Interior of BC snow stats?

[shirk]

Hey I was hoping some of the you might be able to help me decide on dates for a trip. I am planning on a two week road trip to BC. Plan is to hit Golden, Fernie, Whitwater, and Red. When I orinially had to book the time off work I took the second two weeks in Feb to accomodate a friend. Now this is turning out to be a solo trip, so my dates are flexable. Does anyone have snow stats on Feb vs March in that area? Or any weather realated info. As with everyone else I want maximum pow days. Any other beta you might have would also be apprecited eh.

[PlayHarder]

No stats, but the snow usually starts to fall hard in Feb and March is generally killer. You'd have good skiing in either month, but Feb still has the potential for some colder days and March would get you into more spring-like conditions.

[Ferniefreeheels]

If you go here
you can access some archives with pic 's ect for the last 8 or 9 years for Fernie.

[L7]

I always think of the early part of March as best for dependable quantities of snow best combo of nice and/or stormy weather and not quite the worst of the crowds that kick in a little further into the month.

[JR]

I would have to agree with L7 on this one. End of Feb, beginning of March although good skiing can be had anytime into april there. I have had epic over the shoulder days in end of November and the middle of April. I grew up in the Kootenays and have skied there for about 30 years and am presently up north working. I have booked my next ski vacation for the beginning of March if that is any indication of what you should do. When I booked it I was only thinking one week but now I am tryng to get two off. You only live once I figure and I have 4 weeks worth of paid vacation to burn up this year plus banked time. Perhaps we can get together for a touring day sometime in there. I am hauling my sled down with me to make the most of it.

PS. One of the neat things which occurs in the Kootenays in the late march to early april time frame are these cool little weather phenomenon called "convective cells". Basically it is clear in the valley bottom and as moist air is drawn up the slopes it forms clouds and dumps snow. You can get up in the morning and see no new snow in your yard but by the time you hit the "ski zone" you find these glorious 20+ cm dumps that seem to have come from nowhere. God I love the Kootenays. All this talk is making me homesick.

[fez]

I would agree with early march too. I get spring break the 3rd week in march and have gotten rained on (only lower mountain) or wet heavy snow at Red and Fernie the last two years.

This year we are going to give Kicking Horse, Sunshine, and Lake Louise to try to escape the rain.