Whistler or Baker this weekend? Forecast continues to amaze

**Squirrel99** · 04-14-2005, 11:39 AM

I guess this is an early roll call of sorts, but...
April continues with the kick ass winter revival sessions

I am torn (in a good way!)....

Whistler: 40cm's + for forecasted for the weekend. Initial freezing level will be at mid-mtn, then dropping. WSSF is in town, lots of eye candy. Free place to crash.

On the other hand...
Baker: no specific forecast yet, but NWAC is predicting upwards of 1.5-2" of precip for Saturday with 4,000 foot freezing levels (which could mean about 2 feet of pow pow!). Less people @ Baker, too. Epic BC if conditions permit.

And then there's the soft spot for Alpental. But the base depth is suffering on the lower mountain and less snow is predicted (.75 precip). Freezing Levels could also mess with Alpe so I hate to say 'laters' until next season- but gotta go where the snow is going to be best (damn, I hope they get enough snow to pull off one more weekend).

So where's everyone heading this weekend?
South Coasters- anyone planning on braving the crowds at WSSF this weekend? PNdub's what are you thinkin?

**skibum193** · 04-14-2005, 11:53 AM

if u get up to baker early, they have had 16 inches since they closed, with really cold temps and more snow on the way....so some definate freshies. i, however, will be hitting stevens, because i have a pass there, and its the only place i got a ride to, otherwise id be at baker

**PulverSchwein** · 04-14-2005, 12:37 PM

Hitting WB this Saturday. Need to burn off those Edge card days.

Edit: my friend was up last weekend and said the hill wasn't overbusy or anything due to WSSF, pretty quiet actually. Should be goooood!!

**LeeLau** · 04-14-2005, 01:53 PM

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I skied Harveys wednesday and the crust is pretty present. Doom and Gloom, shale slope, t-bars, headwall, the slopes under excitation - pretty much anything with a big ridge or treelines or whatever acts like a snow fence to catch the drifting snow is awesome.

tuesday We saw people coming down Husume and corona bowl and it was very deep in there/. Ruby was amazing as was Ruby Trees; Diamond was curiously not that deep; Sapphire was very very deep. Off the double drop on skiers right on Sapphire there is some exposed glacial ice so be aware that you won't be able to speedcheck between drops!

I deked into CBC trees and chunky's choice quickly and it was also very deep and windloaded. Looks like lots of people been hiking into CBC

Not crowded at all - but weekend may be a gongshow

**Squirrel99** · 04-14-2005, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

tuesday We saw people coming down Husume and corona bowl and it was very deep in there - but weekend may be a gongshow

Exactly what I was thinking. If weather holds up, would love to get out Corona Direction. But yeah, weekend could be a gong show as it is Blackcomb's closing weekend coupled with WSSI.

damn, I'd like to hit the blackcomb bc before the lifts shut down on Sunday.

**pollard** · 04-14-2005, 02:10 PM

I'm hitting up stevens cause I also have pass there that I have a whopping 7or 8 days on

**bigtrubs** · 04-14-2005, 02:48 PM

Riding WB this weekend, sat and sun. Not sure which mountain I shall grace with my presence.

**778skier** · 04-14-2005, 03:10 PM

I'll be on whistler on saturday solo. I havent found WSSF to usually be that busy on the hill, more people hang in the village or sleep in from the night before. Might be slightly busier than other weeks in april, but not like presidents week or anything.

**Cliff Huckable** · 04-14-2005, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Squirrel99

Exactly what I was thinking. If weather holds up, would love to get out Corona Direction. But yeah, weekend could be a gong show as it is Blackcomb's closing weekend coupled with WSSI.

damn, I'd like to hit the blackcomb bc before the lifts shut down on Sunday.

depression

**Atrain505** · 04-14-2005, 04:19 PM

Damn am I lost...blackcomb lifts are really closing already? damn...well I'll be hitting disease ridge and decker on sunday (saturday is my last exam) if anyone is interested...unless of course avy conditions continue to get even more sketchy. And I guess just some whistler backcountry next week. Possibly fissile.

