The Western Canada Pugski Gathering Thread (April 15ish-21ish, 2018)

[James]

Looks gorgeous when you can see!

We just finished booting up at Creekside and should be on the gondola in a few!

We had an amazing time yesterday! More photos to come!

View attachment 44222

A rare pugski photo from a gathering. Equal women and men.

 

[albertanskigirl]

Looks gorgeous when you can see!

A rare pugski photo from a gathering. Equal women and men.

Actually more women than men - there’s also me taking the photo!

 

[Christy]

Mr. Albertanskigirl, @albertanskigirl, David Chaus at Lake Louise.


Sometimes you could see the spectacular scenery.



Here's the fun people were having up on (the actual) Lake Louise:



What I wish I would've gotten a picture of was @Jenny tucking her crutches under her arm then trying to carry our ski gear into the lodge at Sunshine when I dropped her and Vickie off.

I especially liked Lake Louise and thought it kind of exciting to get to ski a bit of the ladies downhill course (the Lake Lindsey course). I planned to do the whole thing but was warned away from it, since apparently injecting it for the races ruins it for the season.

Albertanskigirl and her husband were wonderful tour guides. Huge thanks to them.

 

[Christy]

 

[Jenny]

@Christy - I totally could have done it, too! Probably would have confused the Mountain Host I talked to even more.

(What Christy doesn't mention is that I’ve graduated out of the boot and into my real shoes. The crutches were more for warning others to stay away from me and for getting across the snow from the gondola to the lodge at Sunshine than for actual use on flat ground.)

 

[surfsnowgirl]

View attachment 44281

Mr. Albertanskigirl, @albertanskigirl, David Chaus at Lake Louise.


Sometimes you could see the spectacular scenery.

View attachment 44280

Here's the fun people were having up on (the actual) Lake Louise:

View attachment 44279

What I wish I would've gotten a picture of was @Jenny tucking her crutches under her arm then trying to carry our ski gear into the lodge at Sunshine when I dropped her and Vickie off.

I especially liked Lake Louise and thought it kind of exciting to get to ski a bit of the ladies downhill course (the Lake Lindsey course). I planned to do the whole thing but was warned away from it, since apparently injecting it for the races ruins it for the season.

Albertanskigirl and her husband were wonderful tour guides. Huge thanks to them.

I love the WHOA sign.......................

Glad you guys n gals are having a blast.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

View attachment 44282

While we had fun at Lake Louise and Camerons way was one of the blues I liked a lot, it didn't look like that when we were there.... NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Christy]

I would definitely recommend the Banff area. I don't think Seattle skiers realize how close this area is. The flight was a little more than an hour. The Calgary airport has a very nice new international terminal and you go through customs there, so there's no delay at Seatac coming home. I especially liked Lake Louise though this was undoubtedly influenced by the fact that at Sunshine yesterday my legs were just tired and skiing felt like more work than fun. There is lots of terrain for everyone. I've heard that LL is best for experts but there is tons of good intermediate terrain. It struck me how true the fall lines on most runs were. The blacks I skied were far mellower than at, say, Crystal or Whistler, but you have the back bowls for people that want the gnarly stuff.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Miss BC and AB. Would love to make this one next year.

 

[David Chaus]

Dinner at the Park Doistiller in Banff. @Poolskier Vinny, @Christy, @VickieH , Jim, @Jenny @albertanskigirl, Brian and Shamora

Cheese Fondue, Canadian Style, with pear, radish and pickles. Go figure.

Something about this says “Whoa!”

 

[David Chaus]

Dan, Jim and Vinnie at top of Lookout off the Great Divide Chair, one of the times we lapped Bye Bye bowl. From the bottom it looked like visibility would be nonexistent, but we could see the snow just fine, and it was great skiing. We did this 3 times with no one else around.

South chutes on Goat’s Eye.

I think this is Glade runner on Goat’s Eye.

 

[David Chaus]

Views from a scenic viewpoint near Banff, which is in the trees at the base of these mountains.

Rundle

I think Sulfur Mt.

Banff Upper Hot Springs

View from the hot springs.

 

[David Chaus]

Wednesday morning view from our condo in Canmore.

