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Northern Rockies/Alberta 2023 Inland NW/Idaho/Wyoming/Montana Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

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Beach Bum

Getting off the lift
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Good. Maybe people will go elsewhere.

That's funny. Going there next weekend. Care way more about them getting some fresh snow in a pattern stuck on hammering central Rockies than I am about being stuck on a lift.
 

LloydSki

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Got stuck on lift in Banff a few years ago for two hours it was -22 new it was a bad idea to go out but still went because the hill was empty, couldn't feel my feet for 2 days. Boots got so hard after 2 hours it was like wearing concrete, couldn't hardly ski to get back to the lodge. They offered to evacuate but I said na i'm good just fix the lift. Brain must have went numb along with my feet for ever telling them that.
 

Seldomski

All words are made up
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SHHHH!!! It's always foggy here, it's never clear.
After 5 days skiing Whitefish, I readjusted what constitutes a bluebird day. Locals were popping out their phones to take pictures when it was merely overcast instead of total flat light and foggy. Whitefish bluebird vs Breckenridge bluebird are totally different.

Its a great mountain, but visibility is definitely challenging at times. I assume this helps keep the place somewhat off the map compared to Utah and Colorado resorts.

Had a great time regardless. Hope they can stay independent, but there are indications that those days may be numbered :-(.
 

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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After 5 days skiing Whitefish, I readjusted what constitutes a bluebird day. Locals were popping out their phones to take pictures when it was merely overcast instead of total flat light and foggy. Whitefish bluebird vs Breckenridge bluebird are totally different.

Its a great mountain, but visibility is definitely challenging at times. I assume this helps keep the place somewhat off the map compared to Utah and Colorado resorts.

Had a great time regardless. Hope they can stay independent, but there are indications that those days may be numbered :-(.
Funny, I literally just got off the phone with my friend who lives up there and we were discussing flat light days at a place like Whitefish that has a lot of trees and treelined runs vs. Snowbasin, which has very few tree lined runs. Trees definitely help! I also told her to be grateful they haven't sold out to the mass passes yet, because the mass passes have honestly ruined the on-mountain experience at the resorts that accept them. It's gone from a relaxing experience, especially during the week, to a rat race frenzy complete with powder chasers and on groomer days, the racer wannabes or ex-racers that treat slower skiers like slalom gates.

She also said it's ridiculously warm up there with rain in the forecast. :( I'm heading up in early March and hope things improve by then.
 

slowrider

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Any beta on Tamarack? Is it worth 2 days of skiing first week of March
 

Seldomski

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It's gone from a relaxing experience, especially during the week, to a rat race frenzy complete with powder chasers and on groomer days, the racer wannabes or ex-racers that treat slower skiers like slalom gates.
There were a few of these at Whitefish straight lining runs on rockered twin tips, but given the general small number of people in general, not a big deal to avoid them. % of skiers that are jerks seems to have been relatively similar to other resorts.
 

AmyPJ

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Any beta on Tamarack? Is it worth 2 days of skiing first week of March
I've heard great things about Tamarack and am considering a trip there next year on a road trip to smaller resorts. You should go and report back! You could also do a day at Brundage. But the stats at Tamarack are impressive and make it sound like it's very worthy of a two day trip.
 

slowrider

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I've heard great things about Tamarack and am considering a trip there next year on a road trip to smaller resorts. You should go and report back! You could also do a day at Brundage. But the stats at Tamarack are impressive and make it sound like it's very worthy of a two day trip.
Thanks AmyPJ. Brundage is on the list as well. I liked Brundage, cruiser groomers. Then onto Silver. Will report back with pics.
 

chris_the_wrench

Spinning wrenches and throwing spokes.
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Chinook Pass
After 5 days skiing Whitefish, I readjusted what constitutes a bluebird day. Locals were popping out their phones to take pictures when it was merely overcast instead of total flat light and foggy. Whitefish bluebird vs Breckenridge bluebird are totally different.

You got a decent sample last week, there was a couple days where I was skiing by memory on the top half of the mountain. We get used to those fog days, even if the parking area is crowded the foggy days push the people who aren’t familiar with those conditions into the bar/summit house. Ive had days when it was so foggy that when I came to a stop, my body/brain weren’t able to compute what was happening and I just fell over.
 

Seldomski

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You got a decent sample last week, there was a couple days where I was skiing by memory on the top half of the mountain. We get used to those fog days, even if the parking area is crowded the foggy days push the people who aren’t familiar with those conditions into the bar/summit house. Ive had days when it was so foggy that when I came to a stop, my body/brain weren’t able to compute what was happening and I just fell over.
Yeah it was interesting figuring out best area to ski. Some days there was a band of clear sky in a specific altitude range. But generally had to ski through some cloud to get to the clear layer with flat light. Visibility in town was not a good indicator for mountain conditions.

Also see why @Sibhusky did not want to ride snow bus during covid. That vehicle is developing the next viral plague!
 

Tom Co.

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@slowrider
I did the Tamarack/ Brundage trip a couple years ago and much preferred Brundage. It has a lot better fall line skiing than Tamarack. Tamarack is pretty mellow with a lot of benches. It definitely didn't have anything to get the stoke-o-meter going. I did have some nice trees skiing and a few nice bumps here and there especially underneath the chair that's off on lookers right. Tamarack has lots of long cruisers. Brundage is just a better hill. A lot fewer flat spots and a good fall line right under the quad chair. It is also a bit higher and can get better snow. The only downside to Brundage is it has more people and you might run into more lift lines. When I was a Tamarack there was nobody there.
I would do one day at Tamarack and see if I liked it
 

Nelliefj40

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Interested if anyone has some insight on McCall and Brundage/Tamarack during their winter carnival. We booked our weekend there and didn't know about this.

Well be skiing sun/mon/tues Jan 29/30/31.

Will brundage and tamarack be busier as a result of carnival weekend? Will Sunday crowds be bigger than Monday/Tuesday and if so should that steer us towards one or the other on Sunday for crowd mitigation?

Thanks for any insight!
 

Beach Bum

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Skiing Whitefish later this week and early next. Looks like snow starting Sat night lasting on/off into Monday. Light totals but I like the trend, model output increasing.

Anyhow, only bringing one pair of skis on the flight. MX88 or Head Kore 105. What do you think?
 
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Sibhusky

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Skiing Whitefish later this week and early next. Looks like snow starting Sat night lasting on/off into Monday. Light totals but I like the trend, model output increasing.

Anyhow, only bringing one pair of skis on the flight. MX88 or Head Kore 105. What do you think?
The 88's.
 
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