Day 25 A nice surprise

No new snow was forecast until this evening but we woke to find 9 cms of fresh on the hill and a continuing snow fall which probably added another 3 or 4 before it petered out in the afternoon. The forecast was for sun and clouds but actually it was overcast and very windy in poor viz and snow flurries off and on most of the day.

The starting temp was -14 which accounts for why the snow was such low density but during the day the temps got up tp -9 at the White Pass load. On the way back from the hill tonight it was -5 and the outlook is for a fairly warm (just sub zero) period for a few days before we drop back in the freezer in the new year.

The effect of the new snow on the skiing was predictably good but you had to be careful. The snow was such low density that it didn't fill in the bumps or hold you up in quite the way you would expect. On the first drop down Lift Line I found myself travelling way faster than I intended as the snow was not slowing me and the bumps came through with full force but when you got used to it and adjusted you could relax and just enjoy the new powder snow.

I thought the crowds might show up today and although things were a bit busier than they have been it was not that crowded and we didn't have to wait in line at any stage. My guess is that people were busy clearing up after Christmas and getting themselves to Fernie today. I think tomorrow will now be the busy day and then it will be ugly busy through to next Monday then back to normal - hopefully.

It was yet another New Side day although Polar Peak was not opened and given the howling winds and white conditions going across the base of the Polar Chutes on the Reverse Traverse this should surprise no one. Of course the winds meant that on top of the new snow we also had some wind sift giving even better fresh snow in some places. Over all there was great skiing to be had in untracked snow and as long as you were prepared to work for it there were always first tracks to be had.

Notable runs today were- Skydive (first tracks awesome), Decline (soft deep snow), Cougar Glades (many untracked lines) Stag Leap ( a big improvement in the twiggyness) The Brain (top section only had many untracked lines) Window Chutes ( soft and deep) Touque Chutes ( untracked) Spinal Tap (the creek bed is getting well filled in) Concussion (good as ever) Lone Fir (good in the chute and totally awesome in the fan underneath, run of the day) Anaconda (untracked wind sift) Bootleg Glades (very deep in the trees) etc, and many other runs I can't remember.

Final rip was down Skydive which we hit without stopping for the first time this season and although more tracked up than when we got first tracks in the morning it was still great skiing.

The outlook is now for a 36 hour weather cycle which they say should bring another ton of snow. After that there are two more Pacific weather systems lining to hit us and a cold weather cycle due to come in just after new year. Looks like things could get better and better.