Whistler This Weekend

[greenmachine]

I can only ski one day. My guess is that tomorrow upper lifts will be on wind hold and Sunday will be the day. Or do you think strom day tomorrow will be the way to go? Help me decide.

WHISTLER - BLACKCOMB.
TODAY..MAINLY CLOUDY. SNOW DEVELOPING LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
ALPINE HIGH MINUS 3.
FREEZING LEVEL IN THE VALLEY RISING TO 900 METRES THIS AFTERNOON.
MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS SOUTH 30 KM/H.
TONIGHT..SNOW.
ALPINE TEMPERATURE RISING TO MINUS 2.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION 30 TO 40 CM.
FREEZING LEVEL IN THE VALLEY RISING TO 1400 METRES OVERNIGHT.
MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS SOUTHEAST 30 KM/H INCREASING AROUND MIDNIGHT TO 60 GUSTING TO 100.
SATURDAY..SNOW ENDING LATE IN THE DAY.
ALPINE TEMPERATURE STEADY NEAR MINUS 3.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION 10 TO 15 CM.
FREEZING LEVEL 1400 METRES FALLING TO THE VALLEY LATE IN THE DAY.
MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS SOUTHEAST 60 KM/H OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO 100 BECOMING NORTHWEST 40 GUSTING TO 70 NEAR MIDDAY.


PNW KILLING IT!

[postman22]

this year W/B seems to open everything every day. since weekends have been extremely busy i can't imagine them not opening the lifts tomorrow. they prob right before lunch 11:30 or so

if you want sun go sunday

[bomber]

Everyone around here in the PacNW is freaking about the potential wind this weekend. I hope it isn't true, I hope it isn't true...

[Squirrel99]

GM-
I thnk I'm going to Whistler after work tonight. Hoping the winds will be a little bit less (I'd rather gamble on Whistler getting the lifts cranking than testing my luck with the WA winds). 35cm's tonight

I've got a free ticket for tomorrow (which helps!), but i'm keeping my options open. With our storm coming in more on Saturday, I may skip back from BC to Alpy for Sunday. Lots o driving, but as long as it's deep, I don't care!

[greenmachine]

Sq - I'll shoot you a pm. I'm pretty certain if the wind is that bad and it is dumping the upper lifts will be on hold and vis will suck. I'm hoping that someone who knows the mtns better than I do will say otherwise. Can't argue with that amount of snow though. hmm. decisions decisions.

[seatosky]

Whistler will be sick tomorrow. Just go.

[LeeLau]

If the conditions are what I expect - freezing level up high; warm winds; lots of snow; high winds; expect a delayed alpine opening. Patrol will probably get it open but it will take some time; the high temps more then anything will be a problem.

We;ve had consistent moderate snowfalls with coldish (-10 or so) temps over the past month - which has promoted awesome stability so that every snow or precip event has actually been good for stability rather then bad.

Tomorrow might be the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back as both windloading AND high temps will cause a ton of load on the snow.

Basically - all this prediction mumbo jumbo means that AC will be quite the gongshow tomorrow.

When alpine is limited I usually head to blackcomb and ski trees. In whiteout I can always find my way around too when/if the alpine opens. If there's a reasonable chance in the am that Whistler will open then I will ski Whistler as there are just more hard-to-find stashes there.

But you won't really have a clear idea about this till tomorrow. As i type its still clear in the valley with coolish temps up high (-10ish temps at the peak); if you can wait till tomorrow am you'll have a much better idea of what to hit. If the storm comes in hot and heavy tonight and it warms up I'll post something up

[Squirrel99]

if the wind is that bad and it is dumping the upper lifts will be on hold and vis will suck.

I'm not worried. I know both mountains pretty well, more importantly the trees. Even if the alpine has a delayed opening- it's better than not having the upper mtn open at either Alpy or Xtal.

[htbandit]

typical Whistler champagne pow! 35 cm overnight with minus 2 alpine temp and windy. You will be able to smell those Pinnaples!

