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

**Gripen** · 12-14-2011, 05:41 PM

Ok, no price yet but I'll try to get that by weeks end for both a one day and two camp. We can roll in a lunch at Eagles Eye possibly if there is interest.

I have been a race/freeski coach for the past ten years. I am an ex-FIS racer and skied for the U of MT before completely burning out on competition. I have been coaching RMF since 2007 and set up the Young Guns program there. I haven't been in a comp since 2007, to be honest I hate hate hate competing. So no great comp wins or anything like that. I am a certified CFSA and CSCF coach and have been an instructor for the past in Montana, for the US Army in Germany and occasionally high-end lessons here at Kicking Horse. I am much more focused on the coaching aspect rather then the instructing aspect, as such we will not be focusing as much on technique but on tactics, philosophy and confidence. I've had a few of the Squaw Valley mags as clients, perhaps they can chime in if they see fit.

I am not a film-star, nor ever claim to be. What I can promise is to push your comfort level, I am sure DougW can attest to that. I can see if Eric wants to do this, but I honestly don't think he will A) have time and B) be rewarded enough to make it worth his time. I can however see if I can get another RMF coach or two in as guest coaches as well.

BTW the other RMF coach that works at KHMR is a her, is hot, and can certainly hold her own!

I don't know if this helps at all.... let me know if you have any other questions. I am sure we can make this work! I am pretty stoked on the idea!

**time2clmb** · 12-14-2011, 06:12 PM

^sold!

I am much more focused on the coaching aspect rather then the instructing aspect, as such we will not be focusing as much on technique but on tactics, philosophy and confidence

That's exactly why i'm so stoked on trying to arrange something through you guys. Having skied with "almost" all on the interest list I really don't think doing repetative drills CSIA clone style is going to get anyone to that next step...hell we can do that for free on no snow days.

I'm liking how this curiousity is snowballing momentum. I'm pretty fucking stoked on the idea also. I have no doubt that this would be a full on riot. Hell, if you can get more "guest coaches" then that opens up more room for more mags to get in on the action aswell. Win win for all really.

One more question that was raised...do those BMC jackets of yours give us the ability to cue up front of any potential gondy bottle neck time consuming Saturday line ups? I'm guessing if you can do it on preview weekend then....I really don't mind getting booed, might make for good head cam footage if nothing else

**iscariot** · 12-14-2011, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Gripen

BTW the other RMF coach that works at KHMR is a her, is hot, and can certainly hold her own!

Originally Posted by time2clmb

^sold!

FIFY....

**Gripen** · 12-14-2011, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by time2clmb

^sold!

One more question that was raised...do those BMC jackets of yours give us the ability to cue up front of any potential gondy bottle neck time consuming Saturday line ups? I'm guessing if you can do it on preview weekend then....I really don't mind getting booed, might make for good head cam footage if nothing else

Yep. No lines for us. Straight to the front.

**time2clmb** · 12-14-2011, 06:38 PM

^yeah I see what you did there Iscariot!

Gotta admit, twas a good maneuver and Gripen gets the bonus point for knowing the marketing 101 tactic of hot chicks can sell anything

**Fat Mike** · 12-14-2011, 06:52 PM

This is sounding good the more I hear. I had a great season last year, mostly because I had two buddies yelling at me to man up and do shit instead of hesitating. Mos def helped me improve.

**Eldo** · 12-14-2011, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by Fat Mike

... Mos def helped me improve.

I had no idea he even skied!

Thanks for the info, Gripen, good stuff. Keep us posted as you guys figure out the details.

**Fat Mike** · 12-14-2011, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Eldo

I had no idea he even skied!

His hucks are as smooth as his rhymes....

**Spooky** · 12-14-2011, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Gripen

What I can promise is to push your comfort level, I am sure DougW can attest to that.

This I like the sound of.

**Mex** · 12-14-2011, 09:43 PM

I'm a weekend warrior so Saturday is the best bet for me. I might be able to make a Friday for the possible KH camp. Good idea T2C.

**Lamothe** · 12-14-2011, 11:49 PM

im interested as well!

The whole Rk heli thing was alright. The terrain was weak and the snow even worse but for 350$ it was wortht he helli ride alone

**PlayHarder** · 12-15-2011, 12:17 PM

If there's anyone left that hasn't gone Dynafit, MEC in Calgary has all sizes of Freeride Plus on clearance for $328.

