Real Ski Report: Easter eggs and spring skiing in the Rockies

Each week, CBC Calgary's Paul Karchut speaks with dozens of dedicated skiers and boarders across eastern B.C. and southern Alberta to get the real scoop on conditions at resorts, on cross-country trails and in the backcountry.

If you're chasing powder, your best bet this Easter weekend is Revelstoke.

The hill has had more than40cm this week, with17 cm of fresh snow onWednesdaynight.

It's been a slow week for snowfall at Lake Louise, Panorama,NorquayandNakiska just 5 cm of the fresh stuff.

If the forecast for the weekend stays true,the Bow Valley resortscould get a refreshof light snow.

Fernie got adecent dose Wednesday nightand there's more on the way. Iftemperatures staycold enough thatsnow could fall all the way to the base of the mountain.

• Kicking Horse: The resort got very little snow this week, but did get a 5 cm refill Wednesday night.
• Castle: Theupper slopes are still skiing well,but warm temperatures are taking a tolldown low on the mountain.
• Kimberley: Warm and wet this week, with more rain in the Friday forecast. That should taper off by Saturday, when the sun comes out.
• Sunshine Village: About 20 cm of new snow this week and morein the weekend forecast.

Special public avalanche warning

Right now, there's a very complex snowpackout there.

That's prompted Parks Canada, Avalanche Canada and Kananaskis Country to issues aspecial public avalanche warning for backcountry users this Easter long weekend.

• Widespread avalanche warning issued for Easter weekend

"We've had about a week where we've seen, you know, very large avalanches, almost every day," saidJeremy McKenzie withKananaskisPublic Safety.

"Now that the natural avalanche activity has subsided somewhat, the conditions are extremely sensitive to human triggering at the moment," he said.

• Ferniesnowboarderwho plunged 100 metresID'das Calgary-area woman
• Snowshoer killed inKananaskisCountry avalanche

Whether you're on skis, a snowmobile orsnowshoes before you venture out,make sure to read theAvalanche Canadabulletins for the latest conditions.

Easter weekend events

Prettymuch all theAlberta and B.C. resorts arehosting Easter egg huntson Sunday along with some kind of special brunch option.

• Easter long weekend in Calgary: special events and closures

Meanwhile, some of the bestbig mountain skiers will be charging down chutes and launching off cliffs atKicking Horse.FromMarch 24 to 27, the hill is hosting theWrangle the Chutefreeridecompetition.

On a lighternote Castle Mountainis hosting its annual cardboard canoe race and slush cup, and Sunshine Mountain is having a bonfire every afternoon this weekend at the bottom of the hill.

Cross-countrytrails

Out on the trails, ski reporterBobTrumansays it's a mixed bag.

"It's not perfect at the Nordic Centre but it's skiable and people are getting by with different concoctions of wax."

Conditions are similar in Peter Lougheed ProvincialPark.

Trumansays there's good coverage atLake Louise,but the problem is if you goearly in the day the tracks are icy. And if you go late in the day thesnow is wet.

Right now, waxless skis are the way to go and you should try toget out early in the day,before the snow gets too warm.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener

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