Snow Report: Jan 29/12 - Snow and Rain

Good Evening,
Well it was raining lightly here this afternoon and evening. But it was snowing up top - you could see the frost line. Snow below 5500-6000 is very wet. Forecast is for plus temps all week between +1 to +6 by the weekend. Jeesh! But...avy report says that Monday night (tomorrow) we are supposed to get 15-25cm of dense snowfall and extreme winds out of the west. Another 10cm Tuesday. They call it a "Pineapple" system (warm/moist) is supposed to be here at week's end. So more warm weather with snow. Seems to be the theme. No matter what the temps do it still seems to snow a little bit almost every day. Just watch the avy report though - heavy wet snow on top of these weaker layers spells big trouble on certain terrain. Plan and know before you go. Cheers - V

Snow Report: Jan28/12 Trail Groomed

First set of photos are of the side hill that fills in periodically as Kim and Kirby can atest. This is really deep and Shane did an awesome job of grooming last night but he too is worried about that depth. Photo of me looking up it. I wouldn't recommend stopping there. The other photos are of a mini look at what happens with avalanches. That side cut revealed the bramble that is under the snow and the voids that are warm. A bit of load presses down on these voids and cracks propogate and then it slides layer on layer or until it finds the weak layer to let go on. I took a photo so you could see and then extrapolate that out to the alpine areas. Just a little avy lesson.

Beautiful day at -4, lightly snowing and supposed to snow a bit more tomorrow too. Good day to be out riding. Cheers -V

Photos are of B road to the Pipeline staging area from the Inn. Boone and I went out and marked the trail and laid down some tracks. I would sink to my knees when I got off the sled in the trees.

Snow Report:Jan 26/12 - light snow

Just a little light snow this morning. 2cm out of it so far but not expected to last long. Avy report has 10-15cm falling yesterday up top. Is a mix of considerable and moderate with winds loading slab ready slopes. Temp is -2 and expected to remain at that. Winds starting to drop down a bit but down here there is no wind. Should be nice riding this weekend! We some availability for next week and weekend. Cheers - V

Snow Report: Jan 25/12 - more snow

Sorry for the late and short note but......it snowed most of the afternoon yesterday here and we ended up with 3 solid inches of snow - it has settled a bit overnight but is still come over your hood snow so double that for sure for the alpine. Crowsnest Pass was blowing like mad. It is a very nice -5 here. Check the avy reports before you go and have a blast! Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 21/12 Tons o Snow

Curt said there is a whack load of new snow and when Cooper got stuck (5 x that is) he said he was swimming in the snow to get to him. Down here it was spitting a bit and the snow got heavy and wet and in Fernie it was raining and the roads are SUPER icy so watch out. But up top everyone was in Limestone as visibility was really low with all the snow falling - Socked in. We have been getting snow on and off and now this evening mostly "on" for 12hrs down here. It is -2 here, zero in Fernie and it was +4 in Pincher (I was everywhere except sledding today). There are a few shots of our trail and the first creek crossing all of which is below 5500ft. There was a foot of snow on the trail at 6000ft. Flathead was good - corners a bit washboardy. Barnes still thinner compared to last year at this time but Limestone had 2ft of new snow. We have gotten about 3 inches down here at the Inn.

Read the avy report. Know before you go.
Cheers! V

Snow Report: Jan 21/12 - 2 inches

Good Morning. I would take a photo but Curt and Cooper have the camera and everyone knows I have a dinosaur phone that doesn't take photos - butt of many old jokes. So it is light fluffy 2 inches this morning with clearing skies towards Crowsnest and snowing up top toward Sparwood and Fernie. Winter storm warning of 10-15cm in incoming flurries today for Sparwood Elk Valley area - yahoo for sledding - not so yahoo for driving so be careful. It is warm at -2 and going to zero by Monday so there is a chance of wet freezing highways. Flurries are supposed to continue to Wed.

The guys will be back with photos from the alpine -likely Limestone area later tonight and I will update with photos.

Read your avy reports. Remember North and East facing will be wind loaded. Curb your enthusiasm and take a look around before you go for it. Everyone has waited a long time for snow and warm temps together and we have a long season ahead of us. The crew from Sask - Mike's gang used the stay out here to take the field portion of their AST with Zac's Tracs in Fernie. I like it. Until tonight...drive safely, ride safely! Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 20/12 WARM

We just got back from Pincher. We left and it was -20 here. When we left Pincher 40 mins ago it was -22 and we arrived to a balmy -2 here at the Inn. No new snow today but it looks like it is lightly snowing up top. 80% chance of flurries tonight with -9 as the low and flurries all weekend as the temps hover around -2. Curt blew snow all day Wed and with the breeze we have been having it is blowing in today so I am on the tractor tomorrow as he heads out to bring back trail and alpine photos with Cooper.

