2023/24 BC Southern Interior

[snoboy]

Seems like winter is off to a slow start here, just like this year's thread.

WW opened on Friday - but sounds thin, Red still waiting for more snow.

Reports from Kootenay Pass last weekend were pretty good.

[UkBCyeti]

WW definitely thin, although some good turns on styrofoam in West Ymir on Sunday. Sounds like 1700m is the elevation to be above around here for now..
Wet 2cm at my place just above Nelson this morning though, and weather models seem to be saying a bit of precip for Christmas.

[el hefe]

Grim here in the Okanagan as well. My best turns were a month ago at monashee pow..... yikes

[kootenayskier]

Definitely a mediocre start to the season, but I’m going to ski whatever there is to do, and I’ve been getting out out most days this month. Today was day 14. We skied 1500’ vertical of low angle terrain in 2” of fresh elephant snot, and had a great time.

[beeeom]

Still bike season in nellyville...

[paulster2626]

Definitely a mediocre start to the season, but I’m going to ski whatever there is to do, and I’ve been getting out out most days this month. Today was day 14. We skied 1500’ vertical of low angle terrain in 2” of fresh elephant snot, and had a great time.

This is the correct attitude. Keep it up! Did you take a picture?

[UkBCyeti]

This is the correct attitude. Keep it up! Did you take a picture?

Agreed! Better out there than in here...
Also for those of you that may have missed it:
State of the Snowpack in Nelson

[Bronco]

Any first hand reports on Big White? Thinking of making a trip up there Thursday-Friday next week. Webcams look pretty ok for coverage.

[el hefe]

Not first hand but they are opening the powder and gem lake chairs. Call it improving. Snowed pretty good for a bit this morning at Silver Star, assuming BW got some as well. Forecast is not confidence inspiring.

[DanoT]

Sun Peaks has announced the opening of the Crystal and Burfield chairs tomorrow, Friday Dec 22. The last two nights delivered 5cm and 2 cm of wet heavy snow but colder temps are needed even more than new snow as it was plus 4*C at 11am in the village at about 1200metres/4k feet.

[Dromond]

I have been touring at Sol Mtn Lodge this week. Tuesday was decent with dense but fun powder down into the trees. Yesterday it got super warm and snow turned to gross mush all the way up to treeline. It snowed all day today and skiing improved in the narrow band of about 300-400 meters around treeline where there was no thermal crust and snow that wasn’t too wet. All three days we got soaked due to wet snowfall and mild temps. Sort of rough conditions for a hut trip. Coverage is OK but clearly below normal.

[alive]

Any first hand reports on Big White? Thinking of making a trip up there Thursday-Friday next week. Webcams look pretty ok for coverage.

Big white is well below normal, but like always, there are still ways to enjoy the hill. Checked out the back country on Sunday and was fun, but definitely not the usual. Lots of shrubbery, exposed all over the hill. Seems like they are opening Jim Lake, just in order to charge full price over the holidays. Don’t know the exact stats, but guessing they are opening it with the least amount of snow over the years. Keep one eye open!

[UkBCyeti]

Not looking great on the WH20 webcam..

But here's a couple from last Sunday's West ymir tour..

[kootenayskier]

Powder in the sunshine off the new Raven chair at Whitewater today. Also lots of dust on crust and hazards galore, but had a great day skiing with my nephews.

[UkBCyeti]

Thoughts on the Raven terrain KS?
Skiied the lift line before it went in, and it was fun, but haven't had a chance to get to the other runs yet..

[kootenayskier]

Thoughts on the Raven terrain KS?
Skiied the lift line before it went in, and it was fun, but haven't had a chance to get to the other runs yet..

On opening day all the unskied terrain above Silverking was backcountry powder quality, but for the logs and boulders. Pretty sweet while it lasted. The lower half was dust on crust with minimal coverage, so we mostly traversed out skiers left to lower Juice Box. Also traversed high skiers left outside the ropes into lower Goat’s slide, which was exceptional. Upper Juice box was skiing well, but access off the top required a flat narrow road zig-zag, or a steep exceptionally rocky gully. Overall, it’s a great addition, just needs lots more snow, more summer run prep, and some serious earthworks/blasting to create a proper top to bottom groomed run.

[Arctos Guides]

Current observations from the Central Kootenays:
https://mountainconditions.ca/report...ng-right-spots

[Stuntmonkey]

Any first hand reports on Big White? Thinking of making a trip up there Thursday-Friday next week. Webcams look pretty ok for coverage.

I’m heading up tonight for 6 days with the family. Only expecting to ski 3-4 days but bought my skins in case someone drops some knowledge in my ear at Sam’s.

No uphill travel is a real bummer. They used to let you skin up Gem or Millie’s.

Will give y’all an update this evening.

[kootenayskier]

Red’s been open for a few of days now. A miracle given how little snow (63cm at the top) we have, and the lack of any long term planning or preparation for low snow years. A few runs on the Paradise chair have somewhat consistent coverage and are actually pretty fun, the long groomed run (Rino’s) back to the base is way better than I expected, and patrol have signed most of the roped off parts of the mountain as ski area boundary (at your own risk), so the intrepid/foolhardy can adventure in super sketchy conditions as they wish. No snow in the forecast. Just bought another pair of dedicated rock skis.

[Stuntmonkey]

Big white is skiing nicely. Better than Louise was a few weeks ago. But still a little low tide for sure with tree tops sticking through in various locations. We had a great day in the sun.

That said, supposed to get a few extra inches tonight which will help with everything


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[DanoT]

Both Silver Star and Sun Peaks have most runs open with SS having some closed runs in Powder Gulch and SP having closed runs on lower Burfield and West Morrisey.

OTOH, just because a run is open, doesn't mean it is worth skiing.

[eastcoasttreehugger]

Hey Canadian mags - I'm going to be at RMR next week for a few days in route to Mustang Powder. Anyone around want to meet up and ski? Looking to explore the trees, chutes, bowls of Revy - Jan 9 and morning of Jan 10.

Thanks

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[nickinbc]

Well it is official. Lowest Dec 28th snowpack in over 60 years at the Fidelity snow plot in Glacier National Park.
https://www.facebook.com/ParksMountainSafety

[sparkletarte.]

That was a proper day at ww!
Raven chair is doing a good job spreading people out.

[PeteDee]

Folks I have 5 day tickets from Red's FTM promotion that are expiring at the end of the season...had a blast on my visit last year right before new years (minus a fluke fall that resulted in a dislocated patella but that was after two great days), don't currently have plans to get up this year. You just go to the window and swap em out. I'll happily mail them to a spot or two gratis. I'm in the states so will take 10 days or so I imagine. Let me know if you're interested.