Snowboardcanada.com - Ski and Snowboard Resorts

Whistler Blackcomb Announces Major $18 Million Capital Expansion for 2013.2014

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:59:00 -0500

Whistler Blackcomb has unveiled capital plans for a major lift expansion. Whistler Mountain’s Harmony high-speed, quad chairlift will be replaced with a new Doppelmayr high-speed, detachable, six-pack chairlift capable of transporting six people on each chair. Blackcomb Mountain will see a lift enhancement with a high-speed quad chairlift going into a new area in the Crystal Zone, currently accessed by a fixed-grip triple chair.

“This lift expansion clearly demonstrates our commitment to continuously enhance the skiing and riding experience on both mountains,” says Dave Brownlie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Whistler Blackcomb. “Each zone the new lifts will service is unique and much-loved by Whistler locals and destination guests alike. The capital we are investing to enhance our already amazing experiences will make Whistler Blackcomb even better.”

The new high-speed quad chairlift in the Crystal Zone will be 1,708 metres (5,604ft) in length, with a vertical rise of 535 metres (1,755ft). Skier carrying capacity will increase by 65 per cent over the current lift to 2,400 skiers per hour. The new quad will deliver skiers and riders to the same location as the current triple chair next to the Crystal Hut. However, the aspect of the new lift line is dramatically different, and will originate 158 metres (518ft) lower than the old Crystal lift. The bottom elevation will be 1,292 metres (4,239ft) and the top elevation of the lift will be 1,827 metres (5,994ft).

This bottom terminal location along the Blackcomb Glacier Road ski-out eliminates the need to utilize the Excelerator Chair to access many Crystal Zone trails including Ridge Runner, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and gladed trails like Outer Limits. It will be even quicker to return to the Glacier Express chair to access Horstman Glacier, Blackcomb Glacier and Spanky’s. The increased length of the chair’s line will give skiers and riders the opportunity to lap the entire Crystal Zone – from undulating cruisers to gladed zones riddled with natural terrain features and snow-caked trees straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. The name of this exciting new quad chairlift will be determined through a competition to be announced by Whistler Blackcomb later this winter.

The Harmony Six high-speed chairlift will replace one of Whistler Blackcomb’s most popular lifts and will dramatically improve the uphill capacity by 50 per cent; going from 2,400 skiers per hour to 3,600. The Harmony Six will service terrain spanning from the edge of the Symphony Amphitheatre all the way over to Glacier Bowl, adjacent to the Peak Express. This area, known as the Harmony Zone, makes up over 485 hectares (1,200 acres) of Whistler Blackcomb’s 3,306 hectares (8,171 acres) of total terrain. With a wide variety of beginner to expert terrain options, the Harmony Six will ensure skiers and riders are able to spend more time on the mountain exploring the spectacular, powder-covered alpine that Whistler Blackcomb is celebrated for.

The Harmony Six has the same alignment as the current Harmony quad; spanning 1,729 metres (5,672ft) in length, with a vertical rise of 525 metres (1,722ft). The top elevation of the lift is 2,107 metres (6,912ft); the bottom elevation is 1,582 metres (5,190ft).

Construction on the lifts will begin this spring and will continue through the summer and fall with an expected opening at the beginning of the 2013.2014 winter season.

Sunshine Opening Day

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:42:00 -0500

Sunny skies and pow filled runs mark the opening day at Sunshine Village. Colin D Watt and friends have day one in the books, check the pics to see what it was like. With Lake Louise running lifts for the first time as well and Mt Norquay opening a few weeks back, the Big 3 are all officially open for the season. For more info check out www.skibig3.com

Robby Ballharry cranking one for the spectators on the lift.

Breanna Strangeland front board pretzel to start the season.

Colin D Watt checks the snow depth.

And deems it safe for backflips.

Red Mountain adds nearly 1,000 acres in-bound terrain

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:32:00 -0400

Red Mountain, B.C. has just announced a massive expansion to its resort. The site of Snowboard Canada's Grade EH Board Tests for the last two years will soon include the formerly hike-access only, Grey Mountain, adding almost 1,000 acres to Red's already epic 1,685 acres—about the same size as Mt. Baker Ski Area, WA.

“The scale of this expansion is a true game-changer for RED Mountain Resort and for the community of Rossland,” said Howard Katkov, President and CEO of Red Mountain Resort. “The management team has spent the last eight years carefully reinforcing the company’s infrastructure, investing 50 million dollars in the facilities and completing world class slope-side accommodations."

Red's well-known for its light, dry snow, lack of lift lines, incredible trees and steeps, 2,919 feet of vertical, and the ability to drop in 360 degrees from the top of its Motherlode lift, essentially without getting stuck or lost. This new Grey Mountain expansion will open up more family-friendly intermediate runs and, like the other two mountains at the resort (Granite and Red mountains), Grey's also volcano-shaped making it 360 degree ridable from the top.

For 2012-13, Red will be shuttling skiers and riders, in groups of nine, to the top of Grey using a new Alpina Sherpa -- an oversized snowmobile-bus. Red has purchased a Poma Quad Chair for installation next summer. At the completion of run development, Grey Mountain will have 22 actual runs, leaving plenty of trees and terrain variations for riders to express themselves on.

“We see the Grey expansion as an expression of our commitment to the next generation of skiers and snowboarders, as well as to our current fans,” explains Fran Richards, vice president, marketing. “We share their values when it comes to mountain recreation and feel a deep responsibility to protect the wonderful ski experience at Red. We truly see Red as an endangered species, one of the last resorts that celebrates the true skiing experience: offering wide open terrain and all the amenities one expects, without the rampant commercialism that has significantly changed the face of the ski experience throughout North America. Many recreational skiers and snowboarders have never experienced a pure world like Red and we’d like to show them that the other side is, in fact, better.”

Red Mountain is located in Rossland, BC, a scenic mining town dating back to 1898. It is the oldest ski area in Western Canada and the last great, undiscovered resort in North America.

For more, go to RedResort.com or check out the edit below.

2012 Horseshoe Open Ski & Snowboard Festival

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:22:00 -0500

Horseshoe Resort announces the 2012 Horseshoe Open Ski & Snowboard Festival. This two day event will be host to a Pro Rider Invite Big Air, an open Slopestyle and Rail element as well as Freestyle Snowmobile action, a DJ showcase and a Coors Light After-party following the event.

Last year saw over 300 athletes compete for $25,000 in cash & prizing in both Ski and Snowboard while the pros battled it out for the top spot in the big air final. The unique event layout will allow full viewing from the extended Coors Light beer gardens and spectators can watch the Rockstar Snowmobile Freestyle with rider Jimmy Blaze performing March 9th and 10th as well as a live DJ showcases on the main stage.

For the 2012 Festival, riders can now pre-register to the event using the online service found at www.horseshoeopen.ca. There, riders can find out info around the event and secure their spot in Ontario’s newest and largest freestyle festival. The cost for online pre-registration is $50 ($25 entry and $25 ticket) and the cost for on-site registration is $60 ($30 entry and $30 lift ticket) and registration is open on-site March 8th and 9th

Practice and Registration for the event starts 10am on Thursday March 8th and for all the info you need and to register online, visit www.horseshoeopen.ca

Highlights from the 2011 Horseshoe Open

Fernie’s New Polar Peak Chairlift Up and Running

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:48:00 -0500

This past weekend Fernie’s New Polar Peak Chairlift began transporting the first of many snowboarders to the top of the Polar Peak. The Grand Opening Ceremony for the new fixed grip triple chair occurred at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14th. After the official ribbon cutting, riders made their way to the line to be among the first up the new lift.

However, first chair was reserved for Mark Gallup who won a Facebook contest set up to determine who would receive the privilege of taking the first Polar Peak lift to the top. There were over six hundred entries in the contest.

The Polar Peak Chairlift opens up more advanced level terrain at the top of the mountain. The above tree line Bowl that the Polar Peak Chairlift provides access to gives Fernie Apline Resort over twenty-two new runs. This brings the total number of runs at Fernie Alpine Resort to over one-hundred and forty.

“The staff at Fernie Alpine Resort has worked tirelessly to install this lift over the summer and early winter in Fernie. We are very proud of all the effort from everyone here at the resort and can’t wait for Fernie to now have the most vertical and the most ski runs in the Rockies!” said Matt Mosteller, VP of Sales at Marketing at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies.

Snowboarders can now access the summit of one of the highest points in the Lizard Range without having to hike. It’s going to be tough adjusting to that five minute chairlift ride, and the stunning views. Sigh.

Big White TELUS Park Stepchild Rail Jam 2011

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:51:00 -0500

Here's a short edit from Big White's TELUS Park Stepchild Rail Jam from World Snowboard Day, 2011. For more, check out Bigwhitepark.com

World Snowboard Day at Blue Mountain

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:38:00 -0500

It was a close call, but lower temperatures arrived just in time for World Snowboard Day at Blue Mountain, near Collingwood, Ont. on Sunday. Lots of riders came out to hit the boxes and rails installed by Blue Mountain Resort staff earlier that morning and check out the demo tents of Burton, Salomon, Oakley, Spy, Bonfire, O’Neill, Icarus and the Women’s Snowboard Federation, who were all on site with the latest gear and giveaways. It marked the end of a fun opening weekend for Blue, which like all Ontario resorts, had been not-so-patiently awaiting the start of the season.

“We were stoked that winter arrived just in time for World Snowboard Day here at Blue Mountain,” said Erika Langman, events coordinator at Blue Mountain. “Despite the warmer temperatures we’ve received throughout December, our Park & Operations crew were able to pull together some super fun jibs in a terrain park at the top of our Silver Bullet chair. Wide-grins and high-fives were happening all day long.”

Here's some photos of what went down. For more on Blue Mountain, click here.

Mandatory helmet laws for Nova Scotia resorts?

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:32:00 -0500

The Nova Scotia government introduced legislation today that would make helmet use mandatory for all ages at the province's ski and snowboard resorts beginning November 1, 2012 if passed into law. The legislation would be the first in North America to require adults, in addition to children, to wear helmets. The state of New Jersey passed a law earlier this year requiring helmets for skiers and snowboarders under the age of 18 starting this winter.

