December 20, 2004
Lifts/Runs
Lifts Open: 8/10
Runs open: 45/107
Snowfall
24 Hour: 3cm (1in)
48 Hour: 0cm (0in)
7 Day: 9cm (4in)
Year to date: 199cm (78in)
Snow Pack: 122cm (48in)
Text and Photos by Gerry George
Hey Ho. Here is the first one for me of the season.
Well I wish I had taken my camera up to the mountain on Saturday as then I would have had a few shots not quite as dreary as these ones are.
 Skiing was surprisingly good on Saturday. I say that cause everyone I talked to who went up said the same thing. I was expecting rock solid, boiler plate ice and got nicely groomed corduroy. Yes there are still sticks and twigs but the upper half of the mountain is in way better shape that I could have imagined. You just had to stay where it was groomed.
We hit most of the old side including Dancer, Arrow, Cedar, the Bear and North Ridge and had fun for a few hours on the smooth terrain.
 As you can see in the shots, the lower mountain has much to be desired and is the worst from the bottom of the Bear Chair down. We definitely need a serious dump to bring the lower slopes up to par with the upper slopes. Many people who ventured over to the Timber Bowl side were walking down the Deer to avoid trashing their skis. Many were not I might add and took the risk running the chocolate brown ribbon of snow down the slope.
Sunday I was ready to go up and a small rain torrent bummed me out to the point that I didn’t feel like getting all geared up. Instead I just took a drive and took a few snapshots at the bottom of the mountain. Still, the rain had stopped by then and it looked pretty good right to the top of the bear.
 So what does the future hold? I am sure Santa has one predominant thing on his list this year from the locals in Fernie and that is SNOW. It is trying to snow as I write this and the the forecast is finally showing a cooling trend which means at least the hill will be able to make some snow for the base but it doesn’t look like any serious precipitation until after Christmas. On the positive side, if you have to do holiday driving, the roads conditions are in your favour.
Pray for snow and drive safely this holiday season.
|
