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Snowboarding in windy condition advice

26K views 19 replies 20 participants last post by  cjcameron11 
#1 ·
I was planning to go to Winter Park this Thursday. The forecast calls for 20to 35 mph winds with gusts of 45. What the max wind you have boarded in and would you recommend going in these conditions?
 
#3 ·
In Austria on a trip there about 2 years around the Dachstein West area they were having gusts of like 60MPH and I wasn't riding till the wind dropped to around 40 and that wasn't very fun.
 
#7 · (Edited)
QFT

Wind and Snow is what fancy gear is for and pussies to stay home. I run hotter n fuck tho, I'd ride in about 14f all the time if I had my druthers.

and FWIW, if you are paying a chunk of change for a WP ticket, they OFTEN close the top lift (Panoramic Express, which takes you to the big wide bowl above treeline) due to wind there, so if that is important to your dollar value, it's worth considering. Most of the mountain stays open just not that lift on windy days.
 
#6 ·
If you cover all layers of skin, and wear hi-visibility goggles, you should make-out ok. There will be shelter from the wind in the trees, and there should be fewer people on the mountain. Start recognizing trends in how the snow is deposited. Follow those trends to find the fluff and avoid the funk.
 
#9 ·
Hakkoda is regularly 50+ MPH. They run the lift up to 59MPH winds, so there is a good opportunity to get some wind boarding in. I don't mind it personally but if you aren't covered head to toe with something you can get frostbite quick. I got it on the top of my ear after one of those days out here. swelled up and turned white :thumbsup:
 
#11 ·
I know I've tried to get into a backcountry line with winds blowing so hard I couldn't move. I was literally 20 ft away from where I wanted to drop and couldn't move and inch. After trying for 10-15 minutes, we turned around. Sustained 50-60mph winds maybe even more. I've also been knocked over and picked up. Once winds get to those speeds you can't ride. Once you get over 45mph, it gets really tough. Riding off of a lift allows you to sustain a little big higher winds than hiking, but not by a whole lot.
 
#12 ·
It was blowing hard at Snowbird on Tuesday and the worse thing about it is the poor visibility of blowing snow. Unless you really know the run I would be careful. I agree with neednsnow on hi-vis goggles, thats a must. Other then that, it aint so bad and can be an adventure. The worse I have been in is the summit at Mt Bachelor. Its like a white sand storm, where you actually have to tack down the mountain. :)
 
#20 ·
When i boarded the Remarkables in NZ a car was literally blown off the road into a ditch it was blowing that hard, apparently the driver decided to ignore the chains sign and on one of the exposed corners he was pushed into a mountain side ditch. Bloody lucky it wasn't blowing the other way off the mountain side. Needless to say when we got to the top it was a hike day as the lifts were not turning.
 
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