Everyone else had important things to do on Wednesday, so it was just Shamora and I. 2” of new snow overnight, it snowed lightly throughout the day, but visibility was the best of the whole trip, sunshine later in the day. Top of Strawberry, Standish in background.

View of Lookout from Standish.

View of Goat’s Eye from Wawa on Tin Can Alley.

View of Lookout from the top of JackRabbit & Wolverine.

From Jackrabbit/Wolverine, a view of lower Goat’s Eye and an impressive peak or two between Goat’s Eye and Lookout.

 

[David Chaus]

View of Goat’s Eye from Lookout, near the TeePee Town heated bubble lift.

View of Standish on the left, Wawa middle-right, and the Village in the middle of the pic from Lookout.

Great Divide lift on Lookout. Please notice the crowds.

View to the west from top of Great Divide.

Banff Avenue, ski out to the bottom of the Gondola at the end of the day.


She meant to do that.


Actually, this is the view that made her do that.


All in all, a great trip. It snowed every day and the snow was nice and light and dry, basically Winter weather in Spring, though warmer temperatures. I mean, locals were talking about -25C days, you know? Crazy. We had temperatures in the upper 20’s F to mid-30’s F. The snow at Sunshine was better due to the higher elevation of most of the skiing, though Louise has longer vertical runs. Both have a great variety of intermediate terrain; the beginner terrain is better at Sunshine, both have excellent steeps. Most of the single black runs at both resorts aren’t much different from the blue terrain, but the double diamonds are the real deal, steep chutes without needing to hike to access. The wide open alpine skiing on Sunshine, especially at Lookout is an experience to itself, like nothing else I’ve skied. You can get easy baby doses of blue and green alpine skiing on Standish, as well.

Not a bad Gathering for an informal process. We didn’t have a big official meeting about where to meet for next year’s Canada, eh? Pugski Gathering, though Sabrina mentioned Marmot. But that’s a topic for another thread.

 

[Jilly]

I am so thinking about next year....

 

[albertanskigirl]

View attachment 44281

Mr. Albertanskigirl, @albertanskigirl, David Chaus at Lake Louise.


Sometimes you could see the spectacular scenery.


What I wish I would've gotten a picture of was @Jenny tucking her crutches under her arm then trying to carry our ski gear into the lodge at Sunshine when I dropped her and Vickie off.

I especially liked Lake Louise and thought it kind of exciting to get to ski a bit of the ladies downhill course (the Lake Lindsey course). I planned to do the whole thing but was warned away from it, since apparently injecting it for the races ruins it for the season.

Albertanskigirl and her husband were wonderful tour guides. Huge thanks to them.

Awww...thanks @Christy - it was so much fun to ski with you! It was great to ski with all of you, and to meet you all. Perhaps the western Canada gathering is not such a bad idea - we could definitely keep it up!

And really great photos @David Chaus !!! You DEFINITELY had the best views/visibility of the week. Lake Louise on Monday was the worst of the lot with that crazy mid-mountain fog. And Sunshine on Tuesday at least was just snow falling hard. @Christy - the visibility was terrible while you were here, hopefully when you come back it will be better next time!

I'll get off my lazy butt soon and post some photos as well - but it was a really nice time, and great to see/meet everyone!

Maybe Marmot next year - maybe a little powder road trip? Castle/Fernie? Or if Valemount has something open, maybe Valemount/Marmot...as long as there's snow!

 

[Jenny]

You guys haven’t seen Jim’s pictures from today yet - gorgeous sun, blue skies, absolutely perfect day.

I'm working on getting the pictures to post . . . be back later with them.

 

[Jenny]

Sunshine, today.



Lake Louise, yesterday.



Sunshine, Tuesday.

 

[David Chaus]

View attachment 44439

The thing I’m noticing with this pic is not only how much the bases of the skis are showing, but also how much the skis are flexing from just standing there, on that steep, dare I say, extreme chute in perilous circumstances with certain death for anyone who isn’t a highly skilled and experienced pro skier type.

And we were doing synchronized skiing, too. Extra G.N.A.R. points for that. We were awesome.

 

[Pumba]

Hope I can make the Canadian Gathering next season....
I got the Ikon Base, and while the Big 3 & Revelstoke would make the most sense, I am dying to try out Kicking Horse and Whitewater as well..I know they are in opposite directions...

k