Global warming. Controversial words. Maybe. Does the human use of fossil fuels on planet Earth contribute to global warming? Yes, well no, but still yes. Just the act of writing or reading this post contributes. The electric to warm a room, to run a computer, lights, to make the computer, to harvest wood for a home, gas and diesel to runs autos, even the chair lifts at a ski resort, and the list goes on and on. Yes, modern day human luxuries and necessities all in some way contribute to global pollution, hence more pollutants to harm the worlds weather patterns.
On the Big Island of Hawaii, is the most active volcano in the world, Kiluaea. For over 30 years, Kiluaea has been producing what is called vog, similar to smog, but not man made. This output of vog is toxic, equaling nearly 1,000 coal burning power plants that are man made and produce pollutants. One giant volcano eruption can blanket the Earth high stratosphere, which has happened before.
Giant amounts of snow are what all skiers and snowboarders want to see forecasted. The province of British Columbia has a stretch of inter-connecting two lane roads called the “powder highway”. Once the winter Pacific storms hit the west coast of British Columbia, this inland area receives heaps and heaps of snow. One ski destination of the Resort of the Canadian Rockies has steep avalanche prone peaks that capture this winter snow, creating a ski location worthy of giant amounts of snow, so giant, that Fern has ski poles stashed in the parking lot, the size of poles only worthy of a giant.
Fernie, British Columbia, is a legend in skiing in this part of BC. So much so, that in the parking lot, giant ski poles lay, awaiting any that can pick up. Yes, there is a giant that skis Fernie at night, getting the first tracks, and yes, there really are giant ski poles in the parking lot. The ski patrol at Fernie, because the giant amounts of snow, are constantly at work to prevent avalanches. Want to come and play in some giant amounts of snow? Make sure that you bring avy gear and your own poles.
When MauiSkiBus arrived here, the staff at Fernie had a warm welcome, maybe a bit too warm this winter, as the powder highway had been experiencing a bit of the “pineapple express’, a warm flow of moisture that originates in Hawaii. Enough moisture, too much warmth, leaving a difficult snow year. Even the “Giant of Fernie” had his own frustration during the ski winter of 2015. No worries, as another winter will arrive, and the echoes of the giant planting those poles, getting first powder tracks, will happen again at Fernie, British Columbia.