Messages posted by : JamesA
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Wow
What a lively discussion abot a simple topic. Just a suggestion to reinforce the fact that a good ski pro will solve the smallest of woes. I've been on the boards for some time now and still like to keep up by taking a finesse lesson about every two seasons or so. It's usually because equipement has changed or I've got sloppy :oops:. Here's a good link to see the CSIA way to ski. View the video shorts to see the various stages of skiing and observe. Mimic what you see on the hill and you will do do fine. http://www.snowpro.com/csia/e/apre-ski-video-gallery.html |
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See my post on this weekend.
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Jasper -Alberta Dec 13th & 14th 2008
The skiing was VERY COLD this weekend. The lifts on Saturday were only partially operational as the wind chill was too much for the employees. The wind chill was recorded at -41C. Add the speed of skiing to that and you could see why skiing was dismal. Sunday proved no better with the wind chill at a balmy -39C. There was no inversion as is often the case at Marmot Basin Ski area. The temperatures just got colder the higher up you went. The lifts that were operating were surface lifts only one only T-bar on the beginner slope and the Magic Carpet in the practice area. On the upside - the snow was quite good for the time of year. There were a few rocks on the two or three slopes that I skied albeit these slopes have snow making. Couldn’t ski the rest of the hill and the upper slopes were in ice fog so no report about up high. The crowds were nonexistent you could ski right on to the lift - as expected with that cold weather. The skiers at these cold temperatures are all "hard core" as you would also expect, with many happy faces and much laughter. The most common site was ski school instructors and ski patrollers getting their winter face on. A word about wax - no matter which wax I would have chosen it would have been S-l-o-w. My wax is good to minus 20 so at minus 25 or worse the wax was very grippy and glide was awful. The skis felt as if they had a binding ski brake open or something hanging over. To this you add the fact that the slopes that were operational were easy slopes. As for dress this weekend I was layered in all three layers base, mid and top layer in the heavy weight fleece and wool that I own. I skied with mittens and a face mask of a neck fleece tied into a head scarf under my helmet and goggles. The only exposes skin was the tip of my nose and even that got whit with frost bite once. When the cold is this deep you have to watch out for your fellow skiers and tell them that their nose or cheek or whatever is getting white which is a sign of frost bite. The ski patrol were busy dealing with this type of “injury” all day. On the way home we stopped just outside of Edson about half way to Edmonton to cut a tree and found a lovely eight footer blue spruce. We lopped it off and strapped it to the estate wagon roof. The tree would have been mulched next summer as part of highway road safety cutback program so before you lament its demise think that I have given it second life. It will stand in my living room until the needles fall off! I do love the natural pine tree smell. The tree this year was a blue spruce a rare beast in our neck of the woods. I have counted the rings and it is 14 years old. Not a bad growth rate for a 70mm- 80mm caliper I’d say. There you have it, my report as promised |
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Hi! This is James's daughter responding, he asked me about skiing around the west coast on my own and thought that it'd be smart to relate my experiences to you!
I've lived out on the west coast for about 2 years on my own now and have surfed around the snow waves out here. The only thing I've really noticed is that it can get lonely - otherwise I've not had any problems with scary people. Yes the odd drunk but the easiest way out of that is to be buddy buddy with a random girl as we do understand the need for protection or just start chatting up one of the waiters or bouncers if you feel nervous - that's what they're there for. As for the hill, it's rare that you'll ever be bothered other than the people who are there to help you out. Motels are usually safe as long as you follow usual precautions - you know the I'm a single girl I need to be a little paranoid. (Yes i know a little opposite but one must still be cautious) But from all of my experiences in Kicking Horse, Fernie, Red Mountain, Whistler, Jasper and Banff I've never had a problem - save for being a little lonely but thank god for the invention of ipods! People who ski have a tendency to just be there to ski and want to have a great time on the hill. As for your worry about winter driving - it can be really scary and dangerous if you're not prepared. Make sure that you have an emergency kit in the car: jumper cables, extension cord, flash light, warm blanket, batteries, battery charger, cell phone (look it up on the web for more ideas). Make sure that there's a tow truck in your cell phone, or road assistance - just in case. Best bet is to have winter tires on your car (or the one you rent), a fully working heater, make sure to take it in to a shop to have it checked over before a huge road trip - basically make sure it'll get you there and back in one piece! Read up about precautions about winter driving, the base of it all is take it slow and drive at your pace not other people's. You don't feel safe? Drive slower they'll go around. But for the most part it's pretty simple - just need to be a little more aware of the world around you. It all comes down to, as a girl to a girl: I believe that if you show a little assertion and confidence you'll have nothing but a great time. Of course that also might depend on the snow, hahaha. So don't worry too much and have fun! |
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In a word yes. Calgary to all five Rocky Mountain resorts is possible. You can do day trips back to back on prob.