The proposed Nova Scotia bill would require the province's resorts, of which there are only four: Wentworth, Martock, Ski Ben Eoin and Ski Cape Smoky, to post signs alerting people about the mandatory helmet use, but according to Nova Scotia Health Minister Maureen MacDonald the responsibility of wearing helmets would rest with skiers and snowboarders.

MacDonald says that government inspectors (helmet police?) would be hired to enforce the law which could result in fines of up to $250 for each offence.

Highlights from the proposed helmet legislation include:
- anyone 16 years of age or older is responsible to ensure they are wearing a helmet
- parents or guardians are responsible to ensure anyone under 16 in their care is wearing a helmet
- ski hill operators are responsible to ensure signs are posted making users aware of mandatory helmet use
- if an inspector sees a violation, the individual could face up to a $250 fine for each offence.

Both Wentworth and Martock resorts already have a mandatory helmet policy for their terrain parks.

Martock Resort's terrain park

The snowsports industry's position on helmet use to date has been more about education rather than regulation.

Andy MacLean, General Manager of Martock Resort was quoted in today's Chronicle Herald in Halifax, NS as saying he welcomed any move that increases safety on the slopes, but that he would have preferred the public education route instead of regulations. “Whenever there's a mention of regulations, there's always concerns about how it's going to be enforced," MacLean was quoted as saying. “The big concern for us will be making sure our guests are aware of the regulations.”

The Canadian Ski Council's national policy on helmet use as adopted by all regional ski area operator associations and endorsed by the Canadian Ski Patrol System in 2009 states: "The Canadian Ski Council recommends wearing helmets for skiing and riding. Skiers and snowboarders are encouraged to educate themselves on the benefits and limitations of helmet usage. The primary safety consideration, and obligation under the Alpine Responsibility Code (Appendix 1), is to ski and ride in a controlled and responsible manner."

Big White Park Life preview edit

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:52:00 -0500

Big White is set to open early for the season on Dec 1st, 2011 and they'll have a jib park set up on Lower Freeway located below TELUS Park on Saturday Dec 3rd. Check out the first of many "Big White Park Life" edits, highlighting the latest builds, repairs and shreds going down by Big White's TELUS Park Crew.

Choo-Choose this Way to Le Massif?

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:12:00 -0500

When one hears the word train associated with snowboarding one normally envisions a group of friends charging off a jump, one after another. However, at Le Massif de Charlevoix the word train keeps its traditional meaning as a means of railway transportation.

Le Massif de Charlevoix has announced that the Train of Le Massif de Charlevoix will be in operation this winter to take passengers to the mountain. The train will run along a 140-kilometer stretch of track between Quebec City and La Malbaie. The Train of Le Massif de Charlevoix is equipped with eight cars that can each carry sixty-eight passengers. The inaugural voyage of the mechanically and aesthetically redesigned train occurred in September. Commencing February 2012 the train will begin making regular trips to the mountain.

While aboard the Train of Le Massif de Charlevoix you will be treated to a first-class travel experience. The interiors of the cars have been completely refurbished to provide the utmost in travel comfort. Additionally, each car has a kitchen where meals comprised of regional delicacies are prepared. However, it is perhaps what can be viewed along the route that is most desirable. The natural coastal and mountain landscapes that the tracks pass by are awe-inspiring. Watch the video below to get a sense of some of the scenic vistas along the way.

This February if your are in, or around, Quebec City and your ride to the mountain has hit the snooze button, your car has broken down, you are hurting from an epic night out in Quebec City, or you just feel like being a total big shot - book a ticket aboard the Train of Le Massif de Charlevoix. You will be able to get onboard, and then stay on your board all day as your ride powder at Le Massif de Charlevoix. As the O’Jays harmonizes on their hit Love Train: “Ride, let it ride, let it ride, let it ride.”

Kicking Horse to Open Early

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:58:00 -0500

The horse is about to be let out of the barn. With a recent snowfall blanketing Golden, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has decided to push its opening forward one weekend. Kicking Horse will now be open on Friday, December 2^nd – Sunday, December 4^th. Terrain from the mountain top to the base will be open this Friday.

“The resort is excited to open for a bonus weekend of operations December 2^nd – 4^th, offering great ski conditions from top to bottom of the resort. Our teams are presently working around the clock preparing the mountain for another unforgettable winter season” said President and CEO of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Steve Paccagnan.

The following Friday, December 9^thwill mark the start of full winter operations. For the bonus weekend of December 2^ndto the 4^th two alpine bowls, Bowl Over and Crystal Bowl will be open. The Golden Eagle Express and Stairway to Heaven Chair will be running.

As more snowfall is in the forecast throughout the week the possibility of additional terrain being open looks like a real possibility. It’s time to let the horse run!

Sunshine Village Opens Tomorrow

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:59:00 -0500

Thanks the snow Gods, Sunshine Village is opening early. After 40cm’s of snow over the past 48hrs Sunshine Village has decided to begin its
season tomorrow, one day early then initially anticipated.

Four lifts will be in operation tomorrow: Wawa, The Strawberry Express, Wolverine, and Jackrabbit. Sunshine currently has a 70cm snow base with more snow in the forecast throughout the week it seems like the time is now to take that extended weekend vacation you’ve been talking about.

The temperatures look to be hovering between -10C and -15C, which should make for some fair opening day temperatures. The forecast is cloudy with the possibility of flurries in the late afternoon and evening.

Sunshine Village’s opening marks the final of three resort openings in Banff National Park. Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay both opened on November 5^th. With Sunshine
Village, another one of the major resorts, up and running it looks like the real hunting season is upon us – load up.

Sun Peak Opens Saturday, Nov 19

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:41:00 -0500

Checking out the November 2011 Event Calendar on the Sun Peaks website it appears in bright red: “Opening Day for Winter Lift
Operations.” Sun Peaks Resort is set to open this Saturday, November 19th. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Tod Mountain, officially known as Sun Peaks since 1992. To celebrate and anniversary of this magnitude it seems only appropriate to make sure you are out on the mountain for opening day.

The forecast for Saturday looks to be a mix of sun and clouds with some isolated furriers throughout the day. The high will be around -12C and the low at or around -17C. However, we have faith that for a celebration this historic that the sun will be out; it’s a rarity that it isn't at Sun Peaks.

To mark the big 50 Sun Peaks will be having events throughout the winter to celebrate the milestone. For a full list of events check the special 50^th Anniversary tab on their website. I leave you to your waxing, sharpening, and any other last minute details you need to accomplish in order to get ready for Saturday. Let the season begin.

Whistler Blackcomb to Open Six Days Early, Nov. 18th

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:50:00 -0500

Whistler Blackcomb is thrilled to announce Whistler Mountain will open six days early on Friday, November 18. The return of La Nina, forecasted to bring greater than average snowfall, has skiers and snowboarders excited about the start of the ski/ride season. Blackcomb Mountain will open on Thursday, November 24, Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day.

“Cold temperatures, early season snow fall and the relentless work of our mountain operations teams is what allows us to open early,” says Doug MacFarlane, Mountain Manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Early season conditions apply but we are very happy with the current conditions. Enjoying the first turns of the season is always an amazing feeling and we are very excited to announce Whistler Mountain will open six days early.”

The alpine forecast is calling for up to 35 centimeters of snow in the alpine before opening on Friday, adding to the current snow base of 55 centimeters at Pig Alley. Additionally, the Whistler Blackcomb snowmaking team has turned over 50 million gallons of water into snow so far this season, the equivalent of covering 250 football fields with up to one foot of snow.

Whistler Mountain will open for the season on Friday, November 18, from 8:30am to 3:00pm. Skiing and riding will be open on the Emerald Express, Big Red Express, and Franz’s Chair with upload access from the Creekside Gondola and the Whistler Village Gondola.

Caution should be exercised at all times as the terrain available is best-suited for intermediate to advanced boarders and skiers. With early season conditions it is extra important all mountain signage is obeyed and guests stay within the marked operational boundary. Rope and signage saying “Temporary Boundary” will be used during the early season. With early season snow-pack, guests should be aware of rocks and other hazards below the snow surface.

To ski and ride Whistler Blackcomb, for the best possible price this season, guests can take advantage of Whistler Blackcomb’s early booking offer; book by November 15 and save up to 36 per cent on lift ticket and accommodation packages here.

Starting today, the Snow Report, powered by TELUS, will be updated daily and as of Nov 18 the Snow Report will be updated three times daily at 6:00am, 7:30am and 3:00pm, featuring the most current weather and snow information. The Snow Report can be heard online or by calling 604-932-4211 in Whistler, 604-687-7507 in Vancouver, or toll-free at 1-800-766-0449.

For more info, and to stay up-to-date on what’s open, mountain conditions, temperatures, snowfall accumulation, forecasts and stay and ski/ride deals at www.whistlerblackcomb.com. Or you can download the free app, Whistler Blackcomb Live, Powered by TELUS, allows skiers and riders to track their runs using GPS; check live grooming, lift status and snow reports; view the trail map; take photos and share them with friends; and view special promotions and information about the resort. Available for iPhone and Android. More info: whistlerblackcomb.com/app

Cypress opening day pics

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:53:00 -0500

Cypress took the prize for first resort to open in BC this year. Colin D Watt and crew were up for the opener. Check out the shots they came home with.

A foggy day didn't dampen the mood. Chris Rasman pressing one of the park features.

Cypress had 12 cm's of fresh snow for opening. Colin D watt matched it with 12 cm of airtime.

Rasman leads by a nose with Harrison on his tail.

Travis Williams, Spencer London and Aaron "Pnut"Johnson.]

Nic Heringa opts for the topshelf with a noseblunt nollie out on the first feature.

Rasman has his own method to the culvert kicker.

Cypress Mountain Opens Today Nov.8th

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:45:00 -0500

If you are anything like me, you were in the dark to this until last night but it's not really an issue because shredding on opening day definitely trumps anything I could have had planned for the day. In addition to 12 cm's of natural snow that fell overnight, they have about a foot of man-mad snow, covering three runs including upper Maelle Ricker’s Run (Upper Fork) and then fashioned a pretty nice “ski-out” through mid Jasey Jay (PGS) and on down to the bottom of Eagle Express.

