Northern Rockies/Alberta Alberta and Eastern BC discussion thread

[Poolskier Vinny]

Great update Mike..and nice action shot pics. We were at Sunshine on Saturday and it was pretty good. (Some of my buddies were at LL on Sunday and said it was skiing nicely too)

Sunshine was a nice surprise as there were not as many people as I thought so bonus! Mind you we hit GE first thing in the am so that helps.. We did do the main base area in the afternoon and there was some nice stuff off divide, south divide/bye bye...etc. A little wind packed but nothing that wasn't carveable and Standish and Wawa were holding up fine but best snow was definitely in the south chutes at Goat's Eye. Rocky/minefield entry at the end of the access traverse (either go low or stay way way high) once you got in it was fine and you could cut into whatever you wanted. As you exit...the mid/lower glades had fresh hiding...left margins and also moving into the trees proper on skiers right - also holding some fresh. Hell's Kitchen was also good early in the day at goats eye. The snow was soft but later in the day the steep sections in the tight spots got somewhat skied off exposing "shrubbery". Nothing that you couldn't carve but it made for interesting turning in the tight spots.

All in all a pretty good day!

 

[Mike Rogers]

Awesome. I haven't made it to Sunshine this year. I have the card, so I will probably do the 7 days, but I tend to concentrate a bit more on the spring. I should head there soon though. Good to hear that things are shaping up!

Goat's Eye in the AM is a great tip for busy days.

 

[albertanskigirl]

I haven't updated at all this season - but I can attest to the fact that Sunshine got the same huge dump/refill last week. I skied last Wednesday. Snowed all Tuesday, and all of Wednesday. It only got up to a high of -22, so Sunshine was empty on Wednesday. We spent all morning lapping Divide. It was all untracked until lunch time. Like all of it. I couldn't believe my eyes. Nothing groomed, so it was calf-deep on South Divide all untracked. Best snow of the morning was Bye Bye Bowl - untracked windblown and knee-deep. It was incredible. I didn't want to leave Bye Bye Bowl. Visibility was ok. Light was a little flat. Spent afternoon on Goat's Eye and some on Wawa. Lots of big chop, but still lots of fun. Visibility was bad in the afternoon as the snow picked up even more and the wind started howling. The group didn't go to SSC. Best snow of the afternoon was probably between the snow fences in between the trees. Actually we hit the wildfire trees in the afternoon and it was almost entirely untracked in there.

Amazing day!

Should be getting another refill this week - looks like Thursday and Friday will be the days to go. And the weekend should be good too:
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Sunshine/6day/mid

Sorry - no pics
visibility was awful.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I'm bringing my Nordica Santa Ana 110s to Banff with me, any need for narrower skis? I remember when we skied Lake Louise last year it was pretty skied off so wanted something narrower. How has LL been skiing lately. Michael's bringing his RTM 84s and will rent powder skis if necessary. I'm inclined to bring something narrower in addition to the Santa Anas.

 

[Mike Rogers]

If you concentrate mostly on the back bowls, you should be fine with the 110s. I wouldn't expect powder, but the backside should not be icy. Firm maybe, but grippy.

I see a lot of people who ski on Blizzard Cochise or Volkl 100eights every day. But so much of it is preference. If you like a wider ski on chalky or choppy snow, go for it! If it is easy to take a second pair, that might make sense for your style of skiing.

My daily driver is 98mm, and I think the ~100mm size is a good bet for off-piste focused skiers in this region. 110 isn't that far off though.


Outside of the back bowls, snow might be hard, and depending on your definition of icy....icy.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Thanks. I just sold my kenjas and my Vantage 90CTI's aren't mounted yet so I'll likely bring my 98 underfoot Wild bills and my Santa Ana 110s which should cover everything I"ll encounter. I'm determined to bring skis this time because last time we skied the front side and the backside of Lake Louise for 2 days and the demo skis they have there just aren't tuned to how I like them so it was sorta like skiing on butter knives for a couple of days. My guy is bringing his RTM 84s and will just rent powder skis if need be.

 

[Poolskier Vinny]

I concurr with Mike. I run 105-110 underfoot as a 1 quiver ski all year at LL and at Castle/revy/kh/SS etc. and I really don't feel I'm giving anything significant up. I ski it on everything...moguls, steeps, trees, deep pow, groomers etc. The Santa Ana is a good ski for out here...you'll be good to go. I suppose If you want to rip/rail groomers lots then you could consider bringing something narrower but I think unless we get a really bad stretch that ices up while you are here 98 underfoot will be fine especially if you are heading backside Louise for offpiste/steeps/ trees etc.

 

[Poolskier Vinny]

In addition to the Santa Ana 110's that is....

 

[surfsnowgirl]

In addition to the Santa Ana 110's that is....

Thanks

I knew what you meant

I'm thinking I'll be good with the wild bill and Santa Ana 110. SO is bringing Volkl RTM 84s so those are pretty versatile. If there's powder he can rent some fatties.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Ok due to the lack of serious snow in the foreseeable future I'm thinking the Santa Ana 110s will be staying home. 98 underfoot wild bills will be the ski for the week. My friend asked me how my wild bills are on ice hmmm. Thinking of bringing my laser axs also

 

[Poolskier Vinny]

Lack of snow?? Louise got 5.5" of snow overnight...today should have been great! SS got 2-3" overnight....There are flurries forecast for the upcoming week so you might get some fresh...up high at LL in Whitehorn/er3/big7 etc will be soft....outerlimits off the poma will have more as it windsifts/drifts in there...

