Skiing and Snowboarding

[240glt]

Confirmed ski trip to Silver Star & Big White over the Christmas break. Maybe a day at Sun Peaks. Can't wait to get back to those fantastic BC interior hills.. it's been too long

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by ibz

Sunshine looks pretty good to me on the cams for this time of year. $109 for a day pass this year though! Glad I got my mountain collective

Sunshine cards are on sale for $85 and Costco passes went up to about $85 each. Not a cheap hobby!

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Sunshine cards are on sale for $85 and Costco passes went up to about $85 each. Not a cheap hobby!

Where did/do you see them for $85? I was in town for the weekend and only saw $99.

BTW, flew over Sunshine yesterday and there is "snow in dem der hills"!

Got a 10 day Edge card for Whistler again this year (though now called an Epic card). Not sure which I like better - prepaying or upfront+discounts. Prepaying sucks if you don't use it, but its a good forcing function!

And just booked 2 days at Tremblant and 2 days at Jay over New Years.

Given expected life changes in 2018, I'm aiming for a 30 day season as I don't know when I'll be able to do it again!

Bring on the snow!!!!

[Calgarian]

They were selling them online yesterday, not sure if they still are. I won't buy one as I don't really like Sunshine that much, too flat and not enough tree runs. Goatseye has good terrain, but it's almost entirely moguls.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

They were selling them online yesterday, not sure if they still are. I won't buy one as I don't really like Sunshine that much, too flat and not enough tree runs. Goatseye has good terrain, but it's almost entirely moguls.

They're still online, but not at $85 - haven't seen that anywhere.

And as you're a boarder, I totally get the feelings for Sunshine. When I boarded I never went there as the flats off Lookout just killed it. It's definitely a 2-plank hill.

[240glt]

Here's a good article on Red Mountain's fight to preserve the small town ski hills identity in the face of the growing consolidation on resorts in Canada

Red is one of those few that are still primarily local hills, with most tourist traffic coming from Washington State and Calgary. While I do enjoy the larger resorts there is definitely something special about these local hills

http://vancouversun.com/business/com...-fend-off-vail

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by shreddog

They're still online, but not at $85 - haven't seen that anywhere.

Was a Halloween sale apparently, it's over now. I'm going to get an RCR card, Fernie and Kicking Horse are my favourites. Might get a Louise card too, Castle accepts it and I'm planning to go there again this year.

And as you're a boarder, I totally get the feelings for Sunshine. When I boarded I never went there as the flats off Lookout just killed it. It's definitely a 2-plank hill.

There are a few good tree runs off Wawa, and the bowls off Divide and Angel can be fun, but they get moguled out quick.

[speedog]

Norway reported to be opening tomorrow, rumoured to be the earliest opening day for any Canadian ski hill in history.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by speedog

Norway reported to be opening tomorrow, rumoured to be the earliest opening day for any Canadian ski hill in history.

Norquay

I got a couple texts last night from some friends who are head out Friday. Crazy!!

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Was a Halloween sale apparently, it's over now. I'm going to get an RCR card, Fernie and Kicking Horse are my favourites. Might get a Louise card too, Castle accepts it and I'm planning to go there again this year.

Oh well - $99 is still a good deal. Seeing as I live in Van and only get maybe 7-8 ski days in AB, I'm gonna have to stick to one hill, but I agree that the RCR card is a good deal. Not sure, but did Nakiska do their crazy ski pass deal again this year??

Originally Posted by Calgarian

There are a few good tree runs off Wawa, and the bowls off Divide and Angel can be fun, but they get moguled out quick.

Wawa - do you mean Star Trek and Birdcage?? As for the bowls, they can be fun on a board, but again, the flats to the lifts just made it a pain. If goats eye has good snow, I found the fall line better to board on.

No matter, I'm solely on 2 planks so I love the hill.

[Calgarian]

Norquay open today, Nakiska opening tomorrow, Sunshine and Louise opening next week, all opening with powder! Kicking horse has over a meter of snow from this storm already! they will be open in december though, think they just started boot packing their base.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by shreddog

Oh well - $99 is still a good deal. Seeing as I live in Van and only get maybe 7-8 ski days in AB, I'm gonna have to stick to one hill, but I agree that the RCR card is a good deal. Not sure, but did Nakiska do their crazy ski pass deal again this year??