As Cypress Says: We are very excited today to have the EARLIEST OPENING DAY IN OUR HISTORY and to be the FIRST SKI AREA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA TO OPENfor the 2011/12 Snow Season!

Get out and ride! If you don't know what to ride with, take a quick browse of our [BOARD REVIEWS PAGE] and hit your local shop quick time!

Whistler Blackcomb Parks Update: from Square To Round

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:03:00 -0400

Whistler Blackcomb never messes around when it comes to its parks. Here's a video with WB Terrain Parks supervisor Brian Finestone that showcases a ton of new changes to expect this year to the resorts five parks. The biggest news? They're going from square to round when it comes to all the new rails they've added. Looks sick.

Whistler Blackcomb Terrain Parks Update from Whistler Blackcomb on Vimeo.

Big White Ski Resort Launches Telus Park Website With Giveaway

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:08:00 -0400

Kelowna, B.C. – Big White Ski Resort is kicking off the season with the launch of its latest terrain park feature. The new TELUS Park website, found at www.bigwhitepark.com, was created to give park skiers and riders more than simply condition reports, but to take them deep inside the local scene. Better yet, as part of the launch, one lucky winner will get a super-stoker package that includes a 2012 Stepchild Snowboard, custom snowboard stance and alignment from Dizzy’s Big White Shop, GoPro camera and a weekend for two at the Inn at Big White.

With the evolution of the terrain park, Big White wanted to have a tool that skiers and boarders would find useful and engaging with in depth information on park builds, information about the TELUS Park team, local rider profiles, events and much more. From the rails to the ski cross course, every feature will be displayed with unique community-driven content including the latest and greatest local images and videos.

Big White’s roots in snowboarding go back nearly thirty years ago with local pioneer snowboarders hiking the slopes. Since then, Big White has developed some of the industries top pro’s including the founder of Stepchild Snowboards, Sean Johnson. The Big White terrain park saw its beginnings in 1988 with a few small features and a hand-shaped half pipe. In 2000, Big White fully committed to the terrain park program installing an 1800-foot long double chair and a dirt work structures. Today, Big White finds itself with a $10,000 investment in rails and boxes, summer grooming and dirt work in the terrain park, as well as host to pumping a local’s scene passionate about their sport.

Skiers and riders are invited to enter the TELUS Park contest online HERE. The winner of the Big White TELUS Park contest will be drawn on the official opening day of the season for the park. For more information, visit www.bigwhite.com or call 1-800-663-2772 for reservations and bookings. Follow Big White on twitter @bigwhite.

Nakiska is first: Calgary resort open for riding this Halloween weekend

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:34:00 -0400

There are only a few things better than a giant bag full of candy on Halloween weekend. However, one has to be this news out of Calgary. Nakiska Mountain Resort will be the first ski/snowboard area in Canada to open for the year on Saturday, October 29th.

This weekend at Nakiska three runs will be open off the Gold Express Chair: Upper Mapmaker, Middle Mapmaker, and BigBear. The Olympic Express Chair will be running, taking riders from and back to the base of the mountain.

Nakiska’s grand opening has to be one of the earliest official starts for any ski/snowboard resort in Canada on record. Calgarians can thank the cold nightly temperatures and the improvements in snowmaking for the early start.

Later in the season Nakiska will also have its new Na.jib.ska rail park opening as well as its Skier/Boarder Cross Course.

If you are in, or around, the Calgary area this weekend don’t miss out on the opportunity to do some Halloween slashes at Nakiska.

Marmot Basin announces two new chairlifts

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:14:00 -0400

This winter Marmot Basin in Jasper Nation Park has not one, but two new lifts opening. The Paradise High Speed Quad (HSQ) and the School House Triple Chair will be in operation opening day, November 11^th.

The Paradise HSQ runs parallel to the Canadian Rockies Express HSQ, the longest HSQ in the Canadian Rockies. The new Paradise HSQ will provide access to the upper portion of the mountain, close to where the old Paradise Triple chairlift use to be located. The Paradise HSQ will transport riders from the intersection of Old Road and Roll Out to the top of the mountain in just 4.6 minutes.

The old Paradise Triple chairlift has been relocated and refurbished. Hence to be known as the School House Triple Chair the lift will now provide access to the lower portion of the mountain, and benefit novice riders.

The Marmot Basin staff have certainly has been busy over the past five months leading up to 2011-2012 season. With two new chairlifts opening this winter and the recently added Canadian Rockies Express HSQ it’s definitely worth planning a trip to Marmot Basin this season to ride some world-class terrain.

Ever wonder what it takes to construct a chairlift? Watch these videos of the Leitner-Poma crew hard at work. Way to go boys!

TRAIL MAP

ERECTING LIFT TOWERS

Eagle Pass Heliboarding offers shred-only weeks this season

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:46:00 -0400

Eagle Pass Heliskiing is holding two inaugural Heliboarding weeks this winter that will cater exclusively to snowboarders. The winter session will take place from January 9^th – 15^th and the spring session, from April 2^nd – 8^th. During the two sessions twelve snowboarders will get to experience the amazing terrain of the Monashee Range.

That’s right, the legendary Monashees where, in April 2011, Travis Rice and the Brainfarm team filmed for The Art of Flight. Imagine being able to claim that you’ve rode some of the same backcountry lines as Rice and the boys?

The philosophy behind Eagle Pass’ two heliboarding weeks is to gather snowboarders from around the world and have them experience a top tier heliboarding experience, on and off the mountain. Throughout the two sessions there will be appearances by yet to be announced pro riders. Additionally, the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) certified snowboard guides (including the legendary Scott Newsome, the op's owner) at Eagle Pass are some of the best in the business.

Packages for these two special heliboarding weeks can be booked for three, four, seven days of on hill riding. For more information check out the Eagle Pass Heliskiing website.

As always, Eagle Pass Heliskiing is in operation throughout the winter so if these dates conflict there is plenty of opportunity to make your way to the Monashee Mountains this winter. However, if would be tough to pass up a Heliboarding week with another eleven shredheads in tow.

Here are some shots to get you thinking about it:

John Jackson in Art Of Flight at Eagle Pass Heli. Cole Barash photo

Jack Matrani at Eagle Pass Heli. Cole Barash photo

John Jackson in Art Of Flight at Eagle Pass Heli. Cole Barash photo

Eagle Pass Heli, after the drop.

Fernie announces new Polar Peak Lift for 2011-12 season

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:25:00 -0400

Talk about a 50^th anniversary present that everyone can enjoy. To celebrate the half-century mark this winter Fernie Alpine Resort is cutting the ribbon on their new Polar Peak Lift.

The Polar Peak Lift will provide access to twenty-two new above the tree-line runs off the mountain summit at Polar Peak. The construction of the new lift ups Fernie’s vertical terrain to an impress 3500 feet. When you combine the amount of accessible terrain with the legendary downfalls Fernie is known to get you have a recipe for boundless snowboarding fun.

When you’re not focused on scoping out your next line, from above the new lift, you will likely be caught up by the surroundings. Matt Mosteller, VP of Marketing & Sales at RCR, notes how on bluebird days: “This lift will provide spectacular views of peaks, valleys and lakes from Lake Koocanusa in the Southwest to the spine of the Canadian Rockies looking up the Elk Valley all the way into Kananaskis Country/Banff National Park.” Sounds like a good make out spot as well.

The Polar Peak Lift is the most significant new chairlift being unveiled at any major B.C. alpine resorts this year and a definite reason to make a trip to Fernie this winter.

For more, check out: http://www.skifernie.com/

Record Snow For Ontario Resorts' Opening

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:23:00 -0500

Blue Mountain To Open Thursday – a Day Early!

With a "major multi-day snow squall event" dumping 50-100 cm of fresh and more still to come, Ontario resorts are set to kick off their season with a record amount of opening snow! And that's on top of the man made snow they have been pumping since last Friday.

Throwing around terms like "staggering amounts of snow", "impressive snowfall accumulations", "remarkable snowfall totals", "persistent bursts of heavy snow", and "long-lived snow event" the weather experts at Environment Canada and the Weather Network appear to be just as excited as Ontario's riders.

Horseshoe Resort opens Wednesday, December 8; Blue Mountain opens Thursday, December 9 – a day earlier than originally announced; Mt St Louis Moonstone opens Friday December 10; and Snow Valley opens Saturday, December 11.

"We're expecting more than 80 cm of snowfall accumulation by Thursday", said Blue Mountain's Public Relations Specialist, Kelly O'Neil. Blue will open Thursday with the three trails accessed from their Silver Bullet six person high-speed lift and then will open more terrain as quickly as conditions allow for the weekend. Lift tickets will be $39 plus taxes through to December 15. Blue plans to have a hike-access terrain park in operation by Thursday December 16, the same date targeted to open their night riding (4:30-10:00pm).

Horseshoe is set to open Wednesday with two lifts and four runs including a few rails and jumps in their terrain park. Lift tickets will be $30 plus taxes through to December 17.

Mt St Louis Moonstone will open Friday with at least two lifts, including a six person high speed and the majority of their Junk Yard Terrain in operation. Terrain Park Manager Craig Burley said there will be several press boxes and hand rails set up, plus a 10-15 ft jump, a 35 ft jump, and a quarterpipe. Burley is hoping to have their superpipe built by Christmas. Please note that helmets are mandatory in all of Louis' parks this season.

Mt t Louis Moonstone's head honcho Robert Huter said the resort was expecting another 15-20 cm of new snow by opening day, on top of the 30 cm plus they have received already. They have also been making snow non-top since last Friday. With all of the snow, Burley reckons this Friday will be their best opening day ever. Louis is hosting a Burton Demo on Sunday December 12.

Check the Blue Mountain snow report at: http://www.bluemountain.ca/conditions_snow_report.htm
Check the Mt St Louis Moonstone snow conditions at: http://www.mslm.on.ca/
Check the Horseshoe snow conditions at: http://www.horseshoeresort.com/
Check the Snow Valley snow report at: http://www.skisnowvalley.com/reports/barrie-snow-conditions.aspx

Whistler Blackcomb to open early

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 20:32:00 -0500

Whistler Blackcomb has just announced that Whistler Mountain will open six days early, on Friday, November 19. Blackcomb Mountain will open on Thursday, November 25, Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day.

