2014/2015 Whistler Blackcomb - South Coast - Duffey Lake Thread

[wicked_sick]

7th Heaven opened for like 5 minutes and it did not suck. But the snow in some places was like velcro.

[eldereldo]

I spent 35 years driving 1-2 hours each way to ski Banff areas with the occasional enforced over night stay or 5 hour return trip, Sunday night reminded me why I was down to a few days a year at the areas. And other than not getting stuck yourself, having good tires and 4wd wouldnt have made any difference to the return trip to Vancouver, I saw a few people who were trying to pass and they were just plowing snow. Glad my commute is now a 5 minute walk to the creekside gondola.

[eldereldo]

none of that matters on one of these...

He must have written a song about every Canadian activity you could do.

Picking up the new sled either today or Wednesday, so will see how Brandywine is on Saturday.

[nickel]

Rent something with AWD.

AWD with all season tires won't leave you stuck on the highway or the parking lot.

Shirk usually has great advice, but this is just awful awful stuff... AWD is no substitute for winter tires when you need them. No help turning or braking. Also, if you spin all four tires, you're still stuck.

[pureantigravity]

^^^ most 4wd are not actually capable of spinning all 4 tires. The best most offer is one back and one front.

[El Chupacabra]

The snow vs all season tire debate doesn't matter for this trip - - renting in Seattle means that the vehicle will come with all seasons,whether it's a 4WD or not.

As I mentioned earlier, I'll reserve both 4 and 2WD, and cancel one just before the trip. Thanks everyone.

[pureantigravity]

The snow vs all season tire debate doesn't matter for this trip - - renting in Seattle means that the vehicle will come with all seasons,whether it's a 4WD or not.

As I mentioned earlier, I'll reserve both 4 and 2WD, and cancel one just before the trip. Thanks everyone.

Apart from the recent snomaggedon, you will almost 95% be OK in the Whistler vicinity with all seasons. Unless you have to park somewhere on a badly maintained hill or hit some sort of freak black ice.

Just go 2wd. The money you save on Gas (oh wait till you discover CDN gas prices) will leave you some cash for Moguls cafe.

[pureantigravity]

There is a noticeable lack of stoke posted here from the last days snowfall. Is it filling-in in the trees yet? Are we setting up for a good Feb/March? FWIW - the wife just bought me a Gopro. I have made my first gaper vid and it is a winner with me doing a 360 air into Couloire Extreme taken from an obscenely long selfie stick.

And I found a script that enables my quad core 3 billion GHZ AMD 64 machine to de-shake endless hours of footage using VirtualDub and the Deshaker plugin.

At some point I'll wow you all with my edits. Unlikely! But they don't look as shakey any more

[t.odd]

There is a noticeable lack of stoke posted here from the last days snowfall. Is it filling in in the trees yet? Are we setting up for a good Feb/March?

trees mostly are still pretty scary, imo.

[powder11]

There is a noticeable lack of stoke posted here from the last days snowfall. Is it filling-in in the trees yet?

Probably because everyone was standing around in lift lines most the day as temps spiked and turned everything to schmoo. From what I've seen in the trees, there is just enough snow to barely hide fallen timber, stumps and big rocks, but maybe a broken leg would be a better way to spend the season rather than obsessively checking the forecast every 5 mins hoping FL's drop and it doesn't rain over the top... oh yeah, the tree bombs are massive and starting to release, so throw in a good neck fracture or concussion while your sitting there with your broken leg waiting for buddy to find you. Fucking torture... 2 yrs in a row... WTF?! Audios amigos, I'm going to Mexico for a couple weeks.

[Maximus Farcisimus]

"Probably because everyone was standing around in lift lines most the day as temps spiked and turned everything to schmoo."

There was time for 4 good laps yesterday, it didn't turn till 10ish.
Always get a laugh how many people don't show up for recycling snow days(Sun) but come out in hoards for what they think is going to be a big day then wait in lines with their $65 dollar edge cards for a few sloppy runs and wonder why its crowded.


