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Unofficial Guide to Castle Mountain Resort
By: @Castle Dave
Posted 5/16/14 • Last updated 5/16/14
Overview
Castle is located in the very southwest corner of Alberta barely on the east side of the North American Continental Divide. It has a top elevation of 7462 feet, vertical of 2833 feet and covers 3592 acres. For comparison, well known Fernie Resort is 1000 feet lower and a 1000 acres smaller. So Castle is large but largely unknown. It receives the most snow and has the only cat ski operation in Alberta. Unusually it is community owned rather than part of a huge corporation and this is reflected both in the amenities (or lack of) and on hill ‘vibe’. In the interests of full disclosure I have passes for both Castle and Fernie and prefer Castle.
Castle is not for everyone because it is not a resort. It does not have a day spa, Starbucks, or condominiums. It does have decent day lodge, restaurant, T Bar Pizza bar and a nice selection of powder skis for rent. The nearest mall is 2 ½ hours away. You will see ranchers in their coveralls, hunters in camo, sledders in their Klim outfits but not a Bogner or Prada in sight.
There are no high speed lifts but there are definitely slow speed lifts. To get to the top of the big mountain you must first take a very old triple then an older double chair. Even if the community could afford a high speed quad the mountain top winds would derail anything larger than a double. The lift is stopped when gusts reach 50 mph which is not unusual this high in the Canadian Rockies. This Youtube clip gives an idea of the Castle vibe. Note that it is taken late in the season so the snow is not at its best and there are usually more people especially weekends. Also some of the more extreme shots required climbing out of bounds.
Castle is a place for people who love to ski and board no matter what their level. Gravenstafel is the big mountain and has a well deserved reputation for steep and deep. As indicated on the sign at the bottom of the Tamarack Chair, the top half is ‘Experts Only’. The addition of the Huckleberry Chair has opened an entirely separate hill for beginners to middle intermediates with gentle groomed runs and intermediate glades.
How, When and Where to ski Castle
Please read the Resort Guide for photos and links to specifics like lift prices, accommodation options, etc. or go to http://www.skicastle.ca
How to get to Castle
Most ski tourists will have Fernie as their destination resort. Castle is a 2 hour drive east then south of Fernie starting on the Crowsnest Highway (Hwy 3). For a day or two trip rent a car or van the night before from the car rental in the Fernie Best Western then leave at 7:00 am if you want to be there at lift opening. The pass is not very high nor demanding so the drive is usually straightforward but watch out for large herds of elk especially if it is dark. They do not bounce. Also be very careful of the mountain sheep herd right at the Pass lakes. Don’t be discouraged by the epic winds at the lakes, just drive at a comfortable pace. After leaving the Pass communities look for the Castle turn off sign past the Burmis Tree and turn right to go south for 43 Km. If you see a sign for Hwy 22 you have gone too far. Drive south 18 km to Beaver Mines and do not speed in town as you are guaranteed a ticket especially Saturday or Sunday. Keep going through rolling ranch land then the last 12 kms are gravel usually in good condition. Don’t be surprised if it’s blue sky until the last few km then starts to snow as the box canyon traps moisture at the very end.
If you are coming south from Calgary you take Hwy 2 south and can either turn west at Nanton and go over to Hwy 22 or continue south to Fort Mcleod then west. Hwy 22 is shorter but twisty and windy. It is not uncommon for semi trailers to blow over. If you stay on Hwy 2 go west from Fort Mcleod on Hwy 3, turn into Pincher Creek and follow the sign for the Castle turn off. Calgary airport to Castle is 2 ½ to 3 hours depending on Calgary traffic and winter road conditions.
When to ski Castle
We usually have a dry spell from the beginning of the last week of January for about four weeks. Also there are many holidays and school breaks the middle two weeks of February. No guarantees but before and after that period there tends to be more fresh snow.
