Storm Skiing

[glademaster]

What resort, or what region of North America has the best and most frequent storm skiing? It is by far and away my favorite type of skiing and we were thinking about planning a trip somewhere this year. Any input about what resorts in waht regions have the best storm skiing the most often would be great. Thanks.

-Ben

[Buster Highmen]

Sierras or PNW, including W/BC, Baker, Stevens and Alpental.
Honorable mention for Whitewater or Utah.

[seldon]

alta...

that canyon just traps the clouds in there and won't let go.

maybe bachelor though, cause it snows EVERY DAY

[AKPogue]

Alyeska averages 700" of snow at the top. Should I say anymore?

[AntiSoCalSkier]

I really like Mammoth in a storm, but the storms aren't all that frequent (every other week?), and when it isn't stormy, it's warm and sunny (so, in my opinion, the weather is almost always "good"). I've skied a lot of places, but when a storm hits Mammoth, it tends to hit HARD. I really can't imagine being anywhere else on a storm day. It's one of the few places, I've ever had a hard time standing up in the wind. The top half of the mountain will be closed during a storm, but the rest of the mountain will be empty because everyone stays inside. Also, if you hit the trees, you can have untracked snow every run.

[summit]

You haven't storm skied until you've done it aboe treeline so write off any low altitude resorts. Vertigo skiing is where it is at!

I love skiing at A-Basin during a storm and you can't see tracks, terrain, slopes, horizon, boundries, ANYTHING... you can only ski with your knowledge of the slope and your sense of balance. Its dreamlike and fantastic.

[glademaster02]

Thanks guys.

I was thinking that Red or Whitewater would be among the best. What about targhee or Steamboat, i had the best storm skiing day of my life at the boat, has anyone else. keep em coming guys.

Thanks,
Ben

[JMO]

If you've ever experienced a storm in Tahoe, you know they can knock down houses and lift towers [edit: or at least trees that knock down the cables which then drag the towers down]. The walls of our crappy employee-housing used to move like an ocean everytime a storm settled in over Squaw.

I'll never forget my first descent down KT-22 in waist-deep fluff and a complete white out. I thought I was going over the Fingers at every turn. A few weeks later, I charged down the hill in another white-out, completely aware of where I was even though I couldn't see a thing. Talk about a rush.

[glademaster02]

How About narrowing it down a bit. What resorts have the best storm skiing in California, BC and Colorado? Those are basically the only places my parents would go for a ski trip so any suggestions among those three?

Thanks,
Ben

[Buster Highmen]

If by best, you mean the most, implying places with the greatest snowfall, then:
CO - Wolf Creek.
BC - W/BC, Whitewater.
CA - ?? Mammy or Kookweed.

But it always strikes me as weird and good how WA is off the map.

[glademaster02]

let me clairify what I mean by best. I mean both copious amounts of snow on a fairly regualr basis and a fair amount of terrain that remains open and enjoyable to ski with limited visibility, meaning trees or little bowls with lotsa rocks and whatnot. I don't know if that changes anything but at least it padded my post count a bit.

[CascadeCrudSkier]

Originally posted by Buster Highmen
If by best, you mean the most, implying places with the greatest snowfall, then:
CO - Wolf Creek.
BC - W/BC, Whitewater.
CA - ?? Mammy or Kookweed.

But it always strikes me as weird and good how WA is off the map.

Off the map = why WA is good.

As for glademaster, you want to be more specific on your preferred type of storm skiing? I was surprised to see people actually enjoying whiteouts above treeline, I'd rather be dropping through trees and rocks in a blizzard than blindly picking my way around some open bowl. That's why I'd disagree w/ places like Bachelor being good in storms. But to each their own I guess.

[glademaster]

Originally posted by CascadeCrudSkier
Off the map = why WA is good.

As for glademaster, you want to be more specific on your preferred type of storm skiing? I was surprised to see people actually enjoying whiteouts above treeline, I'd rather be dropping through trees and rocks in a blizzard than blindly picking my way around some open bowl. That's why I'd disagree w/ places like Bachelor being good in storms. But to each their own I guess.

Ya Musta Missed my last post, haha: let me clairify what I mean by best. I mean both copious amounts of snow on a fairly regualr basis and a fair amount of terrain that remains open and enjoyable to ski with limited visibility, meaning trees or little bowls with lotsa rocks and whatnot. I don't know if that changes anything but at least it padded my post count a bit.