Not sure, never go there so I don't really care.

Wawa - do you mean Star Trek and Birdcage?? As for the bowls, they can be fun on a board, but again, the flats to the lifts just made it a pain. If goats eye has good snow, I found the fall line better to board on.

Runs are the Back Door (hike up a ridge) and side door (go right of the chair until you are in the woods). Both are out of the controlled area (but in bounds) and you come out right by the Goats Eye gondola stop.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by shreddog

Norquay

I got a couple texts last night from some friends who are head out Friday. Crazy!!

Getting used to a new phone.

[White Pine]

Hi All,

I'm visiting a friend who will be working at a provincial park in BC this year. Apparently he is thinking of going skiing in Nelson for a bit as well as at Manning Park (where he'll be working). They're a bit iffy about how I'd like Nelson (Whitewater?) as they say it's harder than some ski hills. Has anyone been there? For reference I can comfortably do blue squares at Blackcomb and black diamonds at Whiteface in NY. The only reason I didn't do black diamonds at Blackcomb was the moguls.

Apparently Manning Park skiing leaves something to be desired. Any advice? I know Whistler is sort of close, but it's pretty expensive.

[millerman]

"They're a bit iffy about how I'd like Nelson (Whitewater?) as they say it's harder than some ski hills. Has anyone been there? For reference I can comfortably do blue squares at Blackcomb and black diamonds at Whiteface in NY. The only reason I didn't do black diamonds at Blackcomb was the moguls."

I lived in Nelson, BC for 17 years and had a ski pass at Whitewater every year (moved 5 yrs ago). They just replaced the Summit chair (fixed grip single speed old double) with a fixed grip variable speed quad, and approximately six years ago they added the Glory Ridge chair after Mike and Shelly sold the resort to some Albertan investors in Calgary. Since they added the new chairs and terrain, it is more user friendly, however it is a typical Kootenay hill. What is is typically a basic black run on Whitewater is a very hard black or easy double black at Silver Star or Big White - especially is you ski the off piste runs (steep and treed).

If you can ski blacks on Whistler, than you should be able to do most of the blue and easy blacks at Whitewater. The best terrain is a short backcountry hike or off piste, which I suspect your friends will not be into.

Timing advice - make sure you go to the resort when there is good snowfall in the forecast, or has recently occurred. Later in the winter (End of Feb/March/April) warmer storm systems can bring the freezing level up high and then refreeze overnight, so conditions can get icy with death crust.

Best thing about Whitewater is it is a total locals hill and non-commercialized with excellent food Shelly brought to the hill from her background cooking for the film industry. It is also considered (by some columnists) as one of the best powder hills in North America beside Alta, USA.

[240glt]

^ Oh Whitewater. Loved that hill. Over the two winters I was at Selkirk, I'd throw my skis in the back of my truck and skip class at noon, and go hit the hill. IIRC it was something like $16 for a half day. Perfect for a broke student

"Steep & deep" is how I always described it. Nothing like endless lines of untouched powder to carve through

[Calgarian]

Whitewater and more so Red Mountain are 2 hills I want to check out this winter. It's tough to do as it is quite a long drive from Calgary, but I've heard great things about both.

[240glt]

^ Make it the quintessential Kootenay ski trip and book in at the Alpine motel in Nelson, Whitewater is only 20 minutes up the road and Red's about 45 minutes away. Plus you can walk down to Baker street downtown Nelson after a day on the hill and get snackered at the Royal. Good times.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by 240glt

^ Make it the quintessential Kootenay ski trip and book in at the Alpine motel in Nelson, Whitewater is only 20 minutes up the road and Red's about 45 minutes away. Plus you can walk down to Baker street downtown Nelson after a day on the hill and get snackered at the Royal. Good times.

I love Nelson, that would be home base for sure.

[Calgarian]

Sounds like some new expert level terrain just opened in Marmot, anyone check it out yet?