Unofficial Fernie Report for 2008/01/12

[craig at redtree.com]

Unofficial Fernie Report - 2008/01/12

John's Report - January 12, 2008

All Bowls Open - Huge Snow/Huge Crowds


 
By mid-Saturday morning all bowls had opened, Cedar to Snake Ridge, all of Lizard & all of Currie.  With nearly three feet, or a metre, of new snow, and two days of closure, there were vast, untracked hinterlands.  It was like a gold rush, with swarming crowds seeking to stake their claim to a share of the oodles of fresh snow; all three thick lovely feet of it.  Yet, despite a days worth of relentless pressure, there were still small claims to stake at the end of the day. 



 
True, the snow was of a dense compact kind, in places nicely firm & in others, soft & spongy.  And there was three feet of it. 



 
Its density made the snow somewhat tricky, which kept the less skilled off the prime steeps.  A 4 pm run down Decline, while chopped, was still soft & easy to navigate, maybe, because of three fresh feet of firm, succulent snow. 



 



Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_0.jpg>
Large Crowds @ the bottom of Bear Chair at 10:00 AM, just about the time Lizard opened. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_1.jpg>
Lizard Traverse as seen from Bow Trees. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_2.jpg>
A view down Bow 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_3.jpg>
More crowds, this time at the base of Timber Chair, on news the Currie had opened. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_4.jpg>
Final Pitch on the 123s looking down on Down Right. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_5.jpg>
The Concussion Traverse just before the big three - Currie Creek to skier's right. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_6.jpg>
Looking up Currie Creek - still lots of freshies to be had around 1 pm. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_7.jpg>
A view down Currie Creek high over Gilmar Trail.  The route down was wide open, unlike what this picture suggests. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_8.jpg>
A bit of sun showed up the valley in the afternoon.   

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_9.jpg>
Taken from White Pass chair, Puff was just swarming.  I've never seen it so busy. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_10.jpg>
Currie Glades was sick with snow. 

Picture - <http://redtree.shawbiz.ca/2008/medium/john20080112_11.jpg>
While well sliced & diced, Decline, at 4pm, was still very much worth the trip. 


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