2012/13 first timer

Hey,

My girlfriend and I are quiting jobs as geologists and travelling the world which obviously includes a Canadian ski season. Both of us have done Californian seasons and loved it and just went to Niseko for a month and loved that more.
Keen to go somewhere with sick terrain and decent park where the town isnt crazy huge...somewhere you get to know heaps of people, and live in a shithole with 20 other people cause thats what its all about!
Thinking Banff, but bus sounds average and town pretty big, had friends go to Fernie and love it but no park. Whistler...dont really want to join the masses.

Any thoughts?

Churr

Shaneoforpow wrote:Hey,

Any thoughts?

Churr

My main thoughts focus on jealousy !!
:oops:

But welcome and good luck with your quest. I've never skied in Canada but I'm sure someone with knowledge will answer your post soon.
:thumbup:

I'm not sure I know anywhere that has Sick Terrain :shock:

Banff is a great shout if you don't mind the travelling, and all 3 local hills have decent parks now that Lake Louise have theirs back.

Banff sounds sick like a mini Whistler? Does anyone know what the town vibe is like at Big White or at Rossiland that services Red mountain?

My thoghts would be to check out Canmore or Banff. Banff is a great town but it can feel like one big restaurant/hotel . Canmore sits just outside the national park and so has fewer restrictions on development and as such is more of a regular town. I suggest this for another reason - you mention that you are geologists. You might find that you want to stay in Canada and the best place for you to find work as geologists would be in Calgary, so why not combine getting to know a potential new home with some great skiing. As Pablo mentions, the 3 resorts (Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise) are all a 15 - 45 min drive away from Banff. If you want the small local ski town experience then there are plenty of places with great terrain to choose from such as Revelstoke, Golden (for Kicking Horse) or Fernie. You could always check out Smithers in Northern BC though I have never skied there.

You mention Rossland. Rossland would be a good choice if you want to live close to the ski resort and have a nice small town local vibe (though the hill is a fully fledged modern commercial resort). Not sure what the conditions are like in late March and April but the terrain is great. I skied with a couple of mates who spent a few days skiing Red and although they did not actually stay in Rossland, they ended up partying there most of the time. Note that most of the smaller resorts do not tend to have parks. I think Red does though.

PS - where are you from? Did you enjoy Niseko - what were the conditions like this year?

PPS - top tip - when you get to Canada 'Sick' = 'Gnarly' :)

(or so I'm reliably informed)

I felt a bit sick in disorientating low cloud last week! :mrgreen: