20/21 ski/snowboard thread

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by TSXCman

last weekend was the worst of the year. I waited 1 hour to get on the gondola and the lineups were pretty bad.

Pretty BS about how much the lifties let their buddies cut the line, especially if they are taking up chairs as singles. I see a lot of Louise jackets out there having some great ski days and not working. Wait in line like everyone else... I'm not very polite about it on days like that.

That being said, if the snow looks good, I'd still go just for a nice day out in the mountains.

They only wear their jackets when they're working and are not allowed to on days off. As they change shifts and locations they get around the mountain via the chairs and down the runs. All those people that work at Temple Lodge and Whitehorn Lodge? They too get to work on the chair. It would make no sense whatsoever to have them wait in line. Nobody is letting them budge you just for the fata of it.

Also, not sure if you know, but ski school kids don't wait in line, either. My kids are part of a program there and they don't wait in line. They're not in uniforms or anything, but they're with their coach and he has a Lake Louise jacket, but they would just look like civilians to you. Straight to the front of the line for them as well.

Finally, you too can buy a VIP pass for a premium and get to go straight to the front of the line for the Gondola. You'd get two or three runs for anybody else's one run on a busy day.

But for real, nobody is cutting there. It's not how it works.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Loudog

Can anyone comment on how busy Lake Louise has been? Is it worth the 2 hour drive right now? Have a reservation to go out Sunday but just saw some horrifying pictures of lines on Facebook from last weekend. Seems like maybe their reservation limit is too high or not working that well?

On the weekends it's very busy, but still totally worth it if you can adjust your expectations. Given there isn't really anything else to do in Calgary with all the covid rules, people are flocking to the mountains. They also won't put anybody not in your party in the Gondola or on the chairs, so it takes a while to get up the mountain.

They do a great job of enforcing mask wearing, it's safe, and super fun. Go with somebody you enjoy talking with and use the lines as a place to shoot the ####. You can also bring your headphones and some podcasts and take in the amazing views as you wait in line.

Also, eat at like 11:30 and take advantage of the mountain clearing out from 12 - 1:30 and get a ton of runs in then.

I think I would have gone crazy if not for Louise this winter. Can't believe how lucky we are.

[bigrangy]

Had a solid day at Norquay today. Picked up the gear at sportsrent (thanks for the tips), and skied as aggressively as I ever have.

It was annoyingly sloppy wet sleety snow for the morning and I couldn’t see a thing but once the snow stopped it was great. Got pretty thoroughly soaked during that time, I think I need to pick up some proper gore-tex gear but have no idea where to start looking.

Now back to Edmonton to watch the Flames pound the grease

[DownhillGoat]

What did you rent?

[bigrangy]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

What did you rent?

Idk, i asked for skis and boots and they set me up. It looks like all their stuff is the same model that I could see.

[slots881]

Originally Posted by bigrangy

Idk, i asked for skis and boots and they set me up. It looks like all their stuff is the same model that I could see.

We carry the Volkl Deacon 7.6 as our regular rental ski. An excellent front side ski. We do carry wider all mountain and powder skis if you ever wanted to try something else higher end. Volkl, Rossignol, Head, Nordica and Blizzard skis.

[DownhillGoat]

Nice. I knew you carried the Kores. I was kind of hoping that was it lol

[surferguy]

My 5 yr old had a break through day at Nakiska today. Took him up both the silver and Olympus chairs and he did great. First time up the “big chairs” for him. What an awesome day!

[troutman]

Sunshine Report - Sunday March 7th

Parked at 8 am, no line-up for tickets, waited in gondola line for about 30 minutes. Very few lift lines all day.

Divide in good shape, but visibility was flat 70% of the time. Goats Eye mostly icy and windblown at the top. Afterburner in the best shape.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sunshine Report - Sunday March 7th

Parked at 8 am, no line-up for tickets, waited in gondola line for about 30 minutes. Very few lift lines all day.

Divide in good shape, but visibility was flat 70% of the time. Goats Eye mostly icy and windblown at the top. Afterburner in the best shape.

Sunshine is almost always flat light when I am there which adds to my dislike for the resort. I am going up on Tuesday and I'm hoping we get some sun. I'm happy doing Great Divide all day if the snow is decent and I can see the terrain.

[Tron_fdc]

Fernie has been wet the last week, pretty dismal and not recommended.

