 Poster: A snowHead
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@Mountain Surfer, ooh. Did anyone else on your flight get picked for testing?
Interesting that they didn’t even ask for the vaccination proof but maybe as that’s done at check in it’s been checked once already?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes the other person arriving on my course today got chosen. Feeling incredibly lucky right now
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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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@Mountain Surfer, have a great time. Where are you going and what’s the course?
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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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I’m going to Fernie.
I’m doing 1 week snowboarding improvement camp followed by a 4 week course which builds you up from piste to off piste to a 4 day backcountry touring/splitboarding trip from a hut in the middle of nowhere in the the Rockies.
Full day lessons with level 4 instructor 4 days a week, cat skiing, and other activities.
They do ski and snowboarding, the other person is a skier (most people arrived last week or next week for most of the courses).
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Mountain Surfer wrote: |
I’m going to Fernie.
I’m doing 1 week snowboarding improvement camp followed by a 4 week course which builds you up from piste to off piste to a 4 day backcountry touring/splitboarding trip from a hut in the middle of nowhere in the the Rockies.
Full day lessons with level 4 instructor 4 days a week, cat skiing, and other activities.
They do ski and snowboarding, the other person is a skier (most people arrived last week or next week for most of the courses). |
Glad you made it.
Not looking good for me.
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Good luck!!!
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@Mountain Surfer, have a great time!
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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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As we are travelling on the 12th jan...possible uk lockdown for a couple of weeks from boxing day actually suits us...as long as canada will still let us in..
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@yorkshirelad, that, precisely that, is the big money question. And without having to self-isolate/quarantine for ten days. And with ski resorts open. And bars. Until at least 8pm anyway. #lightweight!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| stuarth wrote: |
...Well that sucks. Guess 47cms of the good stuff helped you get over that!
Hoping the alpine cracks tomorrow - neck deep? |
When I started with this, what just happened would have been really hard to deal with. It's easy now. I feel bad for the people who can't say that, but it is what it is: none of us want this.
First gondola, first chair, first tracks. Way harder to do that here than from a helicopter though  And it's pretty much done by the second lap. Still, good turns and excellent snow conditions, about minus 6 and sun. The snow's great all the way down Blackcomb although the guns are running down there.
It was very busy today as one may expect. Covid precautions running - it's great to be free to snowboard, thanks to whoever it is who enforces Covid passports. There are a few protocols here and there, which really boil down to you having to demonstrate you're fully vaccinated (you need your vax proof plus ID eg passport) and wear a mask properly, that's about it.
The snow had set up as you'd expect, and maybe wasn't as great for skiers as us, to judge by the tracks the patrol left when we first arrived (no spray, some chunks).
Parking lot 1 this afternoon.
And for anyone who knows YVR, here's the new test centre (there were no signs preventing me shooting this, unlike UK centres). This is the old "meet and greet" area. You can still get into the lifts there, albeit from the other side. The Star*ucks is shut. They're picky about you exiting there and re-entering.
On the "tests on landing" thing. I had problems downloading my results when they came in, but my girlfriend (who'd precisely the same recent contract history as me) had working download links and was negative as expected: some care had been taken. Anyway, I forgot about mine as there was this snow to play in... and came back to a polite but firm notice pointing out that technically I'm supposed to be quarantining until I can prove I'm negative (although that isn't precisely correct as you can take internal flights etc). Anyway, I tried again and got my "negative", so presumably they will not hassle me any more. So do the download. It's slightly odd as they must have known I was negative, yet still hassled me. Whatever.
Heading to Big White in a few days - assuming the highways remain legal to drive. One of my old buddies chucks bombs there, so that could be amusing.
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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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@philwig, where was this ‘polite but firm notice’ you came back to? Stuck on your room door? Or do you mean an email/text?
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Of course this could all change at any moment, but does anyone have an idea about the rules for quarantining and internal transfers? I'm flying into Vancouver, but my transfer flight is the next day. Am I right in thinking I can quarantine in a hotel near the airport overnight and then get the transfer the following day, before getting back the PCR test results, then continue to quarantine at my destination? Or do I have to stay in the hotel at the airport until the results come through?
Thanks!
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You know it makes sense.
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@philwig, those first two photos are great, even looking on Twitter at photos from people that have managed to get away this season has made me so happy.
12 days to go for us, but who knows right now.
Have a great time!
