 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
anyone been to whistler blackcomb? I saw some youtubes of some of the bowls, ok some look scarey but others look pretty do-able. They are all black diamond on the piste map. Anyone give me some info on which ones are more / less difficult. I ask as at some you are pretty committed before you get a look at them. cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Theres some tricky ones but some not so and theres some where you have to queue to get to the point of dropping in . Like any run it depends on snow conditions, but for the bowls, my advice would be to get up there early, as there was often a delay for them to finish blasting
Get asking around when you are in resort, as there are as many named unmarked runs as there are on the piste map
Fraggles rock seems to spring to mind
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Cockalorum off Whistler peak is one of Mrs NBT's all time favourite runs. You can make it as hard as you like if you drop the cornice, or traverse round to the easier entrance. The gemstone bowls are tricky and quite exposed, but Harmony Bowl offers some great skiing, worth getting over there - it's liuft served now, I had to hike for my turns when I did it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
bitoffluff, The ski school at whistler/blackcomb used to take groups on excursions to the bowls - Spanky's Ladder etc.
Well worth attending for a day or two if you are uncertain. I would certainly recommend it.
Notices at the top warn you that you will end up miles from a lift so handy to have local knowledge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
bitoffluff, there's a fantastic book that you can buy - in three different levels - Beginner, Intermediate and Expert. Sounds like you would get a lot of use from the Intermediates book, it explains the runs, access and skills needed to for the descent.
Looks like this, and should be available form many places, I bought mine from the grocery store opposite the liquor store.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Anything off Spanky's is reasonably committed - convex rollovers etc mean it isn't that easy to spot your line from the top. Most of the bowls off Highway 86 are doable - I'd start at the milder side of Bagel Bowl and work higher up the peak as I got more confident. Unless you mean stuff like Jersey Cream which barely qualifies as a bowl and can be spotted in entirety from the lift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cool, sounds like i ll be getting the book and heading to harmony bowl and cockalorum (not dropping any cornices) and avoiding spankys
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bitoffluff,
Harmony Bowl's a good place to start. - You can drop in quite easily on Low Roll, as an introduction, and then gradually work your way around. The great thing about Whistler is that the options are pretty much unlimited.
I'd certainly recommend getting some instruction if you want to take advantage of as much of the terrain as possible. The Ski Esprit 3/4-day programme is very good, as is the Dave Murray camp (for the more committed meatheads)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Acacia wrote: |
| I'd certainly recommend getting some instruction if you want to take advantage of as much of the terrain as possible. The Ski Esprit 3/4-day programme is very good, as is the Dave Murray camp (for the more committed meatheads) |
Yes Ski Esprit was the crowd I used - after recommendations. Not everything from the top of Spanky's Ladder is horrendous if you have somebody showing you the route and I had narrow Salomon skis at the time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowpark:)
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
and dont take anything less than 100mm underfoot
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| bitoffluff wrote: |
| cool, sounds like i ll be getting the book and heading to harmony bowl and cockalorum (not dropping any cornices) and avoiding spankys |
Cockaloram can require dropping a significant sized cornice into a fairly steep bit of the bowl (though it was a pretty straightforward roll-in entrance last time I was up there - I'll check it out for you this weekend  )
In terms of 'ease of use" starting from the easiest I'd say:
-Whistler
Boundary (or Symphony or whatever it is now called
Harmony. Can make it as easy or hard as you like, though the hard entrances are pretty pointless. Can ski right in from a green run and it's pretty flat. Nicer more challenging but not too hard is low roll and below (aka boomer bowl).
Bagel. Not really a bowl at all. left easier, right a bit harder - too far right and you fall off into West bowl
Glacier. Again as hard or easy as you like. Can enter from Saddle or via harmony for easy life or excitation, exhilleration, cirque, couloir to make it a bit trickier
Sun bowl. As the name implies it is sunny on that side so can be crusty in the wrong weather. Easy entrance and fairly flat via burnt-stew trail. Harder entrances off Harmony ridge or crocodile rock.
Flute (various). You have to walk there but if the snow/weather is good, then it's worth it. Don't have to walk back anymore.
Whistler bowl. Can be a little tricky getting into just because of the number of people going in. If you feel like a 'challenge' try lifties leap  , if you feel less inclined, then look at the entrance to the far right when you are going up the peak chair. If you want a nice view and a run that will make you think you can fall all the way to the village go in via west cirque.
West Bowl. Again a range of entrances. Mondays = harder, cockaloram = reasonably hard, etc etc... Nice way in if you like steepish trees is via whistler bowl, sneaky petes and christmas trees.
Blackcomb coming up shortly...
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Fri 28-01-11 20:42; edited 7 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
probably best thing is to do Ski Esprit as suggested above, in the higher level groups they will take you to a lot of these places
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
d'oh, it was flute bowl I hiked to, not harmony. Harmony's still nice though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| nbt wrote: |
| d'oh, it was flute bowl I hiked to, not harmony. Harmony's still nice though. |
I was wondering how long ago you must have been there to have to hike harmony
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
