Official 2015/2016 Fernie conditions

[MK4TDI]

trail usually gets whooped as it is not groomed very often, and the riding is kinda whatever. Better off sticking to coal creek.

Hahaha, that comment right there sounds more like..... don't go in their cause I want all the snow and bowls to myself.

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[ferniesnow]

I've only ever hear the word Hartley, never rode it. Where is it?

If you go to the new Fernie snowmobile website that has finally been updated it now shows this area and a map. I have been several times and it's a fun area but a longer ride in. It also leads to the back side of the 3 Sisters.

No room for Enclosed trailers, it is a small staging area. Decks and two place trailers only, trail usually gets whooped as it is not groomed very often, and the riding is kinda whatever. Better off sticking to coal creek.

Blue Plate is correct. The road up to the staging area is steep, winding, and narrow. Unless it is bone dry, trucks pulling trailers should use chains. The narrowness is not good for meeting vehicles. There is a residential area at the top and it is common to meet vehicles on the winding, narrow road.

Further to Blue Plate's information, the trail ride is about 30 km to Powder Bob's (sounds sweet and it is when there is a big dump). A place called Mecca is also in there and there is some riding on the north side of the Hartley Pass. The big ticket is the Three Sisters but that is not for the feint at heart to put it bluntly. If you are new to the Three Sisters, the only person that I would recommend to take you in there is Andy from Weirboondocking Weir Boondocking - Snowmobile Clinics in Fernie, BC Sure there are other people who will take you in but my recommendation would only be with one guy and that is Andy.

Speaking about the trail, it is only groomed (when it is groomed) to the Sulphur Creek turnoff and I don't think that has been done this year. I do know that it has been groomed to the Three Sisters turnoff once this year. I am not sure if there has been any other grooming in that area this year.

So to sum it up, if you have a deck/small open trailer, and good tires, and the road is dry, and you want to ride 30 km of whoops (both ways), and carry extra gas, and there is a fresh 60 cm dump..........................Powder Bob's is a small area and doesn't take long for 4 sleds to ride it out. I have been in there twice; first and last (I was lucky and the snow was great but I don't need to go back). I am like Blue Plate and recommend sticking to Coal Creek/Morrissey.

 

[Elk Valley Snow Shepherds]

Road up to Hartley is dry and in good condition this week. Staging area has soft snow covering parking lot. Our groups were able to haul small/med trailers without issue but when staging area becomes congested turning around can become a problem. Trail is whooped up to the lake but is scheduled to be groomed before the weekend. Excellent coverage and conditions beyond pass/lake, scenery is outstanding for those who have never been this way.

If you are headed up Sulpher, the South facing slopes are melting quickly with a few easily passable rock slides on road and some thinning snow bridges over the creek - maybe two weeks left of good sled access via this route without having to ride dirt. Excellent conditions above 1800m: good dry powder sledding with plenty of untouched left for this weekend's riders. Definitely worth the trip - bring gas and a camera. Some low angle intermediate riding available but important to note that Hartley is a gateway to large terrain with high consequences. Has been risk of afternoon thunderstorms and lighting all week as well. Get the gear, get the training, get the knowledge, and understand the Av Can bulletin before heading out. Please respect the working relationship with other user groups in the area such as ski-tourers; slow down when passing on road and do not drive up the skin track if you can avoid it. Happy to share our field obs etc for those looking for more information - send us a pm or email and will share what we can.

The FSA groomer had tiller issues on Saturday PM so they were unable to complete their regular loop. It has since been repaired and plan is to squeeze in three grooms this week to catch up. Road block/berm at Coal Creek staging area will be moved up to the first bridge tonight to allow for upper staging. They are currently in discussions with land managers to get road repaired (from old dump to staging) and perhaps create a new early/late season staging higher up the road than the current parking lot.

