Feb 16-19: Whistler BC
2/15/08
Canada BC
2133
2
Dubbed by Whistler as their busiest day EVER on record, my friend Josh and I arrived at Lot 5 to spend the night after a horrendous 11 hour drive from Seattle inluding a 2 hour border delay and a 4-5 hour delay on the Sea to Sky highway due to a head-on/investigation accident (the third that week). Needless to say the greatest hazard of the weekend was that damned highway.
Whistler greeted us Sunday morning with cold temperatures and crystal clear skies. Skied Blackcomb and Whistler a bit before heading out to the BC under dramtically warming temperatures. Freezing level roze to 1500 meters that day and 2000 meters monday and tuesday. Snowpack was bomber solid and avi danger was rated at moderate. Thus locals were going big in the BC skiing several decents off of Fissle. We met one medical evac due to a broken collar bone (pole plant to the chest).
My friend Josh and I were both sick with virus so we made only modest assests and decents on Whirlwind and Cowboy ridge before returning home. Even with the high freezing levels wind and sun protected slopes were in EXCELLENT condition as are most slopes in bounds at Whistler and Blackcomb. Coverage is great.
Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/jaymehelgeson/021908WhistlerJosh
As far as safety goes this weekend is about the safest I've experienced this season. The only danger areas I could identify were those with fresh daily wind deposited slabs near the summit/ridge cornices...and these were minimal in size and depth of deposits.
And please all, be very careful, on the Sea to Sky. I for one am considering the coast range next time...I'm not sure I'll attempt that drive again anytime soon.
Whistler greeted us Sunday morning with cold temperatures and crystal clear skies. Skied Blackcomb and Whistler a bit before heading out to the BC under dramtically warming temperatures. Freezing level roze to 1500 meters that day and 2000 meters monday and tuesday. Snowpack was bomber solid and avi danger was rated at moderate. Thus locals were going big in the BC skiing several decents off of Fissle. We met one medical evac due to a broken collar bone (pole plant to the chest).
My friend Josh and I were both sick with virus so we made only modest assests and decents on Whirlwind and Cowboy ridge before returning home. Even with the high freezing levels wind and sun protected slopes were in EXCELLENT condition as are most slopes in bounds at Whistler and Blackcomb. Coverage is great.
Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/jaymehelgeson/021908WhistlerJosh
As far as safety goes this weekend is about the safest I've experienced this season. The only danger areas I could identify were those with fresh daily wind deposited slabs near the summit/ridge cornices...and these were minimal in size and depth of deposits.
And please all, be very careful, on the Sea to Sky. I for one am considering the coast range next time...I'm not sure I'll attempt that drive again anytime soon.
Great to have that combination of blue bird weather, powder, and fairly stable conditions! Made the long Friday night drive worth the effort (also took us about 11 hours to get there from Seattle, arriving at about 2:30 in the morning).
After 2 days of in-bounds skiing, we did a tour on the 18th off from Blackcomb to the Spearhead Glacier area. Even with the high freezing levels the pow was preserved well on the alpine northern aspects!
We also found those fresh isolated wind slab deposits near some ridglines, and those deposits also appeared to be quite shallow and fairly limited in size.
Pics from the Spearhead Glacier area are posted here.
After 2 days of in-bounds skiing, we did a tour on the 18th off from Blackcomb to the Spearhead Glacier area. Even with the high freezing levels the pow was preserved well on the alpine northern aspects!
We also found those fresh isolated wind slab deposits near some ridglines, and those deposits also appeared to be quite shallow and fairly limited in size.
Pics from the Spearhead Glacier area are posted here.
Thanks for the pics!
Anyone know who was night skiing Coyboy ridge Monday night? Lots of adreneline filled hoots, hollars, and other wierd/interesting nocturnal verbalizations woke me clean out of a peaceful slumber. Moonlight madness and crazed nighttime fun!
Anyone know who was night skiing Coyboy ridge Monday night? Lots of adreneline filled hoots, hollars, and other wierd/interesting nocturnal verbalizations woke me clean out of a peaceful slumber. Moonlight madness and crazed nighttime fun!
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