October 19, 1999

Great Fall Weather

All you folks from distant points may be disappointed to hear there are no flakes yet falling in Fernie, but most locals, including myself, are reveling in the delightful fall weather. It was another clear crisp gorgeous day, perfect for biking and hiking and deliciously free of precipitation. Snow is of course most cordially invited to our neighborhood, but not before November. :-)

They still having logging operations up in Currie, but it may just be clean up as I could not see any major new features. Most of this region has been freshly groomed by cats (the dirt kind) and a prodigious amount of trash wood has been consumed in burn piles. Although it is difficult to tell until one skis it, it appears to me to be a significant improvement which will make exiting Currie much less tense for less advanced skiers.

Earlier in the season they widened the area of Deer where the large jumps were last year and they are now constructing enormous dirt mounds for the gravity challenged to play upon. I tried to get a picture of them, but the afternoon sun and shadows wouldn't cooperate. Maybe they will look smaller with snow on them, but right now they look like a good reason to expand the local hospital ER. (I hear they actually are making it bigger, but with no additional staff).

I took some shots of the progress of the trendy trio of new hotels and a knowledgeable little bird told me that both Cornerstone and Lizard Creek should be ready in time for the new season (that is not to say Snow Creek won't be ready too). I also heard that a Kelsey's bar and restaurant will be one of the ground floor tenants of Cornerstone. It sure doesn't look like Fernie anymore Toto.

At quarter to five it is clear, sunny and 16 C on my sun drenched porch.