Any Gnar at the Canyons?

[soul_skier]

So our family moved into a sick house right between Park City and The Canyons, and what i've heard so far is telling me to get a pass to the Canyons over PC or Deer Valley. However, looking at the canyons from below, it looks like it has some steep stuff and excellent glades, but a distinct lack of exposed rock and cliff hucks. My question is this, as a person who grew up skiing Squaw and whose favorite run EVER is nose to fingers on a powder day, does the Canyons have any terrain (cliffs, chutes, exit airs, straitlines) that will gain and hold my interest for a full season. PLEASE don't tell me to drive to alta every day as it would appear that that will not be possible for this coming season.

Also, any pictures of gnar at the canyons would help to ease my apprehension.

[truth]

H3llz y3s!!!!!!!!!!!11!

I doubt you can handle it unless you gots teh mad skiilz biatch.

I can bench 400 pounds.

[Hutch]

This is the part of the program where Schindler comes in to say that the Canyons ROCK!

[slim]

You should just drive to Snowbird everyday.

[soul_skier]

I can bench 400 pounds.

thats good for you; i bet your gnads are the size of peas from all those steroids.

I'm not looking for death, actually, i'm looking for anything to make me think twice about skiing it, so mabye I am looking for death

[midget]

Squre top, Cinder Chutes are a good place to start...

[ubertele]

Decent steeps in the Abyss. They are short but real fun on a powder day waiting for 99-90 to open up.

[truberski]

I'm not looking for death, actually, i'm looking for anything to make me think twice about skiing it, so mabye I am looking for death

Unlikely. There are some narrow, steep stashes that will make you think about tree/rock impact but no freefall induced trauma. Big hucks are not a strong point of inbounds on the PC side of the Wasatch. Canyons is no better or worse then PCMR and Deer Valley surprisingly has the most pucker factor (Daly Chutes).

[soul_skier]

so i'm not going to find any decent inbounds hucks at the canyons? What about slightly OB, stuff close enough to not need a touring setup, something I would be willing to haul normal skis and bindings up?

[powstash]

I guess I'll contribute to yet another Canyons "is this place worth it?" thread...seeing how I worked and skied there for 8 years.

Condor on a deep day is one of the funnest places to spin laps. With good coverage on the south side area spinning laps with 600-1200 fall line shots will keep you coming back for more. When that's done hike Murdock and if you're lucky 100 turns will be open for a rare but rewarding lap.

You'll learn where to line up (condor vs. peak 5 vs. 9990 vs. saddleback) given the amount of snow, the winds and the direction of the winds. Play your cards right and you could nail first tracks on every lift worth riding.

It doesn't even come close to the fun you could have at Squaw but it's better than living in Michigan or even worse Virginia and praying for snow there.

The BC is the real story here. That and you have to learn the lay of the land and get good at finding pow stashes to enjoy skiing inbounds.

[powstash]

so i'm not going to find any decent inbounds hucks at the canyons? What about slightly OB, stuff close enough to not need a touring setup, something I would be willing to haul normal skis and bindings up?

I can count the in bounds hucks on one hand and none of them are really worth it except chute 6 (it has some stupid name now but it'll always be chute 6 in my mind) on a deep day is fun to huck.

The BC has hucks that will make you feel at home (Squaw). Get yourself a pair of freerides, some skins, some knowledge and you can huck yourself silly. Without that set up you can still boot to Dutches or Square Top and huck your meat. But if you do head out there (I'm assuming you have some know how in the BC if you're suggesting that you will head out there) go prepared. You'll just look like "another lemming" if you head out there without a bacon, shovel and probe and yes, I will haze you too.

[Xover]

your Jesus ^ has arrived

[Particle]

What pstash said. The Canyons goodness is all about the BC. There are a few fun short hits in bounds too. Can't say if an entire season would hold you over but I manage to have fun there a few days each season.

