Pacific NW/AK/BC 2020/2021 PNW news, weather, conditions, stoke.

[noncrazycanuck]

any skiing this year has been a bonus, now while the knees is finally back to 50% and Whistler is closed, road trip to Sunshine and Lake Louise now in planning stage.

 

[Sibhusky]

Is it me or has Alpental really expanded their lower mountain grooming this year? Also see them grooming the lower part of chair 2 much more frequently. Have to say ski Alpental groomed is like skiing a different mountain. Now need to bring carving skis for the morning on crisp groomers and something fun for the afternoon on the upper mountain

what is really crazy is that I am in Whitefish this week and Alpental, my home mountain has better snow lol.

This is why I discourage April visits. The week to come here is the last week of February. Year after year I have comments in my notes or on Facebook about "best day ever" during that time period.

 

[David Chaus]

This is why I discourage April visits. The week to come here is the last week of February. Year after year I have comments in my notes or on Facebook about "best day ever" during that time period.

You mean, right around the time we usually hold the Gathering? What a great idea!

How much room do you have for house guests?

 

[Bad Bob]

You mean, right around the time we usually hold the Gathering? What a great idea!

How much room do you have for house guests?

This is a terrible idea no one would like Eastern WA, North ID, or Northwest MT. Nothing but fog and bad snow. Gathering should be far away.

 

[dbostedo]

This is a terrible idea no one would like Eastern WA, North ID, or Northwest MT. Nothing but fog and bad snow. Gathering should be far away.

I don't know... a tour of the area might make a good Gathering....

Sun-Mon: Whitefish, then drive to Sandpoint
Tues-Wed: Schweitzer, then drive to Chewelah
Thurs-Fri: 49 North

 

[David Chaus]

I don't know... a tour of the area might make a good Gathering....

Sun-Mon: Whitefish, then drive to Sandpoint
Tues-Wed: Schweitzer, then drive to Chewelah
Thurs-Fri: 49 North

My two cents, Schweitzer, Red Mt, Whitewater.

 

[Bad Bob]

I don't know... a tour of the area might make a good Gathering....

Sun-Mon: Whitefish, then drive to Sandpoint
Tues-Wed: Schweitzer, then drive to Chewelah
Thurs-Fri: 49 North

My two cents, Schweitzer, Red Mt, Whitewater.

There are actually so many options around here it is silly. I only made it to 4 hills this season. But don't tell anybody. Do you want all those people using up our snow?

 

[RJS]

My two cents, Schweitzer, Red Mt, Whitewater.

I've only been to the latter two, but that sounds like a fun trip . The logistics are probably more complicated than many people want to deal with, which is probably part of the reason that these places see less traffic than others. I am curious to see if traffic ticks up next season at Red as it will be Red's first year on the IKON pass where international travel is allowed.

Random question, but has anyone skied at Eaglecrest? Now that I'm living in the PNW, I want to take advantage of being close (relatively speaking) to Alaska, and would be interested in checking out Eaglecrest for a weekend next March. My dream would also be to pair that with a half or full day of heliskiing, although my wallet would not be happy with that.

 

[dbostedo]

My two cents, Schweitzer, Red Mt, Whitewater.

But if we don't ski Whitefish, how we will all get a run with @Sibhusky?

 

[David Chaus]

But if we don't ski Whitefish, how we will all get a run with @Sibhusky?

That would be the pre-Gathering meetup. Ski with Sibhusky, then take the Amtrak to Sandpoint.

For at Whitefish trip though, it should really be Whitefish, Fernie and Castle. So a separate Gathering trip.

Maybe we can skip Big Sky in the rotation (because without the Tram, what’s the point?) and start at Whitefish. And since we’d be on a roll, skip Jackson the next year and just do the Schweitzer Red and Whitewater trip.

 

[Bad Bob]

That would be the pre-Gathering meetup. Ski with Sibhusky, then take the Amtrak to Sandpoint.

