2011/2012 Canadian Rockies Roll Call and StokeThread...

[Lamothe]

Not trying to make it sound worse than it is, just sticking to facts but here is a pic of the "bigger" slots, and this area is totally avoidable but wouldn't take all that much to hide them from view.


Bare ice virtually all the way to the col, with a wee bit of snow sitting on top right at the top, nothing worth skiing.


There is one slope on the Haig that looks nice, but getting there would totally suck and make for something like a 20+ km day (with only 2 km's skinable over 1000 metres gain, with only the final 150ish metres of gain skiable for turns, not to mention the shit fight with skis on back. Going in Robertson would actually not be much better due to that stupid scree slope.

Yep those are some decent slots. From the photos you would have needed some type of snowblade , hockey skate combo on that ice . really not worth the effort. Robertsons had some pretty sweet coverage though , especially at the peak of it . stays in the shade most on the after noon and is holding snow quite well. At least way better then the french.

[Lamothe]

il'l have photos up tmrw

[time2clmb]

Robertsons had some pretty sweet coverage though , especially at the peak of it . stays in the shade most on the after noon and is holding snow quite well. At least way better then the french

The very top of Robertson has about 200ish metres on the col of French but for the most part they are same elevation, same aspect to the sun and both are flanked by similar ridgelines. There WAS recent snow on French however the warmth turned it in to nothing more than wet clear slurpee slush. A day of warm weather in between the days we were both there probably made a world of difference. Did you get turns in up there?

[Lamothe]

The very top of Robertson has about 200ish metres on the col of French but for the most part they are same elevation, same aspect to the sun and both are flanked by similar ridgelines. There WAS recent snow on French however the warmth turned it in to nothing more than wet clear slurpee slush. A day of warm weather in between the days we were both there probably made a world of difference. Did you get turns in up there?

Would have been very possible , but i took the wife and dog out that day so no turns for me. We will see what happens next week , il'l probably have a go at er then.

[Spooky]

Anyone for some stoke to whet pre-season appetites?

[time2clmb]

Today was officially my last day in shorts while out and about. I love cold weather, and wear shorts up until the winter weather is inbound, therefore the snow is going to be along shortly. It's kind of a ground hog like thing I guess.

It snowed last night up high a bit, and it was really chilly in the alpine today, AND it snowed on me a little bit..just enough to make me giggle.

That white stuff on the ground is snow.


Be patient, it's coming

[mntlion]

Looks nice at home.

[repete]

First chair! Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I hopped on the lift it stopped, it felt like I was stuck there forever!

[That was Pontus]

Hah, looks as though a pass anywhere is out of the question for the moment. I'll be skinning and clipping tickets for another winter. The weekend project and sacrifice to Ullr, may the turns be deep.

[Eldo]

First chair! Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I hopped on the lift it stopped, it felt like I was stuck there forever!

The old double looks to be gently rusting away in the wilderness.

I'm actually surprised that RCR hasn't bought any of the Fortress lifts to install at one of its resorts. That "new" chair at Fernie is of course the former Gold from Nakiska.

[f2f]

do british armed forces still do training at fortress? i saw a whole bunch of them at YYC last week and that's the only other place i've seen them...

i would like a closer option with good snow. i'd definitely do fortress if it ever reopened.

[Lamothe]

It's been raining the last little while , snowing at higher elevations and the freezing levels are dropping

[repete]

According to the signs posted at Fortress it may reopen as a cat ski operation (if things go well) in December 2013. Only about 795 days to go! I'm not sure how long it's been there but a big yellow cat is sitting on site which seems ready to take people up. I guess it's just gonna sit there for the next couple of years? Did the British even train at all there after it closed down? I knew the guy who ran the guiding company but haven't been in touch with him for years.

[jetski]

I miss Fortress.... Can't wait to return one year for an overnight ski tour. Are the upper lift/ patrol huts still standing and worthy of an overnight? Or better off bringing a tent?
Oh and I will check in stating my pass holding status and level of radness...
Pass: Marmot Basin Level of Radness 7.9 and climbing. Also looking forward to my one or two times a year trip to the Pass...

[f2f]

repete, the brits were there in the summer of 2004. i don't remember whether 03/04 was the last winter it was open, or the winter before it.

