2006-2007 ski season

[Alice from TO]

Has anybody been skiing yet??

I noticed that Whistler has opened their season, but I was just wondering if anyone knows whether or not we'll be having a good season out west.

After all, it's completely ridiculous that I live here and I don't take advantage of the nearby Canadian Rockies to get out there.

Any help for the beginner ski bunny?
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Alice from TO
http://travelcanadabytrain.blog.expedia.fr/

[GregW]

Mikeman is probably the best resource on the board for ski stuff in Canada.

[georgep]

Here in Calgary in the Olympic park you can ski (they used snow machines to get make snow)

But i heard that lake louise is opening this weekend check out http://www.skilouise.com to see how much snow they have.
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GHPtravel,

Coolusbtoys for all your tech toys.

[mikeman]

Yep I'm here lurking

I'm not living in Whistler anymore, but I talk with people there almost every day.

Whistler is open. Blackcomb will open on the weekend, untouched, for the Americans. They always manage to get some runs open in time for the US Thanksgiving holiday. That date is the season opener for die-hard American skiers. This year they opened with a fairly decent snowbase. Often they have to handmake some skiing for Thanksgiving, but it was all natural this year. No one I know has been up yet.

The current snowbase is a little ahead of normal, but it would not be enough for me to go up the lifts yet. (I'd be waxing and filing by now though.) It takes about a 200cm base to get me up the lifts. The forecasts are calling for a little fresh snow most days, probably only enough to keep what they have in place.

My own favourite part of the ski season is just about to begin at Whistler. Between December 1st and Christmas. There are usually a series of massive storms over those weeks which can put down 40-60cm of new snow in one dump. Going up the lifts in the morning looking at a whole mountain buried in untracked powder is such a kick. Skiing whilef one of those storms rages is my favourite thing in the world. We figure we are having a good dump if our tracks from the previous run are already buried when we go by the next time. (In Whistlerspeak - "It's puking!")

Christmas - New Years bring the crowds to Whistler. Long line-ups and snow beaten to death. I usually pack away my gear for a couple of weeks.

January, after the holidays, and after a new layer of snow has buried the damage done by the holiday crowds, is normally a good time to ski. The crowds are the lowest of any period during the core season. Ski conditions tend to be stable, not that much new snow, but good coverage everywhere and a reasonable chance of sunshine.

February is the heart of the winter season. Steady moderate crowds weekdays and weekends.

March brings the spring break surges. Ontario schools, US colleges, BC Universities...they all have their own week. Good sking, larger crowds, lots of kids.

April is quiet again and offers some really pleasant spring skiing. There are many Whistler locals who don't even get their ski gear from the basement until April. Warm sunny days. As far back as I can remember, there are always a couple of snow storms in mid-April that bring the driest true powder of the whole season. Happens like clockwork every year. Being April, there are usually only a handful of us tracking up that special powder and it lasts for days after the storm.

May is warm, but the snowbase is usually still many feet deep above mid-mountain. Skiers come down the mountain with "raccoons" - sunburnt faces with the white shape of sunglasses stencilled on.

What will this season bring? The basic long range forecasts call for patterns that have brought lots of snow in past years. Accurate forecasts can only reach out about two weeks at best. So far - looks good.

[Alice from TO]

Wow mikeman, you are the best!

I'm in university in BC, but originally from Toronto. I don't remember doing many winter sports back home. Hey Greg, if I want to get some skiing in with the fam while home for the holidays, where is there near Toronto?
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Alice from TO
http://travelcanadabytrain.blog.expedia.fr/

[RyanChen]

go skiing? I would like to do the hot spring.
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[josee]

If you are in BC, Silver Star is Open and has great runs, check it out here
www.skisilverstar.com It is 20 min up the hill from Vernon.
Sovereign Lake Nordic Center offers the best cross country in the world.

And no I have not gone yet, but maybe in the new year , when things calm down
here.

And sorry for no Christmas Avatar, I'll try to work on one.

Josee

[mikeman]

In an earlier post above I suggested that ski conditions at Whistler were not yet good enough to get me up the lifts.

Now (December 12), it is time to go! Conditions are great according to my ski buddies. The forecast is calling for some major snow dumps over the next week. Even though I can't go, I am starting to get excited too. It is shaping up to be a particularly good season at Whistler. Doesn't happen every year, but this could be one of those seasons that earns Whistler its reputation for big league adventure.

If you are in the area, I'd try to get up there for the big snow coming Thursday. It could be the best powder day of the year...

[Johnny Utah]

The conditions at Whistler Blackcomb this season are amazing. Whistler received an amazing 14 plus feet of snow in November alone to make this the best start to the ski season ever.
I have some incredible pics submitted to my Whistler website that I would like to share here. Whistler is the bomb, the best and the most kick ass. Choose Whistler if you are going to try your hand (legs) at skiing or snowboarding.

This pic features Reno Millette in the Whistler backcountry last weekend enjoying the pillows and powder. Photo by Rene Gouin


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Whistler Canada

[mikeman]

[patinthehat]

I've been out three times this year. The first time was over the holidays, and it was raining the whole time. It really sucked. All man made, all granular = not fun.

The second time, it was even worse. I can't explain how bad it was.

The third time was better... it had been colder the previous week so the snow didn't feel that bad, even though it was all man made.

It's been snowing over the last week so I expect better conditions now, actually.

Pat

[Johnny Utah]

You must not be describing Whistler. You must be talking about Ontario.
Whistler is the best ever - OVER 29 FEET of snow so far this season.
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Whistler Canada