Calgary Loop trip - info on cheap places

[MadPatSki]

The plan is to fly to Calgary then ski for one week (or 2 - need to work this out).

Hitting: Castle, Fernie (2 days), Panorama (maybe), Kicking (2 days) = 1 week plan

2nd week if it's happens (i've been to these areas a few times): Louise, Sunshine, Norquay (only once), Fortress (only once) and Nakiska (never been - I own, this areas is a lot like the East).

The last part of the trip will be more laid back and more touristy with the people that I might go with.

I might be solo or not (ahhh people these days, cannot make up they minds) LOL

So i'm looking for places to sleep:

Near Castle, Fernie (Ragling Elk or maybe elsewhere), Invermere, Golden, Banff and near Kananaskis.

Any suggestions are welcome.

I'm personally looking for cheap and good. HOWEVER I know some people that might join us and they aren't into the cheap Motel/Hostel types. Any suggestions on the minumum type condo/lodging with Hot Tub/pool in these location?

[eldereldo]

FYI Fortress is not open, and no known date when it will open. Better to go to LL and Sunshine twice then Nakisa or Norquay. Maybe do Castle (by Pincher Creek) then Fernie then KHR and skip Panorama

As for accomodation I can't help you there, I day trip, although if you look at links from the Castle site you can find some Hotel/.Ticket combos, or they have a on hill Hostel.

www.castlemountainresort.com

[MadPatSki]

FYI Fortress is not open, and no known date when it will open. Better to go to LL and Sunshine twice then Nakisa or Norquay. Maybe do Castle (by Pincher Creek) then Fernie then KHR and skip Panorama

The main part of the plan if Castle, Fernie, Kicking for 5 days + maybe add a day on the road to Golden at Panorama. We'll see if I get a 2nd week.

For some reason I though that Fortress had finally opened. Anyway that 2nd week is pretty much up in the air right now anyways.

As for the choice of my second week, I've been numerous times at LL and SV, only once at Norquay. I know that Norquay, Nakiska (and Panorama) are low on the totem poll, however I do want to ski them once (as for Norquay I want to go once (long story) and it doing to be like day 9 in a row, so...).

As for accomodations I can't help you there, I day trip, although if you look at links from the Castle site you can find some Hotel/.Ticket combos, or they have a on hill Hostel.

Thanks, I was actually just checking their website at this moment.

[L7]

I'll echo skip panorama and you might want to double up on one or both of Fernie, Castle.

Norquay does 2 and 3 hour tickets (am or pm) so if you're 9 days in you can make it a short one still get lots in. It should be good up there and a half day on the Norquay chair should do you.

[MadPatSki]

Thanks L7, I didn't think about taking only a few hour ticket. That might definately make sense.

Actually I was thinking of going this trip last year* and skipping Panorama, however someone I know went last year and said he was surprised. The guy is great skiing and I made sure that I understood him correctly.

I cannot really comment cuz I've never been and he's the only person I know (and he's the only one I heard saying good things about the place). I'd like to make an opinion on my own. Bad or good. I also wanted to cut the drive between Fernie and Golden in half. I don't mind the road, however some of the people that might be interested aren't the Safari Ski Trip type with long road trips.

*last year trip was changed for a 13 days Montana to Utah trip. Sweet and still daydreaming about it.

[sherpahigh]

I'd say the same as everyone else, skip pano unless you're keen on the blue ice or you luck out with a big dump. We've got a cabin in Invemere and all we use it for in the winter is a base to hit the horse or maybe kimberley.

[MadPatSki]

I'd say the same as everyone else, skip pano unless you're keen on the blue ice or you luck out with a big dump. We've got a cabin in Invemere and all we use it for in the winter is a base to hit the horse or maybe kimberley.

Hit Kimberley??? Sorry, but that's a place where I really didn't much good at all. Did it changed (not that I'm planning to go)?

Regarding Panorama...I understand, that why I had a "maybe" next to it.

Blue ice? I won't start an East / West debate on this. LOL

[sherpahigh]

Hit Kimberley??? Sorry, but that's a place where I really didn't much good at all. Did it changed (not that I'm planning to go)?

Regarding Panorama...I understand, that why I had a "maybe" next to it.

Blue ice? I won't start an East / West debate on this. LOL

Kimberley's hit and miss. Definitely not a resort type destination, but it's pretty good when they've got snow. On a side note, if it was the facilities that turned you off of Kimberley, best stay away from Castle too.

[MadPatSki]

Kimberley's hit and miss. Definitely not a resort type destination, but it's pretty good when they've got snow. On a side note, if it was the facilities that turned you off of Kimberley, best stay away from Castle too.

Facilities aren't important, Terrain and Challenge is.

What I heard about Kimberley was regarding the terrain/challenge aspect (didn't have much).

[sherpahigh]

Facilities aren't important, Terrain and Challenge is.

What I heard about Kimberley was regarding the terrain/challenge aspect (didn't have much).

True enough. It has some decent stuff though, nice trees when there's good snow and no crowds at all. I'd take it over Pano any day.

Castles got a lot nicer terrain though, and usually better snow. Stay away on weekends though, too many Calgarians finding out about the place now and they pack it solid after a week of snow.

