Feb 6/14 - BLOODY COLD!

Hey Sledders - its damn cold here! Its been -28 to now -33 almost for a week! (Norms for now are -1 high and -12 low!!!)Its supposed to break today and start coming back up to seasonal norms but jeesh! 30% chance of snow tomorrow - I would guess trace at best. Thank goodness its not windy. Supposed to snow on Sunday when it goes up to -13 daytime high and -20 nightly low but I doubt it will be much either - guess its better to gain even a little then lose snow. Monday same thing but temps going to -4 then -1 so we may get some snow worth mentioning out of that - we'll see. I will let you know. Tough thing is is that its like this all over. My friend's farm south and east of Pincher is a balmy -20 right now. Snow is set up pretty well everywhere. If you know a local with "secret secret" spot then cuddos but that is even getting rare as time passes and that gets ridden too. Snow is very ride-able, don't get me wrong, but don't go watching powder sled videos before heading out on your vacation. Bring scratchers - one of the guy's Polaris sleds was heating up because its so set up riding trail not because of ice on the trail. Can't get big groomer til it warms up. These temps just cause breakdowns on equipment so if you can let it sit...do. I feel bad for the Sask crews here right now....came from cold, hit the cold snap here and guess where this snap goes....follows them home to Sask again. Bummer. Been there guys! I feel for ya. Install the new Canadian Avalanche Centre app on your phone and go to Observations on the bottom left then click "View Observations" and click on the most southernly pin between Cranbrook and Lethbridge. Enlarge the photo and you will see that the snow pack this year is-just not an honest pack with layers that will "heal" or "mend and play well together". See the nasty little weak layers and all the load between them? When you go into complex terrain the bulletin used in conjunction with the avulator tool will tell you that risk is still greater even though it is "moderate" in the bulletin for the alpine. So don't consider the bulletin permission to "Go for it". Its just going to be one of those season where you learn the sweet spot on your running boards and learn to carve and bend your sled on the hard stuff, hold your edge and ride trees. Make it a mission to search out new territory on the low angles cause you can get there right now without being stuck every 20ft. If you find that great little meadow that people seem to have ignored then guess what....it will be full of snow too when it does snow and it will be fun to try to get to to. Bundle up, check your hand warmers, maybe even put that windshield back on (hee hee) and head out in search of terrain you will want to hit on your next trip or next year. Also gang....be prepared to start a fire incase something breaks down. Carry a rope too. You won't believe how important those things will seem on a casual innocent breakdown when you and a buddy are left while someone goes for the truck. Hang in there...V