Ski Touring
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fernie
Thunder Meadows Feb 4 2012
Four of us started by utilizing the new Polar Peak lift, and going through the beacon gate into Polaris Bowl. We had epic conditions all the way down to easy street. As we go into uphill mode at the bottom of Easy Street and had a thorough discussion about conditions and the 2.5 that crossed […]
Thunder Meadows Avalanche
On Friday Thunder Meadows experienced the natural avalanche pattern that was observed across Southern BC. The avalanche path crossed just beyond the top of Easy Street, a popular route to the Thunder Meadows Cabin. Easy Street is considered by many to be a shooting gallery during higher avalanche conditions because of potential cornice falls and […]
Island Lake Lodge
Ski Touring at Island Lake in April
Island Lake Lodge, long heralded as a premiere backcountry lodge and catskiing destination, will now be offering guided ski touring as well. Guests will be transported by snow cat into the mountains where they can enjoy touring 7,000 acres of Island Lake property. The terrain, which includes alpine bowls, gladed trees and an extensive road […]
Thunder Meadows Access and Ski Terrain
Route up to Thunder Meadows has a shallow snowpack right now (December 23-2011). After leaving Island Lake Road (5 km from parking area) it is best to ascend Thirstquencher Bowl for the first half of the climb and then cross over into Cabin Bowl just before the cliff bands start. It will be difficult to […]
fernie
Thunder Meadows Hut on December 11th
On Sunday eight of us ski toured to Thunder Meadows Hut from the White Pass Chair at Fernie Alpine Resort. We figured it was best to start high and avoid climbing up the shallow snowpack and thick alder bush that makes getting over the headwall into Cabin Bowl a tough challenge this time of year. […]
Tunnel Hut Over-nighter
Maren and I decided Saturday morning to go for a snowshoe and spend a night in the new hut. Ian and the building crew did a fantastic job. The new hut is very well thought out and very efficient. We had a wonderful steak dinner, played some cards, drank a little rum and had a […]
Tunnel Creek Snowshoe
Did a snowshoe trip up Tunnel Creek to the new Tunnel Creek Hut on on December 3. Had to walk the first kilometer up the road and then used the snowshoes for the next 4 km. The steady climb to the Hut from Highway 3 took just over 2 hours for the 5 km (3 […]
A Cabin Crisis: The Economy of Toilet Paper views: 2269
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: 600
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: 1026
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: 921
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: 792
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!!!