[mntlion]

if you need ticket deals, check out my gear for sale list...


http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=69821



Lift tickets for Alberta and BC.
buy one, get one 50% off for
Fernie, Lake Louise, Kimberly, Nakiska, Norquay (banff)
blackout dates for Dec 23 - Jan 7, Feb 15-25, March 24- April 9. and valid Monday to Thursday.
I have a bunch, each one good for one day at that resort, not valid at each hill.
Tickets are $60-80 a day so you can save $30-40 for two people. $10 each.

[mntlion]

banff, Int hostel is not that near town/downtown

also samesun hostel. (banff and Fernie?)

lakelouise has a hostel, very nice, not that cheap..

if you dont have to book anything fly into calgary, prebook a 4WD SUV, drive to the snow and sleep in the rental car? nice hotsprings in banff, radium

[marmot mb]

You are doing some mad driving anyway....

If the snow is good why not do a couple of days in Jasper at Marmot Basin.

Hotels are cheap, lift lines are almost unheard of most of the time. The hill has some wicked lines.

http://www.skimarmot.com/u/snowreport.phtml

[MadPatSki]

You are doing some mad driving anyway....

I'm not concern about myself, it's just some friends that might want to join me in my crazy adventures (I guess there were jealous reading them on firsttracksonline).

If the snow is good why not do a couple of days in Jasper at Marmot Basin.

Thanks marmot mb, I did a Jasper/Banff combo the last time I was in Alberta. I've been waiting to hit Castle-Fernie-KH, but I was never able to.

True enough. It has some decent stuff though, nice trees when there's good snow and no crowds at all. I'd take it over Pano any day.

How the question is, should I consider stopping one day in Kimberley?

One of the reason why i'm even considering maybe one day at Pano and Nakiska is ranking up the major ski areas. I believe my count of ski areas skied since I've been 16 years (ie. started keeping tab - a long time ago) is 83.

Stay away on weekends though, too many Calgarians finding out about the place now and they pack it solid after a week of snow.

Is Castle the worst one from my selections for weekends? I think my tentative plan was hitting Castle like on a Tuesday, but I would end up at KH the following weekend.

I haven't looked at flight yet, but I presume I'll flight on a Monday.

if you need ticket deals, check out my gear for sale list...

Yes, I noticed that a few days(?) ago. I was also thinking the Louise card if I go for 2 weeks as in that plan I would maybe hit Fernie (twice), Louise, Norquay and Nakiska. I would end up saving $70.

Your ticket deal is great, unless I end up going solo and have to look for someone to sell an extra ticket to (which I hate going).

Actually there is still a slim chance that I go elsewhere visit my main Eastern ski partner (Lucky on TGR and Lucky Luke elsewhere) decides to spend a few months up in Terrace, BC.

[mntlion]

lake cards are only avail until Dec 25 or Jan 1.

act soon on it

[TOLOCOMan]

I'm going to differ slightly with others and say that Panorama can be either really bad, or really good. So far this year they are off to the really good. Seems like most people go there for the groomers and you can find fresh a couple of days after in Taynton. I'd keep an eye on the reports, and if they keep getting snow, I'd say it's worth a stop.

[MadPatSki]

Seems like most people go there for the groomers and you can find fresh a couple of days after in Taynton. I'd keep an eye on the reports, and if they keep getting snow, I'd say it's worth a stop.

That's what I heard from the people I know last year...that why I started revaluating my negative opinion of the place.

That's also why I had the maybe status for 1 day if the conditions are right.

Thanks Mtnlion, yes the Louise cards are good until Dec 26th. I would like to know what I'll do before then because I'm trying to flight on points to get to Calgary.

[taynton]

Some beta on panorama:

Good:
Cruising
Run legnth (long)
Low crowds, except around Alberta holidays
Nice village, hot tubs
Very few people ski the steeper parts of the mountain, espessially in the trees. Powder can remain untracked for an incredable amount of time if you adventure for it.


Bad:
Less snowfall than other areas. About half of Fernie or Sunshine. 20cm+ dumps are rare.
Many of the best runs require a long cat track that returns you to the bottom, where the crowds are.
Main runs are tracked off quite quickly
Base can be sketchy until Febuary, some steeper lines aren't filled in until March or even April. This looks like a good snow year so far though.
No alpine.

On a good day, panorama can be like cat skiing, where you ski up to the lift. On a bad day, its a bunch of icy groomers. That said, I think there was only a handful of days last season of 30+ days when I couldn't find boot-deep or better, and all of those days were either early or late season. Might be worth a stop a day or two after a powder day at kicking horse, as panorama will probably be less schralped.

As far as other resorts go in the area:

KHMR = epic. go.
Fernie = very good, unless its warm and rains
Louise = with even 10cm of fresh snow, the back bowls are well worth it
Sunshine = too flat for much good, unless you have avalanche gear to go in delerium
Kimberly = havent been, but its more of a small family hill from what I've heard
Castle = really fun, steep. Can be very boney and windy in places.
Norquay = more of a family hill
Nakiska = more of a family hill
Fortress = may or may not be open, very few facilities, somewhat limited terrain, no crowds, quite a bit of snow

Louise and sunshine should be avoided on weekends if possible.