Friday is the big day for the lift riders! With a meter of snow and a great weather forecast, the opening will be spectacular. I’m told that all five bowls will be open for skiing and boarding.

A Friday opening is like the old days when when the hill was locally owned and operated. There will be no crowds, the powder might be skied out by the end of the day and the Griz Bar will be packed with people that you know or at least recognize. This is priceless, it’s what skiing is all about.

So, if you have your priorities in order, we’ll see you at the Griz bar, wearing a huge grin, after the lifts close on Friday.

And you don’t need to ride the lift to enjoy the snow. Blair has been grooming the cross country trails and the entire network at FAR is open. It was a bit soft for skating today however should offer great skating this weekend. The new Elk Valley Nordic Centre has also groomed its trails and classic should be fine.

This Saturday is Global Fat-Bike Day, and the weather looks good so there are a couple of group rides planned for Ridgemont. The first ride is scheduled for 1 pm, meeting at the Bike Park Gazebo, and the second ride, for those who have lights, is a 6 pm ride meeting at Gear Hub. The later ride will be followed by beer and nachos at Park Place Pub.