 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Taking the plunge, no boarding hols for me this winter and gonna quit my job in September and head to Canada for my first full season.
Can't really decide where to go. i don't want the Whistler crowds and went to Fernie for two weeks last year which was amazing, great snow and nobody on the slopes, nice town as well.
The only thing putting me off Fernie (probably wrongly) is that i went for 2 weeks last year and wouldn't mind somewhere new. Do you think that should put me off?
The other two i was thinking are Big White or Banff. Banff by the sounds of it gets quite crowded (which is not really what i am after). All round it sounds like a nightmare getting accommodation too.
What are peoples opinions of Big White, where can you get long-term flat rentals at Big White? Do you need to stay in Kelowna (which at 55 mins seems quite far to mission everyday)?
All in all what are your opinions on where i should go and why?
Was even considering places like Red/Revel Stoke but not sure if they will be too small to stay for the whole season. Not looking to work full time, just the odd bit of work here and there.
Thanks in advance
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would really consider revelstoke, just for the huge vertical and tons of snow. If you can get in with a couple of locals (or have money for guiding) you will get a huge amount of backcountry that will not be tracked out in 5 minutes. Plus you can take day trips to kicking horse, fernie etc or go cat-skiing (people normally go in groups but you can get a stand-by single for a lot less to make up numbers, if you call on the day).
Although the town is really small (I havent been) so you might get bored. Or might not.
Big White is okay, but is quite flat and small. So i guess it depends on how much you need bars and freestylers in baggy clothes.
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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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Cheers for the reply. I'm not after an all out party place. I'm going traveling to S.America/Asia after so can do my partying there, this is about the boarding!! Saying that, i don't really want it completely dead, prob end up being there for 6 months so needs to be big enough that I won't get too bored and enough terrain to keep me interested. thats kind of why Fernie still appeals, small enough to be quite chilled and without the idiots you sometimes get, but big enough to have all you need. The mountain is close to the town as well.
What are the drives like from the towns to mountain at Banff or Big White? I don't mind driving but can't be bothered with traffic or a long drive everyday to get there....
Also, just how busy is the mountain at banff, i'm guessing its nowhere near as bad as the Alps? It was pretty quiet all the time at Fernie and could nail fresh tracks for most of the day after a dump
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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 havent skied Banff or Lake Louise, so im not really sure. Its really spread out and there is a bus that takes you between resorts etc, and i know that there are no real base villages. Seems a bit of a pain for not a huge amount of skiing. If I was going all that way I would go to Whistler, Revelstoke, or have a multi-resort trip including banff, fernie and kicking horse. which you might be able to sort out quite easily, there is always a lot of apartments or rooms that can be sub-let for a month at a time.
PS none of these resorts will be nearly as busy as big french resorts at their peak. even whistler, when its really bad, always has other routes that arent as crowded.
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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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lawster, From Bannf it takes about 40 min's to Lake Loiuse, 25 min's to Sunshine and 10 min's to Norquay. You could also go to Kicking horse which I think is about 90 min's away. Banff is a big town with lot's going on and I would think you may find a bit of work, but I think there quite strict on work permit's. I think t-humphreys, idea of a multi-resort trip is a good one. In fact think it's such a good one I might do it myself.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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All the resorts close to Calgary get busy at the weekend. I find LL to get very very busy at the weekend.
If you want to do any work in Canada you will need a work permit...................
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Cheers for the info, I've sorted a one year work visa so that's no problem. Have saved quite a bit though so want it to be mainly play with the odd bit of work maybe a couple of days a week in town. Busyness is the last thing i want but I guess if you want a largish resort with variety of terrain I guess your not gonna get away from the crowds.
Anyone done both Banff and Fernie and have an opinion on which they think would be better for a season?
I am swinging towards Fernie at the moment (prob cause i've been and know what to expect) but finding hard to make a decision! I know long-term housing rentals will be cheaper and should be easier to get at Fernie.....anyone got experience of trying to sort out renting a private flat in banff before?
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If you're aged 18-25 and are looking for soulless sex, drugs, rock & roll, chlamydia and some Australian bigotry then Banff for 6 months is what you're after.
I personally would head to Red, Golden or Revelstoke for a more authentic Canadian experience.
Private renting in Banff is expensive - the only seasonnaires I've known who've done it have had a large account with the Bank of Mum & Dad. Banff is largely reputed to be the most expensive (for just about everything!) town in Canada. I should say, private renting as in your own apartment rather than sleeping 3 to a room lifty style.
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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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| Alexandra wrote: |
I personally would head to Red, Golden or Revelstoke for a more authentic Canadian experience.