For at Whitefish trip though, it should really be Whitefish, Fernie and Castle. So a separate Gathering trip.

Maybe we can skip Big Sky in the rotation (because without the Tram, what’s the point?) and start at Whitefish. And since we’d be on a roll, skip Jackson the next year and just do the Schweitzer Red and Whitewater trip.

Why aren't you going to the Cascades David? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[DanoT]

Random question, but has anyone skied at Eaglecrest? Now that I'm living in the PNW, I want to take advantage of being close (relatively speaking) to Alaska, and would be interested in checking out Eaglecrest for a weekend next March. My dream would also be to pair that with a half or full day of heliskiing, although my wallet would not be happy with that.

I don't know much about skiing in Alaska, but the owners of Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) also own Selkirk-Tangiers Heliskiing and they offer full and part day skiing wherein the chopper picks you up right at RMR's base just a few hundred feet from the lower gondola. So traveling all the way to Alaska may not be needed.

Edit: @RJS, as good as the skiing may be in Alaska, there is no disputing (at least in my mind) that the unofficial capital of Heli and Cat skiing is B.C.

 

[DanoT]

Why aren't you going to the Cascades David? Inquiring minds want to know.

I can't answer for others but imo it is fair to point out that while Red and Fernie are not in the Cascades, they get weather similar to Steven's Pass which is in the Cascades. That is to say they can and do get temperature fluctuations, AKA rain.

 

[Posaune]

The problem with most of the Cascade ski areas is that there is little to no close-in lodging. These are not destination resorts (even though Vail seems to think they are) but ski areas catering to the hordes from the coastal lowlands (mostly).

Oh, and once more it's STEVENS Pass NOT Steven's. A guy with the last name Stevens discovered it (the local natives didn't even know it existed) and named it after himself, not some guy named Steve. (His name was John, he discovered it in 1890.)

 

[Tom Co.]

For at Whitefish trip though, it should really be Whitefish, Fernie and Castle. So a separate Gathering trip.

This sounds good

 

[Bad Bob]

Let's just put one together.
My vote would be silver Schweitzer and lookout base out of coeur d Arlene. Lots of affordable lodging and food, central to all of them.

 

[David Chaus]

Why aren't you going to the Cascades David? Inquiring minds want to know.

I like the Cascades just fine. However I sometimes like to change it up a little. The snow is usually drier east of the Cascades, and I have had some fine days at Schweitzer, Red and Whitewater.

I just spent a week at Steamboat and Winter Park; 4 out of 6 days were powder days. The CO powder was ridiculously easy to ski, compared to the Cascade “powder” day I had yesterday.

 

[dovski]

But if we don't ski Whitefish, how we will all get a run with @Sibhusky?

We have been skiing Whitefish for the las

This is why I discourage April visits. The week to come here is the last week of February. Year after year I have comments in my notes or on Facebook about "best day ever" during that time period.

so to be clear I knew what we were signing up for as I have some great childhood memories of Spring skiing in Whitefish. Back in the 80’s there was a time when Whitefish took Canadian $$ at par, this made for an affordable ski vacation compared with going to Jasper or Banff and was a nice change of scenery.

In addition to the great weather, I also remember sneaking into a bar with some of the other kids and loosing some money at a casino.

found these pictures complete with annotations in one of my mom’s family albums. Damn I looked good back then

And for the record we are having a great time this trip so no complaints. My kids want to come back next year

 

[David Chaus]

Let's just put one together.
My vote would be silver Schweitzer and lookout base out of coeur d Arlene. Lots of affordable lodging and food, central to all of them.

FWIW the last time I was at Schweitzer we stayed at a B n B slopeside above the village. Fabulous setting, excellent food, hot tub in a covered deck, ski in and out, ski storage and boot up area. Perfect place for a gathering of friends. So I would suggest maybe base out of Couer d’ Alene for a couple days, then relocate to Schweitzer for the full resort experience.

 

[slowrider]

Can Intermediate recreational skiers attend?