Lake Louise and Sunshine Village

Dr.Gnar

Dr.Gnar

Member
Where the FUCK is all the snow? It's been like a month since we've had anything significant for powder. Now things are getting more exposed and icy. Screw this place, it's gonna be spring skiing before we know it. If you're Australian apparently 10 cm on top of hardpack is a "powder day" but for me it doesn't qualify til it's like, past the boots. Is it gonna dump hard again, do you think? At least I'm not from the East (I'll shut up).
 
What are you on about? February has been dry but last week Sunshine got about 70cms in a week and the freeride zones were off the hook.

Also chill out and be patient - March, April and even early May are the best months for powder round here which means we're just at the beginning of the best time of year.
 
If you wanted deep pow days then Banff isn't the place for you. I love those hills but the snow pack is a constant drizzle no tits deep days.
 
i would say the last week has been sick! i had a sweet bluebird pow day at lake on wednesday i think and we're possibly due a dump at the weekend! Pumped!
 
i would say the last week has been sick! i had a sweet bluebird pow day at lake on wednesday i think and we're possibly due a dump at the weekend! Pumped!
 
True in that the Banff area doesn't get the big dumps like the interior but if you ski the right spots you can have deep days when the conditions are right.
 
there was a decent powder dump in edmonton. enough to finally hit some urban and had a pow day on some of the local hills.
 
Oh yes I was in Delirium Dive during that period and had some of the best lines of my LIFE but it's just a huge contrast frpom what's it normally is. SO I need some help. Banff has a lot of intermediate riders from Ontario (some are really good but usually not) and noobish riders from Australia. They're my friends and all but they can't keep up to my normal pace and caliber of riding, myself having grown up in BC/AB. Next season, if I want tons of constant pow, and lots of hard-charging company to shred with, of the 4.....Revy, Kicking Horse, Whistler, or Fernie? I hear Fernie is great cause within 2 hours you have Nelson and Red Mountain and some other incredible places. It's a toss up between Revy and Kicking Horse. I like Revy cause it's still young and fresh and it'd be cool to help be around as it develops.
 
I'd say Revy for more snow & tree skiing etc, Kicking Horse for alpine gnar and slackcountry. Either way you'd have a blast. Personally i'd go KH though - close to Roger's Pass and Revy, close to the AB hills.

Also if you want to ski with better skiers in around Banff then you need to get to know some locals or people who have been around a while rather than the Ontarians/Australians who are here for a season or two then bounce.
 
I've skied Revi and the place is fucking awesome! Havn't skied KH but I've heard its meant to be sweet. I'd assume both will be full of really good skiers too, I know Revi was when I was there. If your going to be living there, I spent a short time in the town of Revelstoke and have been through golden (only briefly) and preferred the town of Revelstoke.
 
Alberta side mountains aren't going to get the same about of snow as the BC side. It's just science.

I'd rather go to Kicking Horse over Louise for a couple reasons.

A) I have a pass there, and family and friends

B) Terrain is a lot different and steeper

Louise has great open terrain, and great fun.

I grew up in Louise for 12 years, I know the terrain, I know the snow. I still find KH more fun. It's just my opinion though.

Sunshine isn't my cup of tea at all. Too open, and I'm never able to catch the Dive or anything.

Anyways, Louise is fun, plenty of different terrain for everyone. It's an everyman's hill. North Cornice is amazing, same with the Whitehorn chutes. Amazing park. World cup race terrain. Plenty of space for people to learn. And when a powder day shows up, it's lovely! Bonus points for ER6 opening.
 
I've shredded both during prime waist deep pow, and they were dream-like places. Revelstoke is a nicer town for sure. It's a nicer truck stop town lol. Both places have lots of hard riders. The chutes, couloirs, and cliffs at Kicking Horse are insane with long fall lines. Revelstoke's tree skiing seemed to never end and there were boulders/mounds/banks/banked turns covered in snow that made it like a rollercoaster. Like I said, it's just such a toss up!!
 
Oh man Kicking Horse puts Louise to shame for sure as far as hardcore lines go. But between Revelstoke and KH....what would you suggest?
 
I can honestly say I've never skied Revy.

I was going to go this year over Christmas, but then it got warm, and if it's mild temp in Golden, it's warm in Revy.

So my vote is KH.

I'm just so much more familiar with the terrain. Super Bowl is sex, especially Terminator Ridge. Sidecountry access is sex. Inbound chutes are sex. Tress are meh, unless you head over to Blow down.

Only thing I'm afraid of is RCR. They've taken away the jump for Wrangle this year. They sure are causing quite the stir.
 
But they can't change the existing terrain...is it as if RCR will close all the good inbounds stuff?? What's the effect that's it's gonna have? I'm thinking Revelstoke by a close margin because it also has backcountry galore from what I hear.
 
The problem with Sunshine is that almost all the good terrain is pretty well hidden or restricted access. Which is perfect if you know the slackcountry well and ski the resort often enough to get in the Dive/West regularly as it means you can get fresh lines for weeks after a storm. On the other hand if you're passing through for a few days or ski it infrequently you'll probably conclude it's a really uninteresting place to ski.
 
I'd love to do it. What's that one run, Silvercity?

I just need someone who knows the hill well enough. I never skied it. I've lived in this area all my life, and I've been to Sunshine twice in the past 10 years, and that's because I won tickets at Freshtival.

I grew up in Louise until the age of 12, so I know Lake Louise like the back of my hand.

I lived/skied in Golden from 12-21, so I know KH like the back of my other hand.

I still go to both of those hills and find something new every time.

I'm sure I'm missing out on some great terrain when it happens. When Sunshine does end up getting that dump that Louise or KH don't get, then I'm going to want to be there.
 
Yeah the lake yesterday was sick. At least until TOTW broke down.

But then there was a sick park to ride so.....quit complaining! LL is killing it this year
 
Oh my GOD how fucking good was the Lake today!? And tomorrow it gets even better! I found first track lines all day today. And triggered a tiny slide on the back bowls through a little chute. It was scary, totally flat light, realized I was moving sideways, got that vertigo feeling, looked up to see a 6" crown moving farther away LOL
 
best day of the year. And its still puking. Timed it so well, first down glacier lift line, one of the first down the flight chutes, first down headwall bowl, twice. Then got in whitehorn minutes after opening and then followed the chinese downhill down paradise bowl. Like, every mogul coverd up from the snow could have straightlined it. If your going up tomorrow lets shred it up.
 
I'm worky working :( if I manage to get out by 11 a.m though I'm hustlin there, maybe gayshine though. Dark grey Helly jacket, orange pants, white helmet, opus's, if you do spot me holler!! Always lookin for shredders plus I'm still figuring out the mountain and it's hot spots...
 
Hahaha, well i'm def not hitting sunshine, so flat you don't know what end of the lift to get on. But yea the lake will be sick tomorrow, sure sunshine will too just a little bit of sibling resort rivalry LL FOR LIFE. If you do make it out to the lake, red outdoor research coat, and some red ripzone pants, obsetheds and black helmet, with oaklee crowbars
 
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