Home » Big Sand Creek – First Peak

Big Sand Creek – First Peak

Filed in Ski Touring by DougKoran on February 4, 2010 • 0 Comments • views: 3375

Skiing has been quite good up in the Grizzly Basin below First Peak and above Big Sand Creek in the Sand Creek Range. Several of us skiied there on Friday, January 29 and found good powder on the short 150m to 200m descents. Access is through the Galloway Mill and just past the Bull River mining camp. A sled ride of 10 kilometers and 850 vertical meters gets you to the powder zone. The road rides good now but will probably be filled in when the next big storm comes along.

About the Author (Author Profile)

Orca Road and Orca Bridge Volly Party

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club spent a day clearing Orca Road and clearing a more obvious route to Orca Bridge. We’re stoked for another great ski touring season!

New Ski Touring Hut Survey

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club is currently in the assessment and pre-feasibility phase in planning an additional backcountry ski touring hut for the club and its membership. The New Ski Touring Hut Survey will help gauge general interest in determining if an additional hut is viable and refine location criteria that suit the […]

2024 Summer Cabin Improvements

Every spring, the Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club reviews the cabins and plans improvements for the summer and fall. These upgrades go above and beyond the annual cleaning and restocking of supplies, such as firewood, propane, and other essentials. Preparing the firewood involves bucking and splitting, followed by several helicopter flights to each cabin […]

How and when to Book the Cabins

How and when to book the Cabins are frequent questions and this post is intended as an overview to assist you. Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek cabins are bookable as a whole cabin only online for overnight stays by members. This is not exclusive as the cabins are also available for day use. Day use […]

2023 Cabin Improvements

Every summer the Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club directors, members and friends volunteer their time to improve our backcountry cabins. The dedication of the volunteers and the support the club receives from various organizations is commendable. The organizations include the Columbia Basin Trust, RDEK Area A, the City of Fernie, Home Hardware, Fernie Alpine […]

Thunder Meadows Summer Renovations

Our love and commitment to improving the cabins never ends. This July a new roof, a new woodshed, a fresh inside coat of paint and a clean up happened at Thunder Meadows. Thank you to all the volunteers who dedicated their time and to Home Hardware Fernie and the Columbia Basin Trust ReDi Grants for […]

Cabins Open with Tunnel Creek Rebuild

The Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek Cabins opened today for overnight stays for the season! Current bookings are up to January 31 and February to April will be available for online booking on January 15 @ 6am. Harvey Pass is a warming hut for day use only and is a popular day ski and snowmobile […]

Grizzly Hibernating in Thunder Meadows Cabin

Fortunately this is a ploy to get your attention however it could be a reality. Yesterday during a wood delivery to Thunder Meadows we found the cabin and toilet doors open with snow blowing in. Fortunately we visited before the structures filled with snow and/or had a grizzly move it. Please latch the doors and […]

Tunnel Creek Hut Renovations

The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club Tunnel Creek Hut renovations are looking great thanks to outstanding volunteer efforts and generous support from our sponsors. The plan to replace the old Tunnel Creek bunk house with a new permanent structure that matches the newer day use facility are ready for this season. This renovation on […]

Cabin Bookings Details-Updated

On November 1, 2022 at 6am MST Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek bookings go online for the period from December 1st to January 31, 2023. On January 15th, 2023 Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek bookings go online for the period from February 1st to April 30, 2023. The cabins can only be booked by Fernie […]

TUNNEL CREEK PARKING ADVISORY – Updated

The RCMP caught the scumbag! It’s unfortunate to report that the Tunnel Creek parking lot has been subject to fuel theft. Even worse, the culprits are drilling fuel tanks causing expensive damage to vehicles. At this time we suspect it’s happening late at night however it’s not confirmed. PLEASE report any suspicious activity to the […]

Tunnel Creek Renovations Planned for 2022

The FTSTC is planning for Tunnel Creek renovations the summer of 2022. The plan is to replace the existing Tunnel Creek bunk house with a superior structure that matches the existing day use structure. This renovation on the hut would increase the quality of overnight stays and improve the day use experience. The footing and […]

2022 Avalanche Bursary Recipients Announced

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) have finalized the 2022 Avalanche Bursary program with awards to an unprecedented nine recipients with bursaries totaling $3400. This year the annual budget was increased to cover the increased number and quality of the submissions. Ian Stokie, FTSTC President, commented, “Were happy that our bursary program is […]

Fernie Premier of La Liste: Everything or Nothing

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) is hosting a film at the Vogue Theatre showing the most extreme backcountry skiing of all time…it’s insane! From the award-winning filmmakers Sherpas Cinema their latest film “La Liste: Everything or Nothing” is a must see! Big mountain skiers, and close friends, Jérémie Heitz and Sam Anthamatten […]

Harvey Pass Hut is Completed

We’re extremely pleased to announce that the Harvey Pass Hut, warming and emergency shelter, has been completed and is open to the public. This time we hope it’s fire proof! This is the 6th cabin at Harvey Pass and yes, the previous five were destroyed by fire. The last cabin burnt in 2017 when a […]

Harvey Hut Work Party

We are looking for volunteers to help complete the Harvey Pass warming hut for the coming snow season! Harvey Pass has lost three previous cabins to fire, the last cabin burnt prior to being completed. This build is using a sea can to ensure its survival! The Harvey Hut is an official BC Recreation site, […]

Harvey Hut Rebuild Funding needs your comments

The FT&STC has a CBT funding application submitted to support the rebuild of the Harvey Pass warming hut. We will be placing a refurbished sea can at the most recent hut site with a wood stove, benches and a compostable toilet. With the growth of backcountry activity and the isolation of Harvey Pass, a warming […]

FSA Groomed Trails Touring Access

The Fernie Snowmobile Association (FSA) has passed along a few key updates regarding their grooming operations this winter. Several backcountry users have expressed concerns about the FSA plans to regularly groom Hartley Lake Road this season. Their concerns included: – The cost of having a FSA membership – The parking lot being full – Road […]

Injured Skier at Tunnel Creek

Fernie Search And Rescue was activated on December 5th by a 911 call to respond to a report of an injured skier at Tunnel Creek Cabin. The two skiers had overnighted in the cabin and were due out that day. With very little flying time remaining, Fernie SAR Techs responded via helicopter for a rapid […]

Early Season Backcountry Skier Death

Konan Wendt, of Invermere, was out skiing for the day with three friends on Monday when tragedy struck on Robertson Glacier, Kananaskis Country. Robertson Glacier is a popular early season destination for backcountry skiers that is comparable in early season traffic to Fernie’s Harvey Pass. Wendt suffered a serious head injury when pitched forward into […]