"Fucking torture... 2 yrs in a row... WTF?! Audios amigos, I'm going to Mexico for a couple weeks."

You might get more sun here, nothing but clear skies in the 10 day forecast.

[LeeLau]

"Probably because everyone was standing around in lift lines most the day as temps spiked and turned everything to schmoo."

There was time for 4 good laps yesterday, it didn't turn till 10ish.
Always get a laugh how many people don't show up for recycling snow days(Sun) but come out in hoards for what they think is going to be a big day then wait in lines with their $65 dollar edge cards for a few sloppy runs and wonder why its crowded.


"Fucking torture... 2 yrs in a row... WTF?! Audios amigos, I'm going to Mexico for a couple weeks."

You might get more sun here, nothing but clear skies in the 10 day forecast.

Might be time for more low angle touring. Duffey temps are still ok but that inversion is probably in for the higher regions. Upside down snow pack right now. Will get hold of you and Phil when we bother coming back up

Yah but good call on Mex pow11

[Judo Chop!]

yup. Sunday was the goods. no lines and with all the falling snow and wind blowing it around = free refills.

[shirk]

Shirk usually has great advice, but this is just awful awful stuff... AWD is no substitute for winter tires when you need them. No help turning or braking. Also, if you spin all four tires, you're still stuck.

Well if you slow down, leave space, actually drive like it's winter conditions you'll do fine.

Guy has a rental car from Seattle he isn't going to find a vehicle with 4 snows.

No arguing that 4 snows are better than all seasons in some situations. Does that mean every car with all seasons is instantly a beached whale the moment snow touches the road? Nope.

[pipedream]

Say what you will about all-seasons, but I've been rallying to and from the mountains down here in 'merica (where the pot is legal and the gas is cheap) for 8 years without major issue. Hell, I've pulled straight out of 12+ inches of Cascade concrete in the lot w/ AWD, all seasons and snow halfway up the bumpers.

Maybe it's because I learned to drive a 2WD car with all seasons in the Appalachians, where the roads are twisty, hilly and poorly maintained? I think all you west coasties need to go spend a winter driving RWD beaters in the Adirondacks - if you survive, you'll never complain about the conditions we have here ever again.

[powder11]

"Probably because everyone was standing around in lift lines most the day as temps spiked and turned everything to schmoo."

There was time for 4 good laps yesterday, it didn't turn till 10ish.
Always get a laugh how many people don't show up for recycling snow days(Sun) but come out in hoards for what they think is going to be a big day then wait in lines with their $65 dollar edge cards for a few sloppy runs and wonder why its crowded.


"Fucking torture... 2 yrs in a row... WTF?! Audios amigos, I'm going to Mexico for a couple weeks."

You might get more sun here, nothing but clear skies in the 10 day forecast.

I admire your quest for the silver lining, but I'm over it. Not much terrain on the lower mtn worth skiing right now. Not gonna put in any effort to be make 1st chair to be 1st down 5cms on springboard after they groomed it midway through the storm. Lower mtn trees are an injury waiting to happen. I know the alpine has some decent cover, but playing the odds with a potentially destructive snow pack just isn't my cup of tea. After seeing what caught Wayne and what happened to him, its just not worth the risk on slopes that aren't even all that much fun to ski. What is normally not even a 2nd thought is now a coin toss as far as safety goes. Pretty shitty odds considering the potential consequences. I'd say just stick to the steep stuff, but even that isn't doing what its supposed to (slide natural). This snowpack is going to be fucked up for awhile too, in the meantime, I'll enjoy my surfing, low angle throttle pulling and hope things get better.

[t.odd]

meh, it is what it is. Be ready to ski when it's good, work when it's not, and willing to just go up and rip groomer laps at high speeds to keep the legs strong.

[teamdirt]

Mass exodus for Whistler this week for those who can. Be back when its good!

