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  #61  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by shreddog View Post
Ah Blue - how I hate you! I skied there "a lot" in the 80's and 90's before they did the big high speed lift investment. At that time they would have entertainers (bands and comedians) at the lifts on the weekends - unbelievable. Don't know what it's like now, nor what the delays are at the border, but the last few years there we abandoned Blue on the weekends for Bristol Valley just south of Rochester. It was about twice the drive time, but it was than twice the mountain and a fun place to spend the weekend.

It is better, it wouldn't be by much - really at that height all th steeps will be the same and it does have way less runs ... and crowds. If you're gonna drive that far, I'd consider hitting Mont Ste Marie, though it's not that much closer to Cobourg than Tremblant.

IMHO, Ontario's best hills were in T Bay ... but that was a long time ago
It's still extremely busy but not likely as bad as it used to be. The high speed 6 person lifts really do haul a ton of people.
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  #62  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 12:32 AM
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It's still extremely busy but not likely as bad as it used to be. The high speed 6 person lifts really do haul a ton of people.
Hopefully they didn't move the entertainers onto the sides of the runs!

Yeah it used to be bad.
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  #63  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 12:53 AM
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FWIW, for those that wish to compare vertical at resorts - here is a great website as they calculate "real" skiable vertical as opposed to resort advertised vertical:

mountainvertical
Interesting website, never realized Castle is actually taller than Fernie, though I figured they were somewhat close. Also never realized Panorama had so much vertical, too bad they are always icy.
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  #64  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:01 AM
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I actually don't like Whistler all that much. It's so busy, the 30 minute lineups just don't make up for the trails. Especially when going down those trails sometimes feels similar to going down the stairs from a SkyTrain station. It's all about the low-key resorts in the interior!
That's why I avoid Whistler on the weekend, plus the traffic jam to get there or leave. Monday to Friday is the best.
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  #65  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:44 AM
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Interesting website, never realized Castle is actually taller than Fernie, though I figured they were somewhat close. Also never realized Panorama had so much vertical, too bad they are always icy.
The key thing is that they measure true skiable height. Case in point for Sunshine. Yes it's 3700 from the top of lookout to the parking lot, but really the skiable vertical is from the top to the base of Angel. Though I expect that the top of DD to Goat's Eye Express is higher.

When the snow is right Pano may be my fav hill. So far I have yet to find something compare to Heli High with decent snow. Tauntan Bowl elevated that resort to a new level.

Have you ever cat skied at Castle? Did it about 3 years ago and was in heaven. Looking at the pictures you posted I would have loved to been there last week. I'm back in Calgary next weekend and will be skiing Sunshine as DD should be open. Fingers crossed!!
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  #66  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:45 AM
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As I said earlier I have tried Jay many times and always had back luck. I did find it crazy though how it seemed more like the local hill to Montreal (at least in the 90's) than Tremblant. But then again, it was more the "resort" than the Giant back then (before the doctors sold out to Intrawest.)

I don't remember the glades there though - have you skied Sutton? I'm taking my son there this March and if Jay is better, we may try that. And please tell me they're better than the birch glades at Tremblant.
I've hiked in the Sutton range, but I have actually never skied at Sutton. I'm familiar with Orford, Bromont and Owl's Head (as well as smaller mountains - two of which are now defunct as ski hills, Montjoye and Mont Glen, but were great bang for the buck as they were both really cheap).

My peak years for skiing were in the late '90s and early '00s, and back then Jay Peak was the only place of all of these that was serious about glades (the mountain was full of them, there were comparatively few people in them, and they were generally densely wooded and full of challenges).

Even Sugarloaf (in Maine) where I skied a couple times did not hold a candle to Jay Peak's glades at the time, IIRC. Nor did any of the Townships mountains I listed.

~15 years is a long time for a ski resort, so everything might have changed though! Don't take my word for anything. If you know and like Sutton already, that's probably where you should take your son
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  #67  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:46 AM
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Originally Posted by dreambrother808 View Post
That's why I avoid Whistler on the weekend, plus the traffic jam to get there or leave. Monday to Friday is the best.
I've been 3 times on the weekend so far. Started at Creekside and stayed high so I didn't see too many line ups. Off there this weekend again, so that view may change. Hope not.
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  #68  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:50 AM
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Originally Posted by lio45 View Post
My peak years for skiing were in the late '90s and early '00s, and back then Jay Peak was the only place of all of these that was serious about glades
I think you missed out my friend - Sutton was all about the Glades, even back then. It was really the only reason to ski there as both Orford and Owls Head beat it on vertical. Check out the pictures and it may give you enough reason to go.

