Fernie – 6th December

After our day in Lake Louise, we drove down to Pincher Creek instead of back to Didsbury, and went to Stavely on the way, where Lawrie played a game of hockey with a bunch of friends, as per the usual Thursday night schedule! He had a fantastic game, and we got down to Trent and Dena’s in Pincher Creek rather late… But they waited up for us, which was lovely, and we stayed up even later!

In the morning we took a little longer than we thought to get going, especially after discovering that it was in fact -35ºC outside, the coldest we’d ever experienced… So it was NOT pleasant getting into the car (or getting TO the car, which was just on the street), but the car gradually warmed up as we drove to Fernie for a day at the skifield! Thankfully the weather forecast was pretty accurate, and Fernie was much warmer, at a ‘mild’ (also known as freezing…) -20 to -24ºC! Which is somehow fine to walk around in (in the appropriate clothing of course!), but feels  LOT colder when you’re up in the air on ski lifts, or coming down a run! However, Fernie was amazing – absolutely stunning scenery, although we don’t have much to show for it, and an incredible snow field! It is beyond gigantic, and even the ‘Lower Mountain’ part, which is just one sixth of the total mountain, was about the same size as most snow fields we’d been to! Nice long runs, and ridiculously awesome snow! Already in the season there is a 160cm snow pack, and lots of powder too! Also, due to the weather, and it being a weekday, there was virtually NO ONE there – about 30 or so cars in the parking lot! Seeing as this was Fernie, which people come to all the way from Australia specifically for the snow, this was pretty amazing!

The 'Crowsnest' from the Crowsnest Highway, heading to Fernie

Fernie in the distance

Sun on the mountains in the distance, from Fernie

At the top of one of the lower chairlifts

Empty!

So empty! Lots of runs were still perfectly groomed by the end of the day!

Beautiful snow covered pines at Fernie

Powdery runs through the trees

We ended up only having a half day at Fernie, by the time we got there on the scary roads, but we’re sure glad we went!!

On the way back to Pincher Creek it just got colder and colder, which seemed odd as Pincher Creek is often much warmer than many other places, with a lot less snow (which certainly is NOT the case at the moment!). So we were pretty thankful we were inside the car (and therefore didn’t have to worry about the windchill factor making things even colder!) when we passed through an area that was -40ºC, not far at all from Pincher Creek! It was almost a relief when we got back to Trent and Dena’s place and it was ‘only’ -35ºC! Almost…

The next morning we played our last game of Saturday morning hockey in Pincher Creek, then had another lovely pancake breakfast with most of the Lewis clan at Ken and Dorothy’s. After a couple of games (way nicer to be inside appreciating their gorgeous views, than outside when it’s that cold!) we went via Robin and Kim’s place just to drop off Jane, which turned into staying for lunch and a bit longer, as things do! We headed back for a much needed catch up on sleep, then drove the icy roads back to Didsbury!

If this doesn't show at all, it is our car saying that it's -40 outside...

Snow covered trees looking more like ice cream cones, in Pincher Creek