 Poster: A snowHead
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| Obsessed_intermediate wrote: |
| Have read several posts alluding to rain being a regular problem in Whistler at resort height. Was thinking of going in January with a group of intermediate skiers and boarders. Is rain much generally a problem in January. I have done some research and have seen that it was very wet last winter (but I'm led to believe that was a bit of freak). |
WE were there in late Feb early March this year for 6-7 days
rained once inteh village (first day of skiing  )
Then we had snow most of the rest of the time.
Was a great place, where are you staying?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Martin Bell wrote: |
| Don't get me wrong, Whistler has the BEST extreme terrain in N America - I look forward to every trip there. But if all you're doing is cruising on-piste, why not go somewhere where you'll see some sunshine? If you're avoiding the US because you're worried about ending up in Guantanamo Bay, why not try Banff/Sunshine/Louise? Cheaper than Whistler, better scenery, better snow, better weather. |
I've got to agree with this. I have two gripes about Whistler - 1. it's over-commercialised (but I dislike places like Val d'Isere and the Trois Vallees for the same reason so you may discount this) and 2. even if it isn't raining, you don't get many bluebird sunny days in my experience. The flip-side of 2 is that you do get lots of snow.
My feeling about Whistler is it's really all about the alpine (ie above tree line) sections but the appeal of these is really to quite good skiers. The skiing through the trees is nice, but doesn't really stand out in the same way. I think that day-in day-out Whistler probably has the most fun skiing of anywhere I have been. However, Whistler at its best doesn't come close to some of the European resorts I have been to when they are at their best. It's just a shame that the Euro resorts aren't at their best more often!
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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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Oh, they say Awesome alot in Canada. When we asked for anything in our hotel, the reply was always "Awesome, good choice guys" 
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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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| Martin Bell wrote: |
| Up high, it is indeed more likely to be snow than rain, but it won't always be the lightest, fluffiest powder. Cement is also possible.....Don't get me wrong, Whistler has the BEST extreme terrain in N America - I look forward to every trip there. But if all you're doing is cruising on-piste, why not go somewhere where you'll see some sunshine? If you're avoiding the US because you're worried about ending up in Guantanamo Bay, why not try Banff/Sunshine/Louise? Cheaper than Whistler, better scenery, better snow, better weather. |
Or even if you do want to ski off the piste, but without being "extreme". And there's a lot more to Western Canada than Banff and Whistler. Have a look at Big White/Silver Star/Sun Peaks (do more than one and you get as much terrain to play with as Whistler anyway) for more sunshire and drier snow without the extreme cold you can get by going as far inland as Banff - and as a British visitor you'll still have novelty value to the locals (yes - you even get locals, not just tourists and saisonnaires in the interior, whereas it can be hard to find any Canadians, let alone locals in Whistler!).
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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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| Arno wrote: |
I've got to agree with this. I have two gripes about Whistler - 1. it's over-commercialised (but I dislike places like Val d'Isere and the Trois Vallees for the same reason so you may discount this) and 2. even if it isn't raining, you don't get many bluebird sunny days in my experience. The flip-side of 2 is that you do get lots of snow.
My feeling about Whistler is it's really all about the alpine (ie above tree line) sections but the appeal of these is really to quite good skiers. The skiing through the trees is nice, but doesn't really stand out in the same way. I think that day-in day-out Whistler probably has the most fun skiing of anywhere I have been. However, Whistler at its best doesn't come close to some of the European resorts I have been to when they are at their best. It's just a shame that the Euro resorts aren't at their best more often! |
Having spent a season in Whistler in the past I'd say this is pretty much spot on - the only thing I'd add is I'd guess that Whistler will have more great days in a season (if you measure a great day by X+ inches of fresh snow that are safely skiable) If one measures a great day by kms skied in the sunshine and time spent on terraces then save yourself the trip over the Atlantic.
As for Tahoe not getting rain ask anyone who saw the state of Squaw on New Year's Eve whether they agree! (but then pretty much non stop snow March & April)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I will certainly bow to Martin's vastly superior knowledge. Thought I would give an indication of our requirements.
Getting time off work is a bit tricky for some of the people going on our trip, so we are only going to go for a week. Therefore, we want to maximise on piste time and minimise travel time. Our main motivation for going to the US/Canada is to find some lovely powder to play in.
Whistler appeared a good bet as the travel time is not too bad. Most TO flights are direct and the transfer is short. All in all 16 hours door to door. This even compares favourably with some hellish transfers I've had in Europe. However, I'm not flying across the pond without a near certain guarantee of powder. Martin's talk of cement scares me!!!
We aren't that rich so the trip needs to come in for less than £800 for flights, accommodation and transfers. We may well be able to get a deal on lift passes (we did last year anyway) so they aren't necessarily the biggest concern. Vail looks a bit too pricey for us. Especially as we would have to pay a hefty supplement for a direct flight.
Really, don't want the hassle of a hire car in resort. I have nightmares of roads getting blocked with snow and getting stuck. Also, everyone in my group will have a massive hangover on several mornings during our hol. Therefore, long coach/car trips to resorts is not really a goer. Could probably last 10 mins but it could be touch and go. This kind of excludes Banff. Will go there when I've grown up a bit and can resist the booze half of the booze + skiing experience.
