February 2, 2004
Lifts/Runs
Lifts Open: 10/10
Runs open: 107/107
Snowfall
24 Hour: 0cm (0in)
48 Hour: 0cm (0in)
7 Day: 93cm (36in)
Year to date: 568cm (223in)
Snow Pack: 261cm (103in)
Photos and text by Gerry George
Firstly,
I was as disappointed as you to
watch the snow fall and hear about how epic and deep the snow was
all week only to discover that
the rain on
Friday had turned it into what
you found this weekend. I coulda,
shoulda, woulda but didn't only because
the forecast looked good right
into the weekend and cause well, I actually
like my job (GASP). 
But lets not make that mistake again shall we. If it snows and
it is going
to be over 35 cm, kick in the 35
cm rule. It used to be the 20 cm
rule but who wants to blow a day
of work for a measly 20 cm.
Secondly, It turned out not to be not that bad and when the sun
came out on
Sunday and all the people from
Saturday vanished to where ever
they came from, it was pretty darned
fun. The cool temps overnight on
Sunday turned the soft cheesy crud
from Saturday to gnarly, firm loaves
of dried bread but some softies
were still be found around the
hillside and I had fun taking Sandra (Pics)
all over the mountain. Polar Peak
opened up and it looked really rad on smooth
wind pack. There was quite the
train heading to the peak late on Sunday.
Thirdly, if you hear that Castle got as much snow as we did but
without the
rain, think twice about going because
half of southern Alberta will be
there. Norm and I made the journey
on Saturday only to discover lift
lines longer than anything I have stood
in in the past 15 years. We managed
to get 3 runs in 3.5 hours. Frustrated,
we split at 1:00 and caught the
last hour at Fernie before the lifts closed,
and still managed to get squeak
4 really fun runs in the hour.
 Don't get me wrong. Castle is a killer mountain with long fall
line steeps
and killer gladed areas but it
just doesn't have the lift capacity to
support the amount of people it
saw on Saturday. The snow was excellent and
I could have skied it all day but
standing around in lines for 45 minutes
per run isn't my idea of a good
time.
My buddy Gord who skis Castle all the time asked me this question
prior to
me going this weekend. "Would you rather deal with the masses
from a line
up, or deal with them while skiing
down your favorite run like in an over
congested bmx race??
After this weekend the answer is simple. I would rather be skiing.
Which brings me to you. How would you answer that question? Short
lift lines
and crowded skiing or long, slow
lift lines and deserted slopes?
fmbc@fernie.com and I will post
the results next weekend. Have a good
week. See you on the slopes.
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