2020/2021 CANADIAN ROCKIES THREAD

**joesnow_** · 12-09-2020, 11:38 PM

Got up to lake today too and it was great. Bit surprised at the amount of cars for a Wednesday but didn’t seem that busy on the hill, pretty quiet by 2.30. Still some good snow in the east bowl and brown shirt.

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**Spooky** · 12-10-2020, 12:39 AM

The Lake was going off today with the blue skies and good snow.

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**robnow** · 12-10-2020, 12:45 AM

Spooky deserves some recognition too...STOMPED!!!

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**Spooky** · 12-10-2020, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by robnow

Spooky deserves some recognition too...STOMPED!!!

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Ah thanks man, what a day to meet up on.

**Shorty_J** · 12-10-2020, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by joesnow_

Got up to lake today too and it was great. Bit surprised at the amount of cars for a Wednesday but didn’t seem that busy on the hill, pretty quiet by 2.30. Still some good snow in the east bowl and brown shirt.

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I think some of the extra parking lot congestion is that people ar taking their own cars and not carpooling... which is good.

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**Shorty_J** · 12-10-2020, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Spooky

The Lake was going off today with the blue skies and good snow.

Pic 1 and 3 are all time!!!!

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**grrrmountainman** · 12-10-2020, 08:17 AM

Rad pics! contenders for powder mag 😎

**splitlit** · 12-10-2020, 09:26 AM

Sick pics!

Great time at sunshine yesterday, can't believe my first day legs held out as long as they did.

**Spooky** · 12-10-2020, 02:27 PM

Delirium Dive opened today. Not there for it sadly.

**Eldo** · 12-10-2020, 07:03 PM

Anyone have opening day reports from KH and Fernie?

**rustypouch** · 12-10-2020, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by himavan

I guess one of the silver linings of all the races cancelled at Louise this year is being able to get a lot more terrain open quickly (?). More alphabet chutes opened on Tues but I didn't get in there with the low vis.

I've been experimenting with eating a lot less while skiing (skipping lunch the past couple years) and this year, with all going on, I've been skipping breakfast too and just having a bar or two on the lift. I actually feel a lot sharper without a plate of eggs and toast in my stomach and nice to have no interest in hitting the lodge other than to warm up and have some coffee/water. (just may be tough if you take a lot of safety meetings and suffer from munchies).

Another benefit of not having the WC is that Men's has been fun to ski. The last few days it's been a lot different than I'm used to, in a good way.

**joecoffee** · 12-10-2020, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by rustypouch

Another benefit of not having the WC is that Men's has been fun to ski. The last few days it's been a lot different than I'm used to, in a good way.

Sorry for the n00b question but... why is that?

**Eldo** · 12-11-2020, 12:13 AM

Race prep (water injection etc) usually means it stays bulletproof and icy until springtime. Aka not a fun run.

**goldenshowers** · 12-11-2020, 09:37 AM

KHo got abused quickly. However, no surprise, as only the top half is decent. Many tourists seemed to stay away and locals were pretty much split on whether to go up or not. With the uncertainty of the hill being able to stay open in the new year, and many rumours circulating around town that it won't, many locals were reluctant to put their first day on their pass for okay skiing. The way the refund structure works, after first use, the refund drops significantly.

**joesnow_** · 12-11-2020, 11:10 AM

Wondering RE: KH are the concerns around it staying open into the new year, lockdown-related (I.e. a forced closure) or just lack of tourist traffic impacting the viability of keeping it open?

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**Mike Rogers** · 12-11-2020, 12:29 PM

Louise will be capping ticket sales going forward.

"Please be advised that on weekend days, we anticipate that we may approach overall resort capacity. We always recommend skiing midweek, if possible, for a more seamless experience.If you do not have a pre-purchased ticket and we are approaching the overall resort capacity, we will advise you before you park. Instead, you may wish to purchase an afternoon ticket, as many guests leave by lunchtime and capacity opens back up."

https://www.skilouise.com/top-news/i...afety-updates/

**splitlit** · 12-11-2020, 01:48 PM

So what does the future look like for KH? Obviously the lift situation is not ideal, neither is the bottom half of the mountain. I assume covid has put a dent on any plans to address any of those.

