Porcupine Delays The Opening Of Fernie Alpine Ski Lift
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.
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.
Related: Ski Ballet Makes (Another) Comeback At Verbier, Switzerland
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