Ski Touring
Recent Articles
Fernie avalanche conditions
Got a little scared today…
In this last work shift, it has been difficult for the South Rockies field team to find safe terrain for making snowpack and avalanche observations. We chose itineraries that mostly avoided avalanche terrain, and we still got to see some surprising avalanche events. Our day turned into an enactment of what the SPAW (special public […]
Cedar Valley – Cabin Bowl Avalanche
A very large avalanche storm released this week down the south side of Cabin Bowl from the Orca Rock starting zone. It carried on across Lizard Creek, up through the Old Growth Forest and onto the Cedar Valley road access to Island Lake Lodge. No people involvement reported. Cedar Valley Avalanche http://blogs.avalanche.ca/category/southrockies/
FTASTC 2014 AGM
The FTASTC 2014 AGM will be held Wednesday, February 19 at Freshies Coffee at 7 PM. Agenda Items will include Ski Hills boundary expansion Plans ( entire Lizard Range north to Island Lake Property) Hut Bookings and Online Waivers. (Seasonal Memberships) Sponsorship of Ski Mountaineering Event Addition to Tunnel Creek Hut Financial Report Summer Trail […]
Avalanche involvement near Coal Mountain on January 5.
by Tamara Hynd – The Free Press posted Jan 6, 2014 at 1:00 PM Sparwood Search and Rescue (SAR) was activated at 3:30 pm by the Elk Valley RCMP on Sunday, January 5 to rescue a backcountry skier who sustained minor injuries after being caught in an avalanche in the Corbin Road area approximately 25 […]
fernie avalanche
Test results on a critical avalanche layer
On December 24th in the Harvey Pass area, a skier triggered the facet/crust layer from a sparsely treed slope at treeline. This slab propagated well above the skier releasing the slab from the ridgeline around 2288 m. This avalanche was reported as a size 2. Here is Gord ND Jen assessing the weak layer:
Fernie avalanche conditions
Surface Hoar Layer in the Flathead Subregion
On December 19th the Southern Rockies Avai team observed the late November surface hoar layer in our Flathead sub region. The firm snow above the weak layer has formed a slab that may be sensitive to sled and ski triggering. Watch Gord Ohm locate the failure of the layer during a snowpack test.
The Bridges of Lazy Lizard
It’s been a busy year for trail building and upgrading. One of the most significant projects this year has been the new Lazy Lizard trail. This trial when completed will be a 100% single track route from Mt. Fernie Park to Island Lake Lodge and will all be a 10% grade or less. The trail […]
No Membership Required to Book Cabins This Season views: 744
Fernie backcountry cabins are now easier to book: no membership is required to reserve Thunder Meadows or Tunnel Creek for overnight stays this season. We’ve moved to a simple flat nightly rate to streamline accounting and bookings. That said, we encourage you to purchase a $5 membership—it helps maintain the huts and supports backcountry-access advocacy […]
Tunnel Creek Cabin Fall Maintenance Update views: 169
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, […]
Thunder Meadows Summer 2025 Upgrade views: 215
The Thunder Meadows backcountry cabin received its yearly update this July, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club volunteers. The beloved hut, a cornerstone of the local backcountry experience, now offers improved safety, comfort, and long-term sustainability for the upcoming winter season. Key Improvements This summer’s work focused on both […]
2025 Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Bursary Recipients views: 1565
The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) 2025 Avalanche Bursary Program awarded a total of $2,400 split equally between six recipients. FTSTC President Magnus Leckenby commented, “We’re happy that our bursary program is supporting individuals who will contribute to a safer backcountry.” Each year, bursaries are available to help further avalanche education in the […]
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