**rustypouch** · 12-11-2020, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by joecoffee

Sorry for the n00b question but... why is that?

Normally, the World Cup is here in late November. Men's downhill, a run on the frontside, is part of the course. There's a reasonably steep pitch on it. For the WC, it's all blown snow, possibly injected, and *very* firm. For many people, it's almost survival skiing. This year, nothing has been done to it. Just natural snow, and the bumps are nicely soft and round.

**dufferdan** · 12-11-2020, 08:19 PM

Got a few runs in over lunch at Pano before the new boots forced me off the hill crying like a little girl.

Top 2/3rds of main runs off Champagne Chair grippy, lower down to base, crunchy to say the least. Basically a decent Eastern day. Back to making snow as much as they can.

Lasted two hours. Hope I can suck it up for full days tomorrow.

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**DougW** · 12-11-2020, 08:29 PM

I'd say KH was a 75% percentile start. Up there , above average top and average to slightly above lower down. Skied all the way down Wiley and it was pretty good. Not supper deep up top but lots of base. Not a lot off people yesterday but the left lines was slow. Basically gondi was operating at 30% with not many having more than 2 people. So stays pretty up untracked for a long time. Whitewall opened today !! must almost be a record for an early opening.

**Dr.Evil** · 12-12-2020, 12:17 AM

I skied Fernie this afternoon. Definitely early season conditions, that being said the skiing was really good on the upper mountain, everything off piste was tracked up but nice and soft, I don't think I hit one rock. Good solid base, hopefully we get more snow soon.

As far as Kicking Horse (or any other resort in BC goes), I doubt they will shut down unless the province forces them to, which I don't see happening. I don't think any new restrictions were put in place last week by the province, they just extended the restrictions they set in late November for another 3 or 4 weeks despite an increase in new cases and deaths. I suppose if hospitals become overwhelmed then anything can happen, but I think over Christmas the ski hills will stay open. Now I wouldn't be surprised if more restrictions happen in January or February due to increase in cases from parties and gathering over the holidays.

**mntlion** · 12-12-2020, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Rogers

Louise will be capping ticket sales going forward.

"Please be advised that on weekend days, we anticipate that we may approach overall resort capacity. We always recommend skiing midweek, if possible, for a more seamless experience.If you do not have a pre-purchased ticket and we are approaching the overall resort capacity, we will advise you before you park. Instead, you may wish to purchase an afternoon ticket, as many guests leave by lunchtime and capacity opens back up."

https://www.skilouise.com/top-news/i...afety-updates/

yup, but really. Do you WANT to be at the hill (on a non-covid year) when its that busy anyways?

mid week is fine, or weekends at 8:15 or 12:15 starts.

**OffStandish** · 12-12-2020, 03:57 PM

Hit up SSV this morning, rolled into my parking spot at 8:10 am and had a 55 minute wait to load the gondy. Don't think I'll be doing that on a weekend again. Would have been better off skinning up to the village, at least that way I'd stay warm.

Really curious to see if the new restrictions will force them to close the warm-up shelters tomorrow. The gondola wait and no lodge to to warm up in will be miserable on any sort of cold weekend day. Liftlines weren't too bad once actually up to village, Goat's Eye was basically ski-on all morning.

Goat's Eye had a lot better coverage than I was expecting, snow was firm and tracked out, but still good for a morning out.

**mntlion** · 12-12-2020, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by OffStandish

Hit up SSV this morning, rolled into my parking spot at 8:10 am and had a 55 minute wait to load the gondy. Don't think I'll be doing that on a weekend again. Would have been better off skinning up to the village, at least that way I'd stay warm.

Really curious to see if the new restrictions will force them to close the warm-up shelters tomorrow. The gondola wait and no lodge to to warm up in will be miserable on any sort of cold weekend day. Liftlines weren't too bad once actually up to village, Goat's Eye was basically ski-on all morning.

Goat's Eye had a lot better coverage than I was expecting, snow was firm and tracked out, but still good for a morning out.

impressive line up that early

yes, GE is skiing well.