 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Eat in Araxi.
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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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Wow... You know, I can see this quite quickly morphing into a snow, food and cake report! Those waffles look amazing! Purely for the purposes of reporting faithfully to everyone here I can see that I may need to pop by the Crystal Hut at least twice to give a fair and unbiased review 
We fly out this evening so it won't be long!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| kaoticturtle wrote: |
| Well, I can't seem to find a Whistler thread anywhere on here and the hubby and I are heading out there for a month this year so I decided to create one |
Aargh! So jealous! We did 4 weeks there in 2011 and 12 days last season, but a house move has swallowed some of the budget for 2013. So we're 'slumming' it in France. Which is obviously a lot better than nothing, but not a patch on Canada IMO.
Some of our relatives are in Whistler at the moment, I think conditions are pretty good.
Favourite areas? For me (confident intermediate), Blackcomb Glacier, some of the easier black diamond stuff on Harmony Ridge, pretty much all of 7th Heaven, simpler tree runs like Arthur's Choice on Blackcomb and the fast blues off the top of Crystal Chair on Blackcomb. Oh, and Seppo's - underneath the Garbanzo Chair.
What we loved most about Whistler compared to everywhere we'd been in France was the 'go anywhere' mindset - yes, there are marked runs, but pretty much everywhere inside the 8,000+ acre area is in bounds.
Enjoy!
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Is it raining yet?
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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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Cynic, Ah there you are! What took you so long 
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kaoticturtle, we've found this to be a useful book. There's an intermediate book but it's more of a glorified piste map.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Buy an umbrella
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Cynic, I just spent three weeks there and got rained on once. You're exaggerating.
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You know it makes sense.
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Lizzard, he went once and got rained on the whole time - therefore it must rain ALL the time and he's got a huge chip on his shoulder that the rest of us get powder. He turns up on every Whistler thread to remind us.  By the way, how was your trip? Did you have a good time?
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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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kaoticturtle, that's a pretty good effort with the waffle.  Looks like you've got a bit of sun in the forecast this week with some flurries. Nice! I'm looking forward to seeing a few photos too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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kaoticturtle,
We spent the whole of March in Whistler - paradise on earth as far as we're concerned.
Araxi (need to book), The Rimrock (need to book), Sushi Village, Earls, The Keg, Umbertos are all great places to eat out at night.
GLC (Whistler) and Merlins (Blackomb) are both decent après-ski options and serve mean nachos platters. Dustys at Creekside is a must (live band plus great burgers).
We've been going to Whistler since 2006 - year after year our favourite lunch spot on the mountain is the Crystal Hut (you can always drop down to Creekside and Dustys though).
The Amsterdam is my favourite drinking spot at night - opposite Araxi - but there are so many options in the village ( you may want to catch one of the Irish band sessions at the Dubh Linn Gate).
Favourite runs (Whistler) : Franz's (if Carlsberg did ski runs ...), Peak To Creek ( when groomed), Seppos, The Saddle, Dave Murray DH, anything around Harmony and Symphony (Rhapsody Bowl is a must if you get fresh snow)
Favourite runs (Blackcomb) : anything off Crystal Chair (Ridge Runner is the favourite), Jersey Cream, most stuff around 7th Heaven
Have a great time - wish I was in Vancouver now (seriously thinking about relocating there ...). 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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geetee, it was great - about as much sunshine as Mordor, but ridiculous amounts of powder. Did lots of tree runs (quite badly), which was new to me, and learned loads of stuff to get on with all season. My technique is pretty much good enough to pass CASI1, should I wish to do so, but I need more speed and confidence, so goal for the season is to stop being such a pansy. 
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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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| geetee wrote: |
Looks like the forecast is for SNOW again this week. Anyone in Whistler care to comment?! |
I sure can! I would apologise for not being on sooner but we've been a bit busy with the boarding and I've haven't been paying too much attention to getting online 
Starting from the beginning, last week was pretty sunny. We arrived on the Sunday and right through to Friday the skies were clear and the sun was out. It was stunning! Only downside was that there was no new snow but what was here was holding up pretty well. The top half of each mountain was still quite soft (and not in a slushy way!) and it was only once you came down below the top of the wizard chair on Blackcomb, and below mid-station on Whistler that it started getting a bit hard, but still not too packed. We haven't seen much ice, although the locals have been complaining that there is some. In contrast, all the Europeans we've talked to say the locals clearly don't know how good they've got it!