“New snow and low freezing levels, along with the hard work of our mountain operations, grooming, and snowmaking teams mean we can open Whistler Mountain on Friday, November 19,” says Doug MacFarlane, mountain manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Though early season conditions will apply, having those first few turns of the season is a great feeling and we’re happy to make that happen for our guests six days earlier than planned.”

Whistler Mountain will open on Friday, November 19 at 8:30am. Lift and terrain details will be announced early next week.

Early season conditions apply and caution should be exercised at all times as the terrain that will be available is best-suited for intermediate to advanced riders and skiers. With early season conditions it is extra important all mountain signage is obeyed and guests stay within the marked operational boundary. The signage and rope to look for will say “Temporary Boundary” during the early season. With early season snow-pack, guests should be aware of rocks and other hazards below the snow surface.

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Resort Report: Who's Opening When

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:25:00 -0400

While Sunday River and Loveland ski hills are still arguing over the technicalities of who opened first for the 2009/10 snow season South of the border, lift-accessed shredding in Canada for the 2010/11 season isn't far off. It's nearly the time of year to load up your gear, grab some friends, snag your parent's GPS, dust off that Front Tail 270 out you've been practicing on the sofa in your basement, and catch the first chair of your season. Here’s a roundup of opening days from select resorts across the country.

Note: most dates are weather dependent, so check the resort's website or call ahead to confirm.

ALBERTA

LAKE LOUISE www.skilouise.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 5

Opening Day lifts and trails: Weather dependent. Last season Lake Louise opened with the Glacier Express chair and three runs including Bald Eagle, Wiwaxy and Easy Street.

SUNSHINE VILLAGE www.skibanff.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 11

Opening Day lifts and trails: Weather dependent. This year they open the new Strawberry Express high speed quad.

NORQUAY www. banffnorquay.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: Nov 13, 2010 for weekends only. Dec 3, 2010 for seven-days-a-week.

Opening Day lifts and trails: Weather dependent.

Early-Season special events or promotions

2010-11 is Mt. Norquay’s 85^thanniversary.

MARMOT BASIN www.skimarmot.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 11

Opening Day lifts and trails: Weather dependent.

Early-Season special events or promotions: The Mountain Park Lodge's “Scrooge Package” includes a lift pass, hotel room, breakfast, lunch and dinner starting at $135 per person per day until December 18, 2010.

Freestyle Terrain: Sights are set on having the Rogers Terrain Park at Marmot open by the end of November.

CALGARY OLYMPIC PARK www.winsportcanada.ca

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 19,

Opening Day lifts and trails: Legacy chair and “First Turns” area.

Early-Season special events or promotions: COP will host a kick-off party on November 27th.

Freestyle Terrain: The Burton Progression Park on the Mail Hill is due to be stocked with an assortment of features for opening day.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

SUN PEAKS www.sunpeaksresort.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November, 20, 2010

Opening Day lifts and trails: Weather dependent. (Last year Sun Peaks opened with 7 lifts turning and 37 runs ready to go.)

Early-Season special events or promotions: Stay tuned to the resort's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/SunPeaksResort) for your chance to win an early chairlift load time on opening day.

Freestyle Terrain: Snowmaking will ensure that the first zone of Sun Peaks' park opens in early December, with the majority of the features in place for the Christmas holidays.

WHISTLER/BLACKCOMB www.whistlerblackcomb.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 25

Opening Day lifts and trails: three lifts, 12 trails on Whistler

Early-Season special events or promotions: Medal presentations to the local Olympic athletes.

Freestyle Terrain: Whistler's park crew is banking on having a handful of rails and a couple of small jumps in place for opening day.

SILVER STAR www.skisilverstar.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 26

Opening Day lifts and trails: eight lifts, 50 trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: Silver Star supports the Salvation Army Food Bank by accepting $20 in cash or food donations in exchange for an opening day lift ticket. Last year the resort raised $12,000.

Freestyle Terrain: Silver Star's TELUS Park Crew will have four or five rails all ready to go once the chairs start spinning.

ONTARIO

HORSESHOE VALLEY www.horseshoeresort.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: December 4

Opening Day lifts and trails: One lift and four trails, depending on snow.

Early-Season special events or promotions: Rome’s Premature Jibulation will take place on opening day. There will be reduced lift ticket prices.

Freestyle Terrain: There will be public park features besides the setup used for Premature Jibulation.

BLUE MOUNTAIN www.bluemountain.ca

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 27

Opening Day lifts and trails: one lift, five trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: Snow Go day lift tickets are available for only $19 from Opening Day until December 5^th.

Freestyle Terrain: Blue Mountain's terrain park generally opens within a couple weeks of opening day, depending on snow conditions.

QUEBEC

MONT-SAINTE-ANNE www.mont-sainte-anne.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 20

Opening Day lifts and trails: two lifts, two trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: Check in with the friendly folks at Customer Service to find out what discount rates are available.

Freestyle Terrain: The North Side will be home to five or six features set up specifically for opening day.

MONT TREMBLANT www.tremblant.ca

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 25

Opening Day lifts and trail: Weather dependent.

Early-Season special events or promotions: None.

Freestyle Terrain: Tremblant's park will be stocked with features as soon as Mother Nature allows.

STONEHAM www.ski-stoneham.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 26 (night riding)

Opening Day lifts and trails: one lift, one trail

Early-Season special events or promotions: The Bud Light November Chill on November 19^th kicks off the season with a Rail Jam featuring a cash purse of $1,500.

Freestyle Terrain: Rumour has it that the Bud Light Chill setup will remain in place until Stoneham opens to the public on November 26th.

VAL SAINT-COME www.valsaintcome.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 27

Opening Day lifts and trails: one lift, two or three trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: Val Saint-Come will put their weekly event calendar in motion starting December 11th.

Freestyle Terrain: A temporary park is scheduled to be built in front of the principal building at the beginning of December.

MONT BROMONT www.skibromont.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: November 27

Opening Day lifts and trails: one lift, two trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: None.

Freestyle Terrain: Bromont's Park Crew is setting their sites on having the park up and running for the holidays.

MONT SUTTON www.montsutton.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: As Soon As Possible

Opening Day lifts and trails: two lifts, six to eigth trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: The Grand Celebration of Mont Sutton runs from December 17^th to 19^th. Sutton will be celebrating its 50^th anniversary on December 17^th by offering lift tickets for the day at the 1960's rate of $5.

Freestyle Terrain: Sutton's terrain park will open as weather permits.

MONT SAINT-SAUVEUR www.montsaintsauveur.com

2010/11 anticipated Opening Day: As Soon As Possible

Opening Day lifts and trails: one lift, two trails

Early-Season special events or promotions: The Annual Taxis Hold'em Rail Jam on December 3^rd and 4^th.

Freestyle Terrain: Sauveur will have two to three small and medium features set up for riders to get their jib on to kick off the season.

Fernie gets 20cm dump of snow

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:26:00 -0400

Fernie, B.C.- Fernie Alpine Resort has been hit by a heavy storm, with up to 20cm of snow in the upper alpine of Fernie's legendary 5 bowls. Temperatures remain cool and the snow continues to currently fall, right down to the base. With the predicted La Niña weather cycle for the Pacific Northwest, cool temperatures and more snow than Fernie Alpine Resort's annual 29 feet of snowfall are expected. Fernie Alpine Resort is scheduled to open for the season on Saturday December 4, 2010 (tentative). Check www.skifernie.com for updates closer to opening day.

Winter's early arrival peaks excitement for the ski and snowboard season and visiting guests can take advantage of fantastic Early Booking specials that offer up to 33% on ski & stay packages if booked by November 30, 2010. Book Online at: www.skifernie.com/vacations or call our knowledgeable Vacation Specialists at 1-800-258-SNOW (7669)

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Up to 30cm of snow hits Whistler Blackcomb over the weekend

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:35:00 -0400

A heavy Pacific storm has been hitting Whistler Blackcomb this weekend, dropping between 25-30cm of snow at higher elevations.

The freezing level is expected to remain steady with more periods of snow forecast for this week. Meteorologists are calling for a La Niña weather cycle for the Pacific Northwest, meaning cooler temperatures and more snow than Whistler Blackcomb’s annual average of 34 feet or 10.25 metres.

The photo to the right was taken on the patio of the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain.

For more info, check out WhistlerBlackcomb.com

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Le Massif adds gondola, expands backcountry terrain to 66 acres total

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:47:00 -0400

Moving right along with its massive re-development plan, Le Massif has just installed the towers for its first gondola and expanded its backcountry terrain by 32 acres. The resort, in Quebec's Charlevoix region, an hour east of Quebec City, had already boasted some of the area's best powder and steepest terrain. But doubling their already expansive backcountry area by adding another 32 acres out-of bounds, easily bests everything east of the Rockies when it comes to hiking for your snow.

It's all part of Le Massif's $16M investment four-season tourism and recreation plan, which includes the creation of four additional trails, locating guest services to the summit and upgrading trail access to the base. Here's a video from Le Massif, which shows their tower-installation by helicopter and crew. It's really interesting if you've never seen how they do this sort of thing, (and it gets pretty intense at times--watch it, and at 6:10 on the counter, you'll understand).

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Whistler Blackcomb invests huge in its parks for this season, adds Olympic Superpipe

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:19:00 -0400

According to Whistler Blackcomb, this season the resort will be throwing a bunch of money at its terrain parks and adding an Olympic-sized Superpipe to its already killer park mix by purchasing its new Global Cutter.

“It’s probably the biggest terrain park investment in the history of Whistler Blackcomb,” Brian Finestone, WB’s terrain park supervisor. “We’re spending over a quarter of a million dollars on our park product.”

Whistler Blackcomb’s Nintendo Terrain Parks crews are widening and straightening the Blackcomb Superpipe’s fall-line to accommodate the 22-foot Global Pipe Cutter. In addition, WB is partnering with Arena Snowparks to build a ton of new creative rails and boxes and refurbish some existing rails. They’re also bringing back the 15-foot mini pipe on Blackcomb because of popular demand, and have added four new snow tower guns set up on Blackcomb, which will increase snowmaking productivity 75 per cent in the park and allow features to open even earlier in the season. The resort has also replaced four cats with the new Piston Bully 600 snowcats, two of which are equipped with winches for grooming steep terrain.