Elk Valley Snow Shepherds
Snowmobile Guides & Avalanche Skills Training
Fernie, BC

 

[psychosledder]

Keep it secret jeesh

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[ferniesnow]

Another great day with 30+ cm of fresh in the trees. We rode untracked trees and meadows all day. I was pleasantly surprised!

 

[fire66]

We just rode four days in the Fernie area and the riding was exelent, we rode great untracked snow all day each day.
A big thank you to Sledalot and FernieSnow for showing us around their back yard. The company was as good as the riding.
Now a few days skiing with the family, what a vacation!

 

[Elk Valley Snow Shepherds]

Coal Creek groomed yesterday PM. Can park at the upper staging area by the first bridge now. Morrissey is no longer recommended for staging by the FSA.

Special spring warning issued by Avalanche Canada re temperature/snowpack trends and increased hazard with potential for high consequences here: Avalanche Canada

Also a very good AvCan blog posted yesterday by Ilya Storm (AvCan Forecaster, ACMG Guide) "Why All The Sledder Fatalities" here: Avalanche Canada.

Quick shot of one of our clients yesterday at the Notch: Photo says a thousand words.

 

[Skyhigh]

Another note about three sisters. Once you start up the single track through the trees it is steep and tight. Not a place for beginners at all. If guys trench the trail out it is ruined.

 

[ferniesnow]

Rode untouched trees and meadows all day in the sunshine with a group of very happy flatlanders. The 30 cm of fresh wasn't epic like it is right now on the west coast but it was pretty sweet! It was interesting to note, there was not another sled around. We had the hills to ourselves and that is worth the price of admission.

 

[wideman12]

Rode untouched trees and meadows all day in the sunshine with a group of very happy flatlanders. The 30 cm of fresh wasn't epic like it is right now on the west coast but it was pretty sweet! It was interesting to note, there was not another sled around. We had the hills to ourselves and that is worth the price of admission.

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Looks like am awesome day Doug.

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[guido88gt]

Elkford or fernie?

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[guido88gt]

Dumb question I guess. Since this is the fernie post.

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[ferniesnow]

Elkford or fernie?

Dumb question I guess. Since this is the fernie post.

After my buddy got a little upset last week (I get his inReach locations........if you read or remember the post), I can see the question being legitimate. It was in Fernie in a special honey hole.

 

[guido88gt]

Is it pretty tracked out up coal Creek Doug?

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[ferniesnow]

Looks like am awesome day Doug.

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It was Luke. A good place to ride to test the after effects of a concussion. We'll keep that in mind for next winter.

 

[ferniesnow]

Is it pretty tracked out up coal Creek Doug?

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All the open stuff is tracked out. The trees, not so much!

 

[wideman12]

It was Luke. A good place to ride to test the after effects of a concussion. We'll keep that in mind for next winter.

Sounds like a great idea to me.
Thanks Doug!

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[pistoncontracting]

All the open stuff is tracked out. The trees, not so much!

We were a little worried what we'd find today. I say this often, but it amazes me what people drive past. We even found some very open stuff (rolling meadows) today, a long ways to the left of a certain spot, that managed to run us out of fuel before 2oclock.

Definitely going back to that place. I think a certain someone has been holding out ... boy is he gunna get an earfull...

 

[ferniesnow]

We were a little worried what we'd find today. I say this often, but it amazes me what people drive past. We even found some very open stuff (rolling meadows) today, a long ways to the left of a certain spot, that managed to run us out of fuel before 2oclock.

Definitely going back to that place. I think a certain someone has been holding out ... boy is he gunna get an earfull...

Sometimes, a guy has to save some of the honey holes for those days that everything else is ridden out. Glad you found one of them...............

I did post a video of two marvellous days in that honey hole..........A Day to Remember.

 

[pistoncontracting]

I'm quite sure we did stumble upon that spot. Didn't wreck it to bad. Was amazed by it actually. Neat place for sure.

A guy could spend a lot of time in the area. Doesn't seem to see much traffic.