Whistler/South Coast/Duffey stoke and conditions 2016-2017

**gramboh** · 01-15-2017, 10:44 PM

Kalisto: nice work dude!

We checked out the Sea to Sky gondola for the first time Saturday. Went up to the ridge between Sky Pilot/Co-pilot. Skiing wasn't as bad as expected but definitely wind effected. Easy travel and access up there plus a nice view for a beer before going home.

Bring on the reset.

**LeeLau** · 01-15-2017, 10:49 PM

Twisting is 45 at the choke in the pic. 48 at the steepest and if you go direct off the peak and not traverse the nose of Joffre into it its 61 deg. I had an inclinometer and had to wait till rhe group was clear before skiing it. It'd be engaging in recent firm conditions.

Duffey has had less wind. Only S aspects are solar adversely affected. E and W slopes skiing well. SW chutes also very good

**kalisto** · 01-16-2017, 02:53 AM

I measured 49 with my clinometer about 50 meters down off the ridge (not summit), but the choke certainly felt steeper. Maybe the fact that the snow was chunky icey shit had something to do with it.

**knowsam** · 01-16-2017, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by GrantN

Anyone have opinions with the bootfitting & binding work done at the mad dogs in Abbotsford? Or do you recommend a a better shop for that in the Vancouver area?

Probably not the place to ask but I don't want to start a new thread. Any info is appreciated.

I won't say better because I've never worked with Mad Dogs, but I've got tough feet to fit and Destination in N. Van do a good job for me. To be honest, the labour involved in fitting boots now makes it a cost more than a draw, so any shop doing it these days does it out of commitment, they'll all be pretty good. That said, I have had a number of boot fitters compliment the trickier punches that Destination has done on the boots.

**nortonwhis** · 01-16-2017, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by kalisto

I measured 49 with my clinometer about 50 meters down off the ridge (not summit), but the choke certainly felt steeper. Maybe the fact that the snow was chunky icey shit had something to do with it.

Looks way steeper than that in your shot. Nice to see some stoke in here again!

**ROCKS** · 01-16-2017, 12:41 PM

Really nice pics @kalisto

@gramboh were you up there on Saturday with a guy named, Kenyon? Buddy of mine said he was up by sky pilot that day as well. Sounds like it's fun up there, comes with a $40 price tag though.

**raypruit** · 01-16-2017, 01:12 PM

holy shit kallisto, ballsy line in these conditions!

i had a much tamer day last week:

**LeeLau** · 01-16-2017, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by kalisto

I measured 49 with my clinometer about 50 meters down off the ridge (not summit), but the choke certainly felt steeper. Maybe the fact that the snow was chunky icey shit had something to do with it.

40 - 49 degs feels steep in firm conditions. Feels pretty good in knee deep conditions. I did the full line in a fat year and with more snowpack the slope mellows out.

**paulster2626** · 01-16-2017, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by raypruit

holy shit kallisto, ballsy line in these conditions!

i had a much tamer day last week:

Stunning. Thanks for sharing!

**kalisto** · 01-16-2017, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

I did the full line in a fat year and with more snowpack the slope mellows out.

Definitely. I did it a few years back and did not feel remotely this steep... and here I thought I was improving...

**k2skier112** · 01-17-2017, 05:32 PM

No thanks. Looks like we'll have 2 down days. Gonna have to stay longer, damn. First world problems.

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**gramboh** · 01-17-2017, 05:58 PM

At least it seems to be coming in right side up. Problem will be what it's sitting on...

**paulster2626** · 01-17-2017, 07:09 PM

Thinking of first tracks on Thursday - what time do I need to get outside to stand in the rain to make it up?

**LeeLau** · 01-17-2017, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by paulster2626

Thinking of first tracks on Thursday - what time do I need to get outside to stand in the rain to make it up?

6.30am is generally a good time to start lining up. You get enough time to lay waste to breakfast. Bring an umbrella - seriously. Spare gloves too of course

**raypruit** · 01-17-2017, 07:57 PM

also, bring ziploc bags and load up on bacon, croissants, and boiled eggs. lunch for everyone!

**k2skier112** · 01-17-2017, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by paulster2626

Thinking of first tracks on Thursday - what time do I need to get outside to stand in the rain to make it up?

2nd tracks bro. We have fresh track tix, may use them that day. We'll say hi when we load at 7:15.
Add, spend $21.95 and get a fresh track ticket. Just be one of the first 650 peple in line

**t.odd** · 01-17-2017, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by gramboh

At least it seems to be coming in right side up. Problem will be what it's sitting on...

super warm really high for the past 24+ hours with the precip, a lot of precip, *should* bond well? please? gotta be some kind of upside to this pineapple!

That was one of the colder stretches I think I've experienced in the past 14 years, what a run!

**k2skier112** · 01-18-2017, 09:47 AM

Avie forecast until Friday is high

**gramboh** · 01-18-2017, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by t.odd

super warm really high for the past 24+ hours with the precip, a lot of precip, *should* bond well? please? gotta be some kind of upside to this pineapple!

That was one of the colder stretches I think I've experienced in the past 14 years, what a run!

Absolutely an amazing run, can't even be slightly upset at a pineapple/mango coming in. Peak still below freezing but trending upward to -1.8C right now. I'm stoked for slackcountry this weekend.

Re: Fresh Tracks, I would say 6:30am at the latest for a weekday pow day (even if it's wet). Seems to have grown significantly in popularity the last couple seasons. I don't even bother trying on powder weekends anymore after showing up at 6am on Saturday last March and seeing the line go back onto the road by the Sundial. Definitely do bring ziploc bags for bacon though.

Avalanche forecast for Friday is Mod/Mod/Low. Would be pleasantly surprised if things flush and settle that quickly.

**k2skier112** · 01-18-2017, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by gramboh

Absolutely an amazing run, can't even be slightly upset at a pineapple/mango coming in. Peak still below freezing but trending upward to -1.8C right now. I'm stoked for slackcountry this weekend.

Re: Fresh Tracks, I would say 6:30am at the latest for a weekday pow day (even if it's wet). Seems to have grown significantly in popularity the last couple seasons. I don't even bother trying on powder weekends anymore after showing up at 6am on Saturday last March and seeing the line go back onto the road by the Sundial. Definitely do bring ziploc bags for bacon though.

Avalanche forecast for Friday is Mod/Mod/Low. Would be pleasantly surprised if things flush and settle that quickly.

Thanks. We were told 6:00-6:15 on a powder day. Line could get back to Solomon and u should be ok, so we were told.

Ha, got my zip lock locks ready to fill up for lunch food. Kinda sucks only having 2 lifts for about a half hour. Meh, they were free fresh trax tix

**raypruit** · 01-18-2017, 07:15 PM

yeah i only did it once and on our second lap, we already saw ppl coming up on the creekside gondy. i got my money's worth in ziploc bagged food alone though!

**gramboh** · 01-18-2017, 09:41 PM

I found I could get 5 or 6 untracked runs off Red/Emerald since you don't have to hike or sidestep anywhere... yeah people start uploading in run 2 or 3 but it takes 30-45 min for crowds to really start to form unless they do an early start in the village. Definitely a good deal to get a bunch of extra easy laps in before hunting for stuff.