Whistler Stoke and Conditions - 2010/11

[nesta]

lol, that's nothing. Line-ups for the old Whistler Gondola used to go out about 1/2 way to Hwy 99, especially on Boxing Day. Anyone remember the A, B and C Boarding passes you could get for the Gondola?

[Graham]

Wouldn't it make more sense to do this if you didn't live up there? Just sayin'...

Wouldn't it make sense for zee filthty one to destroy whatever is blocking the path of a good time? You coming up this weekend?

[gramboh]

Don't get too excited guys. I love opening day, and I'm as excited as anyone, but the view from the webcam/valley is pretty decieving. I skied in the alpine on Blackcomb this week, and there isn't really all that much snow up there, especially below treeline. I'm guessing it will probably be Red and Emerald chairs only for opening day (as usual) From what I saw when I was up the other day (Wednesday), it will be OK where the snow making is, but almost completely unskiable everywhere else. Absolutely 100% rock ski conditions. It's not the white ribbon of death, but there's no need to fly in from Japan either!

Above treeline is definately better, but even then only the glaciers are really good to go. IF (and it's a big if) conditions allow for hiking above the Roundhouse, that will be where the good skiing is. If not (avi conditions sometimes preclude any hiking on opening day) then the lower mountain will a full three ring circus.

My prediction: Standard opening day gong show: 10 000 people trying to ski 6 runs down to Red and Green. People will ski grass, people will ski rocks. People will end their season doing something stupid the first day of the season.

I'll be there, but I live here. I'd probably give it a miss if I had to drive from any further than Van.

When I get up for a better look around this week I'll give you guys my standard preseason beta. Probably Wednesday or Thursday.

Thanks for the reality check from the PR photos. I need to come up for bootfitting sometime on the weekend, thinking I'll avoid the morning rush, roll in around noon, do a few laps and then come down.

[SKIORFORGETIT]

Whistler...one of the places I must ski once before I die.

[t.odd]

pounded rain in the valley last night for a few hours, was below zero in the alpine....Come on Ullr, bring it!

[wren]

Temps are going to drop quite a bit by the end of the week. Lows look to be approaching -20 in the alpine. Hopefully the snow they say that is on the way actually shows up!

[powder11]

Temps are going to drop quite a bit by the end of the week. Lows look to be approaching -20 in the alpine. Hopefully the snow they say that is on the way actually shows up!

I really hope it doesn't drop that much! As much as I'd like to ski blower pow on opening day, we need the icky sticky right now for base. It would really suck to repeat that '09 debacle.

[Maximus Farcisimus]

"Temporary Boundary".......look at sign temporarily,ignore,then proceed through boundary

[D(C)]

"Temporary Boundary".......look at sign temporarily,ignore,then proceed through boundary

I spy a future darwin award...

[powder11]

"Temporary Boundary".......look at sign temporarily,ignore,then proceed through boundary

clownshoes won't like that

[ROCKS]

The tempory boundary is the only time when you can get away with skiing the weekend chutes... provided snow conditions call for it.

[jfost]

...I got a menisectomy a week ago...

can't believe how many male skiers are out and about with no menis. Especially at WB...

[t.odd]

heavy wet snow in the valley, yeah Ullr!

[powder11]

who all's goin up early? aside from throngs of people, it's looking like it could be fun for a few hours. Prolly going to have to be there prior to 6:30 am for a spot in the maze.

[t.odd]

who all's goin up early? aside from throngs of people, it's looking like it could be fun for a few hours. Prolly going to have to be there prior to 6:30 am for a spot in the maze.

yup, I'll be there for some pre-work laps....guess I need to go to bed early tonight...

[PulverSchwein]

painful to say, but I'm thinking of giving the opening day gong show a pass this year. That foot of snow from yesterday couldn't have done enough to make below the Roundhouse skiing any good, could it?

[roadgap]

I'm going to ride the sweet sweet pow of my office chair tomorrow and give patrol a chance to figure out their avy control deal over the next couple days. I'm calling Sunday as 'the day'. Going touring Saturday to avoid the 'first weekend day' crowds.

[powder11]

yup, I'll be there for some pre-work laps....guess I need to go to bed early tonight...

I'm going to roll up about 6:30am. My threshhold for standing still in the same spot is not that long, but it will have to do. See ya out there!