As for Jay, maybe, just maybe.


Edit:
Just looked at some photos - had totally forgotten about Throbulator. Anyway, since Sutton is so entrenched in my mind it must have been something else.
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  #69  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:53 AM
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Originally Posted by shreddog View Post
I think you missed out my friend - Sutton was all about the Glades, even back then. It was really the only reason to ski there as both Orford and Owls Head beat it on vertical. Check out the pictures and it may give you enough reason to go.

As for Jay, maybe, just maybe.
Do they still accept the loonie at par? Back in my days, they did, and given that the exchange rates back then were about the same for currency as they were for speed limits, it was pretty advantageous (I always felt sorry for Americans who went there - didn't they get totally screwed, comparatively?)
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  #70  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:55 AM
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Just throwing this out there, but I believe Assissippi Ski Resort in Manitoba is the largest Ski area between Sleeping Giant in Ontario and anywhere in the Rockies/Foothills of Alberta.
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  #71  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:56 AM
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Originally Posted by shreddog View Post
I think you missed out my friend - Sutton was all about the Glades, even back then. It was really the only reason to ski there as both Orford and Owls Head beat it on vertical.
It's probably just random chance - I happened to discover Jay Peak before Sutton, so I adopted it as Glades Heaven and kind of lost interest in "the competition" (Orford, Owl's Head...) whose glades sucked.

If I had tried Sutton first, maybe things would've been different
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  #72  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:59 AM
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Originally Posted by lio45 View Post
Do they still accept the loonie at par? Back in my days, they did, and given that the exchange rates back then were about the same for currency as they were for speed limits, it was pretty advantageous (I always felt sorry for Americans who went there - didn't they get totally screwed, comparatively?)
Hey, that might be reason enough to go! Like I said before, in the 90's it felt like Jay was Montreal's local hill, I knew many people who has seasons there and not Tremblant.

Ever ski at Bolton Valley. Ok hill, but it was the "local hill" for the UVM kids, so weekends could be ... interesting. Ah youth ..........
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  #73  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 2:03 AM
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Just throwing this out there, but I believe Assissippi Ski Resort in Manitoba is the largest Ski area between Sleeping Giant in Ontario and anywhere in the Rockies/Foothills of Alberta.
Looks fun! I love these little hills - sometimes you can find the most interesting distractions there. And when people wanna ski, any rise will do
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  #74  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 2:05 AM
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Originally Posted by OutOfTowner (on the subject of best ski resorts) View Post
...Of course the ultimate skiing is available in the Rockies.. duh.. but unless you're a top tier, Olympic caliber skier, the best QC hills will be way beyond your pathetic capabilities...
One does not need to be a pro skier to enjoy getting lost within a vast seemingly-limitless mountainous terrain hidden behind a metropolis at the edge of the world. In fact it's easier for beginners because there's room to create your own path at any desired slope.
Ahhhhh! It's as if you can simply ski right into the DTES, shed your skis, do a hit, fend off a few junkies, take a bus to the ferry, cross over to the Island, cross the Island, then be at the End Of The World.. head over to the next End Of The World and suddenly realise.. End of The World's are simply coastlines and all who live on coastlines think that they're at "The End Of The World". All billion or so of them.

Ahhhhh!
The minute I romanticize your notion of Vancouver being isolated, you pivot from Olympians to junkies in the DTES! There's no winning this one
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  #75  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 2:07 AM
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Erik Guay won the Super-G in Suisse, become the oldest world champion in the history of alpine skiing, at age 35. and the 1st Canadian to win a world championship Super-G.
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  #76  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 2:28 AM
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I've skied at quite a few places throughout Ontario as well as in Quebec; I have unfortunately never skied in Western Canada, which I would like to do. A few notes about places I've skied:

Blue Mountain - Collingwood, ON
Been here only once, though I would consider going back. I find a lot of Torontonians I know automatically assume that if you ski you only go to Blue, even though there are a dozen other places to ski within a 90-minute drive of Toronto. It's a lot more corporate than other ski areas; one of the high-speed lifts is called Silver Bullet, with lots of Coors signage nearby. Chalet food and beer is also very expensive; I paid over $20 for just a sandwich, fries and a beer. I also found it very crowded. I don't mind waiting in line for a lift, but when I'm going down I don't like there being five skiers and four snowboarders in close proximity. However it's not crowded at night from what I saw, which is a plus.

