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Banff Area Riding

3K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  roremc 
#1 ·
Hi guys - I'm new to the forum and to Calgary in general. Moved here from the snow mecca that isn't London, England a couple of months ago and have basically been counting the days to the first dump. Spent the last three weekends consecutively at Sunshine as that's where some friends have their season pass so I've been doing a little exploring, while teaching my other half how to ride from scratch. I hear that Goats Eye has opened this week so I'm looking forward to checking out some of the vert there but we're probably going to head to Louise on Friday.

Anyway, my brother and buddy are visiting for Christmas and new year. We've been riding for 12 years and spent a few seasons in the French Alps and one in whistler - so pretty advanced. I'd appreciate any advice on the best gladed runs, powder stashes and anything else that would make their trip out here memorable.

We've got a cabin in Canmore from 26th Dec for a week so if anyone has got any suggestions on good places for beers etc in the evening it would be nice - plus maybe any NYE destinations?

The weekend after we've booked a days cat riding at castle - very excited about that.

Cheers.

Mike
 
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#2 ·
Lake Louise, Sunshine, Fernie, etc. are all filled with TONS of available off-piste riding. So I'm not going to tell you about some of my favorite spots! lol :D I will say that all of them have spots that can hold fresh powder for days after a storm, even during busy times. Just watch where the other people go and don't go that way. Usually spines seem to have more snow on top (maybe people are scared to get out to them?) and other areas that you have to traverse to. If you stick to the fall line things will be more heavily travelled.

The other thing is I LOVE finding my own secret stashes in places. It's an adventure just to find them! At Louise your best bet would be the top of the world chair or the platter, some of the back stuff is decent too but I find it actually more abused back there.

For riding advice, I'd say xmas day, boxing day, and possibly new years eve will be worth it. Otherwise it'll be a gong show. I was at Lake Louise last year on boxing day and it was great. We stayed in town that night and had to go to the base of the hill on the morning of the 27th (lost car keys) and the line just to get a ticket looked like it was hours long. Then the lift lines were retarded. I would avoid the big 3 like the plague from the 27th to the 30th.

Have fun!
 
#3 ·
SUNSHINE
there is a lot of good stuff off of goats eye. The southside chutes are good and there are lots of trees to riders right of the chutes. they are smaller up top and get bigger, snow stays good in there for a long time.

The shoulder (under neath the double chair) can have some good snow later in the season but it is pretty short.

If you have avy gear there is the dive and wild west.

Lake Louise
someonen else will give you better info usually i ride in the park there although i have found good snow on the back side. I have a seasons pass there this year so im sure i will find out where the good stuff is but don't really know yet.

Kicking Horse
EVERY WHERE, about 1:45 from canmore super steep and great snow, don't know how conditions will be that early in the year.

Revy
Probably around 4 hours from canmore unreal tree runs tons of snow. Same as KH i don't know how condidtions will be that early but i went last dec and had 1 foot the first night with another 6 inches the second night. Fresh pow the whole weekend. Great tree runs.
 
#4 ·
Cheers guys - appreciate the info. Because I'm new to the area, and the few guys I know here ski, I've been going off doing some exploring on my own but I'm a bit hesitant to do much solo off piste exploring without a transceiver etc. I just want to make the most of their time out here. Will defo look at the weather forecast for KH during that week and we're contemplating getting a guide to do the dive at SSV.

not sure if we'll be able to get to revvy during their trip this time but I'm definitely going to hit that around Feb.

I've read that the platter at LL is a bit of a pain - is it really worth it once you get up top??
 
#5 ·
Cheers guys - appreciate the info. Because I'm new to the area, and the few guys I know here ski, I've been going off doing some exploring on my own but I'm a bit hesitant to do much solo off piste exploring without a transceiver etc.

I've read that the platter at LL is a bit of a pain - is it really worth it once you get up top??
No need for a transceiver in bounds. Not saying in bounds avalanches are impossible but they're very rare. I venture all over the place here on my own...

The platter is a pain, but only you can judge if it's worth it. There's some very good boarding up there on both the front and back side of the platter. Because it's a pain it will be less tracked out. Just be prepared to rest for a minute at the top.
 
#7 ·
I'll definitely give it a go in December - don't think I could bring myself to take my missus up there before she's mastered toe turns.

I took her up the divide chair on Saturday, it was her second time ever riding and I thought she'd appreciate being taught the way I was taught.

I was wrong.
 
#9 ·
Yeah that's a little much. Took my GF to the top of the Divide after she boarded for a couple years first. It was windy as hell and visibility was low and she was so upset I think she was honestly scared for her life. :confused: That's not what boarding's all about.

Please don't bring somebody on the platter who isn't high intermediate at the least.
 
#11 ·
lol Fair enough! It damn near killed me on Saturday afternoon. I did several runs on it in a row last year with no troubles, but Saturday a cloud rolled in and the thing seemed to go on forever! It had hoarfrost on it so my gloves kept slipping. By the time I got to the top I had forearm pump like I had been doing laps on a dirt bike! Was totally work it though... :laugh:
 
#17 ·
That t bar still gives me nightmares lol We do it a couple times a year just because a friend who hasnt tried it wants to and we always end up losing a member otw up. A couple years ago i wiped out after getting off and sat on my highback and snapped the thing right off. I think the general concensus with that thing is stay the fuck away if youre a male boarder;)
 
#20 ·
Thing is, coming up in Europe there are still loads of T's and button lifts at the Alpine resorts so we're kind of used to it - but I've heard this platter is pretty steep and a ball cruncher - sounds like a good time to me.

We're basically gonna do 3 days in sunshine, 2 in LL and 2 in KH during that week.

I live in Calgary so we'll probably hit the COP for some park during the day a few times - is it worth it?
 
#21 ·
COP has a decent park if you're good with ice... I haven't been there in years because i hate it (too old to smash myself on the ice these days), but hey maybe you don't mind that kind of thing. I'm sure someone on this forum is a COP park rat and has a more current opinion.
 
#22 ·
I went to COP once last year, never again! Maybe it's not as bad mid-week, but my idea of fun isn't standing 10 mins in line for a 5 minute lift ride for 30 seconds of downhill... The park was decent but I don't see why it always gets mentioned in snowboarder magazine. I remember Blue Mountain in Ontario having a significantly better park.

For freestyle days I think it'd be much better to head to Lake Louise and ride the bottom chair, or Sunshine and ride the one that feeds the park. You'll probably get just as much park time with some actual snowboard turns before and after! :D
 
#27 ·
Yeah I live in Calgary so I'll definitely hit up Revvy at some point this season - but while my buddies are here we want to spend more time on the hills rather than in the car. I've been heading up every weekend to sunshine and the drive back kills me, it's less than an hour and a half but I'm so knackered - and I'd like to have a few beers during the day and after riding too - so it kind of rules out long drives.

the weekend after we're going down to castle for some cat riding too - which should hopefully be pretty sick.

I've got a little one too and SSV & LL have day care in resort which is a nice little touch.
 
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