Yesterday, skiers and riders had a close call at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Avalanche Canada is reporting that an avalanche occurred at Fernie on Wednesday, February 14th. The slide occurred just after the Polar Peak chairlift opened for the day, as the skiers from the first chair triggered the slide. Luckily, there was no heartache from this slide, as nobody was hurt from the avalanche, However, one person got caught in the slide and lost their skis. The slide had a slab thickness of 50cm, a slab width of 150m, and a run length of 300 meters.
The entire ski resort was briefly shut down following the slide so ski patrollers could inspect for any further risks. Ultimately, the lifts reopened later that day. For more information about the slide, you can read the report from Avalanche Canada here.
Avalanche Canada had its warning system as moderate for Wednesday. Here’s a description of moderate risks by Avalanche Canada:
“Watch for signs of instability, like shooting cracks, as you move into steeper terrain. Choose smaller test slopes before committing to large features.”
Avalanche conditions are once again listed as moderate at Fernie today.
Image Credits: Avalanche Canada, Fernie Alpine Resort
Video Credits: @the.bassmaster