I did it for 15 years. Had a membership at Lake Louise or Sunshine. I never had a big 3 as I wanted to ski Fernie as well. The snow in the Alberta east slopes of the Rockies is more consistent than Vancouver. In BC it's wet and falls in copious amounts but you get to ski the top 15 cm all the time with 1600 cm of base. In AB it's colder and the season is longer with drier snow that you can carve for several days after a dump. The trees will keep pow for weeks if the weather stays cold. The season will continue in AB until may where in Whistler the season is cut short by the rain and snow rot. I have skied 2 feet of pow in Fortress on APril 15th last day of ops. Sorry to say the resort is closed but there's now Kicking Horse and Revelstoke. Huge places with great snow all reachable from Calgary but not Vancouver. Calgary has COP to train on which is better skiing that Grouse in my mind. I taught there for a few years so I might be biased. Last fact it's cheaper in AB no sales taxes on stuff -thanks to our oil revenues. As you settle in you will find that the driving won't be needed and a motel stay is more fun. No need to drive home Sat night after a few wobbly pops! That's my $.02 I'm sure Rossf will join in. |
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I'm headed off to Jasper this Friday. I will post my findings once I get back on Monday.
I will take my rock skis so I won't care too much about the snow cover. The fresh air will be great. I'll also get a Christmas tree on the way home. It's a an annual event ski and murder a tree from a road right of way. It makes it safer for wildlife and the highways will just mulch them if I don't get one first. My rock skis an old pair of VR17's with an old Super Loop tele-binding. The whole rig cost about $60 and is worth a lot less. The bases are still fair though and no edges pulled out - yet. Thanks Rocket for the report. |
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I agree with Steverandomno if you wanna to cruise the west you gotta road trip.
I live out here and have skied them all. The best way to go is to rent a good reliable 4x4 and follow your nose. It actually can be cheaper than a package. You should stay in the dumpiest of motels as they are the most fun. Look for the snow mobiles parked outside - that's the place for you. These guys always seem to find the cheapest motor hotels. You will get great ones and lousy ones but that's part of the adventure. I always just drive into town cruise the "strip" and see what there is and then u-turn and drive into the motor hotel of choice. Always stay at motels not hotels for that real Canadian charm. I rarely pay more than $80 taxes in and am usually satisfied. Vacancy rates are highest in winter in the off the track places and you can often bargain the best room in the motel. I always beg for the room with the jaquzi (sp?) - you know the jet tub thiingy. I once had a room in Golden just outside the town with a king sized bed a whirlpool in the room and 3 tv's with cable all for $79. There are some real gems out there. Try Castle Mountain just outside Pincher Creek Alberta. This hill is under skied for certain, it's a local secret, and will have many a challenging powder day. You stay in Pincher Creek a bit of local colour for a town and live the Alberta Cowboy lifestyle. You'll buy a belt buckle and snakeskin boots just see if you don't. Or ski Fairmont Hot Spring ski resort in BC , Apex Alpine outside Kamloops. Consider Red Mountain in Southern BC. WOW is the word for that place. I even had a great ski, for 5 days, two years ago at Tod Mountain and the Sun Peaks Resort. I stayed in downtown Kamloops 40 minutes by car away and had over 20 restaurants within walking distance of my downtown Hotel that cost me $60 a night. That left lots of dollars for fine wine and dining. The skiing was great too with 3 dumps of a foot or so over the 5 day. I had my fat tele gear with me and skied the off piste and in the trees - I had a hoot. The thing about the west is that there are so few people. We have 2 million in Alberta and they all live in two cities of about the same size, Edmonton and Calgary. The ski resorts are scattered all over AB & BC the towns nearby the resorts are about 2-3000 people in size and about 2- 3 driving hours between. The towns are mostly farming or logging towns with a few mining towns thrown in. You can ski and then drive to the next town dine and be in bed by 9pm - if that's your pleasure. Heck the streets roll up in these places at 8PM! Just do it. Fly in, spend your first days wandering Calgary getting jet lag free then hit the road. Life's good. "If you don't do it this year, You'll just be a year older when you do" - Warren Miller |
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One good post deserves another.... here goes,
Ski with some people that ski better than you. Emulate what they do and you too will improve. Call it cheap lessons if you want to. If you ski with an "expert" try the following: - follow them down a hill and keep up - follow in their tracks carve big and little turns as they do - ski the terrain that they choose follow their "line" down - copy their posture and hand position see how balance is achieved - ski short pitches together turn for turn - try "figure eighting" their turns - tap your poles in time with them to feel the rhythms of the sport - ski up to their speed, to go a bit faster - to let the ski work - try new stuff arms high, low, wide, close and feel the difference - watch how they ski holistically and let your brain and eyes follow - relax Relax with one beer (only one) to relax yourself so you don't be too self critical. I once went skiing with a friend and she was horrible before lunch taking 40 minutes on one run. She was terrified of the unknown terrain and unsure of her skills. We stopped for lunch and she and I wanted to call it quits. We had some lunch and a beer and talked about how she was feeling. After her repast she felt better about herself and we went out to ski the same hill again. Night and day! She would ski to speed letting the skis run and do what they were designed to do turn at speed. She was a skier not a timid afraid sno-bunny. A rewarding instructional experience for me. So that's it. HAve a good time with better friends. |
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