2023/2024 Fernie area

[calgarysledguy]

Was out today and yes the snow pack is certainly low but we managed to have a good first day without any carnage . Max we probed was 85 CMS. Last year at beginning of December it was 120 cms

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Tell Ken it's about time he got to test out those recalls! I believe I met you at the A&W September long weekend. I was out fishing with my dad.... Anyway looks like you had a great day. I only found 70cm where I was Saturday. Ken know where and it cost me a A arm

 

[LUCKY 7]

Tell Ken it's about time he got to test out those recalls! I believe I met you at the A&W September long weekend. I was out fishing with my dad.... Anyway looks like you had a great day. I only found 70cm where I was Saturday. Ken know where and it cost me a A arm

He mentioned that another buddy had a bit of carnage. His 9R is running sweet.

 

[Got Juice?]

What a GREAT Day today. 5 on the hill, some great lines and zones, plus some air time and a really good pull!!!

 

[Got Juice?]

I like riding Fernie and Elkford, but sometimes the little known stuff is so much better. Virgin Pow, lots of it, 2' of well set up base. Where we were trenching last weekend, today it was just about having fun and for that matter, I did not get stuck once. Damn!

 

[catrutt]

Considerable avalanche conditions?

 

[Got Juice?]

Considerable avalanche conditions?

Unbelieveably no. I dug 2 pits and only found 1 shear plane but it was close to the surface snow. Both were at 9" and 11" below the top layer.

It appears that the earlier rain on monday caused the plane to form and the remaining 9-11" of snow we had made up the top.

If there was risk, it would certainly be classed as minimal.

 

[coots]

What area is this? Where is Bull River?

 

[TylerG]

What area is this? Where is Bull River?

Elkford is where I know the Bull River to be.

 

[ferniesnow]

What area is this? Where is Bull River?

It is west of Elkford. The ending of Crossing Creek trail is the Bull River FSR.
A highly technical area with lots of avy concerns. A video posted the other day shows only 90 cm. In my 20 years of sledding there, that is minimal coverage.
Crossing Creek trail is the access to Crossing Lakes, Smith Basin, Koko Claims (Elkford cabin), Mear Lake and Cowboy basin, the Gorge, Tundra, and the infamous Wayne’s World. One can get up to 8000’ with a little work but I am sure the snow cover isn’t enough for those places just yet.

 

[Got Juice?]

137 cm where we were. Don’t know where the 90cm friends of yours were?

 

[Got Juice?]

 

[ferniesnow]

That was a lot of logging roads. You worked for that basin.
You were on the actual Bull River side and started in Galloway, or the Bull River store?

 

[Got Juice?]

That was a lot of logging roads. You worked for that basin.
You were on the actual Bull River side and started in Galloway, or the Bull River store?

Good eye for details! Worked our way from the Galloway side. one downside of the bird eye view is it looks to be low consequence all the way up. 3 or 4 spots you must be careful, it’s a long way to heli a sled out.

 

[Got Juice?]

The road ride was good. I did not go off trail as much as last time. I ate my bars on a drop down and wasn’t feeling terribly adventurous after. Plus it dented my fav coffee mug!!! Even on the road/path scratchers were not needed, the weekend before I was off in the treed areas playing. Lots of snow, lots of fun . Iirc we started at 1030 and we finished around 330 ish.

 

[ferniesnow]

The video I was referring to was out of Elkford. 12 km to the top of Koko Claims and then it starts dropping down to the Bull River FSR and that is north of where you were.

Elkford conditions 2023/24

www.snowandmud.com

 

[Got Juice?]

The video I was referring to was out of Elkford. 12 km to the top of Koko Claims and then it starts dropping down to the Bull River FSR and that is north of where you were.

Elkford conditions 2023/24

www.snowandmud.com

Yes I belong to the Elkford club. Super nice people. To work backwards to that area made no sense on that particular day, and our group leader had been through there on snowshoe 3 weeks earlier. It was really really good.

 

[moyiesledhead]

That was a lot of logging roads. You worked for that basin.
You were on the actual Bull River side and started in Galloway, or the Bull River store?

That was First Peak behind Galloway off Big Sand. No where near Bull River. I thought so from the pictures, but the route map confirmed it.

 

[Got Juice?]

That was First Peak behind Galloway off Big Sand. No where near Bull River. I thought so from the pictures, but the route map confirmed it.

And it’s snowing an absolute storm up there again. Should be another 6” I hope by the weekend! I would like to go next weekend to Summer lake and work my way east to the back side of Dingley or Drop into Bear Lake or Mt Ruault. Just have to see what the snow Gods have in store this week.

 

[moyiesledhead]

And it’s snowing an absolute storm up there again. Should be another 6” I hope by the weekend! I would like to go next weekend to Summer lake and work my way east to the back side of Dingley or Drop into Bear Lake or Mt Ruault. Just have to see what the snow Gods have in store this week.

Might need more snow for Bear Lake. Lotta big rock going into there.

 

[ferniesnow]

That was First Peak behind Galloway off Big Sand. No where near Bull River. I thought so from the pictures, but the route map confirmed it.

Thanks for clarification Ken.