 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone have any experience of the Rock Garden? Marked as a blue on the piste map but an acquaintance who is an ok skier, fine with European black runs, says don't go near the thing it is like skiing on the moon only covered with snow, i.e. all boulders/craters etc. Claims it took him ages to pick his way down said lunar landscape then found himself sailing off the edge of something several metres high & ate a lot of snow & it was not even lunchtime? Looks ok on youtube etc though - any views?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's a boulder field. Fine with lots of snow, sketchy without. There are easyish routes through - the ski hosts take punters there so its not that hard.
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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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Depends what the coverage is like. But true, it's not called rock garden for its manicured lawns.
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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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We really struggled on it in March, with good snow coverage! I'd describe us as solid intermediates - we were umming and ahing as to whether to give it a go, and them made the mistake of watching a bunch of kids going into it, and saying 'If they can do it ...'
That said, it wasn't awful if you take it cautiously, but once you're on it, there's nowhere to bail out to. Sometimes they re grade it to a black diamond depending on the conditions. It isn't steep though, so easy to stay more or less in control. 
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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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It's fun. Do it once, and don't do it again if I am wrong. If you're with reasonably confident/able youths/kids, they are likely to enjoy it more than you do. As said above, it's not liike skiing a nice groomed piste; picking a route is the challenge and the fun of it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We last skied it in April when it was in good condition with lots of snow but they had it graded as a black. Skied it a few years ago with little cover and it was awful. As Alexandra says its not a lawn! You need to be able to ski where the snow is to avoid the rocks as mostly there is no choice where to go. More like skiing moguls in the valleys. The get in can be hard if you are not used to tracks through trees.
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It's fun. There are some interesting lines. Not difficult.
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lbc, Easy to pick your way true a simple line of if the snow is good use it to practice skiing pillow lines!!! Traverse in can be a little rough.
Local secret. There is a Mammy Grizzly that uses it to hibernate! Try not to wake her.
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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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I thought this was a Canadian gig venue post !!!
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Depends entirely on coverage but can be fun. The upper part is actually tougher - traversing in and then a few tight turns through some trees. It isn't my favorite area of Lake Louise though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I learnt to ski in Lake Louise in 2001 and The Rock Garden was the run that the instructor had been building us up to all week. We did it on our final day and we all made it down without any broken bones. It felt like such am achievement.
I really caught the bug on that run and in the past 10 years I have squeezed in nearly 30 weeks and loved every minute of it.I have not had chance to go back to Banff in the winter since and would love to go back and visit my beginners challenge.
Go for it, it is the only run that I can remember so clearly after 10 years.
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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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Local secret. There is a Mammy Grizzly that uses it to hibernate! Try not to wake her.[/quote]
Hey now I'm really confused, i don't know whether to watch out for old Mammy G or keep my eye on the skyline in case of flying pigs..
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