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Would you be interested in an annual Pugski Canada Gathering?

  • Great idea, eh? I live in Canada and we’ve got so much great skiing.

    Votes: 12 36.4%
  • Awesome idea! I live in non-Canadian North America and I love powder without lift lines.

    Votes: 13 39.4%
  • Makes sense, I live Down Under and going to Canada is just as easy as the States.

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Neat idea, but I’m unlikely to attend.

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • I’m not allowed to cross the border. Don’t ask. Next question.

    Votes: 1 3.0%

  • Total voters
    33
  • Poll closed .

Mike Rogers

Out on the slopes
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I ski both days of the weekend, every weekend. I will have to see about vacation. I am currently on a ski vacation, so it ins't the best time to be requesting time off for my next one...at least not before addressing some of the items in my inbox. :)

Late April should be okay for me, but some of my major deadlines are dictated by the government...and they have a habit of making last minute revisions to the schedule. My SO is a grad student, so her schedule is less flexible.
 

graham418

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Does anyone in Ontario want to meet up for a ski day in Collingwood? Maybe we could finagle a way into a club. I think Alpine is open to a group
 
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Jilly

Lead Cougar
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Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Banff might be a pipe dream. Got this roof to fix yet. But he said it would be spring now. Need to check the other Visa card points. Got enough on my personal for a flight.

On that note, my friend in Banff's wife works for Big 3. She does groups. For example if you're a Florida ski club and are deciding on a big trip, she will come in a try to sell you Banff. She also works the big ski shows. If there is any interest I can contact her and see what can be arranged?
 

DanoT

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Looks as if the Banff ski bus ends its season on April 8th.

I'm thinking that there will be enough people coming from BC, WA and Calgary to arrange some rides.
 

Poolskier Vinny

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For skiing Lake Louise the earlier in April the better as more terrain will be open and snow conditions tend to be better (LL is lower than SS so snow deteriorates at that time faster than SS.. sometimes it can close by end of April. )

Just skied it today and it’s Ok (hardpack and base is getting thin in places)....the really big big storm over Xmas (that Revy/red/Castle) got didn’t really materialize for SS or LL. There are still lots of rocks in Whitehorn, big 7, ER 3 etc.

It might be fine 3rd week in April... we have a lot of season left... but just want to make sure ppl manage expectations of potential snow and terrain conditions at that time.
 
Thread Starter
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David Chaus

David Chaus

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Speaking of Mother’s Day at A Basin, we might want to schedule about halfway between the Utah Gathering and A Basin, just in case there are die-hard Gathering junkies who want to do all three, or 2 out of 3.

So if that is a consideration, early April seems logical, in addition to @Poolskier Vinny ’s point.
 

albertanskigirl

aka Sabrina
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Sorry for joining the conversation so late! So first, of all, if you want to join Canadian pugski gathering, you must start every post with an apology :) then move on to consensus-building.

If I had to suggest dates - I would really push for somewhere in the first 2 weeks of April -this is largely because LL will get iffy in the latter half of April. For best chance of conditions everywhere, I would recommend first 2 weeks of April. Calgary schools have March break from March 23 - April 3. Easter falls in there somewhere, so best chances of empty slopes are April 3. My recommendations for dates would be: 1) April 7-14 (First choice), or 2) April 15-22 (second choice for reasons explained above).

I just looked at the shuttle schedule @VickieH - and Im pretty sure that the shuttle does NOT stop on April 8th - they just change to a less frequent schedule. If you look at the skibig3 site, the current schedule up covers Dec 16 - April 8. I think they then switch to a reduced schedule. I am more than happy to check with skibig3 if people are interested - and you should be - the shuttle is included with your Mountain Collective pass, and who wants to drive back to Banff after you've had some après?

I am happy to act as 'unofficial' Gathermeister if you are all interested in SSV/LL in the spring. I'd be happy to do the following:

-give hotel recs
-if a bunch of you are intersted in staying at the same place, I'm happy to call and see if we can get a group rate
-also, if you don't have the MCP, Im happy to call the resorts and see if theres a group rate possible if there is enough of you
-make some reservations for 1 or 2 group dinners
-suggestions for après!!!


I will be wrapping up my semester then (I'm a prof) and will have a pretty flexible schedule - and always ready to ski :) I will likely have room in my car - and mr.albertanskigirl and I will definitely attend.


BTW - this is a quick conditions updates. this week's storm system has filled in the mountains REALLY nicely. I spent Wednesday at Sunshine Village, and I spent the morning lapping divide because there was seriously NOBODY there, and nothing was groomed. Untracked everyone on divide until noon time. I started the morning on north divide and just kept moving skier's left on each lap for more untracked. Last run before lunch was calf deep untracked Bye Bye Bowl...sweet sweet awesomeness!
 
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albertanskigirl

aka Sabrina
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oh - and if any of you are interested in cat skiing - KPOW has a full cat available on April 11, for $4700. They need a minimum of 10 people, and can accommodate up to 14 on 1 cat.

Here's more about skiing at Fortress:

https://www.kpow.ca/

i have never cat skied with KPOW - but heard lots of good things.
 

VickieH

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Sorry for reading another thread first. (Zat good enough, @albertanskigirl?)

I think the week of the 15th works better for @Jenny, so I'm also targeting that timeframe.

I may need to visit Bye Bye Bowl again this trip. Maybe I can find my ego that went bye-bye there last year.
 

Jenny

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Michigan
Sorry for reading another thread first. (Zat good enough, @albertanskigirl?)

I think the week of the 15th works better for @Jenny, so I'm also targeting that timeframe.

I may need to visit Bye Bye Bowl again this trip. Maybe I can find my ego that went bye-bye there last year.
Yeah, we're pretty much restricted to the week of the 15th, due to husband's work obligations (she said apologetically).

@albertanskigirl - we have a date at the bar!
 

Mike Rogers

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oh - and if any of you are interested in cat skiing - KPOW has a full cat available on April 11, for $4700. They need a minimum of 10 people, and can accommodate up to 14 on 1 cat.

Here's more about skiing at Fortress:

https://www.kpow.ca/

i have never cat skied with KPOW - but heard lots of good things.

I skied fortress a bit in the 90s and had some really good days there. I wonder how close they are to reopening?
 

albertanskigirl

aka Sabrina
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I skied fortress a bit in the 90s and had some really good days there. I wonder how close they are to reopening?

I've been wondering the same things. From the look of the website, they are still looking for investors. There's a redevelopment brochure on the website - it looks pretty good. But there's definitely investor information on there too.

https://spark.adobe.com/page/jUaSv91iZZjwE/
 
Thread Starter
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David Chaus

David Chaus

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So, I shall start with an apology. I’m so very sorry for something I may do or say in the future.

As far as concensus, it seems like the week of April 15 will work. (That said, the week doesn’t have to start and/or end on a weekend. I recall the Jackson Gathering in 2015 we started officially mid-week. But nevermind.)

@albertanskigirl if you want to unofficially or officially be Gathermeister, great, the local knowledge you have and willingness to share is awesome and very helpful. I feel a little responsible since I’m the doofus who got this conversation going, and maybe should be co-Gathermeister. But maybe we don’ need no steekin’ Gathermeister, we all just kind of act helpful to one another and muddle through. It’s a Canadian gathering, eh?
 

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