Teck discussions with Corbin have been very positive and everyone has complied well to help maintain property respect so the staging area remains open. Thank you Teck! Teck is a company that strongly supports the snowmobiling community and sponsors avalanche and safety training nights throughout the local sled communities. Well done gang.

Remember marshalling is happening more consistently at Fernie and Corbin so come prepared to "user pays" anti up to support the grooming progams.

Cheers!
Verlee

Snow Report: Jan 18/12 Inversion

Hi - just a quick note....was -30 now is -28 but out at Tent Mountain the group from Sask reported an inversion of only -10 and Pincher was -18 today. Snowed all day but flurries did not set in. They said the snow up on Tent was amazing! Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 18/12 COLD

It is -30 today and no wind yet thank god. There are warnings and the schools are closed. Road opened this morning - at 5:30am I watched a ton of traffic making their way over the Pass and it is clear driving-not clear skies though. If the wind picks up then visibility will easily go back down to zero again. There were really bad accidents on the Sparwood/Fernie side before they closed the road so beware when travelling people are rushing to make up for a day lost. It is supposed to start snowing again here at the BC/AB border and flurries are supposed to kick up again and into the night.

We have snow up over our knees and the drifting caused deposits bigger than that hard to tell what the new deposit of snow amounted to but it was snowing and never let up yesterday and into the night. Castle email this morning reported an additional 25cms from yesterday's 33cms. South Rockies report this morning is up considerable almost all across the board. Wind loading faces and cornices will be very sketchy.

Per the photos - kids did a great job yesterday digging out a trench to the wood shed. Its a start on the rest of the place. Crazy Saskatchewanians - Mike Toni and gang have headed out this morning. OMG it is so cold you would want a heated visor helmet today! Safety first gang - there will be other days to ride. Supposed to warm up to the plus figures on Friday. Crazy! Cheers - V

Snow Report: Jan 17/12 - Storming

I would take a photo but all you will see is a whiteout. Pass is closed right now. Plows are out but don't know how much progress they can make on an hourly basis just from the wind - road my be clearer but visibility and the idiot coming toward you on the highway is usually the problem. The temp has come up - it says -25 but it feels warmer than that. Wind has not let up and it is still snowing a bit along with the blowing out of the East. Supposed to keep warming up....-19 today, -13 tomorrow to 3 degrees on the weekend and snow a bit and blow a bit til Sunday.

Ron if you are reading this I don't know if you'll be able to make it. Keep checking the forecast. We are hunkered in and not going anywhere but our guys in the Log cabin will just ride out the back - no trailering! LOL sorry had to demonstrate that even on a storm stayed day the guests here can get out for a tour. Cheers! V

Snow Report: Jan 16/12 Snow and COLD

Cooper went out yesterday while I blew snow and said there were about 7 inches of fresh snow on the trail just out back - this photo is just above the A road/B road split (Y). It started snowing again and it is snowing and blowing today and tonight so we aren't losing any. It is COLD though. -25 during the day and the east wind was no fun so ride the trees! Supposed to last all week with more snow coming this weekend and temps coming up a bit. Dress warm - Saskatchewanian warm - cheeks covered!

Crow Snow Riders Poker Rally on the 20th of Jan.
Fernie Snow and Mud Mountain Mania Ride and Banquet Jan 20-22
Elkford Sled Dog races Jan 21-22
Fernie Snow Drags Feb 18th
Corbin Country Club Vintage run Feb 18th and regular Poker Rally Feb 19th

Cheers! V

Snow Report:Jan 14/12 SNOW!

WAHOOOOO! Okay in 40 mins from the start of it snowing at 7am at the house I already had 2 inches on the ramp of the horse trailer. Boone pushed show today while I was gone and good thing. Lou and his gang were up Alexander and said it was 18 inches of fresh snow and it was difficult to ride because of visibility. That is the North side of the highway which usually has less than the South and Corbin got more. They are out marshalling and grooming this weekend. There were TONS of sleds and trucks at the hotel parking lots in Crowsnest. I got to Lundbreck on my way to Pincher and it was clear skies and no snow. Came home and we have easily a foot of new snow down here. Temps are going to be cold so we won't lose any of it. Castle sends me emails and the ski hill has gotten 25cm of new snow there.