Regardless...hope you get good conditions and have a great trip.... (I'm headed down to scope out Jackson Hole next week.....grass is always greener....

Enjoy!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Lack of snow?? Louise got 5.5" of snow overnight...today should have been great! SS got 2-3" overnight....There are flurries forecast for the upcoming week so you might get some fresh...up high at LL in Whitehorn/er3/big7 etc will be soft....outerlimits off the poma will have more as it windsifts/drifts in there...

Regardless...hope you get good conditions and have a great trip.... (I'm headed down to scope out Jackson Hole next week.....grass is always greener....

Enjoy!

Here's hoping. I think she just meant it wasn't going to be puking snow so my wild bills would suffice. I'm looking forward to our trip regardless. I'm sure we will have a blast.

Have a great time in Jackson hole. My boss will be there next week as well.

 

[albertanskigirl]

That was me! I said leave 'em at home! Yeah - snow now, but not really from Monday on. With the forecast for next week - I'm not too optimistic. And 100 underfoot is pretty much fine for everything. My 100 underfoot is my osq here and, except for one epic day last year, they serve me pretty well. Besides, if there is an epic storm then...demos??? *two thumbs up*

Have fun at JHMR @Poolskier Vinny - I'm kind of jealous!

and @surfsnowgirl - no lasers needed isn't what we call icy actually called 'packed powder' out east?

 

[surfsnowgirl]

That was me! I said leave 'em at home! Yeah - snow now, but not really from Monday on. With the forecast for next week - I'm not too optimistic. And 100 underfoot is pretty much fine for everything. My 100 underfoot is my osq here and, except for one epic day last year, they serve me pretty well. Besides, if there is an epic storm then...demos??? *two thumbs up*

Have fun at JHMR @Poolskier Vinny - I'm kind of jealous!

and @surfsnowgirl - no lasers needed isn't what we call icy actually called 'packed powder' out east?

I was just thinking of those 2 days at Lake Louise last year when it was pretty hard packed everywhere

Hell if it's packed powder ok. I've been skiing the wild bills in that for weeks.

Stocklis will stay home

I'll just bring 1 pair of skis

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Great, great, great day at Lake Louise today. Conditions were packed powder hero snow. Skied off in small places but nothing like the northeast version of skied off. My 98 underfoot wild bills were perfect and didn't waiver once. Steep, fun trails with decent temperatures and lots of sunshine. It truly was the best day with our friends. I wore my new shell and my friend let me borrow her Patagonia nano puff which was perfect!!!!

 

[albertanskigirl]

Conditions are getting better and better! Skied on Thursday after huge snowfall, and it kept snowing all day at Sunshine. Beautiful untracked in lots of places until early afternoon. Snow forecast for next week looks amazing! I'll be at Sunshine on Wednesday too.

 

[blah]

Revy! Every time I arrive in Canada this season, it's been snowing all day long. Correlation? Causation? Hmmmm.....

Anyways, just a short weekend, 3-day trip this time, since I'm already negative on my work PTO balances. Planes, trains, automobiles Friday night into Kelowna and then a midnight drive into Revelstoke. Got a late start today (Saturday), but strangely, hardly anybody was up on the mountain on a weekend pow day. No lift lines all day long. Just ski up to the lift and go.

Hike up to the sub peak at the top of the Stoke chair. Just a little bit of the white stuff could be found:


Upper north bowl:


North bowl:


The upper mountain glades were super well preserved today, hitting them lap after lap with nobody else around:


Finally, the sky pounding down snow all day long makes for some nice, soft runs all the way down to base for tired legs at the end of the day.



Looks like tomorrow is forecasted to be another big day!

Sunday

Accumulation: 27 cm.

Snow, heavy at times.

Alpine temperature: High -2 °C.

Freezing level: 1100 metres.

 

[blah]

Starting to sound like a broken record... Snowing all day long today (sunday) at Revy. Seemed like I was getting refills every single lap. The pictures will look pretty monotonous from the last post. Lots of white.

Greeley bowl, waist deep in pow. A hike-to, so fresh lines could be found each time I made the trek.


The chutes, "meet the neighbors" and "brake check" into north bowl were primo. Could drift pow turns from top to bottom of each chute.

So much pow today, even the main runs down to base were soft and fluffy at the end of the day. The rental car, gathering accumulation at the parking lot since 9:30am


Flying out of kelowna Mon morning. Unfortunately, have to return to the real world after 2 days of some of the best resort pow skiing of my life.

 

[Mike Rogers]

I think Blah might be Ullr incarnate. I can't wait for his next visit.

I skied Lake Louise and Kicking Horse last weekend. The snow to the east of Revelstoke was less spectacular, but still very good.

Lake Louise continued to have very nice snow on the shady aspects. There is a bit of a crust on the front side and under the Ptarmigan chiar, but most of the backside was quite nice. Elevator shaft, a chute above the larch chair (25 minute bootpack) just opened last week and held REALLY nice snow. Worth the hike, in my opinion.

The snow at kicking horse was better than Louise. All aspects skied really good, above the catamount chair. T2 was particularly nice.

Everything is still lots of fun in this part of the world

While at kicking horse, I demoed Rustler 11s at 188 cm. These skis were a blast in the trees and chutes, but a bit of a handful in some of the bigger bumps, with deeper troughs. I'm 5'10" and 165, so maybe a bigger skier would have enjoyed these as an all conditions ski. For me, they were nice for soft snow.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

always look forward to my trips to Kicking Horse and Lake Louise, 2 of my favorites if it works maybe we can catch a couple of runs together.
sounds like you know those hills better than me.