**Huckin eh?** · 12-15-2011, 03:38 PM

Fernie did not suck today!
However , I wouldn't blame y'all for not believing me as there were very few witnesses there to confirm my observation.

**the_teo** · 12-15-2011, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Huckin eh?

Fernie did not suck today!
However , I wouldn't blame y'all for not believing me as there were very few witnesses there to confirm my observation.

Nice! Fernie pow days are always great.

Did Rudi's ridge today, was fun!

**Gripen** · 12-15-2011, 07:35 PM

In other news, RCR just bought Kicking Horse. Effective Jan 1.

**iscariot** · 12-15-2011, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gripen

In other news, RCR just bought Kicking Horse. Effective Jan 1.

So you'll have to forgive me as I've been out of it for a while... I hope this is some sort of internet meme or joke.

**Eldo** · 12-15-2011, 07:52 PM

Interesting. I see an an RCR Rockies pass in my future next season.

**iscariot** · 12-15-2011, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Eldo

Interesting. I see an an RCR Rockies pass in my future next season.

And I see kickinghorse being fucked up by a bunch of non-skiing realestate-focused fun-sucking corporate lawyers, just like they did with fernie and the lake.

**Eldo** · 12-15-2011, 08:09 PM

How so?

I suppose for sure that means no jumps in the park at KH anymore. Or did they even have a park? I have no idea.

**Shorty_J** · 12-15-2011, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by iscariot

And I see kickinghorse being fucked up by a bunch of non-skiing realestate-focused fun-sucking corporate lawyers, just like they did with fernie and the lake.

They already are real estate focused. There's been talk of extra lifts up high for 10 years and nothing's happened lift-wise since the Stairway lift. The only things they've built since then have been condos. Don't get me wrong, I love the hill and I'm glad they opened up superbowl (which is a step in the right direction), but they are definitely more interested in selling land than lift tickets at Kickinghorse.

Having said that, and I can't tell you why, something about this doesn't sound good to me.

At the very worst I could the snow reports becoming less honest (they are currently the best in this department, IMO) and more dishonest bull-shit a la Fernie.

**Shorty_J** · 12-15-2011, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Eldo

How so?

I suppose for sure that means no jumps in the park at KH anymore. Or did they even have a park? I have no idea.

They have a mini park at best.

**iscariot** · 12-15-2011, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Eldo

How so?

I suppose for sure that means no jumps in the park at KH anymore. Or did they even have a park? I have no idea.

I hope grip is just starting shit, and that it hasn't been purchased.

If it has indeed been purchased, let's add random power outages and lift closures due to short cuts on maintance to save money, people strandeded and evac'ed from gondolas and lifts that hadn't been properly maintained due to short cuts to save money, the loss of ski culture and abhorent treatment of staff resulting in shitty attitude and service, and a dramatic reduction in skiers visits. Bottom dollar rules and shortcuts that put skiers at risk, accompanied by an over doubling of lift ticket prices and bullshit snow reports.

The white pass expansion at fernie took out a sweet slack country area that was hike to, with chutes as an entry, which kept it fresh for days. One of the great things about khmr is the slack country and the simple lift setup that keeps fresh around longer. Opening more lifts just make the place beat out faster. There are always going to be stashes and secret spots, both on the resorts and in the slackcountry surrounding them; however, putting lifts in every drainage will make all of the sweet chute runouts like the crappy stair cases in bowl over, and takes away the long continuous nature of long sweet pow runs. Cue the beating-a-dead-horse debate regarding unbridled resort expansion.

Sure we will always hike to the next ridge over, I'm just sick of ever expanding ski areas for the sake of advertising that we have 17 six-person high speed detatchable lifts and 4 gondolas (that are fucking empty 99% of the time and aren't really needed); but we won't advertise that season passes and lift tickets are going to triple or quadrouple in price. Or that we'll have to defer maintenence and other infrastructure upgrades to save money putting skiers at risk. Just as long as the people who only ski a week a year keep buying up that that real estate so it sits empty, creating souless ski ghost towns.

Again, all of this is merely my humble opinion. Any resemblence to actual resorts, people, or incidents are merely coincidental.