Wow ... that's pretty reasonable for BC - I thought Whistler would be about $100 CAN per day [with a discount for multi-days]
It's about $110 per day over Xmas/NY, but then dips a bit.
Reasonable discount for multi days, but I agree that £400 for 10 days seems a bit cheap, I didn't think you could even get 8 for that in peak season?
GrahamS You forgot the $1000 you're going to spend in the GLC
Excellent point! Our trip is self-catering so add in costs for large pitchers of beer and the odd burger. 😀
£400 for 10 days seems a bit cheap
We booked the [url= http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/tickets-and-passes/lift-tickets/winter-tickets.aspx ]lift tickets direct through the Whistler website[/url] back in November for a trip that starts on March 7th. So Early Bird discount and not exactly peak season.
If you do a bit of searching it looks like a 10 day pass for around then is now $748 CAN, which is about £420 at current rates, so it hasn't changed much.
Gotta love a bit of 'layback carving'!
The man has undeniable steeeeeeeze!
If you do a bit of searching it looks like a 10 day pass for around then is now $748 CAN, which is about £420 at current rates
Nice! 🙂 Intrawest must be getting generous in their old age!
btw - if conditions are peachy or you just fancy being up the ski hill super early then have a look at the 'Fresh Tracks' breakfast up on Whistler!
Yeah tempted by that Digby. Is it worth doing?
Can you go where you like (within reason)?
I've seen "Fresh Tracks" at other resorts where you all end up coming down the same few runs of freshly groomed corduroy, which defeats the purpose for me (though the skiers love it).
Oooh that 'Kevin' video still has me howling with laughter. Those are very short skis they put him on, even for the days before parabolic.
My hairy tow moment was in Passo Tonale. The only way up to one of the black runs was a walk up hill, carrying skis. A bright spark started towing 8 people on ropes tied to the back of his ski-do. You were completely relying on the others being proficient, which of course some weren't, it was a case of hanging on and just watching others either enjoying the ride, or panicking and falling all over the show. There was a lot of swerving going on. Much fun.
Edit : I think health and safety banned this practise a few years ago and there is a tow lift up there now.
Intrawest must be getting generous in their old age!
Didn't Intrawest sell their stake in WB a few seasons back?
I'd agree, and recommend giving the Early Bird a miss. They don't open much up and you'll end up pigging out on bacon and waiting for the loo! If it does dump just get up early and join the lift line with a coffee, it will only get longer.
Yeah tempted by that Digby. Is it worth doing?
Depends entirely on the conditions, so there's always going to be an element of luck:
Too much snow fall and the patrollers won't have everything opened up and too little and you'll be cruising the groomers.
It was March '06 when I did it at Whistler - a good few inches of a freshies and whilst lots of folks were still stuffing breakfast I managed 3 laps off the Harmony chair before I saw another soul.
Either way I reckon it's a change of pace and a nice way to beat the morning crowds!
Didn't Intrawest sell their stake in WB a few seasons back?
I wasn't aware of that - A quick Google shows that yeah .. they sold the last of their shares in WB in 2012 ... probably explains the change in pricing!
a nice way to beat the morning crowds!
A Canadian "crowds" 😀
We were out with a board guide in Fernie one year (the rather fantastically named "Napoleon Champagne") and he took us to some runs above the pistes.
When we made it back down onto the pistes he was moaning that it was [i]"so busy"[/i] and [i]"way too crowded man"[/i].
I reckon there were about 20 folk there. Tops. 😆
I always wondered what he'd make of the Alps at half term!
I realise Whistler is quite a bit busier than Fernie by the way, but even then there is "Canada Busy":
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And there is "Alps Busy":
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I think most North Americans would completely freak out if they experienced a European resort in high season. It still amazes me that Europe hasn't cottoned on to alternating lift lines and a bit of customer service from the lifties. When it's busy it really helps keep the crowds calm.
a bit of customer service
Yep. I remember a Canadian liftie dealing with the "crowd" at a chairlift by sitting up on a lifeguard-style high chair and asking us Trivial Pursuit questions while we queued. 😀
The little boxes of tissues at each lift are a nice touch too.
But mostly it's the [i]"After you", "No, no, after you I insist"[/i] attitude that is a stark contrast to the[i] anything-goes-Euro-rammy[/i] approach.
This was our Boys trip a couple of seasons back.....filmed by me on my iphone! 8)
That's a quality "Ski Fail" video right there.
Tweak the brightness and colours up a bit, submit it to [url= http://jukinvideo.com/ ]Jukin Video[/url] and watch your licensing payments roll in 😀
I realise Whistler is quite a bit busier than Fernie by the way, but even then there is "Canada Busy"
The biggest difference for me is the lift situation when it's busy.
In Europe you've got people clawing at your face trying to get ahead of you in the queue. Stamping all over your skis and acting like they can't even see you.