Midweek is best especially if you want powder. Unless Fernie is rained out or the Pass is closed typically mid week on the Tamarack Chair (top of the big mountain) will have 30 to 50 skiers shredding 2000 acres. Combined with wind sift grooming and you have fresh tracks almost every run. All that wind means wind closures from time to time and for truly expert skiers Castle is not worth skiing unless the upper chair is running. Snow-forcast.com tends to be fairly accurate – look for the mountain top wind forcast and avoid days with really high winds.
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Castle-Mountain-Resort/6day/top
Weekends can be crowded especially holidays or sunny days with more crowds on the beginner and intermediate slopes. Expert runs are never crowded but you may not get fresh tracks.
Where to ski at Castle
On weekends Castle has mountain hosts that will show you around the two hills and they are the fastest way to become comfortable with the many choices.
Beginner/intermediate skiers
Go to the Huckleberry Chair which is easy cruising. The runs become more challenging as you go from skier’s left to right. The terrain park is located on Huckleberry and you will see it going up the lift. For more challenge or if the upper big mountain is closed by wind try the glades on the skier’s right at the top of the lift and the sides of the first three runs down that right side. Remember to keep looking left for out of control beginners and crazy teenagers as you exit on the ski out.
If you want to try part of the big hill go up the Sundance Chair (blue) and ski the North or South Runs but they tend to be boring cat tracks.
Strong intermediate and better skiers
Warning – You are entering serious terrain with the potential for very serious consequences. The area is vast and other skiers can be few and far between. This means never ski alone, always carry a whistle and wear a helmet. With the exception of Bandito and Sendero, nothing is groomed on the upper mountain so remember powder hides many hazards. My wife is a true expert but broke her leg February 2014 when skiing deep powder on High Plains. She hit a stump hidden two feet under the snow.
If the Tamarack (red) Chair is running go up the Sundance (blue) chair then the Tamarack to the very top of the mountain. Duck your head when you pull down the bar on the blue chair. Speaking of heads, if you have a hood that fits over your helmet pull it up at the bottom of the red chair. Trust me, you will find out why about half way up. This is a video my wife and I did in 2010 for the view from the top. The entire video represents only about 1/6 of the area on Gravenstafel. That year was very poor for mid season snow from January to March with one snowfall of 14 cm mid February. Note the wind sift, crowds (locals expect better conditions) and wind.
Turn right at the top of the lift if conditions are good or turn left if conditions are not optimal. Going left again in about 50 feet brings you to a sharp left turn and cat track under the lift for an easy ride across the Skyline Traverse to the bowls and further to the runs on Siwash and North where the trees are perfectly spaced for charging powder on low visibility days. Once past Bandito you are committed to skiing to the bottom of the hill.
If you turn left off the lift you can continue south on the traverse to access Tamarack bowl or a little further to Huckleberry Bowl which accesses Tamarack bowl on the skiers left and Drifter, Showdown and OK Corral on the skiers right. Drop off the track carefully as there are lots of groomer chunks for the first few turns. Once past Tamarack you are committed to skiing to the bottom of the hill.
Continuing south on the traverse you will come to a gate leading to the Chutes. CAUTION – once past this gate there is no easy way down and you are committed unless you walk back up the traverse. The Chutes start at 38 degrees and are up to 2000 vertical feet high. If you are unsure of your ability to ski this terrain go up the Huckleberry chair on the easy hill and look to your right across the valley. Awesome!
The Sundance (blue) Chair offers trees, bumps, and bumps in trees options. Goat Glades, Duke, The Q all provide lots of challenge. North and South Shotgun are a ‘Y’ shaped natural half pipe and are a different sort of run. The exit at the bottom is a pain and don’t go down the creek bed. Personally I like skiing bigger, more open terrain but if the top is closed these runs are a fun alternative.