On Friday/Saturday it started to get a bit cloudy and a few flurries of snow came down. Not all that much but enough that there was a few centimeters of fresh all over. On Sunday night we got another inch or two and on Monday it kept going and visibility was pretty poor in some areas. From about Crystal Hut down on Blackcomb the visibility was fine apart from the odd patch, and Whistler mountain looked to be less affected too but we didn't head over there. We went up to the top of 7th Heaven and it was blowing a gale with very limited visibility. We ended up heading rather tentatively down blue line to get out and had to follow the piste markers for a good while until we came out of the clouds. I can't quite tell you how much fresh powder there was up there but it was enough that, combined with the lack of visibility, you couldn't easily feel when your speed changed until you saw the piste marker coming at you at about twice the rate you thought it should... 
We did take some video yesterday, so the following are pictures from that to show some of the conditions. The first two are 7th Heaven, we think the second two are a bit further down on Ridge Runner. Just to check, are the pictures an ok size or should they be smaller? If smaller, does anyone know how?
When we got back to the village Monday afternoon (yesterday), the temperatures were up and all the snow was melting in the village. All the icicles had melted off our balcony and by evening time the skies were clear. Mr KT (an Aussie with a 5 year old's outlook...) was a bit worried that we would lose all the snow and the next few weeks would be a lost cause... Oh he of little faith...
Today, around mid-morning it started snowing, and seriously SNOWING! We headed up Blackcomb and in the space of only an hour and a half when we came to get the Wizard lift back up it had dropped a few inches. It got heavier after lunchtime and hasn't really let up since. We came down fairly early as the snow was getting heavier and the clouds were dropping lower and lower. Snow conditions were good though. A really nice layer of powder on everything and quite a lot of places where it wasn't too tracked as it was really quiet.
Its now 7pm and according to the Whistler official snow report 10 cm have dropped. By looking at the cars parked outside (shown in the pic below, they were clear this morning), we'd say that more than that has come down. We'll make sure that we get some photos tomorrow to show you all the snow on the mountain
(edited to fix picture links)
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 18-01-13 3:10; edited 1 time in total
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It could definitely do with some snow here - but the groomers are holding up really nicely and there is still nice stuff in the trees. However, roll-on Tuesday and the predicted white-stuff!
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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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was in Whistler for 3 days last week. Two nice top ups on Thursday and Friday. Midweek powder days are fine things at Whistler. Not busy, no lines, lots of snow.
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4 sleeps to go
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Watching this with interest, good lady and myself fancy 10 days next year for our 40th's. Not sure what best place to go is this or sunshine or even goto Taho.
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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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geetee,
I guess you'll be Camping again: have fun. I'll be doing it in March, as usual!
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Acacia, yes that's the plan. I left my skis there last year and skied on my old K2s at Christmas. Those first runs could be interesting (again)
Hope you have a great time in March and that it's as snowy as last year.
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You know it makes sense.
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Going out on Tuesday. Weather was looking good but it's forecast to get warmer and rainy at the point that I get there (as usual).
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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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boris360, I wouldn't worry too much - a bit of rain in the valley means snow on the mountain and the alpine forecast says snow so get out there and play!! Have a great holiday! I've just come back from three weeks there and it was excellent.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arrived in Whistler on Friday night, and got my ski legs back up Blackcomb on Saturday morning before transferring over on the Peak to Peak.
Conditions were ....................typical Whistler spring skiing (i.e. Cynic would feel at home). Two layers of cloud, with the mid-mountain reasonably clear, and the snow varying from packed powder, through cement, to slush below the Solar Coaster lift (I rather like slush, though).
Locals say that the last week has seen higher temperatures and a mix of snow and rain, with freezing levels relatively high (a touch of the Pineapple Express), but it looks like it's due to improve during this week.
- Fingers crossed.
St. Paddy's day today - it'll be heaving in the Dubh Linn Gate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A week later, and a midweek storm has deposited its bounty (right down to the village). About 7 inches of freshies on Thursday morning: fun!. This has left excellent conditions in the alpine (good skiing on the Blackomb glacier and off Whistler peak) and temperatures have plummeted, keeping everything intact right down to the base (actually, keeping everything frozen solid, right down to the base - even at the end of the day). The Canadian Alpine Championships are being held here, right now, and the weather's obviously decided to maintain racecourse-like consistency over the lower half of the mountain!
Sunshine yesterday and today, and for the forseeable (= 5 days) future, together with a gradual increase in temperatures suggests some great spring skiing in prospect.
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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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Anyone out in Whistler to provide an update on conditions?
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FAQ
