Porcupine Delays The Opening Of Fernie Alpine Ski Lift

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated 4/13/24

By now, we'd thought we'd seen every type of lift delay possible, from wind to cable icing. But nature has a funny way of consistently delivering surprises.

Earlier this week, Fernie Alpine Resort, British Columbia, delayed the opening of its Timber Chair due to a porcupine who spent all night dining on electrical wiring.

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The porcupine was fittingly named "Larry" by Megan Kelly, the assistant director of Fernie's patrol team.

Thankfully, Larry's antics didn't slow down Fernie much: "Our Lift Maintenance team were on it, and the chair opened at 9:16 am," Fernie wrote on Instagram.

Porcupines, apparently, are known for their propensity for gnawing on wiring and mechanical components.

While I haven't found a reliable source to back this up, I stumbled across a British Columbia hunting forum post where several commenters suggested using chicken wire to prevent porcupines from blowing through a vehicle's brake lines. Salt blocks—which porcupines can't resist—were another alleged deterrent.

Fernie might want to start stockpiling salt, lest Larry returns with a prickly vengeance before the resort closes on April 14th.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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