 Poster: A snowHead
|
A few of us who ski off piste together regularly are hitting the big 50 in the next 3-5 years, so we were considering starting to squirrel some money away for a once in a lifetime 10 day trip.
The no.1 purpose of this trip would be to ski fresh powder, and be able to find fresh tracks many days after a storm (ie quiet resort, that doesn't get tracked out after a storm), everything else is secondary, although being catered for would be nice.
Obviously Japan springs to mind, Alaska and some of the BC heli/cat skiing companies.
I'm interested to see where others would plan on going for guaranteed powder?
Cheers,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
depends on the budget
AK or northern BC heli-skiing is clearly an option but the worry with that is that you could have a big storm go through which grounds the heli for most of the trip. if it was me and I was only going for a week or so, i'd want somewhere with cat skiing or lift served as an option for bad weather days
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
kitenski, wot Arno, says. When I heli'ed BC the guides reckoned on 1-1.5 days down and that AK was more like 4 up days out of 11. Fine if you're sponssored to be there for a month...
We also had one BC week where the cloud base was just at the wrong height, 5 down days out of 6.5 - most frustrating. There was a thread here a few days ago where the website was suggesting that particular operation had fewer down days and had cats for the days the helos couldn't fly...
Japan sounds very interesting...
(There is no such thing as guaranteed powder).
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 8-02-11 14:32; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
if i was going for the full mid-life crisis i'd probably hang out in nelson bcfor a month or so, use the lifts at Whitewater, do some touring and a bit of heli/cat action at Retallack
partake of the "BC bud" with the local hippies on downdays 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Arno, there is no way we will get a month pass!!
Budget is all part of the equation, I think that is what is putting me off heli though is the chance of down days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
kitenski, I'd say Japan in Jan/Feb.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liking the look of Silverton....
So short list 
Japan
Silverton
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Ok, so how about Whitefish? reasonable flights to/from Calgary, Get a day at fernie on way down and at Castle on way back. Cheaper passes in US than canada and everything is pretty cheap there. Powder is very common, definately uncrowded, can be a bit foggy though
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gulmarg?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Japan has also just gone to the top of my list of places to ski before I get even more passed it.
We have just sent some Super Fat Skis to Japan, the customer sent me the link below, there are quite a few videos on his You Tube page 
http://www.youtube.com/user/umatelevision#p/u/8/zsxThzPoQk0
all filmed in Hakuba
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Nobody every says anything bad about Japan when it comes to powder but you do find a lot of Japanese in BC. Personally Arno's suggestion sounds pretty good - a bit of time near Nelson - Valhalla, Mustang, Retallack cat operations then I'd consider heli ops like Mica or those that operate around Terrace area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've been to Niseko in Japan the last 3 years and cant look past it.
On two of those holidays its snowed every single day we were there and was getting 50cm+ some nights. They get over 1m some nights but i've not been there to witness one.
The off-piste/back country terrain is amazing and easily accessable.
Also the night skiing is superb and a lot of the moutnain is flood lit til 9pm. I just got back from there and was skiing wasit high fresh tracks at 7.30pm through the trees on one of the main runs so going back country isnt always nessesary to get freshies.
Apart from the snow the Japanese culture is great and had some of the best food ive ever tasted from the village as well. The accomodation is also first class and got cracking night life if you are up for a big night or a quiet glass of wine.
Going away from Japan i've heard that Chilli gets amazing dumps so im wanting to look in to that a lot more for a trip in the future.
Will be interesting to see what you decide on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
kitenski, infrequent poster on here, fat al, went to silverton last year and i don't think he thought it was the greatest thing ever - good fun but maybe not up to the hype
have you done la grave? it isn't guaranteed powder but if you get a good local guide he'll find any decent snow there is. side trips to places like Montgenevre often help with that. plus you get to go cool things like skis-on abeils and you can get some heli action in either by doing daytrips to Monte Rosa or doing runs at Alpe d'Huez where you get picked up by a heli in order to get back to the resort
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
"Chilli gets amazing dumps" - hmm, thanks for the info and advice, no need for imodium any more!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I skied Silverton and Telluride last year. Silverton is very testosterone driven and you have to be in excellent condition, not just good. The chances of powder there are similar to most other places in Colorado. Telluride was great, a beautiful place with some great off piste. Alta and Snowbird can't be beat for powder. My best luck though has been surprisingly in the Alps. Our guide, Armin Fisher, based in Alagna picks us up in Milan and takes us to the snow. When we arrive in Milan we don't know where we're going to be skiing. We've had great powder in Alagna, epic snow in Andermatt and Engelberg, and really good stuff in Courmayeur and La Grave too. Most of these on the same trip, and this has worked more than a few times. A flexible location trip with a top guide, connected to the coconut telegraph snow line, really ups the odds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Cat skiing / heli-skiing somewhere in BC combined with some resort runs to get the legs warmed up.
http://www.powderhighway.com/
Plan on moving around a bit though as has already been stated - There is no such thing as guaranteed powder.
