 Poster: A snowHead
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(also a few pics at http://gortonator.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/annual-red-mountain-madness/)
Date: Jan 16-19th 2012
Our mob: A bus load from the Desert Ski Club
Website : here
Basics : 5 miles over the USA border, above the town of Rossland, BC, sits the towering Red Mountain.
The skiing: Steeps, trees, bumps, often combined in a single run. That’s Red Mountain. The real fun is on Granite, the larger of the two lift-served peaks, both of which can be skied 360 degrees. There’s some fun groomers off the Paradise and Red chairs, but head any direction you feel like off the top of the Motherlode chair and plunge down the few marked and mostly unmarked runs, and be prepared to get your butt kicked by some of the best lift-served terrain I know.
Conditions were good and calm Friday, and after 20cm+ of snow Friday night, Saturday was excellent, albeit busy all morning. Sunday was colder, with a 5cm top up and wind-blown pow creating a gem of a ski day. We mined pow in trees all day long, and maybe, just maybe, skied the famed Cambodia. It’s hard to know on Red. With a 1.5m base mid-mountain, Red skies pretty well everywhere.
Off-piste : Extensive. Epic. Hidden. Watch out for cliff bands lurking beneath the freshies. Follow locals, Be careful.
The resort: In the last 6 years, a good collection of condos has appeared at the base, all basically within 250m of the lifts, and most ski back. Rafters bar in the base lodge is a buzzing but basic apres ski bar. There’s a couple of good restaurants too for evening dining. But if you want lively nightlife, get the free shuttle to Rossland, where several excellent pubs and restaurants are found. But you come here for the skiing, not the crazy night-time options.
Food : Gypsy at the base is an excellent, mid-priced bistro. The lamb shanks are great. Gabriella’s, just around the corner, is good Italian. On the mountain, the base lodge is an OK self-serve cafe. Over the back, Paradise Lodge has tasty soups, burgers and cookies. Not a huge range, but good quality. Paradise is small though, so think about timing at weekends.
Hotel: We stayed in the new condos 100m from the base, and ski back. Really nice place. Hot tub on deck, views of Granite peak. Hard to beat.
Costs: Not an expensive place, as it’s too far from civilization and major airports to get crowded. There’s usually excellent stay-and-ski deals, especially mid-week.
Conclusion: Best tree skiing on the planet (with Revelstoke!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| gortonator wrote: |
| Conclusion: Best tree skiing on the planet |
agree!
Is the Sunshine Cafe still ther in downtown Rossland?
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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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Pretty much on the money. Also the most humbling place in the world to ski given the average ability of the locals, a number of whom still rock the CMH Explosivs.
If you like hockey worth a trip down the hill to see the former world champion Smokeaters at the Cominco arena which is massive for a small town.
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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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They did kinda rebuild the base lodge, and it's a lot better. But Rafters is still there, and still a decent bar. Lift expansion would change this place so much. I keep my fingers crossed for controlled opening of new lift served terrain. No doubt slow lifts tho 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You need the slow lift to recover anyway.
You kind of get an idea of what sort of place it's going to be when you look at the bunny slope - would be a black in a lot of places 
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I once flew in by heli for the day, we landed in the car park, I felt like a rock star. Brilliant place.
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FAQ