[repete]

It looks like every single building is still standing in all its "glory", I saw nothing which has been dismantled since the lifts stopped running. I passed by the upper Farside but I hardly gave it a passing glance, it's possible the doors are locked so I would advise bringing a tent. All the main buildings frontside are boarded up and are nothing more than freestanding scrap.

I think 03/04 was the last season, I have my doubts if the Brits were still heading out there after that but I really don't know.

[mntlion]

I think that the gates have been locked for a few years, but some of the ex-SSV staff, has been up working with the new owners on avi safety, risk management, etc.

[Shorty_J]

I was up at Fortress a few years ago for an overnight. There was (and may still be) a custodian who stays up there in one of the condo buildings, so I would not suggest trying to use a building up there.

[time2clmb]

That custodians a cool dude, don't do anything to make his job a hassle.

Lots of snow up and down the parkway. Some one should get some tommorrow. I would think the glaciers would be skiing nice...as long as you don't ski into a slot lol.

[f2f]

if you follow the MCR list you'ld have heard of Barry Blanchard, a guide from Canmore who's very active there. I do not personally know him, but there was a great interview of his Grizzly exploits on today's As It Happens on CBC Radio 2. The event occurred on Monday:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audiopl...lipid=13080686

scroll to 18:10 for the interview.

[time2clmb]

if you follow the MCR list you'ld have heard of Barry Blanchard, a guide from Canmore who's very active there. I do not personally know him, but there was a great interview of his Grizzly exploits on today's As It Happens on CBC Radio 2. The event occurred on Monday:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audiopl...lipid=13080686

scroll to 18:10 for the interview.

Yeah that's crazy...glad my wife wanted to sleep in a bit longer. We went to do Fairview that same day. Got out of the car, were about to start, warden was messing around in his truck at the trail head. Warden asks if we're heading up that way, we say yup. He says, "there's a grizz up the trail a few hundred metres just off the side, be sure to yell hey bear alot so it knows you're coming, that's what we say before we haze them. A few people have been up that way already, just be sure to make noise until you pass by."

We hesitantly start our way up and within about 10 seconds we hear "heeey bear, heeey bear WHOA BEAR" about 100 metres up the trail. We are now second guessing going up. Followed by "RANGER RANGER" wtf? Warden is just behind us and he asks what they said, so I say, "sounds like they called out Ranger?" Anyhow, 2 people come down and tell the warden that an aggro grizzly had 2 people stuck up in a tree about 1km before Saddleback / Fairview col, "since 10:00" (it was 10:40)

I'm wondering if there was a second grizz in that area that was just up the trail from where we were and another one up at the col?? Not sure but it was quiet until the 2 coming down starting yelling where the warden had just told us there was one, but the incident was occuring several km's away...or maybe they were just freaked still and the one that the warden had mentioned had moved up the trail to the incident in the preceeding time?? Anyways, warden asked the 2 people to hang there and not let anyone up the trail...we were already in the process of heading elsewhere.

Moral of the story, don't hassle the wife when she faffs about and gets an hour later start. I'm sure it will be used as an example every time we are running behind now.

On an unrelated note, some idiot lady was in the washroom getting her eyes / face flushed out because she had decided to try out her expired bear spray in the parking lot by test firing it in to the wind in the parking lot LMAO

[Mex]

Heard Blanchards interview on CBC tonight on the drive home form work. Sounded pretty intense. A good reminder I guess that these guys are getting geared up for winter.

[Lamothe]

Heard Blanchards interview on CBC tonight on the drive home form work. Sounded pretty intense. A good reminder I guess that these guys are getting geared up for winter.

Yeah no kidding i have no interest on being an extra liner of fat thank you. Il'l let the wife take all the time she needs now thanks for tip .

I would have soiled my self in hopes it would gross the bear out.

[f2f]

ouch. ctv just said the bear was destroyed. a 6-yo that was known to park staff and was becoming increasingly more agressive.

[theshredder]

Headlamp saves the day. Never leave home without it. lol

Too bad they had to put it down after. I never like hearing that.

It's probably about time to get some bear spray. I'm thinking (hoping maybe) just the stench of that stuff will send the bear running. Like a warning shot from a skunk. Not sure if the bangers alone will work on grizzlies...