2018/2019 CANADIAN ROCKIES THREAD

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Originally Posted by robnow

Shit!!! 3 dead in train derailment into the Kicking Horse River at Field.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...-tsb-1.5004622


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Just heard that. My good buddy was on a train to field. He’s ok. It’s on the field to Calgary route. CP maintenance and upkeep is a disgrace. It’s all about cut cut cut to get stockholder shares up. No investment and govt treats them with kid gloves. Like the highway , all routes should’ve been doubled in capacity 20years ago and have required specs. By the time that happens it will be overdue for another doubling. Part of the reason we have so much semi traffic and wrecks on the highway

Jesus that's horrible.

Its a freight train...it looks like a mangled pile of toys.

^^
Sad to hear about the rail crash up there. I've a buddy and his wife work on the trains for CN out of Jasper though they occasionally contract for CP. Glad the train wasn't hauling oil.

Castle update. Pretty nippy out there all right. Today there was more patrol than skiers. They spun the Tbar, blue and huck. Did 7 runs today which is 5 more than yesterday. Lot's of pow out there when they do spin the red.

Got some photos from first 3 days ago, then 2 days ago...

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Originally Posted by Merlyn

Thanks for the turns today. But I’m now disappointed you didn’t wear this outfit ...

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Hey no problem, great to ski with you and your ripper spawn.

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That's little mini magette Issy. The little rocket was on my ass all morning, good training there Merlyn your daughter's a great little skier and an awesome kid.

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Merlyn in action. Cool to ski with another mag up here. That's 2 in a week.

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Conditions Saturday were very good. Vivian was having fun on her new sticks.

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Yeah, it blows here a bit. Deep freeze supposed to relent a little bit, and some snow in the forecast later in the week.

Doesn’t look like you need snow. I don’t see any turns crossed G. Looks sweet

Don't suppose anyone has skied McGill's in the last few days? Wondering if it's worth the tour tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by grinch

Doesn’t look like you need snow. I don’t see any turns crossed G. Looks sweet

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haha, creative cropping! Not so bad for sure, but this below -25 shit could stop anytime.

It's officially cold, minus 31 In the village today.

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Originally Posted by garyfromterrace

haha, creative cropping! Not so bad for sure, but this below -25 shit could stop anytime.

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Ya I don’t miss those temps. Cold enough here atm. Ya right on the cropping :biggrin:

Just had a last minute opportunity fall in my lap to hit Retallack for three days starting late next week...

How well does the snow hold in that zone? I don’t see a lot of snow in the long term forecast, but I do see very cold temps from now until then.

Don’t want to spend too much time heading North if the snow is garbage (and leave UT/CO/CA deepness behind).

#firstworldskierproblems

Their tenure is HUGE. They can get you to powder lines every run. If you are a good skier they will point you towards aggressive lines. If you need blue runs they have that as well. Still better than EPIC or IKON experience any day.

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Originally Posted by simple

Their tenure is HUGE. They can get you to powder lines every run. If you are a good skier they will point you towards aggressive lines. If you need blue runs they have that as well. Still better than EPIC or IKON experience any day.

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That helps. Thank you, sir.

Decisions, decisions.

EDIT: I am the best skier on the mountain, naturally.

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Originally Posted by PowTron

Just had a last minute opportunity fall in my lap to hit Retallack for three days starting late next week...

How well does the snow hold in that zone? I don’t see a lot of snow in the long term forecast, but I do see very cold temps from now until then.

Don’t want to spend too much time heading North if the snow is garbage (and leave UT/CO/CA deepness behind).

#firstworldskierproblems

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Haven't been to Retallack, but every time if done any cat skiing in Nelson area (3 or 4 trips now) it's been relatively low tide, but I've always had a great time as they always seem to be able to find some fresh snow somewhere.

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I'll be out beginning of April. Spooky still at the Rundlestone? Looks like a good place.