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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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| Mountain Surfer wrote: |
| Yes the other person arriving on my course today got chosen. Feeling incredibly lucky right now |
Well done at getting through without needing a test, could you tell me if the other person on your course has made it to Fernie yet?
I'm thinking of booking a 2 week course that starts on the 27th and was wondering if flying out on the 24th would give me enough wiggle room.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Daishan, I think you are allowed to go to your hotel you’ve booked you just have to stay in your room until your negative PCR comes back so that means food needs to be organised etc.
Not sure how it works if you’re sharing a room though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How do they know who is meant to be staying in and who has had their negative test result back then?
All these people in a hotel milling about, down in the breakfast room etc, how do they know who has had the negative PCR back and who hasn’t? 
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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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I'd read you were allowed to take connecting flights but kind of assumed you'd need to isolate near your final airport.
If I'd be allowed to travel to Fernie before isolating any idea of the best way to get from Calgary on the 24th? Still like the idea of heading out early.
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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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@Daishan, oh sorry are you doing a non direct flight to Calgary?
I think @Mountain Surfer and his friend went direct from the UK to Calgary.
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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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| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
How do they know who is meant to be staying in and who has had their negative test result back then?
All these people in a hotel milling about, down in the breakfast room etc, how do they know who has had the negative PCR back and who hasn’t? |
You're supposed to be responsible for your own quarantine and following the rules. There are also supposed to be random checks, both in person and via text/phone, and there;s some very stiff penalties for breaking quarantine:
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to:
6 months in prison and/or
$750,000 in fines
If you break your mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements and you cause the death or serious bodily harm to another person, you could face:
a fine of up to $1,000,000 or
imprisonment of up to 3 years or
both
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry I wasn't very clear, I'm thinking of a direct flight just thought I needed to isolate near the airport.
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| Saintsman wrote: |
| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
How do they know who is meant to be staying in and who has had their negative test result back then?
All these people in a hotel milling about, down in the breakfast room etc, how do they know who has had the negative PCR back and who hasn’t? |
You're supposed to be responsible for your own quarantine and following the rules. There are also supposed to be random checks, both in person and via text/phone, and there;s some very stiff penalties for breaking quarantine:
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to:
6 months in prison and/or
$750,000 in fines
If you break your mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements and you cause the death or serious bodily harm to another person, you could face:
a fine of up to $1,000,000 or
imprisonment of up to 3 years or
both |
I knew about the fines etc I just thought I could be there in my hotel (having tested negative so was free to do what I want) yet there could be some people wandering around who should be isolating and who might be positive but they don’t know it yet. There’s no way of knowing who has had their result back and who hasn’t especially as it can take up to 48 hours. Maybe the staff ask to see your negative result email when they see you around, that would work.
There will be people thinking they can still use the swimming pool and go to the breakfast room etc as long as they don’t leave the hotel I bet.
Or some that just head out skiing regardless.
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| Daishan wrote: |
| Sorry I wasn't very clear, I'm thinking of a direct flight just thought I needed to isolate near the airport. |
It would make more sense if you did have to do that really.
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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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| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
| Saintsman wrote: |
| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
How do they know who is meant to be staying in and who has had their negative test result back then?
All these people in a hotel milling about, down in the breakfast room etc, how do they know who has had the negative PCR back and who hasn’t? |
You're supposed to be responsible for your own quarantine and following the rules. There are also supposed to be random checks, both in person and via text/phone, and there;s some very stiff penalties for breaking quarantine:
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to:
6 months in prison and/or
$750,000 in fines
If you break your mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements and you cause the death or serious bodily harm to another person, you could face:
a fine of up to $1,000,000 or
imprisonment of up to 3 years or
both |
I knew about the fines etc I just thought I could be there in my hotel (having tested negative so was free to do what I want) yet there could be some people wandering around who should be isolating and who might be positive but they don’t know it yet. There’s no way of knowing who has had their result back and who hasn’t especially as it can take up to 48 hours. Maybe the staff ask to see your negative result email when they see you around, that would work.
There will be people thinking they can still use the swimming pool and go to the breakfast room etc as long as they don’t leave the hotel I bet.
Or some that just head out skiing regardless. |
Like I said, it's up to you to manage your quarantine/isolation. If you want to violate it and take the risk that's up to you as well. Hotels are going to go out of their way not to be involved in the enforcement process.