Check out the vid below to see everything they’ve got going on in their parks for the 2010-11 season.

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Marmot Basin gets first big snowstorm of the season

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:25:00 -0400

Jasper, Alta – Canada’s most elevated ski area, Jasper’s Marmot Basin, received over 10 cm of snow today with considerably more accumulation at higher elevations. At 1,700 metres, Marmot boasts the highest base elevation of all Canadian ski resorts meaning it often gets large amounts of snow when it is raining lower down in the Athabasca Valley and the town of Jasper. That was exactly the case today when a mix of rain and snow fell on the valley floor while heaps of wet, white snow fell on the mountain slopes.

Last winter Marmot opened on November 11, its earliest opening date ever, with ideal snow conditions. So far this fall is shaping up to deliver a repeat performance of last year’s early season snowfalls which helped contribute to Marmot’s record setting year for attendance. “I think this snow is here to stay”, predicted an optimistic Brian Rode, Marmot’s VP of Marketing and Sales. “We may still get some warm weather, but given that it’s nearing the end of September, I am quite sure this is the beginning of a very good base layer”, added Rode.

Marmot Basin is once again targeting November 11 as the opening day of the season, only 52 days from today. To get a real time view of the snow-covered slopes of Marmot Basin, go to www.skimarmot.com and click on web cams.

Resort Report: Big White

Thu, 13 May 2010 12:38:00 -0400

I’m always terrified of anything prefaced by the word family as it means I’m likely about to experience something incredibly boring. Consider your childhood family vacations. Sure the three days at the Canadian Museum of Civilization with Aunt Franny were riveting, but it will never compare to the first time you road tripped with your buddies, spent all your money on beer, and had to sneak onto the ski hill the rest of the week because you couldn’t afford lift tickets.

And of course there’s the family resort. With the addition of that one little word visions of deep pow, steep lines, cliffs, endless beers and hot tubs full of bikini clad babes are replaced by slow signs, green runs and ski schoolers snaking down cat tracks as you try to dodge around them.

Big White has done a lot to position itself as a family resort. For their efforts they’ve earned a place among the Top Five Family Resorts to visit for U.K. riders in 2009 and Best Family Resort from Ski Canada Magazine in 2006. There’s even a whole area by the Happy Valley Lodge devoted to family activities complete with a skating rink, tube rides, Mini-Z Ski Doo track, a beginner learning area and horse drawn sleigh rides.

Fortunately, while resorts like to appear picture perfect there’s almost always another story waiting to be discouvered. After all, Big White spawned the likes of Stepchild owner Sean Johnson who first made name for himself in the Whiskey movie series. There’s got to be more than meets the eye.

Safety Meeting Zones: I asked around but everyone seemed reluctant to cough up any info about where they might be located. As luck would have it we came across a just such a sacred smoke spot in the out of bounds trees to the far riders right off Gem Lake Express. Duck in and explore.

Party Zones: Big White features a ride-in ride-out village with 20 restaurants and bars scattered through out. The pub everyone likes to tell you about is Snowshoe Sam’s, probably because it won Best Apres Ski Venue in 2002/03. DJ’s and bands come up to play on the regular and there are pool tables and some sweet old arcade games to play. Raakel’s is a smaller venue but offers some serious mid-week bang for your buck with 28 cent wings and $2.50 beers on Tuesdays and $3.50 beers and Vodka’s on Wednesdays. There’s also the local scene. It didn’t take much to find out there was a kegger happening at a staffers house. Just ask where the party’s at.

Non-tests: Big White has hosted the Neil Edgeworth Memorial Banked Slalom for 13 years. The event ranks up there with the Mount Baker Banked Slalom and Greg Todd’s Memorial NoBoard Classic. A good excuse to hang out with some of the OG’s of snowboarding and get lit up.

Park Riding: The eight acre park is serviced by it’s own chair that provides access to the halfpipe, boardercross track and small, medium and large park lines. With 25 paid park staff Big White boasts one of the largest park crews in Canada. The lights are turned on for night riding Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. No helmet or park pass is required.

Baylen McGraw.

Corey Kowalski.

Andrew Markowski.

Matt Galina.

Tree Riding: The trees have an almost perfect natural spacing. If you’re searching for powder a few days after a dump look in the trees off the Gem Lake Express. On the other side of the mountain take a hard left at the top of the Black Forest Express to get into some steep fall line. Keep cutting down off the first cat track but don’t go past the second one as you’ll have to hike out. At the top of the Alpine T-bar, Falcon Chair and Gem Lake Express you’ll find fields of snowghosts. Get your jib on on the smaller ones.

Cliffs and Lines: The aptly named Cliff Chair drops you off at the top of Parachute bowl where you'll find, surprise, cliff drops and lines. The steeps to the riders right of the Falcon chair also provide some similar goods.

Parachute Bowl.

Eating On The Cheap: If you have a unit with a kitchen buy food in Kelowna or Vernon first.

Lunch—for $10 you can get a half panini, salad and soup of the day at Gigi’s Bistro and Lounge.

Dinner—$25 will get you a large pizza at The Market at Big White.

Livin’ Dirty: The ride-in ride-out Halfmoon youth hostel runs $29.99 per bed plus tax.

Big White is located 56 kilometres from Kelowna, B.C and receives on average 750 centimetres or 24.5 feet of light, dry, interior pow. Day ticktes go for $71. The Kelowna airport services flights from Westjet, Air Canada and Horizon. Shuttles are available from the airport. www.bigwhite.com

Last Blast: Spring Resort Guide to Banff

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:15:00 -0400

While most of the country has been basking in the sun the last few weeks, getting in a skate session or two, or simply enjoying the kick-off to patio season, every rider who's been around the block a few years knows better: you don't call it over until the last patch of white has met its sun-baked fate.

Isn't spring riding what it's really all about anyway? Gone are the mid-winter days of frigid chairlift rides, ice-crusted runs, and wiggling your toes to check if they're still functioning. Springtime means slushy park laps, dirt gaps, pond skims, goggle tans, and coldies on patios to rehash a day in the sun. With lift passes on the cheap and jump landings like butter, it's the ideal time to sneak in one last kick at tricks you've been working on.

We recently had the chance to drop in on one of world's best places to get your spring shred on — Banff, AB. While the rest of our buddies were dusting off clubs for a chilly round of brown-grass golf, we were smack-dab in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, scoring bluebird days-a-plenty on soft, corn snow. It's here where the only thing better than a sunny session at one of the area's three resorts — Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, or Norquay — is the après-turned-late-night shenanigans going down in the town of Banff.

Before long, it will be too late and you'll be sweating in the heat, dreaming about days of first frosts and film premieres. So don't delay, keep the dream alive a little while longer and chase winter till the bitter end.

Beats bashing a golf ball around brown grass.

LAKE LOUISE

Nowhere else does spring riding get more classic than at Lake Louise. Blue skies, the softest of snow and, get this, as most resorts are letting parks go the way of ancient ruins this late in the game, park staff here were actually ramping their park up for the 1-5-9 contest while we were there. Just ask a local like contest organizer Tim Nelson what makes this place so good in the spring and you're sure to hear it's all about the good-times, end-of-season vibe. Spring here is known just as much for the snowboarding as it is for the festivals and late-season parties.

Bluebird days seem to blend into one another, and with an absolute stellar view of the Bow Valley from the Top of the World six-pack chair and a seemingly endless supply of summit-to-base choices, you'll be hard-pressed to ever leave. Warm up in the morning on lightning-fast fall-line burners on the Frontside or Larch before hitting the alpine bowls off the Summit Platter come afternoon. Once the Backside is warmed up, take a stab at Pika Trees off Paradise Chair for some awesome gladed runs. Lake Louise is known for getting freak late-season dumps, and the best part is that nobody will be around to charge it but you.

Looking over to Larch from the new Ptarmigan Quad.

Lake Louise's Rebeckah Hornung gets a sandwich shot by SBC's Dean Seguin and Jamie "Jimmer" Reekie.

Late-season must: From the Top of the World, take Charlie's Choice around to the base of the Summit Platter for a run of banked hits and high speeds. From there, jump into Playground in the trees to the right for more banks, natural hips and snake runs. From there, mach down Men's Downhill in a race with your buddies all the way to the base area. Total springtime local's choice.

Après: While the Kokanee Kabin is definitely the spot to throw high-fives and get into a few cold lagers at day's end, be sure to hit Temple Lodge on the backside of the resort for a mellow mid-day alternative to the bigger Valley of the Ten Peaks Lodge on the front. There's always a grill firing up meat, plenty of refreshing beverages, and a few neighbourhood Whiskyjack birds to keep things entertaining.

Parties: Spring Music Session with funk rock band Todd Selecks getting underway at 2:30 April 24, 25 at the Kokanee Kabin. Don't miss Lake Louise's season-ending bash, Spring Episode, May 1 and 2, when skiers and snowboarders will face off in events like the Shop Showdown and low-impact, old-dude contest What The Huck!. Off the snow, Calgary-bred Smalltown DJs plus Shout Out Out Out Out and Young Ones will be blowing up the patio at the Kokanee Kabin.

End-of-Season Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Spring Cha-Ching: $75.95 full-day adult ticket, $61.50 half-day ticket. Lake Louise Spring Pass (open to Western Canada residents only) is valid Mar. 14 until closing; $299 adults, $249 mid-week and students.

Doomsday: May 2

Online: skibig3.com
Phone: 1-877-754-7080
Runs: 139+
Rideable Terrain: 4,200 acres
Vertical Drop: 3,250 ft.

Wide-open laps.

SUNSHINE VILLAGE

There's late season, and then there's late season at Sunshine Village. When you think winter's really over, like over in the sense that you're swimming at the lake and any remote thought of snowboarding is but a distant memory, Sunshine pushes on. With a peak elevation of 8,954 ft., it's Canada's highest resort so snow sticks around here for a long time. It's bar-none the best place to get your final fix of snowboarding before it goes kaput! The locals know this, and that's why you'll probably be riding up the chair with some of the most friendly and genuine people you've ever met. Be nice and maybe they will let you in on their stash.

Just when it seems like the sunny days will last forever and the season has run its course, bang—in comes a storm front to bring things back into winter mode. And we're not talking a little April blanket here, it's often a powerhouse well into May that drops enough snow to emasculate the tales of even the most epic mid-winter pow day. Choose wisely and use this time to get into one of Sunshine's trio of controlled freeride zones — Delirium Dive, Silver City and Wild West. Spring usually means a more stable snowpack and, therefore, more likely they will be open to poach.

Stairway to Heaven? Nah, but close. This set leads into the controlled freeride zone, Delirium Dive.

Sunrise view from the brand-new wing of the Sunshine Mountain Lodge.

Late-season must: From rather humble beginnings, Sunshine has steadily been building up its park program over the past few years into the monster 12-acre beast it is now. With lines of huge tables and a labyrinth of rail options and box layouts, you'll need plenty of time to session everything properly. Good thing they're open until May 24.

Après: The Mad Trapper is the best place to keep on carrying on throughout the spring. If plenty of delicious beer on tap, a rustic wood-beam cabin interior and ample patio space to enjoy the sunis not reason enough, factor in its O.G. cred — this is the original Sunshine lodge from a time when people legitimately earned their turns (read: no chairlifts) and mountain men were truly mountain men (read: beards weren't a fashion statement).

Parties: The final stop of the You Look Good Rider's Cup slopestyle series is coming to Sunshine for the first time on Apr. 24. A month of season-ender events will culminate with the grand-daddy of all spring parties when the 82 Annual (yea, a bit of a legacy) Slush Cup takes place on May 24. It's a day of last-chance riding, live music, and watching brave soldiers hurl themselves into frigid waters. Awesome.

End-of-Season Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Spring Cha-Ching: $76.14 full-day adult ticket. 2010 Spring Pass: $357 adults, $287 Mon-Thurs.

Doomsday: May 2

Online: skibig3.com
Phone: 1-877-754-7080
Runs: 107
Rideable Terrain: 3,358 acres
Vertical Drop: 3,514 ft.

Legit terrain under 10 minutes from Banff.

NORQUAY

Though Norquay closed for the season on Apr. 18, it still deserves a mention here. Simply put, Norquay is the underdog of Banff's trio of resorts. After all, it's far smaller in scale than both Lake Louise and Sunshine and lacks the global appeal and shiny lustre both resorts convey. But there's a reason it's the local's choice. For starters, it's the closest resort to the town of Banff. Out of the house and onto the lift in a matter of minutes is a no-brainer option. It also offers lift tickets by the hour, an attractive hook if you're the type that just wants firm groomers in the morning or soft park laps in the afternoon. Combine all of that with stand-out freestyle features and some of the finest fall-line anywhere, and you'll see why this place is truly underrated.

Online: skibig3.com
Phone: 1-877-754-7080
Runs: 28
Rideable Terrain: 190 acres
Vertical Drop: 1,650 ft.

Up until Apr. 18, Norquay's park was still firing.

A trip to Banff is not complete without running into the obligatory herd of mountain sheep.

A Hot Dog Day at Horseshoe

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:46:00 -0400

Ontario resorts are mostly all wrapped up now but Horseshoe Team riders Andrew Skelhorn , Andrew Rusk, Jon Rusk and myself Blair McKinney decided to hike up Horseshoe and make a little end of season wrap up video. Here is the vid:

A Hot Dog Day from RUSKfilm on Vimeo.

Sun and Slush: Telus Spin wraps at Mont Tremblant

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:17:00 -0400

After 10 days of spring shredding, contests and all-night parties in the signature style only the Quebecois can pull off, the 2010 edition of Tremblant's season ender-bender, Telus Spin, has, well, ended.

Things started off with Billabong's Flaunt It series finale the opening weekend, in which ripping girls from Canada, the U.S., and across the world dropped in on the resort to comete in the last tour stop and the chance to take home a piece of the $10,000 prize. It was Utah's Lynn Neil who took first place and $5,000 cold, hard cash for her efforts over the day in the slopestyle finals. Neil actually went on to take another grip of dough just down the road last weekend at the Ride Shakedown at St-Sauveur. Molly Milligan secured top spot in the rail jam. Check out SBC's coverage of the event here.

Beyond that, Spin also hosted the T4 contest where two shreds and two double-plankers hit a legit street rail setup at the same time to create a little havoc for the crowd.

The festival hit a historical note midway through the week when local-kid-makes-good Jasey-Jay Anderson, who has had an unbelievably successful season to cap off his illustrious snowboard career, added another Canadian championship to his recent victories right on home turf at the 2010 Canadian Nationals. Alexa Loo of Richmond, BC took it for the ladies and became a seven-time female Canadian champion in PGS.

Tremblant's employees put on a solid show Thursday in the Cardboard Cup, which consists of racing a homemade cardboard-only speed-demon of a machine down a course. Trick is to keep it all together and remain in one piece. Way harder than you'd think. All kinds of cardboard snow vehicles showed up including a pick-up truck. The Tremblant crew really got into it.

By the time the final weekend came around, temperatures soared into the 20-degree range, making the overall vibe more reminiscent of summer than spring. Needless to say, the conditions were super fun if you're a fan of spring riding. And who isn't, really? The scene in the centre of the village went something like this: patios, or "terraces", were completely packed, tunes were playing loud, and everyone was out taking in the sun and delicious afternoon cocktails.

On Saturday, the last snowboardcross contest of the season got underway and it was gold-medal Olympian Maelle Ricker who claimed it and stuck around to hang out with a swath of autograph-wanting fans. Jacqueline Hernandez took silver and Carle Brenneman went home with the bronze. On the men's front, Kevin Hill took gold, followed by Jake Holden with silver and Robert Minghini with bronze.

The weekend culminated with the SBC Photo Contest where photographers were invited to submit action and lifetyle images taken over the course of the Spin festival to a panel of judges. The 30 best images then went on display at the top of the pedestrian village in Place St-Bernard for the public to check out and vote on their favourite as well. Local lensman Rene-Pierre Normandeau who has graced the pages of SBC's magazines took home bragging rights and some cash for winning the best photo in both categories. Someone should go after him for the 10 per cent rule.

Saturday's snowboardcross event.

Maelle being cool as ever and signing for the kids.

An on-going music series spanned the entire Spin festival.

Spring riding in Quebec's Eastern Townships

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:54:00 -0400

Often overshadowed by the shiny appeal of Tremblant or draw of the Quebec City area, the resorts of the Eastern Townships aren't generally first on the radar for those planning a trip to La Belle Province. But that low-key vibe is probably one of the best things the area has going for it. Located in the southeastern region of the province, the four main resorts—Bromont, Mont Sutton, Mont Orford, and Owl's Head—sit amongst the Appalachian Mountains and dozens of quaint little towns rich with history. Each of the four resorts are within a 20 to 30 minute drive from each other, which means you can hit them all on the same trip or even the same day.

Hugging the U.S. border, near the small town of Mansonville and right on the shores of Lac Memphremagog, Owl's Head is the furthest out resort in the region. That reason alone is enough to go check out the awesome views from every trail on the mountain. A nearby golf course and great deals on lift passes draw people to the area year-round. Owl's Head even has ski-in/ski-out accommodation at very reasonable rates. It's definitely geared towards families but don't let that deter you—check out a steep 56-degree pitch on "Colorado." This place has had the same owner since it first opened back in the '60s, and he's still heavily involved in the day-to-day operations, including using the trees around the property to make Owl's Head's own maple syrup. Talk about local.

View of Owl's Head on Lac Memphremagog.

Next up, near the cool little town of Magog and now on sale for a loonie, is Mont Orford. Yes, you read that right, for one dollar you can be the proud new owner of 1,933 feet of vertical spread over three mountain faces, plus all buildings, chairlifts and other equipment needed to run the operations. The catch is that you have to run the place for at least five years, and put down a $4-million deposit to back up that promise. But think about it, the place has long, winding runs, heaps of gladed terrain and rocky outcrops, and a hybrid chair-gondola lift that runs from the very bottom to the very top. After your day here, be sure to stop in across the street at the Auberge Aux 4 Saisons d'Orford for a bite or stay in one of its boutique hotel rooms.

Above the clouds at Mont Orford.

Apres-dining at Auberge Aux 4 Saisons d'Orford right down the road from the resort.

Mont Sutton is an absolute gem of the Townships and a must-stop place for anyone serious about not being that serious. Seriously though, this place is as rustic as it gets. And the owners wouldn't have it any other way. Like Owl's Head, Mont Sutton has been in the same family since it first opened its lifts for operation. And let's just say they're hardcore ski enthusiasts. This place has gladed terrain that's as good as anything out west, and they still maintain them with Tucker Sno-Cats from way back when. You're not going to find any wide-open terrain here, but rather a network of cut runs and intertwining wooded trails meeting up with one another at random spots down the mountain. If you imagine the very roots of New England ski heritage, Mont Sutton pretty much epitomizes is it. Now that it's spring, look out for a wild apres scene on the patio of Le Tucker bar and staff keeping the lifts running as late as there are at least two people filling up each chair. Be sure to check out the bars and restaurants in the nearby town of Sutton, including awesome thin crust pizza at Tartinizza.

The awesome things you see riding in the spring. Mont Sutton, Quebec.

Terrace at the top of Mont Sutton.

SBC's Jamie Reekie and Mont Sutton's Nadya Barron in front of one of the resort's old school Tucker Sno-Cats still in operation.

Sampling sweet treats at Tartinizza in Sutton.

Last stop in the Eastern Townships, and the resort closest to Montreal is Mont Bromont. This place bills itself as having seven faces of runs to choose from and the most lit terrain for night riding in North America. Not too shabby for being an hour from the city. Ths time of year is all about making quick laps in the slushy spring snow. The resort is serviced by a large network of lifts and its terrain park is still firing this late into the season. Good time to get a crew together to make work of a few late-season sessions. Grooming is impeccable here, even in the soft snow days of spring where its not uncommon to see the snowcats come out for a mid-day leveling of the snow surface. On top of that, spring parties and packed terraces are how the locals like to rehash a season of riding.

SBC alum Guillaume Pare with Jimmer at the top of Bromont.

The proverbial farmer and his daughters. Everybody gets into spring action here.

While the area gets its fair share of snow (some five metres in areas like Mont Sutton), this time of the year is all about long sunny days and plenty of spring turns. Although many parts of the area are English-influenced, Quebecois culture is everywhere here. That means amazing food, friendly folks, and that certain je-ne-sais-quoi service only found in an area such as this. Take a bit of time to explore some of the backroads winding their way through the area, stumbling upon wineries, cafes, and art galleries along the way. For the ultimate Townships experience after a day of riding, or, heck, even skip a day of riding, head over to Balnea, a Scandinavian-style spa etched out of a rolling hill, along a lake and amongst a private nature reserve.

The scene at Balnea. Not a bad way to relax away an entire day.

Resort Report: Le Massif in the Springtime

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:51:00 -0400

There’s a reason “après” is a French word. Cole Porter famously wrote, “I love Paris in the springtime.” But had the songwriter been born a few decades later and spent his late-March days on a snowboard in another francophone city, he might have written a similar ode to Quebec.

Perhaps it’s because Quebec’s winters are a notch colder, perhaps it’s because Quebec’s drinking age is a notch lower, or perhaps it’s because les Quebecois place more value on the important things in life (cheese, outdoor fun, wine). But few activities beat spring riding in La Belle Province. And nowhere is that celebration of the outdoors more apparent than on a sunny, soft-snow Saturday at Le Massif de Charlevoix, an Eastern resort owned fittingly by a cofounder of the Cirque du Soleil, Daniel Gauthier.

The resort’s long-running Rossignol Open, which this year took place on March 20, has a reputation as the party of the season. And if you happen to be sharing a quad with one of Massif’s loyal locals, they’ll swear to you it’s the best post-slope socializing someone in snowpants can do all year.

It’s certainly the least pretentious.

At 8:30 a.m. the summit parking lot, located less than an hour’s drive northeast of Quebec City, is filling quick. The only fresh tracks to be had today are groomed ones, but there’s still a rush to start shredding—if only to justify the indulgence that awaits come mid-afternoon. Since the main parking lot sits atop the mountain, one starts the day at Le Massif not with a chairlift ride but with a decent. A decent, if you are fooled by optical illusions, directly into the Saint Lawrence River. Making turns in a come-to-life postcard, you see why people come here for the snow. There will time to hang out later.

The Rossi Open offers an outdoor fashion show, a family-friendly obstacle race, a costume contest (this year’s theme: superheroes), and an après party to end all après parties.

Ah, yes. The après. Mon Dieu.

Around three o’clock in the afternoon, the summit chalet bar expands, swallowing the entire cafeteria. Hunks of pork sizzle and rotate on an outdoor grill. Bartenders smash garbage pails full of ice cubes apart using a mini canoe paddle, assuring frosty refreshments for all. Clusters of skiers in makeup and capes walk past, and there’s a palpable feeling that grown men and women will make a fool of themselves this evening—and that will be perfectly acceptable.

A cover band with a funny (and racist?) name, Les Crackers, will rock till the wheels fall off, and the last $3 shuttle downhill to the quaint bed-and-breakfast village of Baie St-Paul won’t arrive till 1:30 a.m. Guaranteed some revelers will be sleeping in their car tonight, you’re told.

Good idea. They will be able to score nice, spring-soft first tracks come morning. I just hope they remember to air out those boot liners.

For more info on Le Massif, check out their website here.

Five Days: Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Everywhere In Between

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:36:00 -0500

With so many winter seasons being consumed by competing, it can be difficult to branch out of the contest circuit to experience some of the amazing resorts Canada has to offer. Meeting up with fellow shreds Breanna Stangeland and Alex Duckworth at the Burton Canadian Open, we knew we had a five-day window to make something happen.

After we got in touch with a photographer and packed up the vehicles, we were on a road trip heading west from Calgary, making sure we delivered Alex, our women's halfpipe alternate and forerunner, in time for the Olympic games.

Glimpse of the Canadian Open.

Our game of Tetris.

Breakfast of champions...cereal and toast!

Our first stop, the "Champagne powder capital of Canada"—Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, just on the outskirts of Golden, BC.
With over 2,750 skiable acres of terrain, 70 inbound chutes, and an average snowfall of 700 cm, Kicking Horse was sure to be a memorable stop!
Having our own guide, Chuck a.k.a. The Man, was key in our successes that day, and we owe many thank yous to him and the resort for making that happen. While the visibility was low, holding us back from being able to experience Terminator Ridge, Chuck still managed to guide us to some epic zones.

Our guide Chuck, giving us the low-down on the vast terrain.

Nat Gough scoping first lines. Photo Devon Gamble

Lights, camera, action!

Alex Duckworth, tree jibbin'.

Breanna Stangeland. Photo Devon Gamble

Nat Gough deep in the Kicking Horse pow. Photo Devon Gamble

Nat Gough slashes in Kicking Horse. Photo Devon Gamble

Nat Gough steep and deep in Kicking Horse. Photo Devon Gamble

Mustache party. Photo Devon Gamble

Welcome to the Red Bull Big Mountain Centre.

Breanna, rather excited for some avalanche 101 (that, and the Red Bull perhaps!).

A 190cm board?! No way would you be sinking in powder with that!

Chuck and Alex, having words in the Mountain Centre.

Special thanks again to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, the Big Mountain Centre and our awesome guide Chuck for making our first experience at the resort one to remember!

Be sure check here Monday for part two in Nat, Breanna and Alex's adventure in the Interior!

Le Massif gets 72cm in 48 hours

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:40:00 -0500

Le Massif, Que. -- While some parts of the rest of the country were getting spring-like conditions, Le Massif, in Quebec's Charlevoix region just west of Quebec City, was getting pounded by snow; 72 cm of the white stuff in 48 hours to be exact.

The resort, which, due to geography, sits in its own unique microclimate, frequently experiences a lot of snowfall but even this is a lot for it in such a short timeframe.

For more info on Le Massif, CLICK HERE.

W-B's Google Street View

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Whistler, B.C. – As of today, Whistler Blackcomb is the first ever resort to get on Google Street View, and it’s just in time for the Games. You can take a tour of some of the runs on Whistler or Blackcomb, take a stroll through the village and even check out some of Ross Rebagliati’s favourite Whistler spots (seriously?). Check it out. It, like the rest of Google Streetview is kind of eerily awesome, complete with user-added photos. You could spend fovever on this… I even think I saw myself on the Brass patio. (OK, maybe that wasn’t me.)

Google Street View Screen grab...

Showcase Snowboards-slash-the steps to Sushi Village.

And of course, one of the classic views of Black Tusk from the top of Whistler.

Check it out here (and waste away the rest of your afternoon). You've been warned.

And if that's not enough, check out how they did it:

Partysnake Gettin' Some Laps At Seymour: There's still snow!

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It's been all over the media that snow packs on Vancouver's local mountains are low. Looks like Mt.Seymour's still got enough of the white stuff to keep the park running and Partysnake crew gunning some lines. Riding from Nic Heringa, Matt Heneghan, Sean Kiv, Rahim Dina, Russel Lee, Geoff Stinson, Jeff Dawe and Brendan Keenan.

Mount Seymour Park Laps from Russell Lee on Vimeo.

Resort Report: Mt. Washington

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Aussies. They’re one of the best barometers of ski hill quality. Sure, you could read about how Mount Washington is the largest resort on Vancouver Island with nine lifts, 505 metres of vertical, 1600 acres of terrain and two terrain parks but what you really want to know is if the place has Aussie’s or not. You don’t even have to talk to them if you don’t want to. All you need to hear is one “Heaps a powdah, mate,” and you’ll know that the hill you’re at is legit.

After all the little buggers were sitting half way around the world before they decided to come to Canada. That means they either did a lot of research on the resort where they wanted to spend the next four or five months and found something worth checking out, or smoked a bunch of weed, spun around five times and picked the first hill off a list that their finger landed on.

Here’s where you’ve got to be careful. If you only see one or two and they’re extra scruffy you should probably assume that something similar to the later happened. However, if you run into a gang of Aussie’s at every lift and lodge it’s a pretty safe bet that something more compelling brought them (Whistler is often considered the biggest and best and look at how many Aussie’s they have).

Needless to say, the last time I was at Mount Washington I found myself asking, ‘Where the hell did all these Aussie’s come from?’ Caveat: Aussies are pretty much interchangeable with Brit’s these days.

To see if the Aussie’s are right lets run through the checklist of amenities that Mount Washington offers.

Panty/Bra Tree: Check (For the uneducated Panty/Bra tree tradition dictates that after you sleep with a girl you must steal her panties or bra—but preferably panties—and immortalize your conquest by displaying them on a tree within throwing distance of the lift).

Panty tree.

Over priced beer and food: Check, sort of. Sushi Mon offers $4 beers and sushi rolls at prices comparable to most sushi mid range sushi restaurants. Beware of the service however. It took nearly an hour to get our food, which sucks when you want to be shredding.

Sushi-whatever-mon.

If you’re looking for prices usually found at resorts you can take your pick of Fat Teddy’s, Fresh, Alpine Café or the Hungry Marmot Express all found in the Alpine Lodge.

Gnar: Check. A quick hike off of the Eagle Express brings you a step zone called Top Of The World and a line Called Ruffles (see area 1 on the map). From there you can drop into an area of West Basin called the Inside Cliffs if you’re feeling sendy (see area 2 on the map).

Ruffles.

Inside Cliffs in West Basin.

The Outback is packed with steep lines and drops. The easiest access is double black diamond so leave your panties on the Panty Tree before dropping in.

Beggars Canyon in The Outback.

Terrain Parks: Check. There’s a small beginner park under the Green Chair called Green zone with a three mellow boxes and a more proper set up in the Stomping Grounds terrain park that can be accessed off the Eagle Express and Whiskey Jack chairs.

Top of the park.

Mid park.

Bottom of the park.

Live band playing in a raucous après environment: Check. Fat Teddy’s is the place for some après bevy’s. There is no hostess so seating is first come first serve so on a busy weekend be prepared to have to battle for your seats.