**Squirrel99** · 04-14-2005, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Atrain505

Damn am I lost...blackcomb lifts are really closing already? damn...well I'll be hitting disease ridge and decker on sunday (saturday is my last exam) if anyone is interested...unless of course avy conditions continue to get even more sketchy. And I guess just some whistler backcountry next week. Possibly fissile.

Might be down with that for Sunday. Hopefully the avie conditions will be a bit more stable- but with the moisture coming in for Friday-Sunday, not sure how that's going to play out.

Yeah, very bummed they could not extend the days for Blackcomb with all the late season storms.

Still trying to figure out the weekend plans. Wherever I end up, hope it's good and you peeps are ready for some steeze- the maggot cam will be in attendance (it's a definite for Baker closing day on 4/24- before getting shipped off to Mammy).

**Shin-to-Win** · 04-14-2005, 05:11 PM

"Warming the hearthstone" on Saturday as Buster would say but angling for a Sunday escape to the hills.

As much as I've enjoyed the short drive to Crystal the last few weeks, it looks like the Baker BC would be the $$$$ call as the storm clears out. I guess it depends on how the high freezing levels and heavy snow on Saturday affect the avy danger.

If the storm comes further south and hits Crystal hard, then brrrrriiiiinnnnng it. The King is begging for a return of the film crew.

**LeeLau** · 04-14-2005, 07:40 PM

Here's the forecast. They've been usually good about predicting the precip and freezing levels but not when they arrive. Look at http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/canada_e.html and track the lows coming off the aleutians and gulf of alaska, take a guess as to whether they stall - roll some dice whatever, and take a guess. If the winds are high on friday and track the storms then expect to see what I saw on tuesday and wednesday, You will get a bunch of x-loading on NE aspects, windloading on stuff that faces N like say Deckers face and a whole shitload of wind-transported steep and deep in husume, corona and possibly poop chutes unless of course the wind is so godamn strong that it blows all the snow off everything like it stripped Disease ridge. Oh and Fissile's north faces stability will suck. I'm inclined to give fissile a go on either monday or tuesday after we get some more stability. This is really funky snow - a winter snowpack with spring radiation - weird stuff.

------------------

Whistler - Blackcomb.
Tonight..Mainly cloudy. 60 percent chance of showers or flurries this evening. snow developing towards morning.
Alpine low minus 6. Snowfall accumulation 1 to 3 cm. Freezing level 1500 metres falling to 900 metres overnight. Mountain top winds south 30 km/h increasing late this evening to 40 to 60.
Friday..Snow. Alpine high minus 3. Snowfall accumulation 15 cm.
Freezing level near surface increasing to 1000 metres late in the day. Mountain top winds south 40 to 60 km/h.

5 Day Trend..The frontal system will cross the south coast Saturday.
A cool and unstable airmass will linger across the coast on Sunday with frequent flurries expected. A ridge of high pressure will build over the coast bringing dry conditions to the region on Monday.

Saturday.. Snow. Snowfall accumulation 10 to 20 cm. Freezing level 1250 metres.
Sunday.. Cloudy. 60 percent chance of flurries. Snowfall accumulation 4 to 8 cm. Freezing level 1000 metres.
Monday.. Sunny. Freezing level 1000 metres increasing to 1500 metres late in the day.

**Atrain505** · 04-14-2005, 11:02 PM

Bring the maggot cam up north!
If its storming I'm more inclined to be going for Husumi since I know the route super well...but we'll see what the weather brings. Regardless it will be steep and deep.

**Arty50** · 04-14-2005, 11:26 PM

I just wanted to say how happy I am to read this thread. I felt for you PNWers all year. The constant pleas to Ullr, the endless threads about no snow, etc. And now...you're getting slammed. Kill it folks!!! Oh and take lots of pictures and post them here.

Get some!

**Squirrel99** · 04-15-2005, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Atrain505

Bring the maggot cam up north!
If its storming I'm more inclined to be going for Husumi since I know the route super well...but we'll see what the weather brings. Regardless it will be steep and deep.

Atrain, I think I'm going to be in Whistler for the weekend. I've got some friends from Jackson in town so it's likely I'll be there on Sunday, too.
Check yer PM's. (but it will all depend on the weather).