Calabogie Peaks - Calabogie, ON
I've been here four times now; it's the main go-to ski area for Kingston, even though it's at least a two-hour drive north. It's reportedly got the highest vertical in Ontario. I like it a lot better than Blue; it's relatively cheap, it's not crowded, and it's got a good mix of terrain for everyone. Only major downside is that there's no night skiing. (Strangely, among skiers I know in Toronto, nobody has ever heard of Calabogie, and are quite surprised to learn it has a higher vertical than Blue.)

Boler Mountain - London, ON
London's ski hill and the most southerly ski hill in Canada. It has gone through some major expansion in recent years; when I was younger it had a single hill with 110' vertical, one quad chairlift and two T-bar lifts, and a total of 9 runs. Today there's two hills, with the second one having over 200' vertical, a total of three quad chairlifts, and a total of 15 runs. It's a great place to learn and even today I'll go there if I'm in the London area. They have night skiing.

Snow Valley - Minesing, ON
Ski hill located just west of Barrie. Been here once; found it incredibly crowded. One of the chairlifts actually broke down while I was on it, and I was stuck up there for 20 minutes before they found a way to get everyone off. You get what you pay for here, though they have a couple good runs. They have night skiing.

Edelweiss - Wakefield, QC
One of the ski areas in the Gatineau region, located just beyond the end of Autoroute 5, and often advertising on TV in Ottawa. I've been here twice; it reminded me of Calabogie, and it wasn't too crowded at all either time I went. One observation I had there was the amount of English-only signage. They have a pretty good bar too. They have night skiing; I'd definitely go back.

Earl Bales Park - North York, ON
Many Torontonians aren't even aware that there's an operating ski hill within Toronto city limits; this one is owned by the City and is located near Bathurst and Sheppard, not far from Downsview. I have been here once, at night; it seems like a good beginner facility. It is also steeper than some facilities that have higher verticals. There are, surprisingly, two chairlifts here.
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  #77  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 5:25 AM
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Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal View Post
Erik Guay won the Super-G in Suisse, become the oldest world champion in the history of alpine skiing, at age 35. and the 1st Canadian to win a world championship Super-G.
That's awesome! I meet him a couple years ago - such a nice guy. Canada also got bronze with Manuel Osborne-Paradis in 3rd. Why do we do well at the worlds and not at the Olympics??? Seeing as this may be his last year - what a way to finish!
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  #78  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 5:44 AM
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The sheer enormity and diversity of Whistler is astounding. I became a ski instructor at Whistler (one of my first real jobs as a teenager) and have been on that mountain countless times. As someone already pointed out, you can spend a lifetime skiing/snowboarding there and still find something new and fresh every time:

Video Link
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  #79  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 8:59 AM
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What ski resort is worth going to from Montreal?
True-up vertical descent
http://mountainvertical.com/best-ski...owboarding.php
Saint-Sauveur: 0h54; 605 feet
Bromont: 0h57; 790 feet
Orford: 1h19; 905 feet
Sutton: 1h22; 1472 feet
Mont-Blanc: 1h22; 683 feet
Owl's head: 1h35; 1410 feet
Tremblant: 1h41; 2031 feet
Jay Peak: 1h47; 1936 feet
Whiteface: 2h04; 3216 feet
Base on the numbers, I would probably only do Saint-Sauveur or Bromont without sleepover. I've only been to Temblant out of those.
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  #80  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2017, 1:24 PM
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Originally Posted by LaGrandeOurse View Post
What ski resort is worth going to from Montreal?
True-up vertical descent
http://mountainvertical.com/best-ski...owboarding.php
Saint-Sauveur: 0h54; 605 feet
Bromont: 0h57; 790 feet
Orford: 1h19; 905 feet
Sutton: 1h22; 1472 feet
Mont-Blanc: 1h22; 683 feet
Owl's head: 1h35; 1410 feet
Tremblant: 1h41; 2031 feet
Jay Peak: 1h47; 1936 feet
Whiteface: 2h04; 3216 feet
Base on the numbers, I would probably only do Saint-Sauveur or Bromont without sleepover. I've only been to Temblant out of those.
Personally, I would do Orford, Sutton, Owl's Head, Whiteface or Jay Peak without sleepover. Just get up early and come back late and you can enjoy a full day of skiing. A 1.5 or 2 hrs drive is not excessive. Tremblant is expensive and you might want to spend two days there to enjoy the "après-ski".
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