Real Ski Report: Slim pickings at Fernie but the snow is flying in Revelstoke
31 cm in last 24 hours at Revelstoke and snow in forecast for Kicking Horse
Each week, CBC Calgary's Paul Karchut speaks with dozens of dedicated skiers and boarders across eastern B.C. and southern Alberta to get the real scoop on conditions at resorts, on cross-country trails and in the backcountry.
A series of systems brewing off the Pacific coast are going to deliver an El Nino left hook to several western Canadian ski hills.
Forecasters say Whistler Blackcomb could see 100 to 300 cm of snowfall over the next week. Those systems are already hitting Revelstoke, with 17 cm of fresh powder rolling in on Thursday night. The resort, which is now open daily, could see another 15 cm by Sunday and the forecast is calling for snow every day next week.
A similar story at Kicking Horse, with 16 cm overnight and another 15 cm expected on Saturday night.
The snow gods granted Fernie 4 cm of fresh snow Thursday night to give skiers a bit more coverage for opening day on Friday.
"It's not going to be spectacular. We didn't get the big dumps that Kicking Horse and Revelstoke got so it's pretty bare," said Ross Janzen, one of our Fernie reporters.
"Just going to be some groomed runs and it's just going to be the two chair lifts on Lizard Bowl. So it's going to be the Elk and the Bear Chair."
Lake Louise and Sunshine
After a week of sunny and dry conditions, winter has returned to the two big mountains. Thursday night brought 5cm to Lake Louise and 10 cm to Sunshine Village. Both mountains could see a light dusting Friday night and a mix of sun and clouds over the weekend. The temperature is expected to hover around -2 C at Lake Louise on Saturday and Sunday, and the mercury could climb as high as 3 C on Sunday at Sunshine Village.
- OTHER CALGARY NEWS | Living Christmas tree rental replaces cut evergreen in Calgary homes
- OTHER CALGARY NEWS | Surprise! Alberta's economy is driven by more than just oil and gas
With the exception of Goat's Eye, all lifts are spinning at both resorts.The forecast is calling for more in the Bow Valley early next week, accumulating 10-15 cm by Thursday morning.
Also, expect some crowds this weekend at Lake Louise for the Women's World Cup.
- Nakiska: Regular, seven day a week operations begins Dec. 4.
- Norquay: Open daily.
- Kicking Horse: Bonus weekend Dec 5-6. Regular season starts Dec. 11.
- Fernie: Dec. 4. is opening day.
- Panorama: Bonus weekend Dec. 5-6. Regular season starts Dec. 11.
- Kimberly: Bonus weekend Dec. 5-6. Regular season starts on Dec. 12.
- Castle Mountain: Dec. 11 is opening day.
Cross-country skiing
The snow is still good, but you may be scraping the needles off your waxed skis this weekend.
"The winds have come up a bit and we're dealing with a little bit of tree debris on the trails," said Bob Truman, the man behind skierbob.ca.
Truman says the trails at Lake Louise, such as Pipestone and Great Divide, are clear and in great condition. Track setting is ongoing in Kananaskis and snowmaking is in full swing at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
Backcountry skiing
A lot of people have been getting into some pretty big terrain for this time of year and stability has been pretty exceptional in many areas.
However, high winds and fresh snow can be a bad combination for backcountry conditions. Especially when you have hoar crystals — some of the size of potato chips — and sun crusts that have formed on the snow surface since that last storm.
The backcountry avalanche danger will be on the rise at all elevations and zones. Use caution if you choose to leave the ski area boundary and keep checking the updates on the Avalanche Canada website.
Have photos of yourself shredding it? Tweet them to @CBCoutside or send an email to [email protected]
Follow along with the latest tweets from the mountains.
With files from the CBC's Paul Karchut