[CascadeCrudSkier]

Originally posted by glademaster
Ya Musta Missed my last post, haha:

Yup, you posted right before I did. I'd say that you should aim for any coastal mountain that's known for it's trees and steeps. Most in WA and BC would fit the bill. I haven't skied that much outside of the PNW though, so I'm not that sure about how they compare w/ some of those in CA or CO.

[dubu]

Nothing, like skiing Blackcomb glacer/spankys ladder for the first time in a white out.. good times good times.. Highly recomend it you just can't beat that "I wonder if the next turn is going to throw me off a cliff" kind of feeling.

[Honc]

If you include rain in storm skiing then anywhere on the right coast should be sick this weekend...

[powstash]

T-line, Mt. Hood. Grew up skiing there and me and my ski buddy from my teen years took great pride in skiing the most nasty storms that the PNW could produce. There's a sense of satisfaction that comes from heading out of the lodge in the middle of a burley storm when the masses are headed either into the lodge or home. Long live stormy days!

[powderpyg]

Originally posted by glademaster02
Thanks guys.

I was thinking that Red or Whitewater would be among the best. What about targhee or Steamboat, i had the best storm skiing day of my life at the boat, has anyone else. keep em coming guys.

Thanks,
Ben

You would be right on the first two, especially the second. It's what skiin at WH2O is all about. You can dissappear into the storm and lose any followers quickly. The best thing is that it happens often. Nothin better than hittin the Sleaze Traverse, droppin into Sproulers, knowing when to make the hard right to catch the lower traverse back to the lift. Back up Summit, to the Sleaze once more, little further out to Backside. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Air Puppy Meadows or maybe Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Gnarl Factor (right Gonzo!), Mmmmmmmm Homer Droul!!

[Ted Stryker]

Originally posted by seldon
alta...

that canyon just traps the clouds in there and won't let go.

you dumb? or just stupid?

[Blurred Elevens]

Originally posted by Ted Stryker aka the dog loving anal hammer
you dumb? or just stupid?

Cheap imitations are simply that...nice try jackoff.

[Pow Master]

Lets see, I'll just go by experience.

Whistler BC - Goes from puking fluff, to downpour in a single run. When its gets windy up top during a storm watch out.

Bertoud Pass CO - Single nastiest day I have ever experienced. 5 degrees, wind gusts up to 60+mph and heavy snow. Going up the west side it was okay until you rose above the first drop. Then it was like getting hit in the face with a truck. Get up top and you were pressed into your seat while trying to get off. Gusts up top could push you a couple feet sideways. In other words, sweet

Mt. Bohemia MI - Yeah, what in the hell is Michigan doing here? Well if you've ever been there you'd realize it deserves to be here. Nothing like Heavy Lake Effect when its 8 degrees and windy as fuck. One minute it'll be dumping like mad, the next it'll be sunny. 5 min later you can't see 5 feet in front of you. And that isn't a good thing when you're in the trees.

There are others, but these are my top three storm skiing experiences.

[Ted Stryker]

Originally posted by Blurred Elevens
Cheap imitations are simply that...nice try jackoff.

what's your point, ass clown?

[cmor]

I love skiing at A-Basin during a storm and you can't see tracks, terrain, slopes, horizon, boundries, ANYTHING... you can only ski with your knowledge of the slope and your sense of balance. Its dreamlike and fantastic.

Ill agree with that. I've spent many a day at A-basin squinting my eyes to try and draw out any definition from the bump run I'm standing in. Can't see a damn thing.

[Ripzalot]

Originally posted by glademaster
What resort, or what region of North America has the best and most frequent storm skiing? It is by far and away my favorite type of skiing and we were thinking about planning a trip somewhere this year. Any input about what resorts in waht regions have the best storm skiing the most often would be great. Thanks.

-Ben

What aspect of storm skiing is it that you like? Wind? Low vis whiteout? Cold? Rain? The lack of crowds? All of the above?

Yeah, storm skiing can be an adventure. Just keep the wind low enough to make the lifts safe. I've had my share of scary rides on windy lifts. Here's La Tour, Chamonix from the backside. 100+kph winds at the top...

[Big E]

There are trees in Chamonix??? Wow.