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Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

I'll be out beginning of April. Spooky still at the Rundlestone? Looks like a good place.

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yup, he is. PM him?

More talk about Fortress.

https://www.rmoutlook.com/article/fo...ening-20190207

It would be nice to see this one going again.

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Originally Posted by Mike Rogers

More talk about Fortress.

https://www.rmoutlook.com/article/fo...ening-20190207

It would be nice to see this one going again.

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NICE!

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Originally Posted by Mike Rogers

More talk about Fortress.

https://www.rmoutlook.com/article/fo...ening-20190207

It would be nice to see this one going again.

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Yeah- but the terrain still sucks....

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

Yeah- but the terrain still sucks....

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[emoji23]

and it's less than an hour from my front door.

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

Yeah- but the terrain still sucks....

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Huh? The terrain is quite good in my opinion. Not super steep but still good.

I believe it when I see it regarding a reopening... They've been talking about it for years and it never came to fruition.

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Originally Posted by Shorty_J

Huh? The terrain is quite good in my opinion. Not super steep but still good.

I believe it when I see it regarding a reopening... They've been talking about it for years and it never came to fruition.

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I think you would change your mind about the terrain once you put fat skis on. It’s been closed for 15 years and it sucked back then so I don’t know how that would change. Just let it Rest In Peace... turn it into a hut access ski touring club or something along those lines. I’m convinced it will fail again as a ski hill.

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Originally Posted by Shorty_J

Huh? The terrain is quite good in my opinion. Not super steep but still good.

I believe it when I see it regarding a reopening... They've been talking about it for years and it never came to fruition.

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Shhhhhh.

The terrain sucks!

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

... turn it into a hut access ski touring club or something along those lines.

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Well you got this part right.

I used to take new and lower ability partners up there to tour sometimes.

Just let Fortress die already. I'm nostalgic too, used to coach and spent many of my university days there but I'm convinced like TD, that if we ever went back there, it would be BORING AS FUCK!

This seems to be optimistic at best. Maybe a misunderstanding of the market.

"Fifty per cent of Albertan ski days are outside the province,” said Waddell. “That’s a huge number of skiers that leave Alberta to ski simply because Alberta’s ski hills are full.”

And Chevy is president of this new jump start, so I can guess a bit of the list of who the other investors are...and they definitely have experience running a boutique ski op.

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Originally Posted by reckless toboggan

Well you got this part right.

I used to take new and lower ability partners up there to tour sometimes.

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Do you think they would give up the cats? They seem to be doing okay....with sales as least. I can't imagine spending that $$$$ for fortress, but there seems to be a market.

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

I think you would change your mind about the terrain once you put fat skis on. It’s been closed for 15 years and it sucked back then so I don’t know how that would change. Just let it Rest In Peace... turn it into a hut access ski touring club or something along those lines. I’m convinced it will fail again as a ski hill.

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The first really deep day I skied was at fortress and it was volkl explosives... 99mm under foot, and 1m of powder

That was too much snow for that ski but it would also likely be too much for my current fatties.

I've also toured up there in less snow but still powder and had a blast. It's not the gnar but I enjoyed it.

I'd ski there again if it does actually open.

My understanding of why it failed was almost entirely due to needing bridge repairs that suddenly came up.

And I spoke to one of the previous owners at length one time, who had some interesting stories to share about a beurocracy that seemed to have it in for him. He seemed to make some powerful enemies or it might still be open.

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I worked with one of the current owners on a job a couple summers ago. We started talking mtbing and how they were discussing the potential for summer lift served mtb riding. I'm not convinced it has the terrain for it, frontside would be too steep of a grade, backside could be great but then you need to run two lifts to get there...plus their higher elevation may mean more inclimate riding weather.

I think that all of us who used to ski it BITD with its legendary upsloap dumps, have money and kids now...and would take them to Fortress in a hot second.

