Anyone here ever been to Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho or Panorama in BC? Looking at a trip in Feb. or March flying into Spokane and heading out from there. I've gotten some info here on Red, Whitewater, Kicking Horse and Fernie but don't know much about the other areas. Thanks.
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Questions on Idaho, BC spots
- Thread starter Razor
- Start date
freeheelwilly
Member
Dude - wrong forum. try TGR or telemarktips or ..... just about anyplace else. Not knockin' this forum and there may be one or two here that have some beta for ya' but......Just sayin'. This place is pretty limited to the Northeast and by that they really mean Vermont and by that they really mean Sugarbush.:lol: :wink:
ymmv
ymmv
Razor said:
Panorama ain't bad compared to East coast hills, but if you're going to hump all the way to BC it's not the first place I'd consider. Red Mountain, Fernie, and especially Kicking Horse are far better options.
Never been to Idaho...one of these days. I always seem to wind up in Utah, Colorado, or Wyoming.
AHM
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Been to 'em both...............here ya go
Razor: Been to both. Schweitzer is not a hill I would return to, pretty weak expert, not very steep etc. Sure it's great in a dump, as are most places, but not worth visiting.
Pano: different story. All in all, it has the most potential in BC (easy whistler skiers) and depending on the type of skier you are may be just fine. In a dump it is a major hill with serious verts and prime expert terrain (read big unmarked cliffs, choice chutes and an entire pseduo OB area called Tayton bowl. Ski pano in a dump and you can easily hook the 4k verts. Have caught Pano, Kimberly and Fernie in one major storm (2 ft +). Got it first at Pano, moved with it to Kimberly, continued with it to Fernie, so feel that I have the dumper comparison at each. In a dump I will take Pano over Fernie. That said, Fernie has better snow overall and is a cooler place. A dump at both will last a week at Pano, it'll be gone at Fernie in a couple days, including Fish and Cabin (OB areas).
Here's how to RT BC (I have done this 8 or 9 times, so it is kind a dialed).
Fly into wherever (Canada or the US). Pick a starting destination and then from there go based on snow. If the eastern interior is going off, go east from say Red and hit Whitewater/Fernie. If more western interior is going off head to Apex, Big White, etc.
For a first timer, if the group are experts I would do a Red/Whitewater/Fernie trip. You can add big mountain Montana if you want the extra driving. Red and Whitewater are an hour apart. Fernie is about 4 from Whitewater.
If I had to plan the trip and stick to a spot I would stay in Nelson (whitewater) and hit red as well as Valhalla powder cats (good expert day op with choice terrain--read they let you go off 20 - 30 ft cornices, they spot 15 - 35 ft booters for you. It's a solid operation at a great price. Whitewater offers serious OB opportunities all over Ymir ridge. This is well worth it. A dumper in Nelson means camp at Whitewater and get standby at Valhalla three days after the storm. Nelson is an awesome town, Rossland, much smaller but all about skiing. Very cool place. Fernie a bit more resortesque, or getting there, but still basic BC. Don't miss the largest truck in the world as you drive thru Sparwood BC on your way into Fernie from Albert.
Now the North: You can also do this loop. Land in Calgary and drive south to Fernie (3 hrs). If it is absolutely dumping, hit Castle Mountain on the Alberta/BC border (a pow mag little area that rocks--yep HPD caught it in a 90 cm dump, had to crash in my car as Crows neck pass to Fernie was closed). Castle is on the way to Fernie. From Fernie, drive North to Golden (say ski Fernie two to three days). This is 5 hours. Ski KH in bounds one day and OB the second. KH has some serious chute skiing, but the place lacks for snow, so it is the only western hill I have found east coast rock hard snow. KH OB, moving towards Rogers pass is dead serious stuff. Just huge. 45 min hike out of KH will bring you to some serious Coulior bowls, which will feature "walk away" terrain for many. But the place is certainly worth some time. You can also hit Rogers for some touring (you can day tour rogers out of Golden--going up balu pass or even the ileciliwat(sp) glacier to lily for a big day.
I'll leave it at that. If you want more info let me know. And to the guy who says go to the TGR forum, I say: we east coasters know our west coast hills pretty well.AHM
Razor said:
Razor: Been to both. Schweitzer is not a hill I would return to, pretty weak expert, not very steep etc. Sure it's great in a dump, as are most places, but not worth visiting.
Pano: different story. All in all, it has the most potential in BC (easy whistler skiers) and depending on the type of skier you are may be just fine. In a dump it is a major hill with serious verts and prime expert terrain (read big unmarked cliffs, choice chutes and an entire pseduo OB area called Tayton bowl. Ski pano in a dump and you can easily hook the 4k verts. Have caught Pano, Kimberly and Fernie in one major storm (2 ft +). Got it first at Pano, moved with it to Kimberly, continued with it to Fernie, so feel that I have the dumper comparison at each. In a dump I will take Pano over Fernie. That said, Fernie has better snow overall and is a cooler place. A dump at both will last a week at Pano, it'll be gone at Fernie in a couple days, including Fish and Cabin (OB areas).