On hill Accommodation: Check. There’s the Bear and Dear Lodge plus a gang of private condos for rent here: http://www.mountwashington.ca/en/travel-a-accommodation/private-accommodations.html

Five Star Dining: Nope. Leave your snooty attitude in Aspen Ritchie Rich.

Airport: Check. Comox airport services daily West Jet flights.

Depending on the status of the Aussie Day celebrations at your resort last night you’re either loving them (or made love to one in the last 24 hours) or hating them but you’ve got to admit they have a knack for popping up at some pretty good resorts.

For more on Mount Washington follow the jump to: www.mountwashington.ca

Resort Report: Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Revelstoke: The place that hurts your feet. I know that’s a horrible way to start a post when the place I’m speaking of is really incredible to ride. Anyone who knows a good mountain knows they hurt your feet. At a good mountain your arches burn, your legs turn to Jello, and your toes turn black because you never take a break. That’s exactly what Revelstoke is: a really killer mountain. Even if you do take a break consider that Revelstoke’s longest run, The Last Spike, is 15.5 km long. It’s no wonder I ended up drinking so many Ceasar’s. Lodge time is almost mandatory here. But trust me when I say, all the pain in the world is worth it when your riding Revelstoke Mountain.

Aww, look at the little guy, he's all tuckered out (if Revy didn't tire him out all that logo placement must have).

I arrived on a Monday after a huge snowfall. This would normally mean the hill would be tracked out. Especially when every local I know told me how hard they rode the last two days. But that’s not the case in Revy. It snows here so much that you can’t see the houses most of the time. The 1713 metre veritcal is so long it would take five days on a crowded weekend to even start to track it out. And even if that many people came to ski and weekends were five days long it would snow again before any real tracking happened. There are tree runs galore, tight or wide open and cliffs intermingled between every switchback with landings you can dive head first into—if you’re an idiot. But seriously, the place has it all if you truly love riding big, steep, and deep.

Big, steep and deep option 1 out of 1, 000, 000.

Big, steep and deep 2 out of 1, 000, 000.

Revelstoke, if you haven’t been or heard already is the kind of place you go to get away from city crowds. It’s a quiet town with a huge ski bum population of snowboarders and skiers that are only in it for the party and pow. I know right now you’re saying, “There are so many places like this in western Canada,” but what sets Revelstoke apart is the steep vertical and consistent powder. Revy gets more snow than any other hill I’ve visited and it’s rare to get stuck on a flat. Actually, when a flat spot did find its way into my day I found myself welcoming the moment. It was a chance for me to take a break and smell the Cedar.

When I ride at Revelstoke Mountain I make sure every second run is a cat track run because it’s the only way to last in this viscous leg-devouring world. And why not when you consider the cat drivers here actually groom cutouts to play on. I’ve never been on a longer cat track switchback run with this many features. I call it the Revy park its so much fun.

Revelstoke only has two chairlifts and a gondola but access is not limited. These few lifts take you to everything you need as an intermediate or expert and with 100 metre max hike you can access some incredible backcountry.

I always gauge a mountain on three things:

1-Snowfall: Revy has lots and lots of it. And it doesn’t go all wet and shitty for a while either. Revy has an average snowfall of 10 to 18 metres on the annual.

2-On hill gnar: There plenty of cliffs and chutes that you don’t need to hike to or hike out of.

3-How far away it seems: Revy is in the middle of it all, yet still to far away for the masses. One day perhaps it will become blown out but for now Revelstoke is killing it OG style.

Places to stay/sleep: Grumpy Bear house.

Places to go to booze: The Cabin, Outabounds nightclub, and the Rockford Bar&Grill at the base of the hill for food and a Ceasar (sk for KiKi).

Places to eat: Great White North, for a killer burger.

Shred Shops: Society snow and skate 313 mackenzie ave (250) 837-4785

Jeff Keenan gettin' some.

Mt. Washington Offers Night Shredding

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Mt. Washington Press Release -- With one of North America’s deepest snowbases as of December 15th, Mount Washington invites you to spend more time on the snow. How you ask? It’s easy- night riding started December 17th and the mountain is providing two extra hours of ride time every night this season.

Running Thursday through to Saturday nights and daily over holiday periods, night riding begins at 3:30p.m. and ends at 10:00p.m. Night riding takes place off the mountain’s Green and Whiskey Jack Chairs.

“Our new hours are aimed at the customers who want to get some riding time after work hours,” explains Director of Business Operations Don Sharpe. “We have some new ticket products based around our night program- these include a day/night combo and even a late night ticket.”

If you’re looking for a lift up the mountain, Mount Washington relaunches the Ski Shuttle for its second season. The Shuttle will bring you from sea to snow on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during daylight hours and from Thursday to Saturday during night skiing. The Shuttle will rocket you to the top of the mountain both daily and nightly during holiday periods. The full schedule can be found at mountwashington.ca.

Horseshoe Valley Opens December 8th-Preview Vid From Ruskfilm

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Keeping with tradition Horseshoe Valley will be the first Southern Ontario resort to open on Tuesday December 8th. Pony Tail and Steeplechase will be accessable by the Quad lift from 9:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. Lift tickets are $25 a pop until further notice. Get stoked So-O, winter is here. Here's a preview of some Horseshoe shredding from Andrew Rusk, Blair McKinney, Steve Powling, Brody Pigeau, Cory Gallon, Jon Rusk, Tyler Ashbee, and Andrew Skelhorn.

www.horseshoeresort.com

Horseshoe Comin' Soon from RUSKfilm on Vimeo.

Red Mountain Resort Opening Early On December 12

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Red Mountain Press Release -- Red Mountain Resort has been diligently planning for the start of the upcoming winter season. The
early arrival of winter snow has graced Red in what is shaping up to be a great season start. “There has been a great
amount of preparation for the season and a lot has come together – all departments have hired a fantastic team for the
winter ahead” says Erik Kalacis, Red Mountain’s General Manager. “With all the pent up anticipation amongst the skiing
and snowboarding communities, we’re thrilled to announce that Red will open for the winter season on Saturday, December
12th, at 9am with the Silverlode, Motherlode and Paradise Chairlifts. Red Carpet, T-Bar and the Red Chair will be on
standby, snow conditions permitting.” Full season rates will be in effect.

To make the season more affordable, Red is again providing skiers and snowboarders the Vertical Value discount card.
This card offers tremendous value offering three free days (1st, 4th and 7th visits) and a 10% discount on lift tickets
throughout the season. Vertical Value cards are priced: Junior (7-12 years of age): $32; Youth (13-18 years of age): $52;
Adult (19-65 years of age): $64; Senior (65+ years of age): $42. They are on sale until December 15th, 2009!

Please visit www.redresort.com to purchase or call 1-800-663-0105. You must be a resident of British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, Idaho and Washington to be eligible to purchase the card.

The Snakes Warm It Up At Seymour

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The season's just starting and we've got more and more vids pouring in all the time. Here's a quick one of the Snakes warming it up in the Seymour park.

Seymour is now open from Russell Lee on Vimeo.

Mt.Seymour Opening Day With Videograss And The Snakes

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Ben Bilocq went down to Mt.Seymour to shred with the Snakes for opening day. Foggy as all hell? Yup, looks like Seymour. From videograss.com

mt seymour opening day with videograss from jan snarski on Vimeo.

Fernie opening for preview this weekend, sets opening date for Dec. 5th

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Fernie, B.C. -- With successive storms over the past few weeks and the magical powers of the legendary Griz (Fernie's shotgun-toting mythical snow maker), snow conditions at Fernie Alpine Resort lend to the earliest resort opening in British Columbia's Kootenay Region of the Canadian Rockies, B.C.'s Powder Highway, and one of the earliest in the ski resort's history. The announcement to open for a preview weekend, one week prior to the official resort opening on Dec 5th.

Stay tuned to www.skifernie.com for resort updates including lift ticket pricing and trail status for the new preview weekend at Fernie Alpine Resort.

Mt. Washington Record November Snowfall

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Mount Washington Press Release -- It’s official; Mount Washington Alpine Resort has now surpassed- make that blown past- their old snowfall record for the month of November. The resort received a whopping 440 centimetres of snow over the last three weeks. With one week left this month, conditions are looking ideal for this Saturday’s opening day.

“Our old record for November snowfall was 300 centimetres in 2006,” explains resort spokesperson Brent Curtain. “Needless to say, this month we’ve seen unprecedented amounts of snow up here. We received 300 centimetres in the last week alone!”

As of Monday, November 23rd, Mount Washington was reporting a snowbase of 240cms. “This is a base we usually see in mid-January. We’re standing on 6 feet of compacted snow in front of the Alpine Lodge and it gets deeper the further you look up the mountain,” Curtain adds.

As for business at the mountain, the early snowfall has produced an influx of accommodation bookings and early bird 6ixPak sales. “Our Call Centre has seen an 80 percent increase in call volumes over the last week compared to this time last year,” says Reservations Manager Susan Sanderson.

The resort is busy training staff and more importantly, digging out the resort, in preparations for opening day this Saturday.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort opens Saturday, November 28th. The resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 250-338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.

Whistler Mountain Opening Day Recap

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

With the coast receiving plenty of snow Whistler Mtn openened 12 days early with a base of over 100cm. Crowds lined up friday afternoon for the opening and by 7:30 Saturday morning they stretched through the village. WB started the lifts earlier than expected and got the eager crowd up the mountain quickly. Opening day serves as a sort of annual reunion where you're sure to bump into good friends you may not have seen since the previous season. The combination of good snow and high fives made for an amazing day that sets the tone for the season ahead.

As we inched towards the gondola we heard the line had stretched all the way to Cow's ( an ice cream store a long way away).

Memorable moments and quotes from the day:

The use of the term "heaps" to desrcribe any number of things. Ie: "Mate there's going to be heaps of powda up there." And. "We got here heaps early and the line is here."

Four runs through VD's trees with great coverage for an opening day.

"You know they're a local if they're wearing Nomis gear."--Overheard in the morning line.

Watching countless people boot pack up Shale slope. What?

Last run under Garbanzo chair with a back leg screaming at you to stop.

The singles line that was 90% faster than the regular line.

Splitz burger combo to end the day.

Here's a short video that Justin Lamourex put together.