Skiers and boarders flocked to the hill for Fernie Alpine Resort's opening day on Nov. 29, to get some turns in fresh unspoiled powder.
"Powder” Matt Mosteller, senior vice president of Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) said this season is shaping up to be one of the best in the last few years, with 251 cm of snow accumulating so far this season and 90 cm in the last week.
"The Griz delivered. Most likely the best opener in recent history for sure," he said. "The beauty is that we have good temperatures for good snow coverage top to bottom. So awesome."
100 runs were open, with plenty of groomed trails spread across Lizard, Currie, Timber, Cedar and Siberia bowls and the lower mountain. All lifts were operating except for Polar Peak, which typically takes longer to open, due to a lack of coverage in the earliest part of the season.
The deep pillows of powder on the hill and the mild -5 degrees temperature made for ideal skiing conditions. Light snow fell sporadically throughout the day, reaching 1 cm by 9 a.m.
The Arts Station ran a Winter Art Discovery event on Nov. 30. Local art was placed along Cedar Trail for the public to view and youth were able to design and decorate sets of miniature skis at a craft station.
Mosteller said there will be more groomed trails this year, thanks to two new Prinoth Stage V groomers, which are more eco-friendly than previous equipment. Some new higher-tech snow guns were added to the fleet as well.
Fernie Alpine Resort is offering a new program called Jib January starting in the New Year, that offers weekly freestyle group coaching sessions at the Rail Park. Mosteller said the program is open to skiers and boarders at all levels, with beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons.
Running all winter is the Telus Winter Sports School, which Mosteller said has more level three and four instructors than any other ski resort in Canada.
The resort will be ringing in the New Year with the Griz Bar New Year's Eve Party and fireworks. The bar recently underwent renovations to open up the interior and level the floor.
Skiers and boarders will get a blast from the past March 29 and 30 with retro-themed parties and contests. Attendees are encouraged to wear their best neon snowsuits and spandex leggings.
The Raging Elk Slope Soaker finishes off the season in the spring, with skiers and boarders dressing in costume and executing their best tricks, while skimming across a pool of water.
The resort has been hard at work modifying the terrain on the hill in Siberia, Currie and Lizard bowls to link beginner and intermediate runs to the upper mountain, so runs are more accessible for people of all abilities, as well as staff and the grooming team. This project has been ongoing for many years, and will continue in future seasons.
The Hells Gate section of the hill was widened and the flow was altered to make it a smoother intermediate run for skiers and boarders to exit Siberia bowl. Additionally, a new exit was added to Fred's Corner, offering a safe route during avalanche closures.
The entry to Siberia Bowl from Deep Sea was widened and regraded, and Gilmar Trail/Lower Barracuda was smoothed and resurfaced. Plenty of grading work was completed on Dancer/Lower Cascade to allow for better snowcat access.
For more information on current ski hill conditions, visit www.skifernie.com.
