Rendezvous Bowl was icy and windswept in its uppers but softer and more forgiving halfway down. I popped out of bounds, did a couple of hikes, and clicked my skis on in a face-gouging wind. When I got to my drop-in, there were a few inches of snow and a foot of wind.
Conditions delivered a glimpse of for what Fernie is known. Soft snow lingered across much of the mountain, especially on shaded aspects and in the trees, where cold temperatures preserved quality turns and wind pushed snow into healthy pockets. Visibility fluctuated at times, but when the clouds lifted, the terrain revealed itself in layers-bowls feeding into glades, ridgelines spilling into natural halfpipes, and sustained fall lines that can keep a rider's legs burning.
3-time Olympic alpine skier Tommy Ford sat down with Condé Nast Traveler to discuss the different types of snow conditions you find around the world, from the Beaver Creek in Colorado to Ushuaia, Argentina, and Lake Takapō in New Zealand. The discussion was mostly surrounding the snow conditions while racing or training, not the off-piste or regular trails that most skiers are riding, but he does touch on some other forms of snow.
Big White spun its first chairs of the season at 8:45 a.m. on December 4 with 19 runs available, served by the Ridge Rocket Express, Bullet Express Quad, Plaza Chair, and the village gondola. Five centimetres of overnight snow pushed the alpine base to 73 centimetres, or 29 inches, giving opening day skiers and riders a softer surface on groomed runs. A group of guests camped out and lined up by 8 a.m. on December 3 to secure first chair ahead of the official launch.
Niseko United-a collective of four interconnected resorts in Hokkaido-announced on Thursday, November 27, that its opening, which was originally slated for Saturday, November 29, has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall. The decision affects all four component resorts: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, Niseko Hanazono Resort, Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area and Niseko Village Ski Resort. A new opening date will be announced as soon as it is determined. Niseko is the biggest resort in Hokkaido with a total of 32 miles of groomed runs.
