Mtn Man
03-01-2004, 08:36 AM
Wrote up a few stories last night, figured you guys might enjoy it. I did see Vinman there but he was content with skiing with his group so we didn't make turns together. Maybe sometime in VT later on. Good to meet you though.
Edit: Great to meet Cab9 too at Blackcomb! Good luck in Europe!
And now the stories and pics:
http://community.webshots.com/album/121961454UdkAdU
I guess I'll try to add a few stories to the mix before I pass out tonight.
Tuesday was the first taste of pow on the upper mtn on the Whistler side. We headed to the Harmony side since visability was nil at the Peak. Well, wasn't much better than the peak but we could scope a few good lines from the lift. Phantom and G-Smashed got a few things on tape as B and I skied by brail down wind loaded runs. Even at the top, B dropped 5-6ft straight down into knee deep because he couldn't see anything. Still was a lot of fun because nobody was hitting this stuff. Skiing by brail in pow was all about rhythm and staying loose. Funny thing is, the camera picked us up better than we could actually see. It started to clear a little so we headed to Horseshoe 6. This was a pretty hairy entrance. You had to traverse/chute sideways in, then jump turn and drop a few feet onto a 45-50deg angle before hitting a wall of ice......in the fog. After standing there for 5 minutes, half the people left and the other half of us dropped in. Pretty much everyone did a hip check including myself, then it was pure bliss. Nice knee to thigh deep stuff, just for us.
Wednesday had the best conditions of the week. The mtn reported 10cm or more and moderate winds. We all hit the Peak first thing and went straight for Whistler Bowl. The wind was howling up the bowl so we traversed over to Surprise. Hot DAMN was it sweet in there! I would traverse to every rock wall or exposure I could find and it was anywhere from boot to hip deep. Near one of the steepest pitches in Surprise, I released a 20'X20' slab that came down with me. Luckily no exposure and traversed out before it carried me too far. This happened on the next runs but not as large so I rode out the slough. Next, we headed over to Cockalorum, since I saw a few people a couple days ago scoping out a doable entrance. This is where we started taking the pics. Steep and deep, just like the tourist shirts say. It was all good and fresh tracks all over the place. Later in the day, we finally caught up with SCS, Phantom and they dropped into it with us. This was SCS's first double black bowl, she was soooooo happy!
Thursday, we finally had good visablity at Blackcomb, so we headed straight for the Glacier. The pics do this area NO justice. It's just so beautiful over there and no lifts to be seen. The snow was a little crusty in the open areas but we hit good stuff traversing the sides into the exposure. B and I decided to hit Spanky's Ladder next into a choice of 4 bowls. This place was a playground, with lots of chutes, drops, and choc chip areas to choose from. There were no signs but I think we did Garnett to Diamond and we had some sweet stuff. The best was this little hidden chute that you usually see in the movies. It was about 75-100ft long, 8-10 wide and at least 45deg. It was very wind loaded and the jump turns were very forgiving. I shot out the last half of it with my heart in my throat. I took a few shaky pics but they don't really show how it really was. This is what I came for
Friday, the last day. SCS and I did a few runs on our own and I led her around the cornices off Harmony Ridge. We finally decided on Low Bowl to McConky's which had nice clumpy snow all around. In the afternoon, we headed over and did another Cockalorum. But this time, I traversed high to a well exposed Mondays. This is where I got those cool pics off SCS dropping in. She got a few SLR pics of me too but you'll have to wait for processing. It was funny since the boarders around that area were scared to look over the edge but SCS and another girl just dropped in before them easily. Anyway, after she was down safely, I cautiously worked my way through Mondays until I had no more exposure below me. My arse was hitting the hill on some of the turns, that's how steep it was. For the last run of the day, B and I decided on West Cirque. Just as we got to the top, the fog rolled in and a lot of people were skiing back from the entrance. Being the dumb east coasters that we are, we headed up anyway. Well, as before, it paid off hansomly. We had to side step a few rocks before enjoying a Tuckerman's worthy pitch for quite a long time along a big rock wall on skier's left. The snow was just glorious in there since people didn't want to deal with side stepping rocks. We traversed further into a gladed area and dropped 5-6 feet into pillowy soft snow. As we came to the next ridge.......100+ft drop. So we traversed a little more....100ft drop. Proceeded to do this until we saw a few chutes and more trees to play with. As we got to the bottom, SCS could see the grins from both of us. What a way to end a vacation
I have more but I'm beat. B and I commented that we haven't even touched the tip of the iceburg on this place. Everytime we explored, we saw stuff higher than us that we wanted to bookmark in our brains for a later run. This happened all week.
