7th March

So,first day back in Fernie and what a day - thank you Griz. For me this was day 75 of the season and it proved to be the best so far.
Obviously since I have been away for the week things have been happening. The base has increased to 225 cms, still about 150cms short of what we see this time of year but a big improvement. There has also been some sun and/or rain as there is a very hard scratchy base particlarly on the south facing slopes so I guess that suggests sun.
The overnight report on the hill claimed 5cms of fresh but it seemed to me to be nearer to 10 so everywhere was nice but with a hard base not too far away. The forecast called for a daytime high of -2 which was about right at the base but much colder up the hill and a wind chill well down into the minus teens. The good news was that they called for flurries and it actually puked snow all day - at least 15 cms and probably more.
Crowds were pretty bad for a Saturday although that was at the Boom chair and it never really got busy anywhere else. Things weren't helped by the Whitepass chair being closed all day. The official line is that a squirrel chewed through an electrical cable but anyone who knows anything about squirrels knows that they wouldn't do that. Most likely it was a pack rat but as squirrel sound better on the official websit than rat then squirrel it is. Fingers crossed that they don't get Whitepass repaired tomorrow so that when they do we will be able to trash tons of fresh snow in Currie Bowl on Monday with the weekend warriors safely back at work.
Skiied the old side all morning and had some great runs off Cedar Ridge, King Fir, Linda's and the Bear Chutes, Of course skied Kangaroo 6 times which despite what people say is a real nice ice bump run. Lynda skied with me as did Dave ( my wife's cousin's wife's brother)- I always say when you have a house in Fernie you have lots of friends.
In the afternoon drifted over to the new side and worked out ways down the hill not involving Whitepass. Skiing was nice in Siberia ridge, Black Cloud and Diamond Back and particularly nice in Mitchy Chutes which no one was skiing for some reason.
Broke my usual rule and went to the Griz bar as it was my first day back and saw friends Dan and Ruth. I don't usually go in on a Saturday as it is too noisy to talk and too crowded to sit down and today was no exception.
Just getting ready for a hot tub to find out if Dave real has broken a rib as he claims.It is currently -4 0n the deck with flurries continuing. A good day to come back.