Fernie Snow Conditions 2017 - 2018

fredw

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Hears the rain came threw fernie as well, same as whitefish...will this be a Avalanche concern with future new snow. Few hills very slippery
 

pistoncontracting

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Hears the rain came threw fernie as well, same as whitefish...will this be a Avalanche concern with future new snow. Few hills very slippery

We were up Matheson. There was maybe an inch of fresh snow on a decent base. A little higher in the trees though, there was a really werd crusty layer under 8 or 9 "s of snow.
The snow on the trees seems a little rain crusty, but not to bad.

Sink up to mid thigh/waist when jumping off the sled.

10-4 on future av concerns.
 

ferniesnow

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Heard from some SK boys yesterday and the snow was weird in the Rolling Hills. Sort of like the rain went quite high and is now "hero snow". I haven't ridden in 10 days and if this cold keeps up it will definitely be longer. I'm getting to be a wussy in my old age....................warm weather and meadows are getting to be more appealing :winkmsn:
 

sc800

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Last week it hit plus 1 for about 4 hours and then within one hour went to -12.8 all at elevation. Not cool.
 

fredw

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We did Maria’s pass and hungry horse, so 30 miles south of Fernie and snow was incredible a week ago but the rain was heavy and it made a two inch crust on top, it was like a skating rink on a few hills, spinning out,sliding sideways and so on, hit the rev limiter on the turbo sled a few times at 122mph.. pretty freaky and one of the first times in my career I seen it that bad

cant imangine what will happen if they get another big dump on top of the ice crust, think the snow would just slide so much easier, so sad since there is so much good snow..
 

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Doo2015

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Is there still good snow up top or did the rain crust everything? Was considering fernie for the weekend. Thanks
 

Trukker

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Rain crusted up too 7000 ft but should snow this week . Horrible layer however . Big slide on the Corbin road towards the McLatchey junction
 

FernieHawk

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I was Cat Skiing at FWA on Friday and sledding on Sunday.

Below 6000 feet sucked and gradually got better above that.

6500 and higher was good snow but the wind has affected some areas.

Good snow can still be found but you will definitely have to look for it.
 

fredw

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Are you concerned about the avy conditions with new snow on top of the ice crust!
 

pistoncontracting

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IMO, things shouldn't be any different. My biggest concern would be the same layer that has been a problem for the last month. The opener slopes are still going to be problem areas, just like normal. And the tighter trees are still going to be very good rideing, just like normal.

Maybe, a hard crust would make things temporarily better?? By making it harder to trigger that **** layer way down deep??
 

takethebounce

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IMO, things shouldn't be any different. My biggest concern would be the same layer that has been a problem for the last month. The opener slopes are still going to be problem areas, just like normal. And the tighter trees are still going to be very good rideing, just like normal.

Maybe, a hard crust would make things temporarily better?? By making it harder to trigger that **** layer way down deep??

The December and early January weak layers are going to stick around the remainder of the winter. Now add another recent **** layer and cold temps and it’s just creating a recipe for disaster.

More snow is just adding greater potential for slides to be larger.

Still lots of zones to play safer and have less exposure on.
 

fredw

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That’s what I had thought as well, last ride was last weekend and it was a skating rink going up a hill, maybe Fernie never got as much rain, but the thought of what a heavy snow layer on top of it, crossed my mind a few times, we were comming down the hill basically with no brakes, and much quicker than normal, would thinknsnow would be no different
 

ferniesnow

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The snow was great today. Rode untracked for two days in a row. Yesterday was good and some areas were much better than others. Today, all our riding was great with 30-40 cm of fresh and in some of the wind loaded areas it was deeper. Absolutely amazing where one can ride and find the untracked, deep pow.......

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wideman12

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Was great riding with you Doug. I don’t get out often enough, but those were two of the best days I’ve ever had!
Thanks again!
 

FernieHawk

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Our group missed the goods today...to much wind affect where we were. Oh well...ya win some and ya lose some.
 
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