Thursday Jan 9th at 7AM, checking the Griz at the top of the Bear, 28cm’s of snow overnight.

Most of the Griz lay buried under the fresh snow. Just the eyebrows and the hat peaked out from the piled up white stuff. The official FAR ski report claimed big powder day 13cm.

Up at the hill at 8:50AM, looking to get an early jump on things, here is the parking lot status:
15 minute Loading section 2 cars
Priority Parking 6 cars
Tennis Court 1 car
Lot Two 28 cars

For the record, these are the real Griz Days. Griz Days have nothing to do with the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Fernie, parades down Victoria and bands playing in front of the Arts Station. The Real Griz Days are the days coming up. Few people. No lift lines. Staggered openings across the upper mountain.

Later that day (or maybe it was the next), I dropped off the upper Lizard Traverse right at the first pitch into Cascade and continured down next to the trees. When I dropped in, there was not a track on the whole run. Knee deep, I cranked easy medium radius turns along the trees, through the cat tracks, catching a little easy air on each and stopped.

And I thought, These are the true Griz Days. All snow. All skiing. And no people to worry about.

Long live the Griz.

NOT Fernie….