Saturday, March 7, 2009

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.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

4th March UK

Still here in the UK testing the BLOG with a second post to see how it works out. Also changed the picture to one of me drinking beer in the Griz bar which somehow seems more appropriate.
Spoke to Lynda on the phone earlier who tells me that yesterday there was about 10cms of fresh but that it was so heavy that it was sliding off the roof of the houses alongside the Elk chair as she was riding up first thing. Most of the hill was closed due to avi danger but eventually they opened the Bear and Boom chairs and she got some good if heavy skiing of Cedar Ridge.
So it's settled, the Riders have the Nitros in the next round of the play offs starting Saturday. As that will be my first night back I will probably give that game a miss but I can't see the series being decided in the first four games so we will be able to go the the home games in the middle of next week.
Signing off now until Saturday when I will be back in Fernie and this BLOG will start for real. Still calling for cooler temps and snow over the weekend.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

3rd March -UK

Well this is it the first post on my new blog. Sitting here in the UK checking on the house/boats/family before flying back to Fernie for the rest of the ski season - just completed day 74 before I came back. In normal circumstances I have no intention of keeping this BLOG up while I am in the UK as there is quite enough rubbish posted all summer about sailing. This is just by way of a test as my IT skills are not great and who knows what I will end up with on this site.
I have just spoken to Lynda on the phone and she confirms that there is fresh snow in Fernie but it is coming down wet. Yesterday she and Katie ( of whom more in later posts) skied in the morning and went high into White Pass to avoid the rain. Predictably the White Pass chair broke down for a long period of time making them take refuge in the Lost Boys Cafe to have some hot chocolate and dry out. Later the Timber chair was closed as part of the attempt to fix White Pass and deciding that the old side would be just too wet they abandoned the day in favour of a girlie afternoon in the hot tub on the back deck. Apparently the Aussie lads renting the house next door are building a terrain park in the back yard so lots of fun to come watching them in the spring from the comfort of the the hot tub - beer in hand.
The Ghostriders got through the first round of the play offs against the Rockets a couple of days ago and now have a few days rest while the Thunder Cats and the Nitros sort out who they will be playing in the finals - can't wait to get back and see some good old fashioned play off hockey.
Forecast is for it to cool during the week with more precipitation due towards Friday when I fly back(yipee) - that having been said the forecast is from the Weather Network who are notoriously unreliable more than 3 days out so who knows what we will be getting.
More snow please Griz.