Got 10 last night though, temps holding below 0 so far, and bluebird this AM. Would be a great day for turns if I wasn't so buried with work.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sunshine Report - Sunday March 7th

Parked at 8 am, no line-up for tickets, waited in gondola line for about 30 minutes. Very few lift lines all day.

Divide in good shape, but visibility was flat 70% of the time. Goats Eye mostly icy and windblown at the top. Afterburner in the best shape.

My daughter has the day off this Friday, we are hitting Sunshine for the first time in a few years (my ####ed up body has stopped me from skiing a lot).

She and I can't wait, it was her first mountain hill. We have some great memories there and can't wait to make more.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Fernie has been wet the last week, pretty dismal and not recommended.

Got 10 last night though, temps holding below 0 so far, and bluebird this AM. Would be a great day for turns if I wasn't so buried with work.

Yah I skiied Fernie on friday. Was pretty rough. Some softness in certain areas, then slushy after lunch. Drank a few too many beers.

[Sliver]

Lake Louise was really good on Saturday. Found more terrain in West Bowl I've never done before. That face keeps giving and giving. They got puked on first thing in the morning to the tune of 5-10cm it seemed, which made for some fun conditions. It was warm enough that it wasn't crusty underneath, so you could really enjoy the new top layer without punching through to any crust.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Fernie has been wet the last week, pretty dismal and not recommended.

Yeah, our catskiing at Island Lake Lodge was cancelled this weekend.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by bossy22

Yeah, our catskiing at Island Lake Lodge was cancelled this weekend.

Yah we were supposed to cat ski as well. After hitting the resort we were happy to take the credit.

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Lake Louise was really good on Saturday. Found more terrain in West Bowl I've never done before. That face keeps giving and giving. They got puked on first thing in the morning to the tune of 5-10cm it seemed, which made for some fun conditions. It was warm enough that it wasn't crusty underneath, so you could really enjoy the new top layer without punching through to any crust.

Skied this yesterday, it was great.

It is so funny seeing kids going from the top including what looked a lesson with about 10 kids heading for the Whitehorn chutes. Maybe they were just standing there but it looked like they were 6 year olds.

I took my sons down b and c last weekend but they are older then that. I am surprised at how quick hockey skating skills transferred to skiing. They are always on their edges, no side-slipping at all.

[cam_wmh]

Yep did Louise yesterday, with an old buddy. Found some pow, but once we saw the post-lunch lines ups (2:15pm), we noped outta there.

I’m gonna go tomorrow and Wednesday I figure.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Sliver

On the weekends it's very busy, but still totally worth it if you can adjust your expectations. Given there isn't really anything else to do in Calgary with all the covid rules, people are flocking to the mountains. They also won't put anybody not in your party in the Gondola or on the chairs, so it takes a while to get up the mountain.

They do a great job of enforcing mask wearing, it's safe, and super fun. Go with somebody you enjoy talking with and use the lines as a place to shoot the ####. You can also bring your headphones and some podcasts and take in the amazing views as you wait in line.

Also, eat at like 11:30 and take advantage of the mountain clearing out from 12 - 1:30 and get a ton of runs in then.

I think I would have gone crazy if not for Louise this winter. Can't believe how lucky we are.

Yes, you are very lucky.

When I had my trip with my son cancelled last year, it was a disappointment, but we handled it well. I immediately booked for this coming Easter and stuck a couple of extra days in to make up for the disappointment.

To have it cancelled again this year, I gotta say, we've taken it hard. Not helped by us regularly checking the snow reports.

Our annual trip is THE highlight of our year. My son is turning 16 in a couple of weeks, so we are missing out on some special father/son time we'll never get back. It is crushing me.

It is good that you appreciate how lucky you are to be in such a wonderful part of the world. I never took for granted a single day I've spent there - all the mores now. I'm lucky to have had that experience, knowing that when the time is right, we'll be back out there having more special times.

[Tron_fdc]

Just did a few laps. Lots of pockets of pow on top of rain crust. Needs to get ski'd off and a dump on top. If people keep coming out to ski it and the temp holds below 0 it MIGHT be ok by the time a dump comes.

Did a Polar Peak lap to Corner Pocket, over to bear, to red tree on snake ridge, and back to cedar and hit KC chutes. Everything was pretty much untracked, but being a level 10 powder snob I'd give it a 3/10.