Avy report is considerable in alpine - watch out for rocky spots being the trigger and beware cornices, moderate in trees - propogating tree to tree could still happen here with terrain traps being something to be aware of, low below treeline.

MOre snow expected tomorrow - 6cms - still snowing lightly tonight down here. We are booked this week but have the smaller cabin with a queen and double bunkbed bedrooms open Sat thru Wed. Sleeps 3-4 guys but Lou's gang has 6 in there (I think they are sled crazy to do it but with the snow they are getting ....worth it). Remember our hot tub is pooched so leave your trunks at home - sorry. Go for a night ride instead. Cheers! V

Snow Report: Jan 10/12 - 4 Inches

We got 4-5 inches out of that round of flurries. It is really thick beautiful snow and they Pangman gang said it was coming up over their hoods going up Tent (which by the way has no piece of untracked snow on it now they told me to mention). Trail was very good - amazing what a bit of new snow can do. They guys said easily a foot just right out back.

Temps are supposed to be cold tonight 2 -16 but go to +5 Thurs and then into more flurries on the weekend. Yo yo as long as it snows! Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 9/12 - Flurries

Hi - quick note - we are getting the flurries they predicted. Was almost +9 today but it is dropping to -10 tomorrow. At 10pm it is +2 and snowing - more up top you can tell. Supposed to bring 5-10cm. Keep your fingers crossed - maybe Alaska could share a bit of their 5 meters snowfall! Cheers - V

Snow Report: Jan 8/12 Icy

Hi Gang,
Well it is pretty icy down here at the Inn and the first kilometer down the trail - scratchers required but after that it gets better and better the higher you go. Still no fluff n stuff but more than enough to go lots of places.

Yesterday there was an incident reported at Shepp Creek. Check out the details at www.avalanche.ca and go to incident reports and find incident and go to Jan 7th - Flathead/Lodgepole and it will remind you how easy it is to get buried. Luckily the sledder was dug out in time.

Temps are going from +9 on Monday to snow Tuesday to -9 Wed and then into the +3 to -3 the rest of the week. With temps like this you have to be wary of the layering of snow and the effect of wind on those surfaces. Read the avy reports and think about what direction the slope is facing and which way the wind has been blowing before you go up anything. This is a good time to pick you way into those treed areas that you always wondered what was through there but the snow was always too deep to power through.

The newest cabin has the floor down, the fridge, stove and big TV all in place. The two double bunk beds are in place and the queen bed is not far from being set up. Trim is almost done. Siding may take a bit to finish but we will have the rest ready for use soon. The hot tub is pooched. Curt has tried a bunch of things to get it working but it looks like all hope is lost. So leave your trunks at home - it will have to be a hot shower instead. Sorry gang. Keep doing the snow dance! Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 5/12

Okay - it was +8 two days ago and then it rained last night and then it started to snow but through all of this it was snowing up top and the pictures don't lie. I have been holding you guys off but here it is - 18inches of fresh snow up top and the guys said they couldn't get sleds into Rain Gauge as they were getting stuck with snow bikes. Barnes was a little lean but ride-able and the Flathead is in really good shape. These photos are from Heartbreak and it was fantastic. Go looking and you will find snow....the guys say prepare to shovel lots if you follow their single tracks. Oh and Shep Creek was tracked a bit but would be fresh today and it was still good riding. Lots of area to chew up there still. Cheers - V

Snow Report: Jan 4/12

Well I have seen less snow at this time of year and I have seen more snow at this time of year. Very ride-able but not the amazing dumps of snow we have become accustom to. You can ride from here its not like there isn't snow. It was +8 today so lower elevations are dry looking but Corbin has had a bunch of snow compared to everywhere else. Supposed to continue to be warm. Maybe we will get some midnight snows protected up in higher elevations for you to find. LOL. No worries - base is about 8ft up into the alpine and you can wear very little and be comfortable riding. Good weather for the pit-stops during the day. Cheers -V

Snow Report: Jan 3/11 Light Snow

Some light snow fell last night - 3 cm. Sticky as it was +5 at 9pm last night and is -2 this morning. 5-10cm expected tomorrow with possibilities of light snow today if it stays cool enough. Watch the N & E slopes for slabs with all these temp changes and stay off of cornices and from open face wind loaded areas. Report is Considerable and Moderate - go to www.avalanche.ca Corbin got double the amount we got here the other day and got it two days in a row. There is lots of snow it is just a bit more like early spring riding so adjust your expectations and you will have a great time! Cheers and Happy New Year - V