Rime snow hammered Okanagan ski hills last weekend but didn't stop the skiing.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Big Whilte
January 20, 2023 - 6:00 AM
Ski hills are used to getting lots of snow, but the heavy, wet rime snow that hit many Okanagan and Kootenay ski hills last weekend snapped and crashed trees onto ski runs and skating surfaces and downed power lines.
The skating loop at Apex Mountain Ski Resort was shut down because of it and remained closed yesterday, Jan. 19.
“We have trees in there that are 50 to 75 years old that are snapping half way up for the first time in years,” James Shalman, Apex’s general manager, told iNFOnews.ca. "This is more than a 50-year snow event that we’re having right now.
“We’ve had a lot of snow in 50 years but we’ve never had rime that is this heavy. It’s like glue, if you want to call it that, falling onto these trees with so much weight that the trees can’t support the weight in their top half and they’re literally snapping and falling randomly.”
The snow hit Sunday and knocked out electricity to the hill when trees fell across power lines. Back-up diesel generators were used to power the lifts but lift passes couldn’t be sold and the Gunbarrell Saloon and store were closed.
The middle of the ski runs were fine but trees did fall nearer the edges and it took crews working through Monday to get them all cleared off.
That was the ski hill’s top priority, Shalman said. The skating oval is not heavily used during the week but is very popular on the weekend so efforts are now being made to get it re-opened by then.
Big White Ski Resort had some electrical “brown outs” and fallen trees, one of which crossed the Piece of Cake run.
Piece of Cake run at Big White with a new obstacle.
Image Credit: FACEBOOOK/Big White Mountain Community News
“It was windy overnight so we had six or seven trees down today,” Michael Ballingall, senior vice-president for Big White, told iNFOnews.ca. “It’s unusual because of the moisture in the last couple of weeks and the heavy snow and then the wind. This is the first day we’ve seen the sun in 30 days.”
Trees at Big White were already carrying heavy snow loads when the rime snow hit on the weekend.
“In the past 24 hours, we have seen many mature trees and treetops fall,” Big White posted on its Facebook page on Saturday. “Also, mixed precipitation at lower elevations will critically load many snow roof avalanche paths. Please use extra caution around trees and pitched metal roofs with hanging snow on them.”
There were also reports of dozens of trees down at Silver Star Mountain in Vernon and, Shalman said, Mount Baldy near Osoyoos, Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson and Red Mountain near Trail were also impacted.
So, what is this heavy rime snow?
Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau told iNFOnews.ca she actually doesn’t use that term. She’s more familiar with the term 'rime icing'.
“Rime icing happens when you have super-cooled liquid water droplets in the air,” Charbonneau said. “They're often in low cloud or foggy conditions. The surfaces are below freezing so those super-cooled water droplets freeze on contact to surfaces, such as trees or ski equipment or any kind of cold surface. That can form these frozen droplets that can be quite heavy and it can cause icing conditions.”
Those droplets can also adhere to snowflakes, according Avalanche Canada. When the snow crystals can’t be recognized because of the rime, they’re called graupel.
Whatever they’re called, the good news is the worst of the damage appears to be over and is being cleaned up and the rime snow has a much different impact on skiers.
“The wax on the skis is very different, for sliding,” Shalman said. “The skiing is fantastic. Now that it’s got a little colder and we’ve had more snow since the weekend, the skiing really is good.”
Apex Mountain Resort manager James Shalman enjoying The Great Wall this despite the damage cause by the rime snow.
Image Credit: Facebook/Apex Mountain Ski Resort
To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2023