[Clownshoe]

As promised, here's my very unofficial guess at what opening day will look like.
Summary: It will be good skiing for sure, but be very careful off piste! Expect some avalanche closures and explosive control in the morning. More below:

Height of Snow: 90 cm or so at Pig Alley (it got as high as 100cm yesterday after the storm)
Probably first upload at 8:15AM.
Lifts: Village Gondi, Creek Gondi, Red, Green, Franz
Open Runs: Ego Bowl, Coyote, a small piece of the terrain park, Upper Whiskey Jack, Pig Alley, Porcupine, Pony Trail, Upper Bear Cub, Orange Peel, Banana Peel, Orange Peel.

Everything else is "temporarily" out of bounds. Which means that you can ski wherever you want, except for Avalanche Closures, but if you go outside of the couple of marked runs, you're on your own. Rescue will be long, painful, and expensive.

Ski Out: Officially, the boundary is at the bottom of Red Chair and the bottom of Green Chair, with downloading on the Gondola from the Roundhouse. Unofficially, you can make your way to Olympic Station down Expressway (better, but lots of hazards) or Olympic Run (probably worse, haven't actually tried it). DO NOT try to ski to the valley, you will be walking or trashing your skis.

Remember that before this last storm, most of the terrain below treeline had little or no snow at all. It looks awesome because there's snow all the way to the valley, but don't even dream of going into the tree's yet. Be VERY cautious skiing off piste. Some spots are knee deep, some spots are 3 centimetres on stumps, logs, and boulders. There are barely covered ditches and open creeks. Have fun but be careful! Don't be a retard and fuck yourself up on the first day of the season because you are too stoked.

The situation above treeline: The coverage is pretty minimal, but the skiing is great if you can find it! Very limited avalanche control above treeline produced a size 2 slab in Harmony Bowl. So you can probably expect a full avalanche closure first thing in the morning, meaning no hiking anywhere above the Roundhouse.

If it's sunny and some heli bombing gets done, then the alpine "should" open quickly for out of bounds hiking. If it's cloudy or snowing, then expect the closure to last longer.

Regardless, if you choose to go hiking out of bounds (once the avalanche closure opens!), remember that you are on your own. Just because your hiking in the Harmony or Peak zone where you've skied a thousand times, don't get complacent. There will be very little snow, no marking and very limited avalanche control. You are out of bounds. Everyone should have their transceiver, probe and shovel. I'm going to guess that 80% of the people going up there won't.

Don't be in that 80%.

As always, feel free to come in to talk to the ski patrol if you have any questions about what's open, what's closed, where you can hike, where you can't, etc etc. We also post the avalanche advisory right inside the door of the patrol room, so come on in and check it out. We sell cheap ski poles too.

A few handy numbers for your cell:
Whistler Ski Patrol (emergency's only!) 604 905 2302
Whistler weather and avi conditions (real weather twice a day, no bullshit) 604 905 2324

Have fun everyone! Game on!

[Shaggy]

PSA: Every pass/edge card holder needs to sign a new waiver form this year because as everyone here knows, the majority partner has changed. In other words, you now have to sign your life away to Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc, instead of Intrawest.

I kinda thought that this had been communicated (ie: those of us who are staff got an email about it over a week ago), but more than a few non-staff people I know weren't aware until I told them.

The new waiver can be "e-signed" here: http://store.whistlerblackcomb.com/ .

Anyone who doesn't do this will discover their pass is hotlisted when they get to the lift

And props to Clownshoe for bringing the beta once again.

[LeeLau]

Thx CS- if that wasn't a coded way of saying - bring your rock skis - I don't know what else you can say. But then every ski is a rock ski

[PulverSchwein]

yeah thanks a lot clownshoe, we really appreciate the effort you make to share your invaluable beta

I'd already decided to hit the opener anyways, but that feedback seals it. Game on!

[Socialist]

im going to be the guy fucking up the chairs everytime I get on and riding up single. ill be wearing a black jacket.

[Spark]

Clownshoe thanks for info and numbers, entered into the cell phone.

I'm out for the opening tomorrow - last visit day for the clinical trial I'm running.

[shirk]

PSA: Every pass/edge card holder needs to sign a new waiver form this year because as everyone here knows, the majority partner has changed. In other words, you now have to sign your life away to Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc, instead of Intrawest.

I kinda thought that this had been communicated (ie: those of us who are staff got an email about it over a week ago), but more than a few non-staff people I know weren't aware until I told them.

The new waiver can be "e-signed" here: http://store.whistlerblackcomb.com/ .

Anyone who doesn't do this will discover their pass is hotlisted when they get to the lift

And props to Clownshoe for bringing the beta once again.

Wait you would rather inform everyone that they need to do this BEFORE they get in line? Hello McFly...

Would you rather see a monster line for the Gondola or for Customer Service?

Will miss the opener for work. Everyone keep a tally on the number of people that wreck it into stumps rocks and other barely covered stuff.