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And I would add Nelson for Whitewater to that list.
If you ski / ride at any of the above for a season you will come away a far better skier / rider.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
| Alexandra wrote: |
I personally would head to Red, Golden or Revelstoke for a more authentic Canadian experience.
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And I would add Nelson for Whitewater to that list.
If you ski / ride at any of the above for a season you will come away a far better skier / rider. |
Agreed, base yourself around Nelson or rossland and cover both ( Red and Whitewater ) only around an hour between the two.
We skied at all of these last season including Fernie, BW and SS. Skied Banff area previous year with day trips out.
I would head to Revvy though, an amazing place with a small unspoilt town. Easy to access other areas for a few days if you have a car. It wont be spoilt by tourists either and will be really quiet on weekdays and I mean quiet by Canadian standards  Theres many places within 2 hour drive. ust get your accom. sorted sooner rather than later as itheres not much and it gets taken early.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bear in mind that places like Nelson and Revelstoke are small towns - not just small physically, but small in the sense that what's there ain't much. Banff isn't exactly sprawling, but it's just about "there".
I'd get hacked off with the driving from Banff to the ski hills over the course of a season. Hell, I got hacked off with it in a week. Puts a crimp in the post ski beering as well, if you've got to drive home.
Last time I was in Revelstoke was a couple of summers ago. They were just starting to clear land for the first big new lift. From what I recall, it's a 10 minute drive from the town to the lift, but I think the property developers have all sorts of plans to put in a mini town around the base of the lift system.
If you don't want to go to Whistler, I'd say Revelstoke, but as I say, it's a small town to spend a season in.
All that said, do you need to base yourself in one place? Why not do a month in 5 (or even 6, if you head to the dreaded WB for May) different places? I guess it may be harder to pick up jobs that way, but if you're not fussy about what you do...
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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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I live in Whistler, and have to say - don't believe all you hear about it being crazy busy - during holidays yes it is, but otherwise we have massive mountains and can ski straight onto most chairs. I have been here 7 seasons and still have lots places to explore.
As for you list -
Revelstoke is an amazing ski resort, and is as good as Whistler when it comes to amount and quality of 'black' stuff
the town sucks, we only found 2 places to buy a beer and one of them was like a cafeteria.
Fernie i have only been to once, and it was the terrible year of 04/05 - I was there in Feb and thought the mountain should have been closed - we were skiing over rocks on the cat tracks to get back to lifts
that being said, the terrain does look good
Big White is a lot of fun, but i wouldn't want to do a season there - not enough challenging terrain. Kelowna is around 30 mins drive if i remember correctly. Silverstar is also around 30 mins from Kelowna and another fun resort - quite spread out too and lots of variety.
Red mountain, never been but want to, I have heard good things about it.
LL is another great resort, however I am used to the 'mild' winters of Whistler and have always complained about the constant -20 or lower whenever I have been there. Banff is a good part town though. It is approx 45 mins drive I found.
Kicking Horse has some great terrain and well worth a visit (you can do day trips there from Revelstoke (not sure how long) or Kelowna(2 hours or so))
Sun peaks is another resort I have only been to during the bad season, and it was good, but obviously I saw it at its worst (also doable from Kelowna)
anyway, hope that helps a bit.
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wbsr, Beers are available quite easily In Revvy now - they were last season anyway 
Takes about 2 hrs to drive to Kicking Horse, but dont forget the timezone change + & - 1hr.
Reds a great place if they have good snow, which they often do. Agreed about BW - Kelowna is probably more like 50 mins to an hour.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Sharkymark, 'lo.
Not really sure what your criteria is to help out, but any Fernie questions....
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Poster: A snowHead
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DaveC, Talking of Fernie questions is it worth doing the steep and deep course? And where is the best place to get breakfast?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skid & slide, yes, it's a good course - it's run out of the ski school and the guy that does it is a great instructor. If you use my name when you book it at guest services, that'd be wicked
Breakfast... err... I like Tim Hortons, 'cos I'm classy and poor. Big Bang Bagels in town does a good breakfast bagel, Lizard Creek has some insanely awesome buffet on sundays I hear... or there's always Slopeside on the hill?
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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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DaveC, When I book the course I will say it was on your recommendation.
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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: |
I like Tim Hortons, 'cos I'm classy and poor.
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DaveC, you have been in Canada far too long..........................
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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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gryphea, I only found out what a "double double" was about a week ago 
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FAQ
My Bro did a season there too and I spent 3 weeks there myself. Neither of them complained about lack of terrain to me... 