 Poster: A snowHead
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January...just after everyones gone home after the New Year holidays......can't beat it! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Coldiest ambient temp I've skied in was -28C with windchill that takes it into something between -40C and -50C I made one long run and crept back into the hotel to warm up, dreadful day with snow, poor visibility and biting cold.
Worst I skied in was only -20C or there abouts but that was as a child and I couldn't wriggle my toes enough in the ski boots to keep them warm, early stages of frostbite with the result that even 30 plus years later my toes still cause me some pain when it starts to get cold whilst the rest of me is fine.
down to -20C even a little colder as an ambient temp is fine so long as there's good weather, skiing in those sort of temps or colder in poor weather feels so much worse
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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^ definitely. Sitting on a lift in minus whatever with snow driving into you sideways is just miserable!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Love skiing in January altough i am partial to March and April as well.
Coldest we have skied is -35 in Fernie. With the windchill it was well into the -40's. We had good gear on but really struggled to get warm and the Mrs picked up a bit of frost bite in 2 fingers. It was a strange feeling when the snot in your nose froze as well as your eye lashes but the benefit was that we were the only people on the mountain.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The Tee Pee Town chair lift in Sunshine can be the nearest thing to a modern day instrument of torture when its -35C on a windy day in January making the effective temperature even worse. It is so slow that it gives you too much time to think of jumping.....
On the other hand once you get to the top and enjoy the slopes down again on a gloriously sunny day it all seems worthwhile
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Always was our prefered month when tourists. Still is as residents, 60% of our January guests are regulars now, so they all like it then. Having said that we love the inter school holiday period March to April when the days are longer too.
January quality time is going to last right up to 9th and 16th Feb this year with the later school holidays for the French.
If I can plan the transfers right, should get a lot of snow time this season.
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| Posidrive wrote: |
| The Tee Pee Town chair lift in Sunshine can be the nearest thing to a modern day instrument of torture when its -35C on a windy day in January making the effective temperature even worse. It is so slow that it gives you too much time to think of jumping...... |
There was a chair in La Plagne a bit like that, up from the Champagny side.... it was horrendously long (and fairly steep) as I remember it and I think every time I went on it I lost a few weeks of my life 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Better January and cold (duh, wear more clothes) than April and slush. Only other thing to remember is to keep the nose-hairs trimmed - snot-cicles are just not a good look.
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
| Always preferred January for all the reasons above, Spring skiing that I have done is pants, frozen hard rubble in the morning, followed by unpredictable slush then ice then slush, followed by ton weight slush everywhere |
You need to plan the day more in Spring, and chase the corn snow around the compass.
Nothing wrong with slush though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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January is perfect for skiing, quietish slopes, just what the doctor ordered after Christmas.
Coldest ski day -30 in Winterpark Colorado last year, rather bracing! Bless them the resort hosts were busy warning everyone about the danger of frostbite. must admit we had quite a short day.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| skidoodle wrote: |
| just what the doctor ordered after Christmas. |
This is the key point.
Banish those post-crimbo holiday blues with a few days away on the slopes. A sweet feeling to be on the tube with all the glum faces on Jan 2nd knowing that in a few days time you'll be making shapes on empty slopes. 
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Don't come in January - we don't want to see you then.
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You know it makes sense.
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cbowls30, you couldnt of put it any better......
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'm amazed how cold you guys have skied in Canada. I've skied every weekend for 3 years and most for the 2 before that. Can't ever remember it quite that cold. Plenty of days in the minus twenties (without windchill).
I thought they stopped the lifties from working when its - 35 due to health and safety and they stop the kit too as it has problems at around this temp
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Poster: A snowHead
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I don't think it gets that cold here - skiing in January is lovely.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
snot-cicles are just not a good look.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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gryphea, We had -30 at Lake Louise day lodge according to the displays. -45 up top (which was closed), more with windchill. Had only started running mid morning that day as they were defrosting the generators. Sunshine wasn't running that day because the diesel frose up, and they couldn't run the gondolas. Was certainally cold enough to freeze the little alcohol thermometer I carried on my backpack at the time.
Maybe H&S has finally caught up with Alberta and stopped these shenanigans...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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January is the best time. Go for it
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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January is the best.
Coldest : January evening, Niseko, Hokkaido
Edit : the only downside is shorter days, but does that really count as a downside when one is ski-ing ?...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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January is not always the coldest time to ski, this January was relatively mild with many powder days and frost came in February and stayed for 3 weeks. We skied at -25C-28C and it was cold but, if you layer properly and don't expose skin, bearable, we had a few pitstops to go inside for a warm drink but overall it was OK, and we hiked for turns couple times and we had to take layers off. There were so few people skiing and snow was amazing. At one point I was the only person on the whole run and normally it's very busy. I certainly prefer these cold days to a typical blueburd day during frees/thaw cycle when literally every person comes skiing. Don't be afraid of the weather, dress warmly and you will be fine. January is a quieter month and skiing is often the best.
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I love to ski in January it can be a bit chilly but get a good leg burn going and youll not feel it. I haven`t noted the temperatures Ive skied in but last week in Jan 2012 in Les Arcs was pretty cool. All said, I would ski in any temp and just dress accordingly.
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| gryphea wrote: |
I thought they stopped the lifties from working when its - 35 due to health and safety and they stop the kit too as it has problems at around this temp |
gryphea I'd heard they stopped lifts running around the -40's, more so that if the lift did stop they didnt have time to evacuate people before the cold did serious damage. Told this by a Canadian liftie so may not be totally true - but does make sense.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Always jan for me. Take the kids out of school for the week. Quiet pistes and far cheaper too.
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-15 last December with WC in ADH
Too cold for me really on the days when it was blizzarding and miserable vis. We had to stop for lunch somewhere warm each day to get the hands and feet warm again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Apart from last season, we always look to go out 2nd week in Jan. Prices are great etc as previously stated and quiet.
I don't want to jinx it...  but we have always been VERY fortunate with the weather. Snowing at night and clear (ish) skies during the day. We have only been skiing for the past 5 years but I think we have lost maybe 1 day on the slopes to bad weather (visibility). I think that is always the risk in January though.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Banff -38, made it something like -52 at top of mountain with windchill factor. Skis stuck to the snow, top half of mountain closed. The bus driver was telling us the signs of frostbite to look out for on each other. Day or two later (it had warmed a couple of degrees by then) we were walking into town, with ice forming on our eyelashes. Very amused by the lads walking ahead of us discussing their mate who had apparently got frostbite in his left nut
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