November 17, 2000

Miserly Skies

It has been cold, gray and delightfully gloomy for the last few days, but those miserable clouds just haven't parted with any of the white stuff. While I found calf deep snow well up in Cedar Bowl a couple of days ago, it is hardly encouraging unless you regularly wax for twigs and rocks. While Fernie snow can come big when it comes, one can't help but start to be concerned that the scheduled Dec 1 opening might be postponed again this year. It is certainly possible for the snow to come in time, but the storm track is going to have to get its act together pretty soon.

I assume the lack of snow must at least be helpful for the folks working on the new Bear Chair. It now sports its cable and is starting to look fairly complete.

The cold weather has allowed the hill to run its rather limited snow making equipment with the result that the only skiable area of the hill is the Bunny Run beside the Mighty Moose. Every day a contingent of boarders trucks up and down this, racking up vertical a 100 feet at a time. Of course they have built some jumps and one certainly has to admire their enthusiasm, but so far I just just haven't been able to summon up much will to take a run myself. However if Griz doesn't come through soon, who knows.

Not ready for prime time. Knee deep weeds with a skiff of a base does not exactly suggest great skiing. This is taken in Lizard from near the top of Freeway. Bow is on the left, Arrow in the center and part of Sunnyside on the right.

Looking across upper Freeway, with the Bear's Den below and the town of Fernie in the background.

Ice Creek. The creek between China Wall and Freeway is frozen solid, on top at least, for its entire length and looks much cooler, in all senses of the word, than this picture can hope to convey.

This shot was taken from near the bottom of the old Bear T-Bar and the T-Bar line is on the left, Bear is at the upper right and the new cross over from Bear to Ballet (apparently considered part of Sun up) is at the lower right.

The obligatory Bear chair shot. Note that it now has its cable in place.

The Bunny Boarder Brigade takes it where it can find it. The only rideable part of the mountain is the patch of man made snow beside the Mighty Moose.