2022/23 BC Southern Interior

[snoboy]

Dumping all across the South East, el hefe says Silver Star is skiable... must be time for a new thread.

[el hefe]

Heading out on the 11th, can't wait! Sled is tuned up, new radio, new skis.......

[LHutz Esq]

I am down in sun peaks for a week at the end of November for kid 1's ski camp. Luckily I am not coaching - just driving... and paying.

Worthwhile bringing the touring gear?

[nickinbc]

Nice skiing at Balu Pass on Wednesday. Most of the ski out was ok apart from the refrozen tracks at the bottom. There was barely any snow below Rogers Pass summit but that will have changed now.

[Dr. Crank]

Quick transitions between seasons are good. Goal is to go from good biking to good skiing in as short a time as possible

Heading out on the 11th, can't wait! Sled is tuned up, new radio, new skis.......

Sounds like you planned ahead. More than I can say for myself. What radio did you get?

[DanoT]

I am down in sun peaks for a week at the end of November for kid 1's ski camp. Luckily I am not coaching - just driving... and paying.

Worthwhile bringing the touring gear?

Touring gear is not needed to access the inbounds but not lift serviced Gil's Hill area of Sun Peaks, although there are a couple of runs beyond Gil's Hill where some folks have been known to put in a skins track and then head back to Gil's at the end of the day for the ski back to the village.

You certainly won't need touring gear to escape the non existing crowds of late November/early December.

[el hefe]

Quick transitions between seasons are good. Goal is to go from good biking to good skiing in as short a time as possible



Sounds like you planned ahead. More than I can say for myself. What radio did you get?

Baofang UV82Hp 7/8 watt, long range antenna mic and cover for $222 shipped thru Dave Norona on instagram.

Almost looking like SS got more snow then revy from this storm. K3 saying 2ft at 1600m. Hopefully we get more over the weekend cause this week is looking dry and cold.

[el hefe]

So much snow. Was hard not having gear up there!

[alive]

I know what you mean. Weekend at Biggie with no sticks. Walking a couple of nights ago. 20 cm since this picture so far with more to come.
Frustrating that none of the equipment for the hill has been moving. Doubt that there will be an early opening

[Dr. Crank]

Thanks Hefe. Baofengs still sound like the standard choice for rec users, even though my touring partner’s unit is no longer reliable.

Snowed a fair amount up here this morning. Fighting a cold while shovelling the driveway is always good times but the prospect of starting a new season more or less cancelled out the suffering

[el hefe]

Wow.... heard they might open on the 18th.

[garyfromterrace]

I am down in sun peaks for a week at the end of November for kid 1's ski camp. Luckily I am not coaching - just driving... and paying.

Worthwhile bringing the touring gear?

End of Nov may be a bit early to ski Funnel, Elevator and executioner. But they're cool runs "out back" that don't get skied too often. May be fun for you to ski to Tod Peak proper. But if you're paying over $100 a day to ride the lifts...
It's definitely early season before Dec. The classics on the Tod side may not be in shape yet (challenger, expo etc) but the upper mtn over there should be decent (chief, hwy 22, Sunnyside, father toms). Definitely rolling the dice a bit that early. Having said all that, the summer grooming at SP is second to none as is the winter grooming (looking at you Glenergy). So you may want to ski like a local and scare the tourists as you use them as super G gates going mach schnell!

[LHutz Esq]

My plan was to take a few days off from the hill and go out and explore while the kiddie smashes her 3,000th gate.

Doesn't need to be sun peaks proper- any information on the nearby environs would be appreciated. Have truck will travel.

I am not sure I have 5-6 days of hill skiing in these legs so early in the season - nice to break it up with some exploring.

[garyfromterrace]

Damn bro, there's not much touring close to Sun peaks other than what's on Sun peaks. It's a big beautiful pimple, in the middle of no mountains. I mean, it has been a while since I lived there... But not really in a geological (new mountains have appeared because of uplift) sense..

[Stuntmonkey]

Biggie opening on the 17th. Saw some goobers putting down tracks on the webcam lol. That never goes down well in my experience.

[BCMtnHound]

Damn bro, there's not much touring close to Sun peaks other than what's on Sun peaks. It's a big beautiful pimple, in the middle of no mountains. I mean, it has been a while since I lived there... But not really in a geological (new mountains have appeared because of uplift) sense..

Pretty much this. Closest real mtn is Dunn Massif to the north, but still early season and long approaches. Closest terrain that might be worth the effort is in Valemount, or east into the gorge? But both are a bit of a drive from SunPeaks and need sleds. Or south up the Coq.

That said, some of the best thigh-deep powder I’ve ever skied in SP was early season storms on a grass base. So you may luck out.

[teamdirt]

Pretty much this. Closest real mtn is Dunn Massif to the north, but still early season and long approaches. Closest terrain that might be worth the effort is in Valemount, or east into the gorge? But both are a bit of a drive from SunPeaks and need sleds. Or south up the Coq.

That said, some of the best thigh-deep powder I’ve ever skied in SP was early season storms on a grass base. So you may luck out.

Duffy lake is reasonable from Kamloops, at least from a cgy day trip to LL perspective for 30+ years…

[BCMtnHound]

Duffy lake is reasonable from Kamloops, at least from a cgy day trip to LL perspective for 30+ years…

Heh. Sun Peaks to the Cerise trailhead parking lot is about a 4hr drive. Isn’t Calgary to LL about 2hrs?

[DanoT]

Pretty much this. Closest real mtn is Dunn Massif to the north, but still early season and long approaches. Closest terrain that might be worth the effort is in Valemount, or east into the gorge? But both are a bit of a drive from SunPeaks and need sleds. Or south up the Coq.

That said, some of the best thigh-deep powder I’ve ever skied in SP was early season storms on a grass base. So you may luck out.

Yeah, early season pow days at Sun Peaks can be a treat because there is often no one there to share it with and any long time local will tell you that the best thing they ever did to improve the skiing at SP is the on going summer grooming. They long ago pulled stumps, picked rocks, planted grass and nowadays they have some runs on a 3 year, some on a 5 year rotation for cutting weeds and small conifers.

Early season Sun Peaks can have 30cm or so less base than other resorts in the region and have noticeably better conditions.

[teamdirt]

Heh. Sun Peaks to the Cerise trailhead parking lot is about a 4hr drive. Isn’t Calgary to LL about 2hrs?

I was thinking more Kamloops to Steep creek. No idea on time between Kamloops-Sun peaks…never been. But yeah still a long day trip!

[kootenayskier]

25cm on top of a 1” crust and early season coverage at Kootenay Pass. Bottomless knee to thigh deep blower, heavy trenching on the ups but surprisingly skiable in the Rossland Range.

[Arctos Guides]

One of the best opening days in the Kootenays in a number of years….still gotta keep your tips up though⛷

https://mountainconditions.ca/reports/winter-has-arrived

[el hefe]

[kevino]

what resource do you guys use for monitoring snow depth around the region (non ski areas)? thanks

[el hefe]

Bc river forecast center has stations spread out through bc. Takes a bit to figure out how to use and read the info but a good resource. They record Temps as well. Avalanche.ca is also good reading the min reports. Sled forums work.