The online guidance about what you can and can't do is very explicit - I would imagine that there's a leaflet handed to you at the airport as well
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@Saintsman, I’ve got no intention of abusing it, I’ve just extended my trip by another week to allow extra time just in case I have to stay in longer than expected for the result to come back, it’s other people that make me wonder, you only have to look at this forum (not this thread) to see examples of people trying to circumnavigate rules regardless just to meet their own needs and wants.
Like you said though I guess it’s up to them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I know, and largely speaking these are the same people who talk about taking "personal responsibility" for Covid. And then wonder why cases start spiking and more draconian rules have to be introduced.
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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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@Saintsman, my concern is the actions of some selfish people might ruin it for the rest of us who want to enter Canada later on in the season, like you say though they are the first to complain when measures/restrictions are increased!
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Realistically, i don't think the actions of a small minority will impact the decision making of the federal government. Our chances of getting into Canada are far more closely linked to how Canada deals with Omnicom and how it determines it's cause(s) to be predominantly internal/community vs imported
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You know it makes sense.
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| Daishan wrote: |
| Mountain Surfer wrote: |
| Yes the other person arriving on my course today got chosen. Feeling incredibly lucky right now |
Well done at getting through without needing a test, could you tell me if the other person on your course has made it to Fernie yet?
I'm thinking of booking a 2 week course that starts on the 27th and was wondering if flying out on the 24th would give me enough wiggle room. |
The other person came on the same shuttle as me to Fernie straight away and supposed to isolate until result came back. You’re allowed to travel to your destination and isolate there, wherever that may be.
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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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@Mountain Surfer, have they had the result back now?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Saintsman wrote: |
| Realistically, i don't think the actions of a small minority will impact the decision making of the federal government. Our chances of getting into Canada are far more closely linked to how Canada deals with Omnicom and how it determines it's cause(s) to be predominantly internal/community vs imported |
Good to know. More chance of them thinking it’s imported though if some international travellers don’t do the quarantine.
Not difficult really it’s only a day or so plus the hotel rooms are huge with a fridge and a telly in them. Could be worse!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
| @philwig, where was this ‘polite but firm notice’ you came back to? Stuck on your room door? Or do you mean an email/text? |
No no, sorry, an email. They have your email. I would guess their systems aren't closely integrated yet, and it feels a little crude (I'm technical, I looked at their code when it failed). They sent me (but not my girlfriend who had successfully downloaded her negative result) that email because I'd not downloaded it, and they know I could not know I was clear without downloading it, which is easy for them to see. Hence the mail. They obviously didn't need to do that as I was negative, but that integration is not yet there.
Boarding in Iceland 6 months ago, you had to quarantine until the results came through in 5-6 hours. You could drive a hire car across the island, but you could not use internal air or visit bars. My hotel checked me in but told me I could not use the bar etc before I got the negative result. That worked great... but relies on a 5 hour test turn around. In Canada the rules ae les strict - you can take an internal flight, and the results take up to 3 days.
On hill protocols seem pretty safe to me. The brilliant "vaccination passport" thing means everyone here has to be vaccinated if you want to drink coffee or eat. I've not seen one person wearing their mask like a Trump fan, nor anyone else behaving like Tory MPs at a party. Clearly there's a significant risk, and coming here, being here, is riskier than staying home until I'm dead. But otherwise 'm safer here than down my local pub, where unvaccinated people are able to sit next to me in the pub!
Yesterday was mostly blue sky; maybe this was early morning. Lots of snow, good temperatures (minus 6 or so), consistent snow through the day.
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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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Canada's systems haven't been integrated throughout the whole pandemic. There is likely zero connection between the automated email warning/reminder system and any notification of positive/negative test results
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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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@philwig, I see, thanks for that, great explanation  . Pic looks nice.
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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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I have heard that the Canadian government is making an announcement in a few minutes time. 13.00 Canada time
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| I have heard that the Canadian government is making an announcement in a few minutes time. 13.00 Canada time |
Quebec provincial government is scheduled to announce now. Can;t see anything coming from the Federal government though
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@Frosty the Snowman, What was it? Can't see anything online yet?
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@Saintsman, Is there an update to your earlier post, please?
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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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Quebec is going into a full shutdown - schools bars, gyms, theatres, cinemas to close. Restaurants to operate at 50%. Pro Sports behind closed doors only. WFH mandatory for non-essential workers
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FAQ