In Canada you ease up to let someone in the queue and they say "No, after you!" with a smile 🙂 Even when you've got two queues merging into one, they automatically merge in equal numbers from each side! This of course applies slightly less in Whistralia, for obvious reasons 😉
In Canada you ease up to let someone in the queue and they say "No, after you!" with a smile
Gotta love those polite Canucks!
When riding the Whistler Gondola alone, my missus was joined by a small group of park-rats who said to her:
"excuse me ma'am ... would you mind if we smoked a joint on the ride up?"
How impolite. Surely they should have offered to share.
Surely they should have offered to share
I believe they did ... 🙄
Whenever we've skied in North America, we get into the 'singles queue', for some reason it always makes me giggle, when the liftie shouts out, 'single'.
Anyone got any general advice for either Trysil or Are (insert accent above A)?
I realise Whistler is quite a bit busier than Fernie by the way,
Stopped going to Whistler after 2006 because the peak season queues were starting to get a bit "Alpine". Then we discovered the Interior BC resorts and never looked back. It's great being able to wake up on a powder day and ski straight onto the lift.
"Alps Busy"
Look at it! Heaving!
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🙂
I'm guessing that isn't Half Term at an affordable resort tho eh?
I'm curious, where is that?
As it's Flashy I'm 99% sure the answer will be Serre Che. 😀
Top two are L'Yret, and the last is the top of Grand Serre, all at the lovely Serre Chevalier.
And yes, Graham, not exactly high season! 😀
*Edit @Graham 😀 *
I was looking last night at a cheeky short break to Serre Che, but no options for flights from the SW other than at weekends to Grenoble & Turin and it's a long way from Geneva. Come on easyjet & Ryanair get it together.
Come on easyjet & Ryanair get it together.
NO, NO, NO! Please don't! We don't want [i]everyone[/i] being able to get there!
BA operate regular flights from LGW to Turin. Which is nice. 😀
If you live in London..
Is it still an itinerary round the back from L Yret right down to the bottom of Monetier? It's not on the map anymore?
I'd love to go back there,
Is it still an itinerary round the back from L Yret right down to the bottom of Monetier?
Down Eychauda, and then pick your route, basically. There's a great black off to the left as you descend (Bachas?), not good in late season though.
This is the oldest map I can find, when I worked there there was an itinerary in the Tabuc valley further to the right on the map, than the Tabuc black. It started skiers left off the top of L'yret. Fond memories of great snow and some wreckless attitudes or complete ignorance to safety.
[url= 
]piste map[/url]
😯
Fresh underpants please!
Ouch.
Ouch indeed! He was lucky to get away with that!
I do wonder if we're going to see a proliferation of asshats doing stuff they shouldn't (Not that I know if that chap should or shouldn't have tried that) just because of their GoPros and the hope that they can drop a psikk edit.*
There have certainly been more people not paying attention to lines because they're more interested in their selfie-stick-silliness. The worry is that the pics of the people who ARE capable always make it look soooo easy.
*The p is silent, as in "the bath".
quick question :
last time I skied , 1996 , i had some Salomon skis , very long ( size 7 or 8 in salomon ) .
since then, ski technology has moved on quite a bit .
i have booked some hire skis , advanced level , and i am slighty worried I wont know how to ski anymore .
am i worrying for nothing ?
I used to be a fairly confident and able skier , could ski anywhere on piste , and technique was good too .
on a different note , it seems the snow is finally arriving on the Alps .
I'm in no way qualified to advise.
But I'm going to do it anyway 😀
In your position I'd book some 1:1 instruction for arrival day and take it from there.
My brother in law skied at school. Fast forward 14 years and driving to resort the conversation was jumps, skiing backward blah blah.
First turn on the beginner slope, fell and slid most of the way on his back.
Still no jumps but after a couple of hours he had picked it back up.
Days Of My Youth from MSP is on Redbull TV this weekend. Well worth a watch.
Modern skis are much easier to potter about on compared with the old straight things that wouldn't fit under a door. Making good use of them requires a significant change in technique though.
What do you mean by "advanced skis", Chris. A pair of 35m radius FIS giant slalom skis are not very nice unless the snow is perfect and you have the whole descent to yourself. Slalom skis with an 11m radius are much more fun and allow pottering or really physical skiing. Tourist skis that are a bit wider with a about a 17m radius will be much more forgiving than either and not leave you exhausted after the first descent.
just booked them online .
i ll ask the shop when i pick them up . i hope , skiing is a bit like riding a bike , you never forget .
the small resorts next to my home town in france are covered in snow while the ones in the Alps are nowhere near ready .
The mountains were looking pretty white from Pau today. They've been making artificial snow for a couple of days. I could no doubt do a rando tomorrow but will wait for a bit more sous-couche.
but even then there is "Canada Busy":
Looks like Harmony ridge! 😀
"excuse me ma'am ... would you mind if we smoked a joint on the ride up?"
😆
Well I hope there is snow Champagny/La Plagne! Or WILL be in 3 weeks time.
