As the summer months begin to wind down, anyone that enjoys racing down white powdery slopes starts to feel an itch. At first it doesn't feel like much, but as the temperatures drop, you start imagining the rain turning into those wonderful crystals we call powder. Here in Fernie B.C., it is perhaps more correct to add champagne to that description. As anyone who has skied in British Columbia knows, the snow tends to fall in just that perfect way so as to be dry and fluffy.
Until those sweet days start in December, there isn't much you can do to get rid of that itch. After a while, carving up imaginary mountains just doesn't work anymore. You might consider coming to visit Fernie, where you can, at least, see the mountain, but you'll need a wheel or your legs to get down it. Fernie is a great place to vacation in the summer. The mountains are still majestic without their white blankets, and there aren't many better ways to relax than to enjoy the peace and solitude of an alpine hike. Unfortunately, that itch is still there, and by now it’s probably rather irritating.
The only solution is to plan your vacation now. Island Lake Lodge and Powder Cowboy are two of the best catskiing outfits in British Columbia, and certainly here in Fernie they can't be beat. Both lodges are open in the summer should you choose to visit before there is snow. However, once the snow comes, the only way to satisfy your urge for fresh tracks is a backcountry tour in one of their comfortable snow cats.
Powder Cowboy offers a western themed experience, complete with a wild-west style saloon. More importantly, their 6,000 acre tenure offers you many different types of terrain with which to quench your thirst for powder. Island Lake offers a more upscale tour, offering the same types of terrain as Powder Cowboy, but spread over 7,000 acres.
