Thread: Whistler Stoke and Conditions - 2011/2012

Originally Posted by LeeLau

that was awesome. You picked that thing apart

Thanks Lee!

For anyone wondering about Hourglass. Looks like you could smash pillows on that thing to tomahawk

Poppin pillows breh.

That line looks amazing, I fantasize about skiing it, but then looking at Shirk's pics and the Hoji POV doubt I have the balls to do so.

Comparison pictures from here



2009 was a fat year.

Been very windy this year. Any snow this year has been accompanied wind. On Monday March 5 there was reported N winds in the evening as the low pressure transitioned to high pressure. We thought it would be high-pressure so Adrian, Stu planned to do a mini Spearhead and ski out the Curtain Glacier. I wanted to investigate an exit via Adit Lakes which would be new terrain for me

Unfortunately it was graybird most of the day. Snow was pretty decent with easy travelling but windslab was a factor. There was windslab on the Decker approach. We took the low Decker - Trorey col which also had some w/s (20 - 10cms) on the ski entry to the Trorey Glacier. Inversion is in full effect. Minus 7 in valley and minus 1 at Decker shoulder so warming is also a bit of a concern. The windslab was a concern only in the first 20m or so of the route down Decker-Trorey then quite a bit less present on the Trorey Gl proper.

Route then was to Pattison. We poked a bit higher to take a look at NW Pattison which also looked quite slabby. Not wishing to roll dice we skied off SE Pattison to the Tremor Glacier then took the usual Spearhead route then to MacBeth col -Curtain Glacier. Tons of rime and wind effect on all aspects (probably that N wind at the tail end of last weekend's storm). Skipped Macbeth Pk to Stu's chagrin as I didn't feel the need to climb 100m of windslab.

Ski down Curtain Glacier was pretty good. Some mild slab but it's pretty protected with snow quality improving as you get lower as the temps actually dropped. Slots are well covered although still not as filled in as in 09's record year (so maybe avoid the central Curtain Glacier direct). Lots of solar effect on the bottom bit of the Platform Glacier fyi. Winds at MacBeth Col were medium fyi (SW at approx 20 - 30).

Fitz Creek at 1400m or so is quite covered so after some routefinding we punched through to the bowls below Russet Lake and began the laborious climb up to Russet Ridge then to Cowboy Ridge. Some had neglected to bring headlamps so we teamed up with Alex, Jeff, Vince and Graeme and the people with headlamps lit the way for those without. Props to Adrian for the first split-ski descent of Singing Pass headlamp-less.

Took a bunch of beta and conditions pics so will stick them in a separate story

Thanks for the beta on hourglass, hopefully we get some more warm storms that stick rather than blow straight off.

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Some had neglected to bring headlamps so we teamed up with Alex, Jeff, Vince and Graeme and the people with headlamps lit the way for those without. Props to Adrian for the first split-ski descent of Singing Pass headlamp-less.

Seriously someone went out with you without a headlamp? Crazy talk. That item should be #1 on the special "Touring with Lee Lau Checklist".

shameless jong move here - but I have some Dyna FT12's for sale. Lemme know.

Originally Posted by shirk

Seriously someone went out with you without a headlamp? Crazy talk. That item should be #1 on the special "Touring with Lee Lau Checklist".

For riding too, NO WAIT! It was Lee who forgot his headlamp then! After ragging on everyone to make sure they had theirs!

work saves the day? a clients last minute changes to a project means my trip to the interior is off, which means pow skiing this weekend is on!

Originally Posted by t.odd

work saves the day? a clients last minute changes to a project means my trip to the interior is off, which means pow skiing this weekend is on!

there goes the forecast... fl's through the roof!

Originally Posted by powder11

there goes the forecast... fl's through the roof!

it's totally gonna suck

So, was it wet up there this morning? Looks like temps dropping throughout the day, Whistler alpine and 7th/t-bars stayed closed. Another weekend pow day?

not wet. was insane. knee deep thru cbc, then the burn the next lap. crossed so few tracks that i thought i was dreaming.

came in to work for a couple early hours, ducked out for some laps, t-bars on whistler were open and gun barrels were really deep! couple laps through there definitely helped my mental attitude!

Today was pretty damn awesome!! Whistler alpine was closed but Glacier opened on Blackcomb and Spanky's was open for business! Upper entrance to sapphire was great and bowl was exceptionally deep! B.A. and Playland were also amazing. Glades were great in the morning! Didn't hit CBC but the above post sums up what we missed!
Tomorrow is going to be retarded (crowds and all)!

sorry for the shitty phone cam pic, but this gives you an idea of the state of things under the P2P. Pretty sluffy/slabby and the fresh stuff compacted quickly, so get up for the alpine early! Should be good sticky-icky base type snow for the lines that are still peppered with rocks.

We were thinking about the P2P line this morning... but the snow in the vill was super heavy. ended up lapping the gun-barrel's

Originally Posted by Tupp-

We were thinking about the P2P line this morning... but the snow in the vill was super heavy. ended up lapping the gun-barrel's

It was pretty heavy snow, but at 3pm there was not a track on it! The worst of it was that singing pass was like skiing on glue.

We just lapped Boomer all day, finishing with a Goat Path to Grand Finale to McConkey's Trees. No lines, all fresh, all day.

Originally Posted by powder11

The worst of it was that singing pass was like skiing on glue.

I bet!!! it really warmed up during the day... garbo area was getting heavy on our way off the mountain. Still an awesome day! some big airs off the gunbarrels too


If anyone finds a Nordica 190 GS ski under the gunbarrel bluff - let me know. a buddy double ejected and we lost sight of his second ski.... a two hour search with no success.

Originally Posted by powder11

It was pretty heavy snow, but at 3pm there was not a track on it! The worst of it was that singing pass was like skiing on glue.

Just missed ya, through there about same time, bit of a tricep workout on the way out, love it!

11 overnight and 32 in the past 24hrs, looks like it's gonna be a good day up there! Stoked to shred!

Christmas trees & Hollywood certainly delivered today. Low vis is the best antidote for a case of "the weekends"! No wait for peak chair... Happy!

Brother Clownshoe...on behalf of Whistler lovers everywhere, I'd like to offer my heartfelt thanks to you and your brethren for killing it with the alpine openings lately! definitely appreciate it...and also, today was mega fun and pretty damn quiet! Deep snow, some new lines, dropping cliffs in khyber, really good!

Originally Posted by t.odd

Brother Clownshoe...on behalf of Whistler lovers everywhere, I'd like to offer my heartfelt thanks to you and your brethren for killing it with the alpine openings lately! definitely appreciate it...and also, today was mega fun and pretty damn quiet! Deep snow, some new lines, really good!

^^^all of this!.... Sick day on Blackcomb too! I was amazed by the lack of lines and vis was good enough to have some fun in the alpine! On a side note I am gonna go ahead and nominate filthyfrenchbumb as whistler mag of the week for his efforts in training for Alaska by pulling (at least part way) one of his buddies up the bootpack to the glacier from the top of showcase. He has clearly adopted the teachings of the GSA to help out his fellow man by bearing the burden of gravity.