Cat skiing
Castle has the only cat ski operation in Alberta. Compared to other cat operations it is relatively small, less expensive (2013/14 rates $375 + tax including avy gear and lunch ) and has a couple of unique features. Cat skiers board the Huckleberry Chair to gain the first 1000 feet of elevation then board the cat for the last 1000 feet of elevation. This allows one cat to service two groups. The other unique feature is that the area is considered ‘in bounds/not lift served’. This means it is avalanche controlled. You still carry beacons, probes and shovels and will do drills at the beginning of the day but knowing the area has AC every morning provides some extra reassurance. In this Youtube slide show the avalanche hazard was truly off the scale but we were able to cat ski thanks to this unique feature. If you look carefully a couple of the slides show bomb craters.
The terrain is intermediate pitch and a great introduction to catskiing but you should have at least rudimentary powder skills before hand so as to not delay your group. No friends on a powder day! Reservations are a good idea.
@Castle Dave
By: @Castle Dave
Posted 5/16/14 • Last updated 5/16/14
Overview
Castle is located in the very southwest corner of Alberta barely on the east side of the North American Continental Divide. It has a top elevation of 7462 feet, vertical of 2833 feet and covers 3592 acres. For comparison, well known Fernie Resort is 1000 feet lower and a 1000 acres smaller. So Castle is large but largely unknown. It receives the most snow and has the only cat ski operation in Alberta. Unusually it is community owned rather than part of a huge corporation and this is reflected both in the amenities (or lack of) and on hill ‘vibe’. In the interests of full disclosure I have passes for both Castle and Fernie and prefer Castle.
Castle is not for everyone because it is not a resort. It does not have a day spa, Starbucks, or condominiums. It does have decent day lodge, restaurant, T Bar Pizza bar and a nice selection of powder skis for rent. The nearest mall is 2 ½ hours away. You will see ranchers in their coveralls, hunters in camo, sledders in their Klim outfits but not a Bogner or Prada in sight.
There are no high speed lifts but there are definitely slow speed lifts. To get to the top of the big mountain you must first take a very old triple then an older double chair. Even if the community could afford a high speed quad the mountain top winds would derail anything larger than a double. The lift is stopped when gusts reach 50 mph which is not unusual this high in the Canadian Rockies. This Youtube clip gives an idea of the Castle vibe. Note that it is taken late in the season so the snow is not at its best and there are usually more people especially weekends. Also some of the more extreme shots required climbing out of bounds.
Castle is a place for people who love to ski and board no matter what their level. Gravenstafel is the big mountain and has a well deserved reputation for steep and deep. As indicated on the sign at the bottom of the Tamarack Chair, the top half is ‘Experts Only’. The addition of the Huckleberry Chair has opened an entirely separate hill for beginners to middle intermediates with gentle groomed runs and intermediate glades.
How, When and Where to ski Castle
Please read the Resort Guide for photos and links to specifics like lift prices, accommodation options, etc. or go to http://www.skicastle.ca
How to get to Castle
Most ski tourists will have Fernie as their destination resort. Castle is a 2 hour drive east then south of Fernie starting on the Crowsnest Highway (Hwy 3). For a day or two trip rent a car or van the night before from the car rental in the Fernie Best Western then leave at 7:00 am if you want to be there at lift opening. The pass is not very high nor demanding so the drive is usually straightforward but watch out for large herds of elk especially if it is dark. They do not bounce. Also be very careful of the mountain sheep herd right at the Pass lakes. Don’t be discouraged by the epic winds at the lakes, just drive at a comfortable pace. After leaving the Pass communities look for the Castle turn off sign past the Burmis Tree and turn right to go south for 43 Km. If you see a sign for Hwy 22 you have gone too far. Drive south 18 km to Beaver Mines and do not speed in town as you are guaranteed a ticket especially Saturday or Sunday. Keep going through rolling ranch land then the last 12 kms are gravel usually in good condition. Don’t be surprised if it’s blue sky until the last few km then starts to snow as the box canyon traps moisture at the very end.
