[SA Chris]

Dunno if Chris is a jaded rig-monkey who is tired of helos though...

My work is all shore based, and the good lady hasn't done any rig-monkeying for a few years, so always up for a flip or two. It's quite pricey though, so will see how conditions are there, and if we don't get enough of a fix in-bounds, might do a day of Heli or Cat boarding. Any recommendations of good operations or shit ones to avoid are appreciated.

We did a day of snow-mobiling in Yellowstone when we were at Jackson two years ago. An amazing way to see the park, and a great day out, but easily one of the coldest days of my life.

[AndyR]

Well seeing as it is my 40th, and everywhere is too expensive anyway, just booked Whistler for 2 weeks at start of Feb. Any tips for backcountry / hike to etc greatfully received.

(YYFY!)

Simplest hiking from Whistler mountain is along the musical bumps - plenty of fresh in the bowls along there to be had.
You bringing snowshoes or are you on a splitboard?
A million options if you want to do a proper hiking day out - make sure you have transceivers etc - the avvy conditions have been exceptionally poor so far this winter.
I'm going up for a few days at the end of this week - looking forward to it.
A good place to ask for info is on clubtread.com - you can get some good info from the forums.

[SA Chris]

Not sure what to bring. Have snowshoes, but they are bulky heavy duty ones, not really ideal for strapping to your pack when riding. Alternatively, have AT set-up for skis, but that would mean bringing boots, skis, poles etc as well, plus my powder skiing technique sucks big time. Got the basic avo kit (shovel, probe, transceiver).

[Norton Sharley]

Chris - I am off to Whistler next Sunday so will post daily conditions reports  

Hopefully Norton won't get too pissed off.

I was going to go to the Works this evening but if in doing so I am paying for your holidays, again, then I might not bother you bastard.

Hope you have good insurance http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jM289Feiu1fnQkf5FPT0lrfevm7w

P.S. say hello to Chris.

[SA Chris]

See my posting of Dec 17 on same subject.

Apparently snowpack v unstable atm - 3 avalanche deaths in Whistler area in last couple of weeks. Be very careful out there.

[GraemeA]

Christ, that would shit you up!

At least it was -28. Imagine stuck in a gondola for hours on end in those temps.

[Plattsy]

Off to Austria (7th-14th Feb). Staying in a chalet near a little known resort called Kreischberg. Tiny resort compared to most but should be alright for a cheap week.

Lagers. Any Scotland weekend snowboard action will have to be one weekend after the above. If they get some snow of course.

[SA Chris]

It's forecast for all change as of today, but little point coming up here at the moment.

[Plattsy]

With good forecasts how long does it takes for reasonable piste conditions in Scotland to appear Chris?

[SA Chris]

Let me dust off the crystal ball..... Anything beween overnight and never. If ground is well frozen (as it is at the moment) and snow that falls (assuming it's not too windy) either hardens up quickly (if there is a fairly good freeze thaw going on, as snow here is normally pretty wet) or is pisted down. Places like the lecht have a peat and heather base, so no need for any base to cover rocks etc. Cairngorm seems to fari gup best at the moment, but I reckon it wont take much to get parts of Glenshee open again.

However if ground never really freezes, like winter before last, any snow can melt away almost instantly, and no base is ever really established.

http://www.winterhighland.info/general/

Is a good source for info.

[Plattsy]

Thanks for info Chris and sorry for the dumb question.

[SA Chris]

Not dumb, just that Scottish skiing is such a fickle fucker, it's not easy to give a straight answer. Due to very low altitude and maritime climate, it bears very little resemblence to snow pack and base development in alpine resorts. Last year was fantastic - one of the best seasons on record, and resorts still had good conditions well after many french resorts had closed. Year before was nothing short of disastrous. Year before that we had a ridiculous amount of snow in March - a week of almost continuous snow, lying a foot deep even on the coast, and good conditions for a moth, after what had been a pretty average season until that point.

[lagerstarfish]

Not dumb, just that Scottish skiing is such a fickle fucker, it's not easy to give a straight answer. Due to very low altitude and maritime climate, it bears very little resemblence to snow pack and base development in alpine resorts. Last year was fantastic - one of the best seasons on record, and resorts still had good conditions well after many french resorts had closed. Year before was nothing short of disastrous. Year before that we had a ridiculous amount of snow in March - a week of almost continuous snow, lying a foot deep even on the coast, and good conditions for a moth, after what had been a pretty average season until that point.

[SA Chris]

ahhh blow it out yer ass funnyguy

[lagerstarfish]

sorry 

I do like my own jokes 

[SA Chris]

I do like my own jokes 

So that brings the total to one.

[Norton Sharley]

... assuming it's not too windy........

 

 

[SA Chris]

... assuming it's not too windy........

 

 

It can happen! (occasionally)

[Norton Sharley]

you're preaching to the (un)converted.  I used to live there too 

[GraemeA]

Conditions report Kicking Horse. Friday.

Massive cloud inversion so complete whiteout until you got to the bowls.Lovely sunshine up top. No fresh but plenty of base. Going right from the gondola a waste of time as you have to go to the bottom and that is covered in cloud. Lots of fun to be had in the trees down to the 4-man lift. But not as good as last year. So you won't feel quite as bad about paying for my holiday 

Lunch at the Eagles Eye very pleasant. We went to the Local Hero to settle up the bill from last year when they got our tab wrong but that Scottish bloke has left so didn't bother.

Chris says hello.

Back to Revelstoke tomorrow which has much more variety and still some untracked bits. Plus better value as the hotel forgot to charge us for our passes. Result.

[lagerstarfish]

We went to the Local Hero to settle up the bill from last year when they got our tab wrong but that Scottish bloke has left so didn't bother....
...
 hotel forgot to charge us for our passes. Result.

That's stealing! 

some things never change 

[SA Chris]

All change on west coast

http://www.winterhighland.info/general/

[GraemeA]

Unfortunatley no change on the Canadian west coast. Nothing news for over a week 

[SA Chris]

It's saving up for the end of the month :

[AndyR]

Unfortunatley no change on the Canadian west coast. Nothing news for over a week 

Yep - you've hit an unusual duff patch of sustained high pressure, that's for sure - most models predict a slight break towards the end of this week, then a proper low sometime mid next week - thankfully this weather has helped straighten out the massive instability in the snowpack somewhat.....