WHISTLER 24 - 25

[The AD]

At least the skiing doesn’t suck! Heh. Really nice knee and thigh deep storm day tree laps today. When the alpine cracks, she’s gonna be glorious.
But yah, hope all are ok.

Yeah, not a bad time to be stuck in Whistler.

Remember there's the emergency ferry terminal at Porteau Cove for exactly this scenario. I'm sure they wouldn't even consider using it unless the closure will be more than a day, though.

edit: I see lots of people offering up beds to stranded travelers on the Sea to Sky Road Conditions group on Facebook. Very cool to see the outpouring of generosity.

[LeeLau]

Flute zone skied beautifully. 45cms new snow at 1900m. The trees had a lot of snow showing that at least a portion of the precip came in without strong winds. Storm snow has odd pockets of windslab at ridgeline. I'd bet alpine is pretty beat but didn't get up there to check it out. Gorgeous light on the way out.

Lots of wonderfully reactive snow in Harmony. Patrol did a heck of a job on avalanche control

[oetk2]

Well done, that looks amazing

[LeeLau]

3cms new. Another 2 fell

[gramboh]

Anyone ski today? How was the snow? Looked like a gong show on Whistler with deicing gondolas delaying upload and ongoing AC keeping alpine shut down. Winds didn't look too bad overnight but temps warmed up to -1 at Peak at 3am before cooling off through the day. Pig Alley +1 from 9pm-2am then 0 to -1. Going to ski tomorrow hope the high alpine on Whistler is decent.

[gramboh]

[emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji637][emoji638][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]Hey Gramboh,

Was up BComb this afternoon. Snow blowed the driveway so missed the shit show.
Saudan/Chainsaw skied fantastically, Garnet/Ruby had a crust about halfway down. Not sure if/when Peak cracked but that’s prob a good play. Really anything that ends up on the groom by mid mountain. Enjoy dude!!

No Whistler alpine/tbar today so that’s where I’ll be heading. Thanks for the info! Will stay up high.

[ktoor]

No Whistler alpine/tbar today so that’s where I’ll be heading. Thanks for the info! Will stay up high.

you probably have all the info you need but: skinned up early (pre lifts) beyond 7th. snow was awesome above 1800 but heavy to 1600 and awful below that. FL shot up quite high and weird inversion at 1300. sun was having an impact as we skied down from 1900. winds were really high last night (think 100kmh gusts at blackcomb summit?). you could see the wind had blown the snow off rocks high with just rime showing. tomorrow seems better with a little refresh and FL staying above 1600 ish. have fun!

tmi i know.


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[gramboh]

Fun day skiing yesterday. Started off snowing and blowing and temps low, Harmony popped just after 10am. There was a crust (sun/temp) on S/E aspects off Harmony with N and W skiing very nicely (Ridge and Boomer area). Went over to Peak after a few laps, W Cirque to Xmas trees skiing great and still a bunch of fresh snow around Surprise due to the challenging access. Warmed up significantly at 1pm and started raining to the top. Booted one lap up Flute and was greeted with smooth creamy wet pow down Pig's Fancy top to bottom untracked, still enjoyable given the change in weather. Was absolutely torrential on the drive back to the city, hoping for a rest Monday/Tuesday, pray for cold temps.

[KevLar]

[t.odd]

could be a christmas miracle if the models continue to align...

[gramboh]

Tonight's system seems to be coming in a bit warmer than forecast unfortunately, 0.8C at PA and 2.1C at Peak currently. Already committed to tomorrow but hoping things cool off as the week progresses.

[KevLar]

Buddy just texted there was an avalanche, backcountry?

[XXX-er]

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/5-rescued-afte...-say-1.7156326

aviy north of whistler no fatalities

edit : the RCMP spokes-dude on the CBC sez it was a size 2.5 at a commercial heli ski op NOT BC skiers

they got dug out by another heli ski op skiing close by

[XXX-er]

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/whistler-suspe...vity-1.6989754

lightning events

[gramboh]

Whistler Heli on Ipsoot? Damn, hope the 3 that went to the hospital are OK and recovering. Wonder if we will see a detailed report.

Resort was skiing way better than expected today, storm snow was dry. Peak did not open for those up tomorrow.

[shirk]

For detailed report I think he meant a CAA incident report and not just Vail barfing out some marketing spiel.

https://www.avalancheassociation.ca/...identReporting

Someone could probably dig into what the WorkSafe BC requirement is for commercial operators.

[gramboh]

For detailed report I think he meant a CAA incident report and not just Vail barfing out some marketing spiel.

https://www.avalancheassociation.ca/...identReporting

Someone could probably dig into what the WorkSafe BC requirement is for commercial operators.

Yep this is what I meant. I know in the past there have been detailed incident reports from commercial operations which are interesting to read and reflect on, would hope the same here but who knows with Vail at the helm and concerns over liability/image or whatever. Thoughts to the guides working under pressure on a beautiful day like yesterday trying to get big groups out in good snow, it's not easy.

[Cocximus]

Snowshoer spent the night in a snow cave instead of getting to KC. Power to him for surviving.

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[robnow]

I’m in from Calgary visiting a friend in Vancouver and I would love to get up tomorrow. Is there ANYTHING for discount tickets? I searched and found nothing.

[The AD]

I’m in from Calgary visiting a friend in Vancouver and I would love to get up tomorrow. Is there ANYTHING for discount tickets? I searched and found nothing.

About your only hope is finding someone with a buddy ticket.

[Cocximus]

Does the pass holder HAVE to be there to pick up a buddy pass?

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[LeeLau]

5 cms new reported. Winds are strong particularly on ridgelines with up to 15cms on windloaded aspects (guesstimate as I couldn't feel bottom with 112mm underfoot skis)

Snowing all the way to the bottom. Harmony cracked. Whited out up there which kept crowds low. Now I see it's shut. Understandable as winds were getting nuclear up there. Massive props to Whistler patrol for the work getting it open

Dress warm!

[LeeLau]

^ Translation, real good storm day. Same deal on BComb. 7th cracked early for a bottomless wind loaded Pakalolo lap, entrance was flat. Wife had firsts in secret.
3-4 GE wind loaded tree laps…Last time up GE, we were riding with a dude with a flask from NY who giggled nervously the whole way up. Never personally seen GE bounce like that. Good times, good waffles.

Yah.. I felt like the lift was on borrowed time. And speaking of timing. Wow that was key

[LeeLau]

Whistler backcountry filling in really well. Singing Pass is an 8 of 10. Really like the 5 to 10cms refills we've been getting

[LeeLau]

Beauty day in the Blackcomb backcountry today. Passed on the extra Vail surcharge and lineups for the ice cave but toured into Circle Lake, and Spearhead Glacier Laps

Beautiful consistent snow on N faces. Warming cycle on S aspects. Warm enough that snow would melt on topsheets. Glacier coverage still thin enough to warrant heads up

Probably close to freezing on S face. Minus 5 on N faces. Almost now wind