You're being given the chance to avoid Sunshine or Nakiska, or god forbid COP...as are all the other Calgarians who have nostalgia for skiing there and now have kids.

I think there's a market for this.

You're in the parking lot in less than an hour. You're home in less than an hour. Do people really want to drive with their kids all the way to Sunshine for snow? Or Nakiska for ice? ...when you could go to the Fort for either, with less drive and likely for less money? For putting around with your 5 year old, or ripping laps with your teenager who's starting to kick your ass?

This seems like a no-brainer, given how much it costs a Calgary family to go for a full weekend to Golden, or the time spent driving whiny, tired kids back and forth to Sunshine.

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Originally Posted by Mike Rogers

"Fifty per cent of Albertan ski days are outside the province,” said Waddell. “That’s a huge number of skiers that leave Alberta to ski simply because Alberta’s ski hills are full.”

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Its not because the hills are full its because the snow is wayyyyy better!

The only positive to reopening Fortress is that the Gas Station at the bottom sells singles....Besides that RIP

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

Its not because the hills are full its because the snow is wayyyyy better!

The only positive to reopening Fortress is that the Gas Station at the bottom sells singles....Besides that RIP

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Exactly!!! Are Sunshine/Louise even really that busy? Seems to me its only the parking that makes it seem so.

Don't forget Fortress fries and The Wall jump!

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Originally Posted by robnow

Exactly!!! Are Sunshine/Louise even really that busy? Seems to me its only the parking that makes it seem so.

Don't forget Fortress fries and The Wall jump!

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Sunshine gets quite busy... Sometimes even during the week.

Fortress had the best ski hill food deal in history with their $6 bacon double cheeseburger the size of your head.

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Originally Posted by Shorty_J

Fortress had the best ski hill food deal in history with their $6 bacon double cheeseburger the size of your head.

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Be prepared for $6 tap water with the cost to revive this pig...lol

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Originally Posted by teamdirt

Be prepared for $6 tap water with the cost to revive this pig...lol

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Yeah for sure... A lot of the character will be lost as well.

The old lodge was a neat old building... But when RCR abandoned the place the turned the heat off and didn't drain the pipes.. They had a burst water main and the building filled up with mold and needed to be torn down.

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Originally Posted by Shorty_J

Haven't been to Retallack, but every time if done any cat skiing in Nelson area (3 or 4 trips now) it's been relatively low tide, but I've always had a great time as they always seem to be able to find some fresh snow somewhere.

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Thanks man! I am still on the fence. Just watching too many forecasts.

Good info for sure.

Remember when we were kids and the snow was soooooo deep. Same effect.

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I think this has about a snowballs chance in hell of actually happening. Sunshine, Nakiska, and Lake Louise are going to come out swinging to stop this. RCR killed fortress once in 2004 and I don't doubt for a second that they can do it again 15 years later.

Well hopefully we'll all get a bunch of discounts in the meantime because of it.

Very fond memories of Fortress from back in the day. I was really into moguls back in the skinny days and that place would mogul up beautifully in the spring. hope it happens.

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Originally Posted by Mike Rogers

"Fifty per cent of Albertan ski days are outside the province,” said Waddell. “That’s a huge number of skiers that leave Alberta to ski simply because Alberta’s ski hills are full.”

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So weekend trips to KH, Revelstoke, and Fernie, and weeks at SunPeaks/Silverstar/Bigwhite equals daytrippers from Calgary to SV and LL? I wouldn't say the hills are full, but there is a lack of affordable or ski in ski out accomodation in Jasper and Banff.

Snow quality: Fernie, Revelstoke, KH will have better snow and coverage during Christmas break, and possibly family day if they can avoid rain, but SV and LL would have better snow quality during spring break.

My girlfriend is an intermediate skier. She likes easy, chill off piste. Cheap hills like Norquay and Nakiska don't really offer this (except Monster Glades and Bruno's gully). So I could see Fortress filling this void for a lot of skiers.