Skiing 2014-2015

[Barnet Flame]

I'm still agonising over whether I can squeeze in my ski trip this year - even though I know it should be a non starter for a million reasons. But I've faced similar dilemmas in the past only to cave in and get a last minute charter deal.

From what I've been reading - this looks like a good year to miss, though even in crappy years, I've found Sunshine to be very reliable. But if hills are closing already, does this mean that there are going to be big crowds at Sunshine?

I'm thinking late March/early April.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I'm still agonising over whether I can squeeze in my ski trip this year - even though I know it should be a non starter for a million reasons.

IMO if you're on the fence already I'd pass on this season. Unless we see some Boston-like snow storms in March.

I've hit a few pretty stellar days this season thanks to some good luck but as a whole it's been pretty 'meh'. Doesn't look like it'll be getting any better either.

[polak]

Yeah this season I've had two of the best days that I've managed to hit in the last 10 years but overall the snow is weak. Too warm.

[troutman]

Ski hills in Alberta, B.C. suffering from unusually warm weather

Mountain resorts across Western Canada are struggling to provide good snow for skiers, snowboarders

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ski-...ther-1.2960515

"It's not normal for that many ski resorts to be shutdown basically in the middle of the winter," says David Lynn, president of the Canada West Ski Areas Association. "It will definitely be a challenging season."

"What we are experiencing this year is not global warming per se, it is warm weather caused by an El Niño system. And because that is a cyclical system, we would anticipate significantly better conditions looking forward to next year."

[Northendzone]

i wonder if this weather would prompt some alberta ski resorts to look at establishing some other options to generate revenue in non-ski months - such as lift served mtn biking.

or course that takes money to develop a trail network, and as i recall lake louise is in some bear habitat

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i wonder if this weather would prompt some alberta ski resorts to look at establishing some other options to generate revenue in non-ski months - such as lift served mtn biking.

or course that takes money to develop a trail network, and as i recall lake louise is in some bear habitat

That is what Mr. Lynn said on CBC Radio this morning. I think there are already mountain bike trails at Whistler, Silver Star, Kicking Horse and Fernie?

The Banff resorts might be prevented from doing that.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think there are already mountain bike trails at Whistler, Silver Star, Kicking Horse and Fernie?

The Banff resorts might be prevented from doing that.

Yes there are. Pano just started doing it too.

Mountain biking at a lot of resorts is still kind of in its infancy (most less than 5 years by personal recollection. Maybe that's the reason? But yeah being limited in the Park is just as likely. Staffing would likely be more of an issue in Banff or LL in the summer IMO.

[Northendzone]

those resorts all have mtn biking in the summer, but driving to any of them from calgary makes for a long day as they are all in the 3hr drive time range.

as an aside, i biked at silver star a few years ago and as i recall the cost of a mtn bike lift ticket was about 60% of s ski lift ticket and i started to become somewhat curious about the cost of turning a ski resort into a mtn bike park as you still need to run some lifts and have some lifties and you need to develop a sustainable trail network.

i would think that developing a trail network at Sunshine, LL or Nakiska would seemingly fit nicely into the purpose of the parks in my opinion.

Although I suppose having machinery cutting trails in treed areas would likely be disruptive to the wildlife.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i would think that developing a trail network at Sunshine, LL or Nakiska would seemingly fit nicely into the purpose of the parks in my opinion.

I assume bike trails are a non-starter in the National Parks. Also, LL is home to some Grizzlies in the summer.

[CedarMeter]

Went to Louise yesterday and it sucked, packed too I couldn't believe it. The back side wasn't bad I guess but the front was terrible. Once you hit the rain line it was just ice. They need a dump badly.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Went to Louise yesterday and it sucked, packed too I couldn't believe it. The back side wasn't bad I guess but the front was terrible. Once you hit the rain line it was just ice. They need a dump badly.

Well you just ruined my day tomorrow.

[username]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Jackson is by far the most fun I've had partying in a ski town though.

Better than Whistler???

[troutman]

Originally Posted by username

Better than Whistler???

Better than Banff, STD capital of the world???

[troutman]

Pacific NW, but might apply to us too:

Long Range Outlook: First Wet & Cold Pattern In 2 Months?

https://fox12weather.wordpress.com/2...n-in-2-months/

We are now in our 7th week of upper-level ridging and/or split flow giving us warmer than normal weather. In fact most of the past three months we’ve seen ridging over the West Coast or just a little bit to the east or west of us. The only significant breakdown of the ridge was around Christmas when several cold and wet storms moved through the region.

• Wetter and cooler weather arrives the last couple of days of February…plan to finish dry weather projects by that time.
• Ski areas may see their best snow conditions since Christmas NEXT weekend (Feb 28/Mar 1). But nothing will change for this coming weekend; lots of thin spots down low still.
• It’s possible some closed ski areas could open up again by the first full weekend of March

[macker]

Originally Posted by troutman

I assume bike trails are a non-starter in the National Parks. Also, LL is home to some Grizzlies in the summer.

I think there has been a lot of progress in the last five years in this area with many new trails being built in the Bow Valley to the point where they have had to revise the guide book a couple of times. This is in addition to the great existing bike trails that have been in place for years :

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...P81KeKp-wV9WSw

The bike trail network around Banff alone is now well over 200kms and the popularity of new trails Star Wars and Top Notch show that the appetite for new trails in this area is there. Trail conditions : Bike Pirate or www.pc.gc.ca/banfftrails I think they were voted the best place to bike in North America in the past few years IIRC

[troutman]

Alberta's warm winter expected to stick around

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...9-warm-weather

[skudr248]

Its still February... I was still boarding in middle of May last year.. wait a bit, SNOW WILL COME

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Well you just ruined my day tomorrow.

Let us know how it was today...I have plans to go there on Saturday, but maybe I'll hit up my favourite resort of 2015 instead (COP).

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by troutman

I assume bike trails are a non-starter in the National Parks.

why would the government want to create ways for users of non-motorized forms of transportation to get out and enjoy our national parks.......

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

why would the government want to create ways for users of non-motorized forms of transportation to get out and enjoy our national parks.......

I'm talking about on the ski slopes, not in the valley.

LL for sure has a resident grizzly bear family.