 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Fingers crossed I'm off to Canada in 10 days  This will be my first skiing trip out of Europe, with most of my skiing having been in France. I'm wondering what the avalanche safety is like over there and more specifically what equipment is required?
I'm used to skiing off piste with the group I'm going with, we've had a fair bit of training and we always ski with our transceiver/shovel/probe - I also have an airbag. I understand they manage the mountains differently in Canada and am wondering what is sensible to pack. The airbag is a Scott super capacitor, so no issues packing.
Thanks
Tom
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No issues with gas airbags either into Canada - it's a US thing.
As described elsewhere here, anywhere in the resort is "controlled and patrolled", with a few "gated" exceptions (eg Delirium Dive). So you can ride anywhere within the resort boundary, once it's opened up by avalanche control etc. Most people will happily ride all that without specific avalanche gear or even buddies. Trees are probably the biggest risk for solo riders. Most hills have mobile coverage and transceiver crosstalk aside that's your likely call out mechanism if you need help somewhere lonely.
In BC I always have back country gear, but I almost never take it out at resorts because I'm not going to be
at serious slide risk there, as I don't duck lines etc. You do see some people out with gear, it's not a big deal.
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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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As said above everything within the resort boundary is avalanche controlled. The vast majority of people (me included) won't bother with any avy equipment skiing inside the resort boundary. Inbounds avalanches are pretty much unheard of. Tree wells tend to be a much bigger risk!
The only exception to the rule I can think of is delirium dive at Banff which I think still requires a transceiver but no other avy gear to enter.
Some resorts have some pretty nice side-country (routes you take the lift up, head out of bounds, then end up back in the resort) so may be worth taking avy stuff to take advantage of that. Where are you visiting?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We are heading to Panorama and then the plan is for Revelstoke then Banff/Lake Louise. It’s a bit flexible but we’ve got Mountain Collective passes which we’ll want to make the most of.
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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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| Quote: |
we always ski with our transceiver/shovel/probe - I also have an airbag. I understand they manage the mountains differently in Canada and am wondering what is sensible to pack. The airbag is a Scott super capacitor, so no issues packing.
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If I were flying half way across the globe to ski, and have the capacity to carry the usual, I would bring the usual.
1) Delirium Dive in Lake Louise requires transceiver/shovel/probe.
2) If you somehow found yourself in the lucky position to ski "side country", aka outside the resort, it'd be disappointing if you couldn't go because you didn't bring the basic safety equipment.
You may choose not to carry them everyday while skiing in resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| cheltom wrote: |
| We are heading to Panorama and then the plan is for Revelstoke then Banff/Lake Louise. It’s a bit flexible but we’ve got Mountain Collective passes which we’ll want to make the most of. |
Revelstoke definitely has some good slackcountry. Brown shorts is a classic, but lots of choices off McKenzie.
For conditions/decision making use https://www.avalanche.ca/en/map the daily bulletins are pretty detailed.
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| Quote: |
1) Delirium Dive in Lake Louise requires transceiver/shovel/probe.
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Delirium Dive is Sunshine not Lake Louise
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Thanks for the help everyone. An easy choice in the end to take the usual gear.
Cheers
Tom
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