Calgary to Golden, BC Beta

[boardtodeath]

Castle > Fernie

[anotherVTskibum]

You were in Fernie and you didn't go to Casrle=huge mistake.

Second week in April, I don't think Castle was open. But if I make it back up that way, I'll have to keep it in mind, looks sick.

[DougW]

Castle > Fernie

Yes and no. Castle can be super crowded on weekends but then again you have it to yourself mid week. After a storm every flake of loose snow can be taken away by the wind and you feel like you are skiing in a sand blasting booth. But yes if you can hit it mid week on a pow day its going to be way better than Fernie.

[Harry]

Castle > Fernie

Agree. I love Castle.

[adrenalated]

I thought of an add-on question. Best place to get Mammut airbag canisters filled along this route?
Not all BCA shops are set up for it due to the higher pressure required in the Mammut canisters.

[neck beard]

Check with these guys in Golden https://avalanchesafety.ca/contact/

BTW, very close to Kicking Horse Lodge, if you end up staying there

[adrenalated]

Bump.

Got most details worked out for this trip.

We might get a day inbounds at KH on the tail end of the trip. Does anyone rent/demo skis with bindings that fit WTR or better yet ISO 9523 (AT) soles? Not traveling with alpine gear and would prefer not to ski tech binders inbounds. Looks like Higher Ground has a couple dentist skis with Kingpins but I'm not finding much else.

[Z]

Bump.

Got most details worked out for this trip.

We might get a day inbounds at KH on the tail end of the trip. Does anyone rent/demo skis with bindings that fit WTR or better yet ISO 9523 (AT) soles? Not traveling with alpine gear and would prefer not to ski tech binders inbounds. Looks like Higher Ground has a couple dentist skis with Kingpins but I'm not finding much else.

Did you try Selkirk Sports up on the ski hill? Can be slim for things like that in Golden.

Depending on your ski day I may be able to show you around, feel free to give me a shout.

What hut are you guys heading into?

[adrenalated]

Did you try Selkirk Sports up on the ski hill? Can be slim for things like that in Golden.

Depending on your ski day I may be able to show you around, feel free to give me a shout.

What hut are you guys heading into?

Other than checking their website, no, but I'll get in touch with them - thanks!

Been meaning to shoot you a message on FB, goldenboy said you were living up there now. We're going into Fairy Meadows. Will be in town Feb 2 if you want to grab a beer. Our potential KH day will be Feb 11 if we leave the hut as scheduled on the 10th.

[pano-dude]

They most certainly do use rock salt (and brine) on the Trans-Canada between Golden and Revelstoke. But when you have thick compact packed down by all the semis and is still snowing hard you don't want to salt it - they did make that mistake once and it made a hell of a mess - badly rutted compact/ice that had traffic down to a crawl until the graders could ice blade it off.

All of the gravel/sand mix has salt mixed in, otherwise it would freeze solid in the pile or the truck.

Brine is a new concept here and it only works with temps above -12. They only apply on dry roads to prevent ice, once there is snow compacted sand/gravel mix is required.


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[Z]

Nice - that timing may be tough for me but not quite sure...

FM is a special spot, let me know if you need any beta, i've been in there a few times.

[adrenalated]

Nobody in our group has been there but we've scraped together a lot of beta.
I'll PM you next week, we've been watching avalanche.ca but sounds like the snowpack is tricky right now, will be interested to get your thoughts on conditions as it gets closer.

[DougW]

Keep an eye out for conditions at the Golden Alpine Holiday lodges or just abit further south ( right on the parks northern boundary by Iconoclast) Sorcerer . Was at Sorcerer Jan 7-14 and conditions were same but different than park reports.

[LeeLau]

I wrote up a FM Trip report that's heavily alpine centric. Google will find it. I was there for a couple of weeks and used Selkirks North plus got bluebird conditions to figure out some routes picking moderate ice climbs to ski. However my conditions were heavily affected by close - to - record snowpack and ease of glacier travel. For FM noobs the Chic Scott book is fine.

On another trip that I didn't bother writing up we climbed and skied off Adamant and Austerity N face but it was April so its not likely you're going to get to that. Also toured out to Ravelin and Great Cairn there and back. The routes are self-explanatory but the route finding is dictated by glacier coverage. I believe greg hill and Cristina Lusti also have those routes written up

EDIT - you can hit Chatter Creek by VHF with a decent radio and whip antenna so if you want WX updates ask them for permission to call in the morning and its a nice thing to bring them beer

[Simplicity]

Anyone skiing Rodgers Pass/Revy/Kicking Horse next week? I'm solo, and will be in the area skiing.