The Fernie Factor is an anomaly that is appreciated and cherished by skiers and boarders. As most skiers and boarders checked the weather forecast of various providers including the Weather Network, Snow-forecast.com and FAR last evening, most went to bed with no powder expectations. Those who are in tune with the Fernie Factor went to bed with expectations and were up early and at first lift!

The Fernie Factor is a phenomena of the Lizard Range which grabs and traps precipitation overhead and dumps vast quantities of powder snow that had otherwise not been forecast. Today was such a day!

18cms fell overnight with another 10cms falling throughout the day which transformed Fernie’s awesome base into powder heaven! Face shots were frequent and the entire mountain was open. Those in tune with the Fernie Factor were a minority as the slopes were empty and yielding untracked powder all day.

Snow-forecast.com missed the last Fernie Factor as well and the Weather Network has always been lame at forecasting snow. The 80cm Christmas-New Year snow cycle was forecast by both to be less than 5cm’s. So where do you get accurate snow forecasts that ensure days of powder skiing? Nowhere, you gotta be ready to ski powder every day and the only means to accomplish this is living in a ski town and NOT having a real job!

I’m in tune with the Fernie Factor and ripped powder till the last lift with my buddies! Yeah to the Fernie Factor!!