Here's how to RT BC (I have done this 8 or 9 times, so it is kind a dialed).
Fly into wherever (Canada or the US). Pick a starting destination and then from there go based on snow. If the eastern interior is going off, go east from say Red and hit Whitewater/Fernie. If more western interior is going off head to Apex, Big White, etc.
For a first timer, if the group are experts I would do a Red/Whitewater/Fernie trip. You can add big mountain Montana if you want the extra driving. Red and Whitewater are an hour apart. Fernie is about 4 from Whitewater.
If I had to plan the trip and stick to a spot I would stay in Nelson (whitewater) and hit red as well as Valhalla powder cats (good expert day op with choice terrain--read they let you go off 20 - 30 ft cornices, they spot 15 - 35 ft booters for you. It's a solid operation at a great price. Whitewater offers serious OB opportunities all over Ymir ridge. This is well worth it. A dumper in Nelson means camp at Whitewater and get standby at Valhalla three days after the storm. Nelson is an awesome town, Rossland, much smaller but all about skiing. Very cool place. Fernie a bit more resortesque, or getting there, but still basic BC. Don't miss the largest truck in the world as you drive thru Sparwood BC on your way into Fernie from Albert.
Now the North: You can also do this loop. Land in Calgary and drive south to Fernie (3 hrs). If it is absolutely dumping, hit Castle Mountain on the Alberta/BC border (a pow mag little area that rocks--yep HPD caught it in a 90 cm dump, had to crash in my car as Crows neck pass to Fernie was closed). Castle is on the way to Fernie. From Fernie, drive North to Golden (say ski Fernie two to three days). This is 5 hours. Ski KH in bounds one day and OB the second. KH has some serious chute skiing, but the place lacks for snow, so it is the only western hill I have found east coast rock hard snow. KH OB, moving towards Rogers pass is dead serious stuff. Just huge. 45 min hike out of KH will bring you to some serious Coulior bowls, which will feature "walk away" terrain for many. But the place is certainly worth some time. You can also hit Rogers for some touring (you can day tour rogers out of Golden--going up balu pass or even the ileciliwat(sp) glacier to lily for a big day.
I'll leave it at that. If you want more info let me know. And to the guy who says go to the TGR forum, I say: we east coasters know our west coast hills pretty well.AHM
blacknblue
New member
Pano is a pretty fun hill. There is a small village area, and Invermere is about 15 minutes away. I don't think I would want to spend more than 2 or 3 days skiing there, though. But the Taynton Bowl area is pretty damn fun. I was there during a bad snow year, but had a blast in Taynton, with plenty of fresh on the ground, probably 3 or 4 days after the last storm.
Also, RK Heli operates out of the base area and takes 1-day reservations.
You should definitely check out Kicking Horse in BC as well, a few hours from Pano. Lake Louise is (I think) 3 hours away from Pano, IIRC.
Also, RK Heli operates out of the base area and takes 1-day reservations.
You should definitely check out Kicking Horse in BC as well, a few hours from Pano. Lake Louise is (I think) 3 hours away from Pano, IIRC.
freeheelwilly
Member
AHM said:
He would have got all of that - and more- in about ten minutes on either of those other forums. That's not a knock on this forum or east coast skiers. It's just a fact. Chill buddy. I'll bet you're a blast at parties.
BTW, is it really necessary to finish all your posts with "AHM"? I mean, you've got "AHM" in your signature line and, of course, every post you make is clearly marked as a post by.....you guessed it...."AHM". And besides, the pontificating and condescending tenor of your posts is a dead give away anyway.:razz: (That last part was a JOKE. Don't go gettin' all pissy on me. You clearly have skied all over the World. A poser you are not.)
AHM
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Fwh................
As with your last comment, mine (last comment) was a joke too. Can get quite a bit from both of those sites, but he was "here" so I answered the post since I was familiar with the areas he mentioned. The signage is a hold over from the RSN days, we can ditch it pretty easy. You probably recall those days.............................
As with your last comment, mine (last comment) was a joke too. Can get quite a bit from both of those sites, but he was "here" so I answered the post since I was familiar with the areas he mentioned. The signage is a hold over from the RSN days, we can ditch it pretty easy. You probably recall those days.............................
freeheelwilly
Member
AHM said:
Those were the days when men were men and Scotty PP and Indatrees got what they deserved. BTW, been hangin' with your bud KM alot this Summer. Water skiin almost every weekend.
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