Try channel 7.4 to locate me if we somehow don't cross paths. I'm assuming we'll be getting a somewhat early start and Husume/Corona all sound good. Maybe meet up at Merlin's about 8:30 on Sunday?

And yeah, Arty- been kind of weird getting your entire season crunched into just a few weeks

**fiddler** · 04-15-2005, 02:00 AM

I hit Whistler today. Leaving Bham at 5:40 got me to the Port Mann Mess early enough to cruise through without problems and past the Hwy 99 construction zone before they cranked it up. Parked in the garage at Creekside at 8:45 and was up top by 9:30. I expected crowds because of the festival but it was empty. No waiting at Peak or Big Red chairs. Early on the visibility was good with clouds moving around dropping some snow. Since hardly anyone was around I went straight for Whistler Bowl, Grand Finale and Doom and Gloom. Guess it was about boot top creamy pow in there with few people to track it up. Fresh tracks gotten every run.
By noon the weather came in and it started snowing and there was what felt like hail or more like tiny hard snow balls pelting my face. At that time I was the only person in sight getting on the Peak lift, the lifty said she was getting lonely. Visibility went to near zero for a couple of hours with brief blasts of sunshine or at least slight clearing of the fog. When I went over to Glacier Bowl the fog bank was so thick you couldn't see, period. Couldn't see the snow at your feet, the bowl, the ridge above with the cornices hanging there, nothing. I stood there for a couple of minutes trying to decide which way was up when all of a sudden the sun broke out half way out in the bowl so I jumped in and got a fast run in the sun. That was cool.
Went back to Whistler Bowl/Grande/D&G for more blind runs top to bottom. Some runs the visibility would improve. Got last Peak chair right at 3:30 and it had cleared up for the last run. It was a super fun day

Judging by the weather when I left, Friday should be another killer day. With 3 more days on my edge card I may have to go back up this weekend.

**ak_powder_monkey** · 04-15-2005, 02:11 AM

looks as if the PNW finally is getting what it deserved. I'd say baker cause I hate lift lines

**LeeLau** · 04-15-2005, 08:08 AM

arty - that's a very classy thing to say - thanks! the one good thing about this season is that we won't be taking snow for granted in the future.

**Squirrel99** · 04-15-2005, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

arty - that's a very classy thing to say - thanks! the one good thing about this season is that we won't be taking snow for granted in the future.

True dat. Those Tahoe kids are good folk

Damn, looks good at both places

Forecast updates!
Whistler - Blackcomb Forecast
35cm-40cm or 15" this weekend, but high winds (60k-80k)

Mt. Baker
Saturday: Snow then snow showers. Snow accumulation 10 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 90 percent. South wind 21 gusting to 31 mph. High 42.

Saturday Night: Snow showers. Snow accumulation 3 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 70 percent. Southwest wind 15 gusting to 23 mph. Low 28.

Sunday: Snow showers. Snow accumulation 2 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 80 percent. South wind 10 gusting to 16 mph. High 38.

**LeeLau** · 04-15-2005, 10:03 AM

squirrel - to be perfectly honest - based on that forecast i would go to baker. South winds are great skiing in the backbowls behind table and lake anne. its the strong SE and NE'ers in my opinion that kill the snow. Ptarmigan ridge will be amazing as long as the access isn't avvy-prone. If you stick closer to base Herman Pass either backside or frontside is also really good in south winds. And I bet the inbounds stuff wont suck either

**PulverSchwein** · 04-15-2005, 01:21 PM

Hooking up with 778 at the lightboard on Whistler at 1:00 Sat. Anyone around is welcome to join in.

**Atrain505** · 04-15-2005, 01:26 PM

9:30 at the bottom of glacier chair on Sunday. I'll be on bros.

**Squirrel99** · 04-15-2005, 02:03 PM

Pulver & Atrain,
I'm probably going to be in Whistler this weekend. Not sure yet on Saturday- as I may stay and storm ski in WA. But Sunday looks like a good bet.

I'll be on channel 7.4 and will check in at the base of G.