Whistler is tits!!!

[LeeLau]

If you think whistler is dope wait until you ski keystone. Blows whistler out the water

Keystone and Breck are the TITS. Everyone go to the I70!!!

[Vitamin I]

...They are actually two distinct lines? ... might anyone have any other pictures or maps to illustrate the difference?

No, there are not 2 lines. There are no "lines" at all on the face. It is just a long rope boundary at the top along the ridge, but you must ascend a semi-wide mountain face to get to the rope boundary. When Patrol drops the rope, I think there will usually be either a "left door" open, or immediately next to that a "right door" open, or "both doors" open like a double-door. But when the rope drops on either of those doors, then Ski Patrol lets you duck the rope anywhere near there (at least Patrol never gives me dirty looks when I duck that rope 10-30 yards away from the proper opening in the rope). And I don't duck the rope to "beat people"--- I wait my proper turn and then I go duck the rope only if it's the shortest walking distance to the specific zone I want to ski.

If it has been open for hours, then there's no "race", just ascend to the rope however you want---but there is usually a line-up of people waiting for the easiest bootpack available at the time. So, if you skip that line-up, then don't use the bootpack that everyone is waiting for. Just use your mountaineering ascent skills to ascend any direction other than that bootpack, then duck the rope anywhere. But if you're not comfortable ascending steep terrain, then get in line for the easiest bootpack.

HOWEVER, if people at the front have been waiting for first tracks for hours, then I think it's a dick move to just show up late and pass them. But really, I think the first people should wait right at the top rope, and anyone else should walk right up any route to any part of the rope and wait there---and that way it's impossible for anyone else to pass them or get any closer to the boundary rope than they are. That's how it works in USA, where they "drop a long rope segment" on a zone with a super-wide entrance, right? You wait right at the boundary where you will be allowed to cross it when it opens. Instead, at Spanky's, I think people want to wait at the bottom comfy waiting area, but they don't want other people to pass them and wait at the top area, right?

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[paulster2626]

Who knew there was such controversy skiing @ Blackcomb? Whistler has truly lost its innocence.

[t.odd]

the best part of Vitamin's photo is that someone has taken the time to strap skis to their pack for the gruelling 30 second bootpack

[Soups]

the best part of Vitamin's photo is that someone has taken the time to strap skis to their pack for the gruelling 30 second bootpack

Also. Are they Rax!?

[peds]

...

Righto, that clears a lot up, thanks.

I have to say, it's all rather confusing to my European mind, and I certainly prefer the system we've got over here... which is feel free to go and kill yourself on whatever part of the mountain you'd like, as long as you can get yourself there.
It's probably for the best that a lot of skiers are given some guidance and boundaries on this front, though.

[gramboh]

Doesn’t patrol not want people up at the rope line before they drop it?

The best answer to the dirty line is simple: ski Whistler instead because it’s better!

[Vitamin I]

Doesn’t patrol not want people up at the rope line before they drop it?

You might be right. I don't know everything about what every Patroller likes.

I'm always looking for ways to support Patrol, though. If I ever find myself waiting for an hour at Spanky's, I will be bored out of my skull, so I will pass the time by building a sick perfect stairway for when Patrol arrives to drop the rope...and then everyone else can use it after Patrol.

Either that or I'll do glissade laps from the high ropes to the people's line-up, then keep lapping the glissade track on my butt.

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[Vitamin I]

...I certainly prefer the system we've got over here [in Europe]... which is feel free to go and kill yourself on whatever part of the mountain you'd like, as long as you can get yourself there.

Whistler/Blackcomb ski patrol is very lenient about letting you kill yourself, but they draw the line if you want to kill yourself by going into a zone to get blown up while they are detonating explosives, and they draw the line if you want to kill yourself by triggering slides that land on top of innocent beginners, and they draw the line if you want to kill yourself by riding a lift in 300km/hr winds if that lift is rated for only 130km/hr winds, and stuff like that.

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[Gaperious Basterd]

Do they have ropes that say “closed” or something? When I skied up to the roped-off precipice of the Couloir Extreme, it was physically roped off but didn’t say closed...

But I physically had to duck a rope to ski it. That was unusual.

[The AD]

Do they have ropes that say “closed” or something?

See the image above that says "open." It says "closed" when it's closed.

[Vitamin I]

Do they have ropes that say “closed” or something? When I skied up to the roped-off precipice of the Couloir Extreme, it was physically roped off but didn’t say closed...

But I physically had to duck a rope to ski it. That was unusual.

At WB, ropes are just encouraging you to think first and then duck the rope---as long as the rope does not have a "Closed" or "Permanently Closed" or "Enter only through gates" sign (which are the only cases when ducking the rope is not allowed). If the rope has a "Boundary" sign, then ducking that rope will take you out of bounds---no avy control, no more signage to help you, no ski patrol to rescue you, no sweep at end of day, feel free to go and die on your own. If rope has a temp handwritten sign like "This route now requires a 10ft mandatory air, after last night's new avy crown"---then feel free to duck the rope at your own risk. If the rope has sign "Enter only through gates", then not allowed to duck that rope, so follow it until you hit a gate, which might have a "Closed" sign on the gate. If the rope has no sign, then (1) try to figure out if it is the boundary (they can't afford put boundary signs on every inch of the boundary rope), then (2) just look before you leap---like maybe there's a big drop, or an overhanging cornice that could crumble beneath your feet, or a rock maze that warrants slower speeds, or a blind cat-track full of beginner kids, so slow down enough to assess the situation, duck the rope, and look before you leap.

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[Bite Me]

Well, it isn't so titties right now. OK, better cover than virtually anywhere else in NA, but that's not saying a whole lot.

Rained all the way up to mid point of Glacier chair, and it was the usual Whistler white out for 2/3 of the hill. Snow is very damp and heavy up to almost the top of the alpine. At least it isn't the dust-on-crust of my December visit.

I have stored a lot of gear locally for maybe the past 10 years, but may have a rethink, as I get so tired of the days where you can't see anything, which probably accounts for 2/3 of my 200+ days there. Great hill(s), too often shit weather.

[gramboh]

^^^ the variability and how fast it goes from amazing to shit is why I never recommend people make trips to Whistler if they have to book more than a week in advance. If I ever move away from the lower mainland I don't think I will bother with WB, too expensive/crowded for the risk of getting skunked with mediocre/bad snow. But when it's good, it's reaaaaalllly good.

[tmokes]

I just wish they had a strip club.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Soups]

Bump for finally personally verifying!

First day in the books and god damn if this place isn't spectacular. Spanky's and the traverse left off the Glacier on a bluebird morning for the win.

[Zaeius]

I just wish they had a strip club.

RIP Boot Ballet