 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry if this is a fairly basic question, but I've only ever been skiing in Europe and I'm currently looking at Canada for the upcoming winter.
From what I have seen, there are no red runs in Canada. Does this mean that blues are generally more difficult or are some blacks easier in Canada? Or a bit of both?
Also, while I'm here, does anyone have a good suggestion for a resort suitable for a group of people confortable on what in Europe would be red runs and easier blacks?
Thanks for your help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Here's a (very) rough guide. Greens are easiest - correspond to French greens. Blue next, similar to European blues and some easier reds. Blacks are harder reds or easier blues. Double blacks - self explanatory!!
HOWEVER - the runs are graded relative to the other runs in that resort. So a green run is the easiest run at that resort, and the black the hardest. So in the Banff area Sunshine is generally mellower and flatter and a Lake Louise green is often as steep and hard as a Sunshine blue.
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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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@TommyJ, blacks are harder reds or easier blacks, not easier blues...typo I expect.
@sn0wman, I am comfortable on reds and easier blacks and found Sun Peaks to be perfect as there are loads of greens, blues and single black diamond. We skied every single run apart from most double blacks
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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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| Quote: |
Here's a (very) rough guide. Greens are easiest - correspond to French greens. Blue next, similar to European blues and some easier reds. Blacks are harder reds or easier blues. Double blacks - self explanatory!!
HOWEVER - the runs are graded relative to the other runs in that resort. So a green run is the easiest run at that resort, and the black the hardest. |
This is a pretty good overview. I would add that greens can sometimes be cat tracks - flat, narrow, and not particularly fun to ski especially if crowded. Also worth noting that while greens and blues will usually be pisted, blacks are often not. Sometimes a bowl will have a rating, but in reality depending on the line you choose can be a lot easier or harder.
Really the beauty of skiing in north america is everything inside the resort boundary ("in-bounds") is avalanche controlled, so you can safely ski off piste. So you might find that you don't spend much time on the marked runs anyway, just ski whatever looks good.
I know some people don't like it, and it does have some negatives but I think Whistler is a good choice for a first trip - lots of cheap direct flights, easy transfer from Vancouver, self contained village, huge amount of terrain (trees, parks, bowls) that covers all abilities. Banff is also a good choice but requires driving or bus from Banff to the resorts each day.
Whichever resort you decide on you may want to buy your passes asap. Most of them are available at a much cheaper price until early november.[/quote]
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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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Good point about the gradings being relative to other the runs at any particular resort. There is a big difference to some runs in resorts in eastern Canada compared to some bigger resorts in the west like Whistler.
I could show you a couple of greens in Whistler that are similar to some blacks in some eastern resorts  . Also blues that should really be blacks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| TommyJ wrote: |
| Here's a (very) rough guide. Greens are easiest - correspond to French greens. Blue next, similar to European blues and some easier reds. Blacks are harder reds or easier blues. Double blacks - self explanatory!! |
Not all mountains use double black. In those mountains, black can be as difficult as a cliff band!
| Quote: |
| HOWEVER - the runs are graded relative to the other runs in that resort. So a green run is the easiest run at that resort, and the black the hardest. So in the Banff area Sunshine is generally mellower and flatter and a Lake Louise green is often as steep and hard as a Sunshine blue. |
That!
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If you think a (single) black is going to be the same as a Euro groomed black you can just about "get down" you could be in for a bad day. On the other hand a groomed black may be exactly the same. The day's grooming report is essential if you are concerned about grading.
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@sn0wman, we're about the same level as your group and we went back to Banff for the second time last year. We had a blast..again!
I'd highly recommend booking the 3 days lessons with Ski Big 3- you have a day at each resort- Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay. Me and my partner booked into the group lessons and there was only one other person in our group. The instructor was brilliant and we were all over the place doing runs we probably wouldn't have tried ourselves. We then booked a second set of 3 days and requested the same instructor- and it was just us. We progressed a great deal but also skipped queues on weekend days and the instructors know best places to go. We had a proper powder day at Sunshine and we were charging about all over the place- brilliant! If you book you can request specific instructors- would highly recommend Lewis.
Had hoped to get back across this season but not an option so definitely going to aim for 2019!
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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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Most Canadian areas have a habit of marking 'runs' on a map that, in actuality, don't exist.
So if you take your 'european' experience and rock up at the beginning of a BD/doubleBD you spotted on the trail map, you may either be empowered or in for a very bad day if there's no other easy way out .....
As regards absolute classification it's at best helpful, at worst confusing, or sometimes just there to massage egos ........
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Most resorts have free ski guides they are normally half days, and you can do morning or afternoons. You can turn up and ski with a guide and quiz them on the local runs.
They usually have guides for : green runs, easy blues, blues cruise, all mountain and black diamond. Turn up and have a go.
We went one day a Sun Peaks and got Nancy Green, and a couple of years later her husband Ali was the guide. The cruise the blues turned into tree skiing!!
Silver star has some blues that are not that blue and some that could easily be black.
Silver star is a small resort but has enough skiing to keep you happy for 4 days . Big White not a bad option been there 3 times would go back. Sun Peaks is a lot bigger we go every year still love it (these resorts expect to ski runs on your own very few crowds). Whistler so much bigger very European and can be very busy, way more night life many more restaurants loads more people.
Revelstoke skied there for 3 days it rained every day not normal its usually much colder will go back hoping for better conditions, Red mountain never been, Ferne, only been in summer, Panorama quite liked the resort, but very short on good restaurant one good one several iffy ones. Banff, Sunshine, Lake Louise all good not been for a while.(to be fixed next year).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Agreed of the free orientation is very handy.
In Whistler as mentioned all the grading means is that Green is the easiest, Blue next, then black, then crazy double black. The good news is that there is always all 3 lover options off ALL lifts so you have no problem worrying about getting to a place you can't ski.
Also you really do need to watch the grooming (updated on website) as it makes a huge difference. A black you did one day can be very tricky the day after with 2ft moguls all the way down. And there are not many short runs.
I would say most Blues in Whistler as similar to a European Red. But watch out for the grooming. We renamed Ptarmigan run as Ptamagedon when we had not thought much about it and tried it a couple of days later when it wasn't groomed.
Very good signage on Mountain and there are apps you can buy which shows all the runs and where you are as in lowlight off-piste easy to get confused.
Also as mention if you are going get a move on as discounts drop off nearer the start of the season - you have already missed the biggest ones that stopped end of August.
You also don't have to worry and but school holidays either as Brits make up such a small proportion of their market.
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