 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys
So im flying to calgary on the 11th Feb for 4 weeks- cant wait!
However- i have done very little in the way of planning so far. Whilst thats part of the fun, i do want to have some structure to make the most of it!
Some very kind people on here have already given me loads of advice on where i can go:
big white, red mountain, fernie, kicking horse, whitewater, Lake Louise and Revelstoke
Please be aware that im going *alone*. I will want to meet people, so will be mostly be staying in hostels.
I have read that most canadian places are smaller than EU ones- i wasn't sure on how many places i could get to in a month? Im hoping to fall in with a good bunch and not move around too much tbh- unless they all move around too!
I have several thoughts:
1) Spilt your time 2 weeks each in two locations- kicking horse and fernie seem to be the bigger places, lots of people. If i only do these two places i will have done some of the best this area has to offer. Plus- if im there for two weeks- i can meet lots of people, get a week or two of lessons (a weeks lessons is $800). total cost for 2 weeks in one venye- plus the odd bus etc- is around £1800
2) Lurk around somewhere small for a week, then do a snow safarri for 2 weeks- leaving me a final week to spend returning to my fave place.
http://www.nonstopsnow.com/holidays-and-camps/2-week-snow-safari
I get to see lots of places- plus meet some good people too. At £2.2k its top money. Plus the week before it starts may be a bit of a write off- i could sprint to somewhere the safarri doesn't cover and get 5 days of skiing and tuition in- to sharpen up a bit i suppose 
The accom will be nice here too- will give me a break from all the hostels!
3) Try and rent a car, move around a lot to 3-4 of the best places ppl suggest- drive at night. *however*- the car will add £800 to the cost (jnc fuel etc)- and getting stuck late at night on a mountain somewhere will be a PITA. Its a shame to pay for a car when the whole point of the trip is to be on the mountains as much as possible!
Any info would be excellent thanks guys
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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All depends on if you want trip of a lifetime or are content with predominantly one place. If you can score a midweek season pass for reasonable money I'd be inclined to stay in one place if the long range looks good then maybe rent a car for a couple of road trips to other places.
Your first option isn't bad though - base yourself in Golden and maybe hitch a ride up to Lake Louise and over to Revelstoke for a bit of variety (easier if you're in a hostel with people passing through/going back to Calgary Sunday night), then a travel day and some time in Fernie with a trip to Whitefish or Castle if you can swing it (don't hitch to Whitefish, will be difficult to find anyone wanting to take you over the border).
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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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Lake Louise, Sunshine and Mt Norquay all accessible from Banff and on same lift ticket, when I was last there it was easy to get a ski away day to kicking horse via a coach from there too. The three Banff resorts kept us (3 intermediate skiers) more than busy for a fortnight, the hostel at Lake Louise was excellent and did great food, nightlife at Lake Louise really limited tho, however people within hostel were dead friendly, there are a couple of restaurants/bars in the tiny town and the Lake louise inn bar did great food too but it sure ain't partyville.
If I had the time and budget I'd look at the train so I could include Panorama, fernie and kicking horse, I think Neilson used to do this as a ski safari a few years back, seem to remember they used the pricier hotels too tho. You may be able to do it a lot cheaper independently.
Have a great time. I'm soooo jealous! 
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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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Wrap up warm
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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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Doing a week in Fernie you have Castle, Whitefish and Kimberly an hour or less away but you would need a vehicle.
We have a high pressure system starting tomorrow and lasting a week, so staying further North. Banff, KH, or Revelstoke. Plan both a border run and further North and finalize when you land head to where its snowing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Red (well actually Granite) mountain - Cambodia, Beer Belly.
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| billy_boy_2010 wrote: |
| Tell me about Panorama |
Last year was good, this year is better.
I'll be out there, maybe, in two/three weeks. Maybe four. With average snow, marginal, with good snow, epic.
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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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Billy boy, its practical to stay in a hostel at Banff for each of the 3 banff resorts as the bus is included in your tri area pass and unless things have changed since my last visit the only place with ski in/out or walk in/out is sunshine mountain itself. We alternated resorts according to the weather, lake louise if it was windy or snowing hard so we could hide in the trees, sunshine on clear days and Mt Norquay (smallest of the 3) when we fancied a shorter day. It was possible to do an away day to kicking horse but tbh it needs at least a weekend which we could not afford at the time.
Have a great time and post pics when you return.
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Isnt the Tri area lift pass in Banff only available through the Tour Ops ? When booking accommodation with them ? 