So basically, I want the perfect resort! Relative easy to get to, not extravagantly expensive, walk to the piste, walk to the bars, lots of bars, lots of lovely snow.
And at least 100km of piste.
Breckenridge looks promising, but the altitude and potential very low temps in Jan are a concern. Anyone have any experience of there?
Heavenly looks alright, but I not really feeling it. Still I have a few more months in which to continue the research.
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| Obsessed_intermediate wrote: |
Whistler appeared a good bet as the travel time is not too bad. Most TO flights are direct and the transfer is short. All in all 16 hours door to door.
Really, don't want the hassle of a hire car in resort. I have nightmares of roads getting blocked with snow and getting stuck. |
Just hope they don't shut the road between Vancouver and Whistler for eight hours on transfer day (due to an accident) as happened to some people I know this last season. They ended up on a flight back home two days later - and even then their insurance failed to cover their extra hotel costs (insurance policies generally seem to cover delays due to road closure due to avalanche or avalanche risk, but very few due to road closures for other reasons).
We prefer to travel back to Vancouver the day before the flight. If you do this in the late afternoon/evening you don't loose any skiing time and yet are more sure of catching you flight.
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Okanagan, are you from the eponymously-named region? I have never skied interior BC, only west (Whistler) and east (Panorama, Kicking Horse, Fernie), but have heard good things.
Obsessed_intermediate, in the end it depends what is important to you. You may not mind rain in the resort. Personally I think rain in a ski resort is miserable, whether it's in Whistler, Morzine, Garmisch or Schladming (all places where I wished I had a brolly at one time or another).
And you may not mind skiing in bad visibility - if you learned to ski in Scotland, say. 
But if you want a guaranteed "winter wonderland" village, go higher or go into the colder interior of the Canadian mainland.
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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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| Obsessed_intermediate wrote: |
| Therefore, we want to maximise on piste time and minimise travel time. Our main motivation for going to the US/Canada is to find some lovely powder to play in. |
then I would heartily advise reconsidering the wisdom of travelling across the atlantic. it's a *long* journey and unless you;re a good traveller can really take it out of you - personally I wouldn't visit north americe for less than two weeks and mrs NBT says she wants to do at least three weeks if we go that way again as she struggles with jet lag for thefoirst few days.
Try looking for a european resort that will offer what you want - maybe somewhere like baqueira beret that offers the north amercian "in-bounds" style skiing without the distances necessary to get there
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Arno,
I'd also agree with Martin Bell that for just cruising Whistler probably isn't the best choice considering how far it is and the low chance of sunny weather, and as mentioned cement is also quite common, snow depth is in fact often measured in cementimetres, but if you can ski that 'powder' you can ski anything! 
In case you're back there any time and want some great tree skiing, find someone who knows the area and hit a few awesome (to use the aformentioned overused Canadian phrase!) but little skied runs - International trees, Kyber Pass, Golden Gloves, VD trees on Whistler; Patrollers trees, Fraggle Rock, Cancer Man on Blackcomb. On a good visability day, Whistler is great, but for a bad vis day, I think Blackcomb has better mid-mountain skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Obsessed_intermediate,
Why not stay in the Sunshine Inn Banff, Ski in/Out, Powder guaranteed.
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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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Sitting with a large hangover on a Sunday afternoon, I've come to a conclusion. Drinking huge volumes of alcohol is stupid and not befitting a physicist with his phd viva
exam in two weeks. Therefore, I am going to grow up and go to Banff in January. As it looks awesome and by all accounts the buses to the ski areas are rather well run.
I now just have to convince 8-12 other drunks to follow my example and everything should be great.
Thanks for all the advice.
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Obsessed_intermediate,
I would definately stay in the Sunshine Inn for 1 or 2 nights. An unforgetable experience
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You know it makes sense.
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Can you get on the slopes before everyone else if you do stay there overnight? Or is the hotel actually up the mountain?
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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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Obsessed_intermediate,
Yes the hotel is at the top of the Gondola. If you stay for a few nights you give your luggage to the staff at the bottom of the gondola and they book it into your room. Then you can ski all day with no worries about bags. You are absolutley guaranteed first tracks. The standish chair is right outside the hotel!! They have a 40 person outdoor hot-tub which is fantactic. The busses are efficient but it is well worth staying a night or 2 to experience it. The hotel has a great resturant and Trappers is across the snow for a pint.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obsessed_intermediate,
Oh www.skibanff.com
100% Natural Snow. Simply no need for snow cannons
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Obsessed_intermediate wrote: |
| ... I am going to grow up ... |
Or throw up? ....
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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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Obsessed_intermediate,
Banff in January can be COLD. I've been there when it was -30 (Celsius) for several days, and can remember the day at Lake Louise when they had to wait for the sun to come around and warm the lifts enough to start them up. - OTOH, the weather's a lottery, and you can get lucky.
re: Sunshine Inn - They have a package that includes the price ofm your lift ticket with your room, which actually works out as a pretty good deal. - It's certainly a good place to stay when there's a big dump. (But not such a good place to ski when it's actually snowing, since you can get severe white-out conditions above the tree-line.)
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FAQ
