Level 1 just posted that the Hortsman T-bar has been removed, but I can’t find any press release or any other source of info about it. Does anyone know anything more? Is summer skiing in whistler done for good?
The End of Summer Skiing in Whistler?
- Thread starter Dstan
- Start date
tiger_shart
Member
damn, heartbreaking. Got my first laps on it last summer. Was stoked to go back this year, but obviously that didn't happen. What a legendary place.
was bound to happen eventually. I think everyone was saying the time to shut down the glacier has come
The top quarter of the t-bar was not used for several seasons in a row and kids had to hike out.
Curious to hear if they actually took it out permanently or they are simply moving it (like they did the other t-bar on the glacier). The fact that there was no press leads me to believe the latter. However they are owned by Vail so who knows.
Curious to hear if they actually took it out permanently or they are simply moving it (like they did the other t-bar on the glacier). The fact that there was no press leads me to believe the latter. However they are owned by Vail so who knows.
TACO-DOG.exe
Active member
wow i'm surprised there isn't more discussion on this, although i guess the forums are dying and it is summer..
i don't think this is the end of glacier skiing in whis. they make too much off of renting out the lanes for momentum and other race groups. they also added in snowmaking equipment on the glacier a few years ago to top up the melt over the winter. not to mention all the money guests spend on hotel rooms, food and merchandise in the village who are also there to ski. neither vail, whistler or momentum has said anything about it and i think they would be obliged to do so being the only other lift accessible summer skiing in north America aside from beartooth pass and hood. but then again COC did just cancel their program out of nowhere when they shut down so i could be wrong.
a friend of mine heard some rumours two seasons ago that it was the last summer for the glacier and that momentum was going to try and move it's operations to Valemount's new resort (has barely started construction.) he's also the type of guy to spread a lot of bullshit so i doubt that's true but i still like to hope so since it'll be a 5 hour shorter drive for me.
regardless of what will happen it's a sad day for skiing. lot's of memories, first tricks and friends were made lapping that t-bar.
**This post was edited on Jul 14th 2020 at 1:34:52am
i don't think this is the end of glacier skiing in whis. they make too much off of renting out the lanes for momentum and other race groups. they also added in snowmaking equipment on the glacier a few years ago to top up the melt over the winter. not to mention all the money guests spend on hotel rooms, food and merchandise in the village who are also there to ski. neither vail, whistler or momentum has said anything about it and i think they would be obliged to do so being the only other lift accessible summer skiing in north America aside from beartooth pass and hood. but then again COC did just cancel their program out of nowhere when they shut down so i could be wrong.
a friend of mine heard some rumours two seasons ago that it was the last summer for the glacier and that momentum was going to try and move it's operations to Valemount's new resort (has barely started construction.) he's also the type of guy to spread a lot of bullshit so i doubt that's true but i still like to hope so since it'll be a 5 hour shorter drive for me.
regardless of what will happen it's a sad day for skiing. lot's of memories, first tricks and friends were made lapping that t-bar.
**This post was edited on Jul 14th 2020 at 1:34:52am
GilsonSkis
Member
Rip. Time to start building the snow domes
cheerio
Active member
Very sad news, never skied there in the summer, but definitely saw the impacts when I was there in January 2017 and 2019
First got introduced to the whole glacier receeding idea maybe 5 years ago when I heard a podcast about it. Pretty sure it was LPP. Obviously it started much before 5 years ago but things seemed to have progressed much faster in recent years. I think they planned on rebuilding the glacier in the wintertime but I guess that didnt work out.
Wonder if Hood and European summer skiing resorts are in their last years as well?
Also what level of impact salt used in summer parks would have on glaciers melting
First got introduced to the whole glacier receeding idea maybe 5 years ago when I heard a podcast about it. Pretty sure it was LPP. Obviously it started much before 5 years ago but things seemed to have progressed much faster in recent years. I think they planned on rebuilding the glacier in the wintertime but I guess that didnt work out.
Wonder if Hood and European summer skiing resorts are in their last years as well?
Also what level of impact salt used in summer parks would have on glaciers melting
This definitely sucks.
I actually think I know the answer to that. Pretty sure that the actual melting of the glacier isn't directly related to the application of salt itself but more due to the general use of the glacier for ski operations, that being said, salt does cause adverse effects to the sources of regional drinking water and also has negative effects on regional biodiversity because of the heightened chloride levels that appear in downstream runoff. There was a study done on the downstream effects by Teichrob at the University of British Columbia in 2010 & there's probably some more info you could search up
14156748:cheerio said:
I actually think I know the answer to that. Pretty sure that the actual melting of the glacier isn't directly related to the application of salt itself but more due to the general use of the glacier for ski operations, that being said, salt does cause adverse effects to the sources of regional drinking water and also has negative effects on regional biodiversity because of the heightened chloride levels that appear in downstream runoff. There was a study done on the downstream effects by Teichrob at the University of British Columbia in 2010 & there's probably some more info you could search up
hemlockjibber8
Active member
14156715:.Dad said:
When did Vernon get a new resort? Never heard of this.
TACO-DOG.exe
Active member
14156780:hemlockjibber8 said:
sorry i meant Valemount. i'll edit my original post.
