J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by JamesA

LAke Louise has traditionally opened prior to December 15 and that was before snow making covered the hill from top to bottom. You will be able to ski in mid December.

Last week Wednesday Banff had a record cold overnight of minus 21C. THe will be a short Indian summer followed by snow so expect snow ski areas to be open for December 5th or so.

You read it here first.

Check out YOU tube under Kicking Horse to see opening days for the last 4 or 5 years. Awesome.

Just wanted to jump in, mostly sound advice from all others.

When you get comfortable at your new sport and comfortable with flying - it's just a matter of time for both events. You will wish to wander further. In that case let me invite you to Canada.

For the most part, Quebec being the exception we speak a version of English that's a little closer to the BBC English than most. We are a winter nation with many a cold snowey day all across our huge land. We have hills and mountains everywhere! We are a great place to travel to even as a "newbie".

Quebec is charming with it's French flare great food and old world charm. The East, the Atlantic Provinces, are known for the hardiest people who are mostly sea faring much like the Irish, Scots or Welsh. Ontario is metropoltian. The City of Toronto has 3 million people spread all arround the fresh water lakes. The west has the Rockies and in BC the Coastal mountains that gets lots and lots of snow and is populated by cowboys and the odd excentric. The alpine like features are worth a trip unto themselves. Google Banff or Jasper or Whistler Olympics 2010.

I'm so glad that you have decided to try skiing/snow boarding. It's a great social sport or one of introspection your choice. The opportunites are boundless and the globe will have a new perspective for you. You will yearn to travel (by plane yet) and see places that will offer you the chance to ski. Also you will come to see the winter and snow as a friend.

Today it's snowing outside my window and as I write this I'm trying to see the winter through a new skiers eyes to encourage you all the more. I can only say start soon or you might just find yourself a year older when you do.

Sking is a passion and a life style that, with proper coaching and encouraagement, you will come to adore. Travelling to foreign far off places like Canada is just a bonus.

Dude,

If you want to hook up I'm OK wiht that. I'll be going out soon.

I also have lots of student sthat are looking for ski trip partners. I teach at NAIT. Drop me a line on my private email and I can talk.

J.

OK here goes from a real Western Canuk!

Bring your rain gear.

Spring in the Rockies - late march early April can see wet snow. The POW days are almost over depending on the year and with global climate change it is likely you will see wet snow and rain well up the mountain slopes. Ice and slush may be the order of the day.

Try to get west to Kimberly too. This little area is the "little engine that could". It is "funner" than Fernie and is even more lay back if that's possible. You will not see the moov stars but will see yodeling cowboys on the slopes drinin' bad whiskey...they switched after drinkn' beer.

Youtube The CORB LUND BAND to see what I mean. We take our fun seriously out in these parts.

http://www.skikimberley.com/

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr0lSEACCHg&feature=related

You will have fun no matter what. Any more questions I'll dig up the Poop.

James in Alberta Canada!

Skis ah the great quandary....
(added after wrote this drivel, read the last paragraph first :wink: )

I would like to suggest several things to consider. I have sold skis in shops and have seen the evolution of the ski over several iterations. They don't build them like they used to, good thing!

Firstly buy a ski that's ski within your ability. Hills are littered with terminal intermediates who insist on skiing the latest racing kit. A proper ski for your level will enhance your experience. That's why ski manufactures spend millions on developing different skis. (a ski sure doesn't care about the size of your own gear! Don't let testosterone rule your skiing too :mrgreen: Now if you want to discuss cars or motorbikes .. but that's another blog)

Secondly length of ski is related to your weight! A ski never knows how tall you are it has no feelings in that regard. A ski "knows" how much you weigh! The pressure you can exert due to gravity, acceleration, and centripetal force is what a ski "feels" The heavier you are increases "down" forces.

Supplementary to weight, skis feel forces, G's if you will. If you are a tank you will need a beefier ski, if your are a feather weight you should ski softer flexing ski.

Thirdly - Snow type. If you ski on harder snow a shorter ski will work and if you hack in fluff a longer ski - more surface area to float on. The length issue come into play here too the if the ski is wider it will float if narrow it will need to be longer to achieve the same float.

Forth - a mitigating fact is the width in ski design. Wider skis which have less shape (side cut) will not carve a turn on harder snow they ski a straighter line. The arc of the side cut will determine turn radius.

Fifth thing is construction - weight mass of ski titanium vs steel, Glass vs carbon fiber..

Sixth thing is longevity - wood vs foam core..

Seventh .. base type hardness (see also longevity)

Eighth .. edge construction cracked edges vs solids and various combinations

Ninth ... cap vs laminate construction


AH blah blah blah... I've got verbal runs just read my favourite ski reviews at this site. They are usually considered the last word on ski tests. Read the descriptions of each category to get the best feel for the ski type mentioned.

http://www.skicanadamag.com/Gear/home.html

PS I drive a stoopid VW Vanagon '85 vintage and ride an old BMW M/C 1987 K. Just thought I'd add that - see my first tip...)

So long dude... J.

Cheers

I buy as ski pass yearly and find that the cost of same will pay for itself in nine or ten days of skiing. If you intend to ski that many days the yearly pass may be the cheapest route to go. At almost $1400 for that pass it will take 18 days of skiing to pay.

The next cheapest is to by multi-day passes or a card for each area. these passes are only available locally and usually allow the 3,5,7 day free which saves $200 or so.

I would ski one area for a few days at a time rather than get the big 3. Multi-day passes are usually 10-15% cheaper than daily passes. You may find that you won't ski Norquay for instance unless you are an expert skier - not too many easy hills there. Sunshine will probably be you best bet for the easier stuff. LL will be your big mountain experience with 3 distinct mountains to ski on. Each mountain has different terrain and will seem like a whole mountain.

You can also do as I do, get up early ski the AM and flog your day pass in the parking lot to someone for cash equal to half day price is about right. This allows half day rates when the snow is the best. Normal half days start at 12:30pm or so and are about 2/3 the cost of a whole day. It's great to do this while you are jet lagged or hung over whatever. :oops:

If you choose to ski the big 3 great - don't forget to get one day down the road to Kicking Horse. That's the real Canuk experience as there are few "touri" who wish to venture that far - all of one hour past LL and worth the trek. Check out the web site and see if I lie. When you go dine at the top of the gondola for a real experience. Order the salmon mmmmmm. Kicking Horse is my favorite RR resort. I will be there a week in late JanFeb on my way to Whistler. :mrgreen:

Don't know if I helped..... best of fun and a big Western Canada welcome to you. As we say out west Yahoo!, with a tip of the Stetson to y'all.

Yup you will see cowboy boots, rodeo belt buckles and Levis galore out this way - seriously. It ain't Montana but we all have real cowboys in the Rockies in Canada too!

Check out my cowboy hero Corb Lund on YouTube to get in the mood.
So Long, dude.

I wish to rent a condo in Whistler - - any web sites - any personal experiences for this reader? I managed to get tickets for the Olympics to the free style skiing whoo hooo!

Thanks

I haven't skied Castle for some time, not since they opened up the new terrain but all I hear is good things. It's still a bit of a mom & pop operation without pretensions of the destination resorts. The hill fare is definately burgers and fries but the snow is great. They used to open only on weekends but now run all week to very small crowds I'm sure.

I am planning to ski there this year to check it out again. I look after a ski trip with the school and intent to trek there next year if the hill checks out. We consider Castle off the beaten track and that makes for a special old mountain experience.

Don't get me wrong the hill is large enough and offers some of the best days of skiing in the south. The on hill stuff is non-existent though. You will need to commute home to Calgary or stay in Pincher creek to ski Castle.