DougKoran
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Ridgemont Trails riding well.
The mountain bike trails in the Ridgemont area are mostly dried up and riding well. On the weekend the Fernie Trails crew cleaned up deadfall on Splitting Bears and Hessian. We will be cleaning up the Mount Fernie Park trails in the next several weeks.
Proctor Mountain Trails
The trails on the south slope of Proctor Mountain are free of snow and in great shape for cycling. Mad Cow and Swine Flu are the recommended rides right now. Best to climb the double-track on the northeast side of Fairy Creek and then turn right along the fence line after walking through the barb wire fence gate. This will tie you into the Mad Cow single-track climb.
Hyper Ventilation – South Castle trails open for cycling
Hyper Ventilation, Castle Mountain and South Castle are open for cycling now. The Fernie Trails Club cleared out the deadfall on these trails on Wednesday. There is a five minute snow walk on the Castle Rocks traverse but Castle Mountain and South Castle Trail are clear from the summit down to Cokato Road.
Cycling Trails around Koocanusa
Cycled Elk Rim and Dorr Road single-track on Saturday, March 27. The trails are all in very good condition with only a few muddy sections.
North Tunnel Creek Slidepaths
Ian, Jack, Dave and Pat toured up North Tunnel Creek to the Tunnel Creek and Morrissey slidepaths today. Stability was good and we made two runs off of Tunnel Ridge in excellent powder conditions. At the top of the ridge there was 2.25 meters of snowpack. It appeared that no one had ventured into this basin this season. A very impressive avalanche had bulldozed it’s way several weeks ago down North Tunnel Creek and left vertical walls 3 meters high on both sides of the drainage. This route made for easy climbing and all the alder was nicely buried.
Big Sand Creek – First Peak
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.
A Cabin Crisis: The Economy of Toilet Paper views: 2020
Deep in the heart of the Fernie backcountry, at the legendary Thunder Meadows, Tunnel Creek, and Harvey Pass cabins, a shadowy barter economy thrives. No, it’s not trading trail mix for dry socks or a thermos of coffee for a warm seat by the fire. It’s something far more primal: toilet paper. Yes, in the […]
Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club Annual General Meeting 2026 views: 178
The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club invites members and anyone interested in ski touring and four-season cabin use in the Elk Valley to attend the 2026 Annual General Meeting. Who: Anyone interested in ski touring and winter/summer use cabins in the Elk Valley What: 2026 Annual General Meeting Where: Fernie Seniors Centre, 562 3 […]
January 15 Booking Release Opens for Fernie’s Backcountry Cabins views: 807
The January 15 booking period for Fernie’s backcountry cabins opens Thursday, January 15 at 6:00am MST, releasing February 1 to April 30 overnight inventory for Thunder Meadows Cabin and Tunnel Creek Cabin. This is the second and final winter release for the 2025–26 season and typically fills quickly. What’s Being Released on January 15 Thunder […]
2026 Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Avalanche Bursary Recipients views: 670
The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) 2026 Avalanche Bursary Program awarded a total of $2,500, with funding allocated based on the cost of each recipient’s training program. Applicants this year reflect the breadth of avalanche education being pursued in the Elk Valley, from first-time courses to continued skill development. FTSTC President Magnus Leckenby […]
Tunnel Creek Cabin Fall Maintenance Update views: 660
Nine dedicated volunteers made the trek up to the Tunnel Creek Cabin this week for a full day of fall maintenance and cleanup. The crew completed a deep clean of the hut, installed a new chimney, added snow stops to the roof, and took care of extensive brush and weed trimming around the cabin, outhouse, […]
Bring it back!!!