[xyz]

I admire your quest for the silver lining, but I'm over it. Not much terrain on the lower mtn worth skiing right now. Not gonna put in any effort to be make 1st chair to be 1st down 5cms on springboard after they groomed it midway through the storm. Lower mtn trees are an injury waiting to happen. I know the alpine has some decent cover, but playing the odds with a potentially destructive snow pack just isn't my cup of tea. After seeing what caught Wayne and what happened to him, its just not worth the risk on slopes that aren't even all that much fun to ski. What is normally not even a 2nd thought is now a coin toss as far as safety goes. Pretty shitty odds considering the potential consequences. I'd say just stick to the steep stuff, but even that isn't doing what its supposed to (slide natural). This snowpack is going to be fucked up for awhile too, in the meantime, I'll enjoy my surfing, low angle throttle pulling and hope things get better.

Why do you live in Whistler if you cant deal with a week or two of less than epic conditions, stability etc? Its the coast range, its all part of the deal of living here. I hope the surf conditions live up to your expectations...

[powder11]

meh, it is what it is. Be ready to ski when it's good, work when it's not, and willing to just go up and rip groomer laps at high speeds to keep the legs strong.

pretty much all you can do at this point

Mass exodus for Whistler this week for those who can. Be back when its good!

I know a caravan headed out for the interior tomorrow. It's gonna get busy with wandering powder nomads!

[LeeLau]

I know a caravan headed out for the interior tomorrow. It's gonna get busy with wandering powder nomads!

Not that anyone really wants to hear this but the FL is forecasted to go through the roof tomorrow. 70cms on the ground at Revelstoke valley but valley was unskiable till that hit so it will be airy in the trees. Nakusp, Purcells etc not much better. Smithers looks like it might survive but that's a long way to go for a maybe

[Maximus Farcisimus]

Why do you live in Whistler if you cant deal with a week or two of less than epic conditions, stability etc? Its the coast range, its all part of the deal of living here. I hope the surf conditions live up to your expectations...

I think you mean a year or two.

[teamdirt]

Not that anyone really wants to hear this but the FL is forecasted to go through the roof tomorrow. 70cms on the ground at Revelstoke valley but valley was unskiable till that hit so it will be airy in the trees. Nakusp, Purcells etc not much better. Smithers looks like it might survive but that's a long way to go for a maybe

Don't fool yourself Lee. Purcells, Chatter, Adamants, Gothics and of course the East Rockies all are skiing well in the trees, 5000ft and above. A 2-4hour chance of a FL of 0 degrees at 1600m means little in terms of ski quality in Jan in the Golden trench. Yes Rogers, Revy and Kootney's will be toast but stellar tree skiing conditions will be had to the North East.

[powder11]

Why do you live in Whistler if you cant deal with a week or two of less than epic conditions, stability etc? Its the coast range, its all part of the deal of living here. I hope the surf conditions live up to your expectations...

I think you mean a year or two.

What he said...

I also make enough cash in the off season to live quite well in this cess pool full of ski bums, Vancouver weekend warriors and filthy rich foreigners. I have an awesome family who I take on family vacations to Mexico or Hawaii and go skiing with my kids whenever I want because I do not work at all in the winter. I pretty much go play whenever and wherever I want from Christmas to Easter. I've been doing it quite awhile now, almost 15 yrs, so I guess a couple weeks of lousy conditions is no big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I'm like a crack addict for powder and when I start to think of those missed days in terms of lost commodities that I will never have, then I get a bit cranky because once you hit 40, you realize life is short and you have to hold on tight to the things you love because it ain't gonna last forever. Yeah, I know 1st world problems, but that's the world I live in.

[LeeLau]

Don't fool yourself Lee. Purcells, Chatter, Adamants, Gothics and of course the East Rockies all are skiing well in the trees, 5000ft and above. A 2-4hour chance of a FL of 0 degrees at 1600m means little in terms of ski quality in Jan in the Golden trench. Yes Rogers, Revy and Kootney's will be toast but stellar tree skiing conditions will be had to the North East.

Nah you're right and I'm being whiny. Last time I escaped the pineapple by heading to Icefall