14156781:.Dad said:
Isnt the Oberti family behind valemount as well? We've all seen how much "progress" they made on their previous crystal mtn resort
TACO-DOG.exe
Active member
14156783:TRVP_ANGEL said:
it is yes. i think they had some part in jumbo glacier too which got nowhere fast.
bueno
Member
[video]https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/968165/IMG-3607-MOV[/video]
Video filmed yesterday. Sad site to see the t-bar gone. It's pretty clear that every year there is significantly less snow up there than the previous year so I wouldn't be surprised if summer Horstman glacier skiing is a thing of the past. Losing the t-bar on top of the lack of snow just seems like the last straw to throw in the towel
Edit: no sign of any of the t-bar parts up there so i don't think they're moving it elsewhere but who knows
**This post was edited on Jul 14th 2020 at 4:34:35pm
Video filmed yesterday. Sad site to see the t-bar gone. It's pretty clear that every year there is significantly less snow up there than the previous year so I wouldn't be surprised if summer Horstman glacier skiing is a thing of the past. Losing the t-bar on top of the lack of snow just seems like the last straw to throw in the towel
Edit: no sign of any of the t-bar parts up there so i don't think they're moving it elsewhere but who knows
**This post was edited on Jul 14th 2020 at 4:34:35pm
freestyler540
Active member
T bars are dying in general. Seems like ski resorts are more interested in chairlifts now.
Too bad, I love riding T bars
Too bad, I love riding T bars
tnabe
Member
There seems to be some confusion about which t-bar was removed. The lift that services the Blackcomb Glacier, Momentum and allows access to the Blackcomb backcountry still remains.
The Hortsman t-bar used to service Camp of Champs and connected the top of Glacier Chair to the other side of the ridge to the top of 7th Heaven.
The Hortsman t-bar hasn't been running for almost 2 seasons now and it's removal won't change anything that hasn't already been the case since 2018.
The Hortsman t-bar used to service Camp of Champs and connected the top of Glacier Chair to the other side of the ridge to the top of 7th Heaven.
The Hortsman t-bar hasn't been running for almost 2 seasons now and it's removal won't change anything that hasn't already been the case since 2018.
14157038:tnabe said:
its used to get back to top of 7th in the summer and was operational last summer. Momentum announced that access will now be via glacier express lift starting next season. Only question is, will there be public park?
**This post was edited on Jul 15th 2020 at 3:51:39am
skier_boy26
Active member
In Whistler's master plan, they were going to eventually replace the T-bars with a gondola.
That doesn't mean that summer skiing will still be a thing up there, though. That glacier is going FAST.
That doesn't mean that summer skiing will still be a thing up there, though. That glacier is going FAST.
cobra_commander
Active member
It’s been almost 15 years since I was on the glacier in the summer. Even then you could tell the difference over the previous 5 years. When the free skiing summer camps (CoC and High North) really started in the late 90s and early ‘00s you could ski until August. By 2005 it was over by mid July.
great memories though. High North was the shit.
great memories though. High North was the shit.
twinkle_toes
Member
WoFIowz
Active member
Obviously this is 99% global warming but have y'all ever considered that skiing contributes to glacial melt? Thinking about it if a mass of snow is left to melt on its own, it will take much longer than if it is being continuously chopped up and turned over. When you ski, you push the snow around and create more surface area that's exposed to the air. You are also mixing snow from the surface with snow below the surface and changing the temperature gradient, which accelerates melt.
Likely minimal but just a thought.
Likely minimal but just a thought.
Notaskibum
Member
14318816:HypeBeast said:
Don't quote me on this but grooming / skiing actually makes the snow last longer by compacting it or whatever
14318836:Paul. said:
Clearly I hit a heart string, nothing has been posted ina year and the photo of it right now seems to be the most revilvent part of this thread.
Skiing has effects on the environment, snow is literally melting when you ski down it, seems a bit arbitrary to discuss it, no?
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Active member
14318816:HypeBeast said:
Idk what it would be for a glacier and summer, but machines packing the snow down can actually prolong the snow life for a normal mountain. Even skiing packing it down. The same way if you walk down the side walk in a snow storm and ir doesnt get shoveled the footprints may take a longer time to melt because the snow is compressed and more solid.
Also as far as thread, that sucks. Hood looks pretty bleak right now too
ReturnToMonkey
Active member
14318837:jps2.0 said:
14318854:eheath said:
Yeah grooming the snow definitely helps it because the cats don't depend on snow melting to operate. They also can plan where snow needs to be moved/packed accordingly.
Like eheath said, skis literally slide on a tiny layer of melted water and no skier is thinking about where they're moving the snow around to in the middle of a turn or slash.
Also, groomers usually operate at night or morning when it's colder out. When hundreds of people are turning the snow over in the middle of the day when it's sunny and 50 degrees, lots more gets exposed/melted.
ReturnToMonkey
Active member
14320269:3mania said:
Mfw people respond to climate change events with more environmentally harmful actions
14320269:3mania said:
I don't even want my brain to try and process the amount of salt that gets used. Somewhere between 1, 40 pound bag and a trillion billion gazillion pounds a day.
I know it's the only way to make it work, and they monitor it, but it's gotta have some impact for sure.
EvanMeyer
Active member
14320220:HypeBeast said:
Technically the La Niña cycle was last season but from forecast predications I have seen it could potentially reemerge this fall and into winter. I’ve got my fingers crossed but have also seen predictions of a cold dry winter so we’ll see. Bachelor didn’t even hit its average last year we were about 40” under and I think hood may have just barely hit theirs.