A cat skiing lodge for a few days ; some resort skiing and a couple of days heli-skiing should give you a good chance of finding some good conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Just realised that might have sounded a bit negative on the guaranteed powder front.
I have cat / heli - skied at least once a year for the past 4 years and out of about 12 days I've only had one day which wasn't great. The operators will do their absolute best to find you good conditions but sometimes the snow just doesn't co-operate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
kitenski, I guess one question is how much you are prepared to work for your turns...had some awesomely amazing powder pre season around Jackson, but we were skinning to get up (made it all the better)...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
under a new name, skinning is fine, we all have skins but don't have touring boots.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How many days?
What time of the year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike Pow wrote: |
How many days?
What time of the year? |
I thought this made it pretty clear?
| Quote: |
| once in a lifetime 10 day trip. |
As to what time of year, not important to us, quality of snow is!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Kamchatka peninsula is meant to be a bit special but also a bit expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kitenski, When we roadtripped BC we had powder days 10 out of 13, which we didnt think was too bad.
It didnt really break the bank either - you could then throw in some cat/heli skiing when and where you want to.
Also keep hearing good things about Japan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
How many days?
What time of the year? |
I thought this made it pretty clear?
| Quote: |
| once in a lifetime 10 day trip. |
As to what time of year, not important to us, quality of snow is! |
Oops 
I've been very fortunate / done the research to have skied knee deep or deeper pow pretty much everywhere I've ever skied.
The list includes a number of the usual suspects - Interior BC, Washington State, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Chile, Argentina, Chamonix, Alagna, La Grave, Engelberg - and a few not so usual - Macedonia, Wales.
But without a shadow of doubt the lighest, deepest, most consistent snow I've had the pleasure of skiing has been on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
January is the most consistent month for snowfall, with these stats from the Niseko Resort Area an example of what you can expect
Jan 2007 - 375cm (24 snow events; 40cm the biggest 24-hr fall)
Jan 2008 - 569cm (29 snow events; 56cm the biggest 24-hr fall)
Jan 2009 - 334cm (23 snow events; 52cm the biggest 24-hr fall)
Jan 2010 - 590cm (26 snow events; 70cm the biggest 24-hr fall)
Jan 2011 - 600cm (25 snow events; 65cm the biggest 24-hr fall)
And this is for village level at approx. 300m. The peak tops out at 1300m with significantly more snow.
Add in fantastic food, onsens and gracious hosts and a January visit to Hokkaido is hard to beat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
kitenski, Hokkaido must be the best choice, If U do this kind of trip once in your life, yes put your money for Japan, and Hokkaido, For my self and what I heard from other, its allways possible to find powder january and february/ beginning mars,and about US, and I have lived in Utah and Colorado, So for a 10 daystrip, I will not bet on that I will gaurante you powder, they have longer periods with sunny weather, so to be 100% sure of powder there, U must stay I will say minimum 4 weeks,,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I'd probably go Kamchatka peninsula for once in a life time, most of the other places are fairly easily doable and package holidayable. Thats not to say they aren't awesome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Cool vid.
But the conditions they had weren't that great. Still lots of sasa (bamboo) sticking through and shovelling with a jacket and backpack on = about 10cm overnight. Could have brushed it off
And whilst I gave the snowfall stats for the Niseko Resort Area (because that's where I was based) there are at least half a dozen ski areas on Hokkaido with the same great snow but with a very different experience.
papasmurf
Kamchatka, like Alaska, has got it all - pow, steeps, vert, 'out thereness'.
But like Alaska, it can and does suffer periods of weather that ground the choppers for days on end. A 10-day window could offer the trip of a lifetime or a very tame resort experience in an ugly industrial landscape.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Cool vid.
But the conditions they had weren't that great. Still lots of sasa (bamboo) sticking through and shovelling with a jacket and backpack on = about 10cm overnight. Could have brushed it off
|
What about this one den?
http://vimeo.com/17916271
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
DB, that is redonculous
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
DB, thanks. Now that's really put me in the mood 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
rob@rar, my ticket hasn't arrived to be your bag carrier, assume it will be in tomorrows post
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
kitenski, ah blast, you just can't trust the Postie these days!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
DB
Yep, that's how I remember it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i've heard that gulmarg is an interesting cultural experience but the terrain isn't the most exciting
ski mountaineering in the himalaya would rock though
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Arno wrote: |
i've heard that gulmarg is an interesting cultural experience but the terrain isn't the most exciting
ski mountaineering in the himalaya would rock though |
good to know. not spoken to anyone whos been or knows of it other than the pics etc. ski mountaineering might be too hardcore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chugach mountains in Alaska. Oh yes, bring your wallet. You had better be up for it though. Nothing worse than an 'all the gear, no idea' skier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
