I know people will be more interested in Chatter Creek, but I took close to 200 pictures, so a big project to go through them. After flying out, I had a 2 hour drive to Fairmont Hot Springs, where I had only reserved one night and found out they were full Saturday night with 4 youth hockey teams. So I had to relocate lodging to Copper Point, which I highly recommend as being much better value with at least as good amenities (aside from hot pool not being as huge) and also is 15 minutes closer to Panorama.
I was also seriously tired, and with another 3 days of cat skiing ahead, I have adopted the Jimk rather than Tseeb retiree schedule. Panorama is the 5th area on this trip where I've skied only 2-4 hours to conserve energy. Saturday was the day the cold snap moderated, so starting my ski day at noon was attractive for that reason too. Temps were about 20F at the base and 10F on top.
The late arrival on a Saturday meant I was relegated to the farthest P3 parking. P3 had the best overall view of the ski area.
Zoom of the top:
Highest ski terrain is not visible. Taynton Bowl (which I did not ski this time) is farther back, and the Sun Biwl sector is out of view to the right.
Founders Ridge is zoomed here:
Thus is as deserted an intermediate terrain pod as I have ever seen as it does not have a lappable chairlift.
Zoom of base area with race course at center:
When I got off my first lift, the racers were congregated.
As for snow conditions, Panorama is noted for its snowmaking and grooming. Coverage was excellent from the big December but Panorama had 7 inches snow last week and only 4 inches in the month before that. I rode my first lifts with a local resident, who said Panorama has the largest fleet of Prinoth groomers in Canada. I saw snowmaking towers in the far flung Sun Bowl sector as well as in the central ski area core. The local said Panorama hosts World Cup teams training in early November before public opening similar to Sun Peaks. They are working on hosting World Cup races in the future.
Every lap from top of the Champagne HSQ to the base is 3,500 vertical. To no surprise one must be on guard for the manmade subsurface. Despite being a busy weekend, skier density is not that high so there was not excessive scraping despite my skiing only after noon. My second run was to McIntosh Way in Founder's Ridge, completely deserted.
My third time up I continued to the Summit lift, a fixed quad. The top ~500 vertical of Roy's was my only ungroomed skiing of the day.
Those moguls had not melt/frozen but they were very stiff. View down from same spot:
I continued down Schober's Dream to the Sunbird chair for over 4,000 vertical. I took two more runs from top of Champagne lift, first Rollercoaster/Outrider back to Sunbird. My final run was Ostrander Alley in Founder's Ridge. Total vertical ending about 3:15PmM was 19,000.
The walk to the P3 parking would be very ugly except that half its distance is covered by this open air pulse gondola serving some of the condos.
I was also seriously tired, and with another 3 days of cat skiing ahead, I have adopted the Jimk rather than Tseeb retiree schedule. Panorama is the 5th area on this trip where I've skied only 2-4 hours to conserve energy. Saturday was the day the cold snap moderated, so starting my ski day at noon was attractive for that reason too. Temps were about 20F at the base and 10F on top.
The late arrival on a Saturday meant I was relegated to the farthest P3 parking. P3 had the best overall view of the ski area.
Zoom of the top:
Highest ski terrain is not visible. Taynton Bowl (which I did not ski this time) is farther back, and the Sun Biwl sector is out of view to the right.
Founders Ridge is zoomed here:
Thus is as deserted an intermediate terrain pod as I have ever seen as it does not have a lappable chairlift.
Zoom of base area with race course at center:
When I got off my first lift, the racers were congregated.
As for snow conditions, Panorama is noted for its snowmaking and grooming. Coverage was excellent from the big December but Panorama had 7 inches snow last week and only 4 inches in the month before that. I rode my first lifts with a local resident, who said Panorama has the largest fleet of Prinoth groomers in Canada. I saw snowmaking towers in the far flung Sun Bowl sector as well as in the central ski area core. The local said Panorama hosts World Cup teams training in early November before public opening similar to Sun Peaks. They are working on hosting World Cup races in the future.
Every lap from top of the Champagne HSQ to the base is 3,500 vertical. To no surprise one must be on guard for the manmade subsurface. Despite being a busy weekend, skier density is not that high so there was not excessive scraping despite my skiing only after noon. My second run was to McIntosh Way in Founder's Ridge, completely deserted.
My third time up I continued to the Summit lift, a fixed quad. The top ~500 vertical of Roy's was my only ungroomed skiing of the day.
Those moguls had not melt/frozen but they were very stiff. View down from same spot:
I continued down Schober's Dream to the Sunbird chair for over 4,000 vertical. I took two more runs from top of Champagne lift, first Rollercoaster/Outrider back to Sunbird. My final run was Ostrander Alley in Founder's Ridge. Total vertical ending about 3:15PmM was 19,000.
The walk to the P3 parking would be very ugly except that half its distance is covered by this open air pulse gondola serving some of the condos.