For cliff reference, see Otter's photo in the new Powder mag - Stash department

[MTT]

There is enough Scary Drop off stuff at the Canyons to keep you happy. Not allot but its there.

Right under the 9990 chair has a couple spots where you can hit 40+' into steep and if you get back on the tails you get to eat some fresh pine.

But there is no Palisades there, sorry you don't get to stand around and gape at the pros going big.

I even have a couple favorite spots in the Pinelands where you can fly out pretty far but never more than 10' off the snow. It works for me.

[BakerBoy]

This Is A Public Service Announcement:

soul_skier must immediately change his screen name because Blurred already claims the title of "soul skier" (.COM) on this website. Because you cannot have more soul than Brett, you are legally obligated to change your name, especially because your parents are the footing the bill, and not you.

[Cirquerider]

The BC stuff at Canyons is just as easy as a small bootpack and passing throught a gate into Dutches. Hopefully you know that the snowpack there behaves a lot differently than Tahoe. Hook up with some local mags and get to understand it a bit before you go big. Canyons has lots of steep little shots that aren't immediately obvious, but the inbounds ones can get skied off pretty fast. Out of bounds seems to last a long time. Beacon, probe shovel and partner are a high priority for you now.

[mc_roon]

\Hook up with some local mags and get to understand it a bit before you go big.

hopefully going to be a check

\Beacon, probe shovel and partner are a high priority for you now.

check, check, and check

[schindlerpiste]

This is the part of the program where Schindler comes in to say that the Canyons ROCK!

You know , I would have. But I was on a plane from EWR-SLC, and missed the start of the thread. Besides, I could not add anything to the comments made by Powstash. He, and Midget, are the real experts of the area.

[soul_skier]

don't worry, i am officially trained for the BC, have a partner (mc_roon) beacon/shovel/probe and intend to make good use of the beacon basin. My skills in the BC don't worry me, I worry about not knowing anything about the snowpack, any idea about the layout of the mountain, and having no idea where any of these BC stashes you speak of are.
So, come thanksgiving, when i'm back in town from UVM, I will hopefully be hooking up with a few people who know what they are talking about concerning the canyons so i can actually have a good time there. (looking at you powstash, schindler and apparently midget)

[powstash]

I see a transfer from UVM to UofU in your future....that and a day in the Canyons BC for some recon. Give me a day and I'll change the way you look at that mountain.

[jonnyquest]

The best terrain I have found at the canyons is off 9990. Follow the liftline most of the way down or take the bootpack through the gate (5-10 minute hike). From the gate, drop to the saddle and make a hard traverse to just below the group of pines. There are several 10-30 drops with decent landings. Be mindful that this is where someone was buried 2 seasons ago. You can also go north after the gate toward square top. There are some good size drops (after another hike) off the south ridgeline into the bowl to the south of square top.
You can find some sketchy terrain mingled with trees off the north side of peak 5 chair, but most of it has thin cover and no clean runouts.
For what you are looking for, you have to go OB. If not, you will get frustrated with super tight tree lines, lifts that go nowhere, and weird cross fall-line runs. However, with a little work, you can have fun all season at the canyons. And you get to ride the cabriolet!

[soul_skier]

This Is A Public Service Announcement:

soul_skier must immediately change his screen name because Blurred already claims the title of "soul skier" (.COM) on this website. Because you cannot have more soul than Brett, you are legally obligated to change your name, especially because your parents are the footing the bill, and not you.

All I am is soul, and my parents aren't footing any of the bill. I have the good fortune to live in park city, but other than a place to sleep and a few meals, i'm paying for everything, season pass skis, boots, clothes, gas, hookers, blow....everything.

Powstash, I leave for UVM tomorrow morning at 5am, but i'll pm you closer to thanksgiving or christmas or whatever to pick whatever date for you to show me around

[Cirquerider]

We'll miss your steez at Alpine and Squaw this year. Have a good time in Utah, and be ready to show us (outside) the ropes by March. Have some fun, and good luck at school.