If so billy_boy_2010, will have to find his own transport to the mountains from Banff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| stuarth wrote: |
| Red (well actually Granite) mountain - Cambodia, Beer Belly. |
oh, hang on - just remembered! You probably want to practice a bit before going here. 
For a bit less less hardcore, the power fields and the area round the paradise chair are good too.
Also quite a long way from Banff.
Panorama? - Never been there so might be great, but if I'd bothered to fly all the way here, and were doing a road trip, I'm not sure Panorama would make it onto the list.
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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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| Bones wrote: |
Isnt the Tri area lift pass in Banff only available through the Tour Ops ? When booking accommodation with them ?
If so billy_boy_2010, will have to find his own transport to the mountains from Banff. |
According to skibig3.com, all tri-area passes include the buses.
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Hi Billy Boy if you are interested in staying in the HI-Banff Hostel I know some of the front desk staff so can check the rates out for you relatively easily - they normally have some sort of deal going on with lift passes too! I stayed in the Hostel for 3 months so know a bit about Banff and Sunshine if you need any info! On another note we day tripped both Revelstoke and Kicking Horse while being based in Banff - needless to say it was a long day but great skiing! Best of luck with your decisions.
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You know it makes sense.
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| billy_boy_2010 wrote: |
| Tell me about Panorama |
Absolutely brilliant place to improve your skiing, perhaps one of the most underrated resorts in the world, and possibly my favourite place to ski. The only resort that has ever dragged me back visit it repeatedly.
It's flaws are manifest. The village is profoundly lifeless; it has lower snowfall than the surrounding resorts; the groomers can be skied in entirety in a day; reaching summit requires three lifts and a tedious cat track; and it's a heck of a long way from the UK.
But the advantages shade these flaws into oblivion.
The tree skiing is epic - far better than world-renowned resorts like Jackson, Breckenridge or Vail. You can start with easy shrubs on gentle slopes (Sun Bowl, parts of Founders' Ridge), progress to full-grown trees on still gentle slopes (Trappers' Ridge), move on to steeper glades with full size trees and dense forest (Tree Time, Tight Spots), and finish on appallingly steep, fully dense glades like Surf, Elmo, Trigger and Zone Two.
Powder skiing is fantastic, too. You can easily find extensive untracked powder in parts of the Taynton Bowl 3-4 days after a snowfall. Most Taynton skiers seem to fall for B1st or B2nd; if you hike a little further out, you can find your own private piece of heaven, and ski almost to the bottom of the hill without meeting another soul.
And the steeps... oh, the steeps! Runs like Gunbarrel look intimidating from the top, but they quickly accelerate into a real challenge. Much of the Extreme Dream Zone funnels into Orca, a short but intense 42 degree slope that leaves you grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat. Many Taynton Bowl runs have short optional pitches that tilt you to the edge of your capability.
Bumps aren't neglected, either. You can ski moguls almost from the top of the hill back to the village, with runs like Roy's and Tacky offering bumps so huge that many skiers would feel faintly sick just surveying a possible route down. There are epic bump runs all over the resort with my personal favourite being Whisky Jack - even though you have a guaranteed audience there from the overhead chairlift.
If you want to cruise a few motorways, give Panorama a very wide berth. If you want some back-to-basics gnarly fun, look beyond the resort's family reputation and enjoy the glades, bowls, bumps and powder.
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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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BB I have spent plenty of time going to places we planned only to end up skiing rocks, stumps and shrubs. It does get old. Now we watch the storms and head that way.
Ski out of Banff and if you get bored there's KH and Revelstoke.
You can always keep heading west and ski the Okanagan Valley and ski the three resorts there, fly out of Kelowna you could hit Sun Peaks Silver Star and Big White after Revelstoke and never miss a ski day.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If you find your self in Lake Louise look out for the free hosted skiing where locals will take you around the mountain. All graded according to your ability and free.
We have been twice, staying at Banff and joining members of the ski club of GB each evening for a glass or two in the Banff Park Lodge. Have fun!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arriving in Banff tonight so this is useful!!!
Billy boy we'll still be around when you fly out if you have decided on Banff and we'll be drinking in banff park lodge if you want to meet up!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| billy_boy_2010 wrote: |
| Gary- these hosted skiing tours sound great! Do they work elsewhere too? Or are they rather unique to louise |
Check the websites for wherever you are thinking of going - Sunshine certainly have free 'host' tours daily. Also at Lake Louise you can book 'first tracks' daily - guided trip (with their instructors) before the lifts open to the general public. I suspect some other areas will do similar things.
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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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skitiger.com provides direct links to all the areas and a semi current update on the fresh snow, some days its a day off. Storms still going south, change this Friday hopefully.
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