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

[gramboh]

had 5 good knee deep laps before work today! t-bar hadn't cracked when I left yet, still lots of holes and sharks lurking, many a jerry trying to pull themselves out of cross ditches, creeks, and other holes. Looks like tonihgts/tomorrows forecast has generally held through the week, here's hoping for ski outs by the weekend!

Sounds like a pretty damn good opening day from all reports. Saw some pretty nice looking pics of Gun Barrels... I love getting out there before Harmony opens. Weekend is looking awesome with the chance of OK visibility and winds calming down but crowds and traffic are going to be intense. We've got American long weekend, a late opening (by traditional standards), the Vail/Epic pass thing giving Americans free days, weak CAD and the hype machine in full swing.

[LeeLau]

31cms new reported. They lied. More like 40 to 50

[t.odd]

can confirm deepness...ugggggghhhhhhhhhh, such a good morning!

[JimLad]

Anything left for tomorrow? I had to work

[SnowMoJo]

Anything left for tomorrow? I had to work

Yeppers...

Still puking and will continue overnight.

Top was amazingly deep and light snow - by mid it became toothpaste, but still fun. What a day, what a killer opening day on Blackcomb. Jersey was so choice. Pillows underneath still need some more coverage in the landing zones but absolutely 100% ZERO complaints for "early season condies". Stay on course and there was snorkel material with enough turn at foot.

Back up tomorrow. Yip Yip!!

(fun carnage to watch too - people in the creeks, lost gear under 4ft of fresh, the cartwheeling snowboarders hitting knolls that weren't visible, but so many smiles - throughout all the carnage, everyone was laughing and having a hoot... loved it!!)

[LeeLau]

Anything left for tomorrow? I had to work

Yah lots. Lots of wind at Crystal so lift didnt run. Could skin up to it so tried out some new On3P Steeple98s.

Like was said there's no meaningful base so its a little bit easy to dive to ground so best to find slopes steep enough to plane and keep a bit of speed

[SnowMoJo]

Yah lots. Lots of wind at Crystal so lift didnt run.

LOL....

That first pic looks like you've got an ON3P snowboard beside you - took me a moment.

Wind was nuts - had to take the P2P over to Whistler to give a lesson and holy shiznit it was seriously blowing on that end (SE storm direction, makes sense...nutso!!). Was good to get back to Blackcomb when that lil' gig was finished.

Tomorrow winds are calming and we should still have another 20-25cm additional from the time I walked away from the mountain late this afternoon to opening tomorrow.

[wizard604]

Thanks everyone for heading over to blackcomb today. I had whistler pretty much all to myself. The 30-40cm overnight filled in everything that was tracked from yesterday. Have to be careful out there. It's so deep and soft that it would be easy to get into a whole lotta trouble, esp those tree wells. Make sure you're with a buddy if you plan on venturing off the main runs.

[SnowMoJo]

Thanks everyone for heading over to blackcomb today. I had whistler pretty much all to myself. The 30-40cm overnight filled in everything that was tracked from yesterday. Have to be careful out there. It's so deep and soft that it would be easy to get into a whole lotta trouble, esp those tree wells. Make sure you're with a buddy if you plan on venturing off the main runs.

Truth.

But you missed the people just stuck like flies in a web in the creeks at the bottom of the roped off runs on Black. It was priceless. They'd struggle - wriggle around - skis in the air - on their backs - skis on one side of the bank, helmet on the other - just FUBAR'd and no way out.

Water gently washing over their coats and under their backs. Spouses screaming at spouses. The shame and indignity having left what I am sure to them felt like hours prior.

[paulster2626]

Truth.

But you missed the people just stuck like flies in a web in the creeks at the bottom of the roped off runs on Black. It was priceless. They'd struggle - wriggle around - skis in the air - on their backs - skis on one side of the bank, helmet on the other - just FUBAR'd and no way out.

Water gently washing over their coats and under their backs. Spouses screaming at spouses. The shame and indignity having left what I am sure to them felt like hours prior.

Tell me someone took a picture of this.

[SnowMoJo]

Tell me someone took a picture of this.

I didn't personally, but there were lots of people, friends of those in the drink and those who'd gotten out first, who were readied to help get their buds and ladies OUT but just before offering a "pole end" or the like, said, "oooh, wait a sec, lemme just grab my phone, I gotta take a picture of this". LOL...

True story, I pulled off several times in these areas for a breather and this was happening with regularity.

By the way, another 35cm reported overnight, judging from my back deck I'd say 40cm easily on the mountains with wind zones offering waist+ deep again today.

[wicked_sick]

Today is looking promising. I'll be in a purple jacket/green helmet on bros if anyone needs change for a nickel.

[paulster2626]

I didn't personally, but there were lots of people, friends of those in the drink and those who'd gotten out first, who were readied to help get their buds and ladies OUT but just before offering a "pole end" or the like, said, "oooh, wait a sec, lemme just grab my phone, I gotta take a picture of this". LOL...

True story, I pulled off several times in these areas for a breather and this was happening with regularity.

By the way, another 35cm reported overnight, judging from my back deck I'd say 40cm easily on the mountains with wind zones offering waist+ deep again today.

That's fucking awesome. From a week of shit weather that had everyone wondering if 2016/17 was gonna be a shitty start, to a monster storm that shat snow all the way to the village and made for what looks like the most epic season opener possible.

Hope it doesn't get all tracked out until I can get there in Jan. More pics/stoke please in the meantime.

[Schemeboat]

[puma]

that looks glorious! what,an opening weekend.

[gramboh]

I hear patrol was doing AC today, are they allowing any hiking? Hopeful boundaries are open tomorrow, and thankful for the AC work!!!

[Schemeboat]

There has been AC every day.

[gramboh]

There has been AC every day.

How are the temp boundaries working with that? Guessing they aren't letting people up to Peak or Blackcomb alpine? Just lower Harmony ridge and Crystal? Trying to figure out where to go tomorrow.

[wren]

Fingers crossed for crystal opening tomorrow? pretty please?

[Schemeboat]

wouldn't that be a delightful saturday.

[shirk]

Fingers crossed for crystal opening tomorrow? pretty please?

It will be sloppy seconds. According to my social feed the usual suspects have already tracked out the good lines off Crystal today.

[t.odd]

lots of heli bombing this morning on whistler, t-bars opened just before lunch...I'd bet peak/harmony are a go for tomorrow, although I have zero actual verifiable information to back that up

[LeeLau]

It will be sloppy seconds. According to my social feed the usual suspects have already tracked out the good lines off Crystal today.

Another 30 cms new today. Temps -4 at treeline. Winds backed off so toured off resort into trees. Approx 140cms new over the last 24h in some windloaded zones.

It shouldn't need to be repeated that pillows and features are still really hollow so keep your heads up, your tips up and your speed up especially at lower elevations where, for all practical purposes there is no base.

[wren]

It will be sloppy seconds. According to my social feed the usual suspects have already tracked out the good lines off Crystal today.

Considering I've been in the office all week, I'll take what I can get.

[rob stokes]

You get the picture