[greenmachine]

Thanks for the input, obviously both days will be fun, i'm just trying to pick the best bet.

[PulverSchwein]

also debating whether to hit Whissie this weekend. Or I could book it into the interior as per usual. The WB dumpage is so tempting but could turn into a gongshow of crowds, temp, and windhold. Hmmm, decisions, decisions?

[milkman]

I hope they open the alpine (Harmony/Peak) tomorrow, but I won't be holding my breath. All that snow and the high winds will make it pretty doubtful. Sunday will be the day for high alpine.....

[Squirrel99]

Thanks for the input, obviously both days will be fun, i'm just trying to pick the best bet.

My pick is Sunday (for both BC & WA areas). Just seems like the weather is going to cooperate more.

[wicked_sick]

Here it comes

[powder11]

bumping for the dumping

[Squirrel99]

Okay, it's really stupid, but i'm going to head up to Whistler tonight and then try to make it back to Alpental for the Sunday gorging. Attempting to chase both ends of the storm. Here's hoping that the alpine makes an appearance tomorrow (fingers crossed)

[greenmachine]

Now that reminds of the squirell of 04/05!!!

[Squirrel99]

Now that reminds of the squirell of 04/05!!!

except we got a crapload of snow, making it more fun!

git it this weekend, boyz. NWAC thinks the rain will stay away (just a question of the winds):

30-40cms Whistler tonight
1.5" water content for Alpy Sunday

but the freakin' winds
WHISTLER - BLACKCOMB.
TONIGHT..SNOW AT TIMES HEAVY.
ALPINE TEMPERATURE RISING TO MINUS 2.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION 30 TO 40 CM.
FREEZING LEVEL RISING TO 1400 METRES OVERNIGHT.
MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS SOUTHEAST 40 KM/H INCREASING AROUND MIDNIGHT TO 70 GUSTING TO 110.
SATURDAY..SNOW ENDING LATE IN THE DAY. PARTIAL CLEARING IN THE EVENING.
ALPINE TEMPERATURE STEADY NEAR MINUS 3.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION 10 TO 15 CM.

[LeeLau]

Its starting to come down - but temps are staying coolish - around freezing at valley.

latest avvy report snippet -

Weather:
In the Whistler area on Friday night 30 to 40 cm of snow is expected accompanied by winds from the southeast in the 60 to 100km range. The freezing level will peak at about 1400m and then fall Saturday morning. Keep in mind that in localized areas throughout the forecast region, over 60 cm could fall Friday night alone. After the cold front passes on Saturday morning, unstable air will keep the snow flying all day with an additional 15 to 20 cm accompanied by gusty winds. Sunday a ridge starts to build biring an extended period of nice weather.

[rbtree]

I'd go with ya Squirrel, but if the predicted 70 mph lowland winds materialize, I'll be busy doing storm related tree work and raking in beaucoup dinero....

[3eyedsmiley]

yup from what I hear the winds are gonna be coming on hard, everywhere. up in seattle we are praying that we don't get our power cut out right at the end of the super bowl or something as hasselbeck lobs up a hail mary for the win. if that happens I will be so pissed...

but the snow is gonna be hella good, so if you want to brave the winds, go get some in alpy; it'll be deserted.

[filthyfrenchbum]

I have the same dillema, but from what i've read i don't think tommorow will be as much fun as sunday. Any updates on what the conditions should be like? It was windy last week-end and it took them a while to open, but not as windy as 70kph! So im not even sure they will open the alpine if it's too risky

[wizard604]

Heavy rain/snow on the way up from town tonight. Some of the snow was starting to stick. It's snowing in the village right now.

[bigtrubs]

We were supposed to go to Baker but they're on wind hold right now, might go down that way anyway, hopefully they're open tomorrow. At least a few chairs on W/B are open.

[PulverSchwein]

Any word on how it was up there? wondering if the alpine opened on either/both mountains. An untouched alpine on superbowl sunday sounds pretty tempting.