Hmmmm, wonder if I could find any work in Squamish?????
B)
Edit: Great to meet Cab9 too at Blackcomb! Good luck in Europe!
And now the stories and pics:
http://community.webshots.com/album/121961454UdkAdU
I guess I'll try to add a few stories to the mix before I pass out tonight.
Tuesday was the first taste of pow on the upper mtn on the Whistler side. We headed to the Harmony side since visability was nil at the Peak. Well, wasn't much better than the peak but we could scope a few good lines from the lift. Phantom and G-Smashed got a few things on tape as B and I skied by brail down wind loaded runs. Even at the top, B dropped 5-6ft straight down into knee deep because he couldn't see anything. Still was a lot of fun because nobody was hitting this stuff. Skiing by brail in pow was all about rhythm and staying loose. Funny thing is, the camera picked us up better than we could actually see. It started to clear a little so we headed to Horseshoe 6. This was a pretty hairy entrance. You had to traverse/chute sideways in, then jump turn and drop a few feet onto a 45-50deg angle before hitting a wall of ice......in the fog. After standing there for 5 minutes, half the people left and the other half of us dropped in. Pretty much everyone did a hip check including myself, then it was pure bliss. Nice knee to thigh deep stuff, just for us.
Wednesday had the best conditions of the week. The mtn reported 10cm or more and moderate winds. We all hit the Peak first thing and went straight for Whistler Bowl. The wind was howling up the bowl so we traversed over to Surprise. Hot DAMN was it sweet in there! I would traverse to every rock wall or exposure I could find and it was anywhere from boot to hip deep. Near one of the steepest pitches in Surprise, I released a 20'X20' slab that came down with me. Luckily no exposure and traversed out before it carried me too far. This happened on the next runs but not as large so I rode out the slough. Next, we headed over to Cockalorum, since I saw a few people a couple days ago scoping out a doable entrance. This is where we started taking the pics. Steep and deep, just like the tourist shirts say. It was all good and fresh tracks all over the place. Later in the day, we finally caught up with SCS, Phantom and they dropped into it with us. This was SCS's first double black bowl, she was soooooo happy!
Thursday, we finally had good visablity at Blackcomb, so we headed straight for the Glacier. The pics do this area NO justice. It's just so beautiful over there and no lifts to be seen. The snow was a little crusty in the open areas but we hit good stuff traversing the sides into the exposure. B and I decided to hit Spanky's Ladder next into a choice of 4 bowls. This place was a playground, with lots of chutes, drops, and choc chip areas to choose from. There were no signs but I think we did Garnett to Diamond and we had some sweet stuff. The best was this little hidden chute that you usually see in the movies. It was about 75-100ft long, 8-10 wide and at least 45deg. It was very wind loaded and the jump turns were very forgiving. I shot out the last half of it with my heart in my throat. I took a few shaky pics but they don't really show how it really was. This is what I came for
Friday, the last day. SCS and I did a few runs on our own and I led her around the cornices off Harmony Ridge. We finally decided on Low Bowl to McConky's which had nice clumpy snow all around. In the afternoon, we headed over and did another Cockalorum. But this time, I traversed high to a well exposed Mondays. This is where I got those cool pics off SCS dropping in. She got a few SLR pics of me too but you'll have to wait for processing. It was funny since the boarders around that area were scared to look over the edge but SCS and another girl just dropped in before them easily. Anyway, after she was down safely, I cautiously worked my way through Mondays until I had no more exposure below me. My arse was hitting the hill on some of the turns, that's how steep it was. For the last run of the day, B and I decided on West Cirque. Just as we got to the top, the fog rolled in and a lot of people were skiing back from the entrance. Being the dumb east coasters that we are, we headed up anyway. Well, as before, it paid off hansomly. We had to side step a few rocks before enjoying a Tuckerman's worthy pitch for quite a long time along a big rock wall on skier's left. The snow was just glorious in there since people didn't want to deal with side stepping rocks. We traversed further into a gladed area and dropped 5-6 feet into pillowy soft snow. As we came to the next ridge.......100+ft drop. So we traversed a little more....100ft drop. Proceeded to do this until we saw a few chutes and more trees to play with. As we got to the bottom, SCS could see the grins from both of us. What a way to end a vacation
I have more but I'm beat. B and I commented that we haven't even touched the tip of the iceburg on this place. Everytime we explored, we saw stuff higher than us that we wanted to bookmark in our brains for a later run. This happened all week.
Hmmmm, wonder if I could find any work in Squamish?????
B)