Western Canada Road Trip

[Skrad]

No data plan in Canada so no cell phone shots, sorry.

Plus, I am a slow typist skiing by myself this week so not a lot of text, either.

Dec 17 Left Seattle at 5:30 AM and got to Whistler Creekside at 9:30. Definitely less convenient than leaving SugarHouse at 8:40 and getting to Alta at 9:15. Of course, it is not at all clear what there is do do at Alta right now. Was supposed to have been a snow day but instead it was just warm. Caught Peak Chair opening and there was a coating of dense new snow. Enough to cover over what I imagine was crustiness after the T-Giving Sunday rain and weeks of dryness. Also got over to Flute which was empty. Nobody. Not that it was great/ a little lower than Peak and that made it a lot slower (read sticky).

Dec 18 Cold temps and dry new snow at Blackcomb. Everything sticky on Saturday (below top of Solar) had frozen. Lucky to catch opening of Blackcomb Glacier which was clearly the choice. Top pitch was very good fluff on a soft subsurface. Lower down was still fluff over a progressively firmer but still smooth subsurface. Did a record 5 Glaciers and 1 Spanky's (not as good) as nothing else was fun. After skiing did the long dark drive to Revelstoke while listening to a book on tape about WWII.

Dec 19 Revelstoke. Never been here. Apparently snowed all weekend here. No fresh today but much better than WB. The top is in fine shape/ probably as good as anywhere save Alyeska or Wolf Creek right now. The run down to the Gondola was OK on the groomer, tedious crust on non groomer. Undecided about the resort itself. Clearly more of a real estate play than a classic in the Alta mold. Good hike to terrain but the river gully run out down to Ripper is fun only if that's your thing (Mad River Glen skiers you know who you are).

Dec 20 Will spend another day at RMR. Not psyched for more driving (Kicking Horse) for what might be rockier conditions. This is the Heli Capital of the world. I stopped in at Mica. The prices are set for the 0.1%. Again, you know who you are. Cat skiing is more modest/ the $450 ride/ lodge deal at Mustang looks good (it is more like $700 peak season) but I have a conflict (a guide for Roger's Pass this weekend, it should be excellent). I would like it to snow in Utah so I can go home but in the meantime this doesn't suck.

 

[Evren]

Emerald Lake Lodge is a great place to stay near Kicking Horse (halfway between there and Lake Louise). Similar to staying in a cabin at Sundance. It also used to be a great deal back when our dollar kicked loonie ass. May be pricey now, what with Xmas around the corner.

 

[Tony Crocker]

After skiing did the long dark drive to Revelstoke

Wow! That would be brutal alone, at least 7 hours in not ideal driving conditions. I was forced to do it once from Vancouver airport; I took a break at a friend's place in Kelowna from 1-5AM.

I highly recommend Kicking Horse Canyon B&B just outside Golden. http://www.kickinghorsecanyonbb.com/

This is the Heli Capital of the world. I stopped in at Mica. The prices are set for the 0.1%.

In 2009 and 2010 Eagle Pass Heli was offering day skiing for $975. I think that was reasonable considering I skied 23,500 vertical with them.

Cat skiing is more modest/ the $450 ride/ lodge deal at Mustang looks good (it is more like $700 peak season)

Advance book cost is $900/day for 3-5 day packages. In 2010 I got a 25% discount for booking only 3 weeks ahead. But their advance booking period for that season was in the depths of the financial crisis. At the moment Feb. 24-26 is the only open slot at Mustang between December 31 and March 15.

Logistics (long bus + snowcat ride to lodge + mandatory avy beacon drill) make me skeptical that Mustang would offer day skiing. Nonetheless I've been to a lot of these places and I believe Mustang is likely to have the highest average quality of skiing year in and year out. Thus my advance reservation for Jan. 17-20.

 

[TRam]

Wish the conditions where better for you, but still sounds like lots of fun! I skied Sunshine Lake Louise and kicking horse in late march 06, loved it. I think ideally it is better to ski there in feb/march over early season. Just for the fact that the interior doesnt get the huge snow and needs base to ski well (ie rocky). Have some fun out there, and take a run for me who has been stuck in South Florida for 6 years. I'll be a nieghbor next year.

 

[Skrad]

Thanks for the info everybody.

Passing on Kicking Horse. Had enough of driving and there is a good preseason rate on a suite right at the bottom of Revelstoke. Wish I could do Mustang but have a prior commitment with my guide. It is $500 a day right now at Mustang which sounded like a lot until I read the above post. I have generally not cat or heli skied given all the powder days we get at Alta. This season may force me to break down. One thing that I notice with cat/heli operations is the intense focus on vertical feet skied. I understand why this plays a role in price structures, but think it is less important a measure of a day than scenery, snow conditions, company, etc.

Revelstoke today got maybe 3 cm but since it was already soft underfoot this was enough for a partial "reset". I found some good bang for buck chutes that did not involve dropping down to the Ripper. Vis was an issue at times. Did one sub peak in the fog and one with light. The frontside runs are the longest fall line drops that I have skied. The snow lower down was better today. The last pitches are closed but don't look all that interesting. After about 5000' of turning downloading is not apostasy.

 

[Tony Crocker]

One thing that I notice with cat/heli operations is the intense focus on vertical feet skied.

Most heli operations charge by the vertical for overruns beyond a fairly easily attained minimum. Even the few with unlimited vertical like Mike Wiegele will measure and tell you what you've done.

I have found that most cat operations do not even measure as it does not affect their pricing. Also there are many where the vertical totals (as measured by those of us with altimeter watches) are only in the 10-12K range, which could be argued is no bargain compared to the heli in terms of price per vert skied. A few do quite a bit more and in some cases market that. White Grizzly (which I have not skied) markets itself as very expert oriented. Mustang stretches its schedule to include most daylight hours, which were about 8:20 - 4:45 when I was there in late January 2010. Given the 10-15 minute break you get riding the cat between runs this seems logical to me and I did not feel rushed there, just got more skiing done. Island Lake will get you 15K+ per day most of the time on a normal schedule. It is nearly unique in Canada in being on private land so they can cut their cat roads in the most efficient manner.