 Poster: A snowHead
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thecrow, last season there was cold snap in BC during Feb - if I remember correctly (-29 degrees C)..
BC and Alberta are up there with being the most snow sure locations on the planet. I know at Silver Star last season (2.5 hours from Big White) we had amazing snow conditions from December all the way through to mid march when a crazy warm snap hit. Can`t comment too much on Alberta but I think gortonator is probably right regarding the Alberta resorts. BC is a coastal province so it doesn`t tend to get as wickedly cold as Alberta. Average winter temp up at Silver Star is -5.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Unless it's a poor snow year you shouldn't have any snow problems in mid jan.. You would normally have enough for everything to be skiing well by that point. Chances of -30c or colder are much less at BW than Banff, still possible but not likely, would normally expect -5 to -10.
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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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Typical Banff weather in January is sunny and cold. Cold probably means average -10C, but I've had a week of -25C lows on one trip, and a memorable -35C one morning. It's fine if you have the right gear tho.
base around Banff is normally fine by mid-December, but it just stays cold and hardly snows in mid-winter. hence little snow loss, but little new snow. Lake Louise make lots of snow and keeps trails fine - they should open next weekend on man made (can be hardpack-ish in high traffic areas). Expect some base damage off trail in some areas where the base hasn't covered all the little rocks, and some of real steeps probably won't be open. Sunshine gets more snow, so cover typically very good there even in January. It's very quiet everywhere tho - runs to yourselves.
Some great food in lake Louise/Banff too :-}
In BW/SS, 8 out of last 10 seasons have had excellent snow mid January - typically excellent from end November to well closing in April. 2001 was low snow and rocky, esp at BW which is a rocky mountain and needs more snow. (SS is grass underneath, so can ski on a lower base ) 2005 was just a horror show all over Pacific northwest and BC. They were open, but it wasn't great by all accounts. So your chances are good, but ya never know - anywhere, anytime. Whistler just had a nasty 2005, was fine in 2001.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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thecrow, what's your group size (couple + few + couple =~ 8 maybe?) and are you a gambler?
For the last 3 years at least there have been a truckload of late deals to US/Canada in mid Jan, coming onto the market 4 weeks out. Banff has featured each year for stupid prices (sub £400 for flights/accom/transfer).
Re. the cold - well everyone has their own tolerance. You should research average and recent years' temps and compare against what you've skiied in before. If it is too cold for a full day's skiing, I can think of plenty of worse resorts to be stuck in!
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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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They are so confident at Sunshine (a Banff resort average snow fall over 30 feet) they have no snow cannons whatso ever. Snow will not be a problem!! Theres usually a cold snap in January where it heads well towards -40, but its not a wet cold like it is here, an extremely dry cold! Ive been 3 times in January and never missed a days skiing!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| JimiHendrix wrote: |
| If it is too cold for a full day's skiing ... |
not possible, dude 
Frequent quick stops for hot chocolates until the sun warms the hill up a bit do the trick .... normally warms up to something decent by like -10/15C by lunchtime even on very cold days. Ski hard, no lifts lines, fast lifts and gondolas - it's all very bearable in right gear.
Sunshine does get a lot of weather and snow, but needs it to cover big rocks. Wind blows snow off Goats Eye so it takes a little while to get that area open, and unless you're in to the extreme stuff, Goats Eye is where the fun is.
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thecrow, Why don't you look at Kimberly then Banff did it for two week's, two years ago had a great time. We went in Jan coldest day -42 in the morning according to the hire car thermo, hey but as the ski attendant at one of the Big Three Said " it will soon get up to a Spring like -26" that's when they open the lift's. We went with Inghams very cheap about £600 B&B, then hired car in Banff. We will be going back next year, but sometime in March.
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| gortonator wrote: |
| 2005 was just a horror show all over Pacific northwest and BC. They were open, but it wasn't great by all accounts. So your chances are good, but ya never know - anywhere, anytime. Whistler just had a nasty 2005, was fine in 2001. |
I remember being in Banff in March 2005 and even though it was well below their average, it was still good, especially Sunshine village.
I don't enjoy skiing in -30 so I wouldn't risk Banff in January. Just go later! You did say "mid Jan onwards". Early March is perfect. It usually averages just below zero on the slopes.
If you're still considering Whistler, I would say go earlier (Jan-Feb) before it gets too rainy and slushy.
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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 others have said, Banff / Lake Louise is notoriously cold in Jan. I'm pretty tolerant to cold weather, but Lake Louise the only place I've been where I had to stop every hour or so just to get warm again. The BC resorts like Whistler & Big White are generally quite mild by comparison and shouldn't cause any concern.
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| Quote: |
Runs are marked differently in NA to Europe. They go in this order (easy to hard)
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Veeeight Good tip, but, in Europe the piste marking seem to be similar between resorts. Here in the states almost almost all of the ski areas belong to the NSAA (National Ski Area Association) and the trails are graded against other in the same ski areas. The double black in Vail are much easier then the double blacks in Jackson Hole. These trails in Vail are more difficult than the ones in the eastern US. The standard is area based not against other areas.
THECROW if your group consists of a couple of very experienced skiers, a few good intermediates, and a couple of beginner/intermediates. Jackson Hole would be the mountain that would appeal to all 
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