Spring Skiing in January
aka
The Big Inversion
"We could be at Whistler" my friend says, "skiing over rocks and slush. The temperature there is 9 degrees today" she laughs as we stand on top of Silver Star Mountain dressed in our ski garb, our goggles on our faces to protect us from the bright sun. We gaze across a landscape of snow and patches of tall skinny fir and spruce over to the eastern horizon, defined by the jagged line of the mighty Monashees. The record for the heaviest snowfall in Canada is held by the Monashees: 24.47 metres (over 80 feet) fell on Mount Copeland in the winter of 1971-72. Below is a billowing white mass of cloud.
The valleys below are encased in low cloud that has been entrenched there for over two weeks. Contrary to what a casual tourist may know about this corner of the world, the sunny Okanagan is a bit of a misnomer. At this time of the year, statistically, in the valley, only about half the days will see any sun and this year I'm guessing there will be even less. Interestingly, according to a web site, 'Current Results,Research, News and Facts,' Calgary is the sunniest city in Canada!
The first days of this most recent inversion, the phenomena when the valley is stuffed with low cloud and the mountain peaks bask in sunshine, the cloud crept down to the ground and even with the sophisticated aeronautical equipment at the Kelowna Airport, the 12th busiest in Canada, flights in and out were postponed. Fortunately that was short lived as many locals flee to warm and sunny destinations. There are daily flights to LA, and 11 other direct flights each week to various locations in the Southwestern States and Mexico. Many of the snow birds leave their homes in the care of dozens of keen skiers who move into town and up to the mountain for ski season. Many come from Ontario. Others do home exchanges for the season, often exchanging with Australians.
Those of us who spend our days on the mountain get our share of vitamin D. We've had two weeks of brilliant sun almost every day with hardly a flake of snow. The dedicated grooming team have kept the runs in good shape. No doubt the snow pack is shrinking but the runs are corduroy, safe and fast!
It's still winter up here but just barely. Skiers on the lower slopes are in t-shirts, many pausing to watch boarders and skiers try out their flips and twists landing in the huge Katal airbag in the 'zone', an expanded beginner area.
But the best show on the hill is 'valley gazing'. Most skiers linger at the top before every run staring at this massive layer of cloud that some days boils up to the bottom of the resort and looks like a huge white sea. One can imagine Lake Penticton, the result of the melting ice-age glaciers some 15,000 years ago, that extended along the whole valley for over 170 kms to Shuswap Lake filling the valley to a level over 150 metres higher than today.
For many of us, when the sun slips behind the mountain we descend back down through the grayness. But there are options.
Last Friday night we joined friends for dinner at the Wild Horseman's Cabin. The evening started with a 20 minute sleigh ride though the village and down a trail into the forest.
Even though it was a warm winter night, the air had a wintry freshness, mixed with the smell of horses and the jingle of sleigh bells.
We tumbled out of the sleighs into the warmth of the cabin, its wood burning stove crackling and the light of gas lanterns dancing on the walls. We enjoyed a great meal clustered along a wooden table then loaded ourselves back into the sleighs for the ride back to the village. It was the quintessential Canadian winter experience!
Those of us who spend our days on the mountain get our share of vitamin D. We've had two weeks of brilliant sun almost every day with hardly a flake of snow. The dedicated grooming team have kept the runs in good shape. No doubt the snow pack is shrinking but the runs are corduroy, safe and fast!
It's still winter up here but just barely. Skiers on the lower slopes are in t-shirts, many pausing to watch boarders and skiers try out their flips and twists landing in the huge Katal airbag in the 'zone', an expanded beginner area.
But the best show on the hill is 'valley gazing'. Most skiers linger at the top before every run staring at this massive layer of cloud that some days boils up to the bottom of the resort and looks like a huge white sea. One can imagine Lake Penticton, the result of the melting ice-age glaciers some 15,000 years ago, that extended along the whole valley for over 170 kms to Shuswap Lake filling the valley to a level over 150 metres higher than today.
For many of us, when the sun slips behind the mountain we descend back down through the grayness. But there are options.
Last Friday night we joined friends for dinner at the Wild Horseman's Cabin. The evening started with a 20 minute sleigh ride though the village and down a trail into the forest.
Even though it was a warm winter night, the air had a wintry freshness, mixed with the smell of horses and the jingle of sleigh bells.
We tumbled out of the sleighs into the warmth of the cabin, its wood burning stove crackling and the light of gas lanterns dancing on the walls. We enjoyed a great meal clustered along a wooden table then loaded ourselves back into the sleighs for the ride back to the village. It was the quintessential Canadian winter experience!
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