Craig's Report - February 25, 1999

Wax the Ark!

(Looks nice doesn't it? Ha! Cedar Ridge)

Rain continued to fall today and only the foolish ventured out. Okay, that would be me, but my excuse was that I was supposed to meet with the Men's Day folks. To my amazement two of the fools actually showed up, obligating me to drag my damp hide up the lifts.

All of the White Pass lift was above the snow line, but even at the top the snow was less than light. A veteran Fernie skier later advised me in the locker room that commitment was the key. Sure Jack, perhaps if I skied like you and had one heck of an insurance plan. <g>

For mere mortals, survival was the name of the game.

(Snake Ridge Extreme Hazard Area)

Of course lower down things just got worse and on some flying turns into untracked on lower Cedar Ridge, I was sure I was about to be sucked straight through to China. We aren't talking smooth here.

This very fuzzy picture doesn't come close to conveying the massive cracks in the snow pack on the extreme hazard region of Snake Ridge. While a crack at the rock snow boundary is not uncommon late in the season, such a massive crack all the way across and secondary cracks along the edge of the KC Chutes sure doesn't look good. Invisible in this fog bound picture is the buckling and cracks in the middle of the snow pack. Not good.

(Rod - not the Doc - on a viscous Sunnyside)

Of course lots of stuff was closed including everything above Tower 6 Road in Lizard, all of Cedar bowl except Cedar Ridge and of course Currie Bowl. All of Timber was however open.

Heavy snow was the name of the game everywhere and in the steep untraveled sections this ranged from something like avalanche debris to heavy sticky glup. Up top things were a bit better and for me the occasional smooth turn was possible (others probably did better), but any flaw in technique was swiftly punished. The groomed runs were actually pretty decent as long as you didn't think of the consequences of anything going wrong while travelling on that sticky surface.

(Ah Ha - That's what happened to the Griz)

One of my companions had to leave early, but the other lured me into the evil daylodge bar for more brews than was wise. <g>

While in there I ran across Dave 'Wally' Wall and couldn't resist getting this signature picture. Dave has worked for the hill since the time Heiko was in diapers and while I don't know what his actual position is, I am pretty sure he must be underpaid, for he is the best goodwill ambassador a hill could have. A great MC and all around good guy, he has so much natural enthusiasm it is just contagious. If you run across him on the hill, be sure and say hi and see if you can wrangle a snowmobile ride (Sorry Dave <g>).

.

At 10:20 PM (where does the time go) it is 1 C at the house with just a few flakes falling.

(Click on any picture for a larger version)