The view from the Snake Ridge above Gorby Bowl. The top of Spruce and the Haul Back are just about in the center of the picture, with North Ridge coming down from the upper right. Alas I suspect that many favoured haunts this year will remain in the kingdom of the alder right through the season.

The view from the base, with the bottom of Incline in the center. I have never seen so much snowmaking at Fernie. I think I counted nine guns operating today with two more shut down.

Bear Ridge from the top of the Boomerang chair was pretty typical of the soft packed runs available today.

I rarely think the Meat Hook is worth the trip when it is empty and can't imagine what it would take to justify this line. Otherwise things were busier than they have been, but at least late in the day I usually ended riding the lifts alone.

Lizard Bowl from below Easter Bowl.

Cornice corona! An impressive light display was provided by the sun and blowing snow above the top of the White Pass lift.

In the weeds in Currie. I dislike the busy Gilmar's trail (center across the gully) even when there is lots of base and these days sometimes go to extremes to avoid it.