If you are coming south from Calgary you take Hwy 2 south and can either turn west at Nanton and go over to Hwy 22 or continue south to Fort Mcleod then west. Hwy 22 is shorter but twisty and windy. It is not uncommon for semi trailers to blow over. If you stay on Hwy 2 go west from Fort Mcleod on Hwy 3, turn into Pincher Creek and follow the sign for the Castle turn off. Calgary airport to Castle is 2 ½ to 3 hours depending on Calgary traffic and winter road conditions.
When to ski Castle
We usually have a dry spell from the beginning of the last week of January for about four weeks. Also there are many holidays and school breaks the middle two weeks of February. No guarantees but before and after that period there tends to be more fresh snow.
Midweek is best especially if you want powder. Unless Fernie is rained out or the Pass is closed typically mid week on the Tamarack Chair (top of the big mountain) will have 30 to 50 skiers shredding 2000 acres. Combined with wind sift grooming and you have fresh tracks almost every run. All that wind means wind closures from time to time and for truly expert skiers Castle is not worth skiing unless the upper chair is running. Snow-forcast.com tends to be fairly accurate – look for the mountain top wind forcast and avoid days with really high winds.
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Castle-Mountain-Resort/6day/top
Weekends can be crowded especially holidays or sunny days with more crowds on the beginner and intermediate slopes. Expert runs are never crowded but you may not get fresh tracks.
Where to ski at Castle
On weekends Castle has mountain hosts that will show you around the two hills and they are the fastest way to become comfortable with the many choices.
Beginner/intermediate skiers
Go to the Huckleberry Chair which is easy cruising. The runs become more challenging as you go from skier’s left to right. The terrain park is located on Huckleberry and you will see it going up the lift. For more challenge or if the upper big mountain is closed by wind try the glades on the skier’s right at the top of the lift and the sides of the first three runs down that right side. Remember to keep looking left for out of control beginners and crazy teenagers as you exit on the ski out.
If you want to try part of the big hill go up the Sundance Chair (blue) and ski the North or South Runs but they tend to be boring cat tracks.
Strong intermediate and better skiers
Warning – You are entering serious terrain with the potential for very serious consequences. The area is vast and other skiers can be few and far between. This means never ski alone, always carry a whistle and wear a helmet. With the exception of Bandito and Sendero, nothing is groomed on the upper mountain so remember powder hides many hazards. My wife is a true expert but broke her leg February 2014 when skiing deep powder on High Plains. She hit a stump hidden two feet under the snow.
If the Tamarack (red) Chair is running go up the Sundance (blue) chair then the Tamarack to the very top of the mountain. Duck your head when you pull down the bar on the blue chair. Speaking of heads, if you have a hood that fits over your helmet pull it up at the bottom of the red chair. Trust me, you will find out why about half way up. This is a video my wife and I did in 2010 for the view from the top. The entire video represents only about 1/6 of the area on Gravenstafel. That year was very poor for mid season snow from January to March with one snowfall of 14 cm mid February. Note the wind sift, crowds (locals expect better conditions) and wind.
Turn right at the top of the lift if conditions are good or turn left if conditions are not optimal. Going left again in about 50 feet brings you to a sharp left turn and cat track under the lift for an easy ride across the Skyline Traverse to the bowls and further to the runs on Siwash and North where the trees are perfectly spaced for charging powder on low visibility days. Once past Bandito you are committed to skiing to the bottom of the hill.
If you turn left off the lift you can continue south on the traverse to access Tamarack bowl or a little further to Huckleberry Bowl which accesses Tamarack bowl on the skiers left and Drifter, Showdown and OK Corral on the skiers right. Drop off the track carefully as there are lots of groomer chunks for the first few turns. Once past Tamarack you are committed to skiing to the bottom of the hill.
Continuing south on the traverse you will come to a gate leading to the Chutes. CAUTION – once past this gate there is no easy way down and you are committed unless you walk back up the traverse. The Chutes start at 38 degrees and are up to 2000 vertical feet high. If you are unsure of your ability to ski this terrain go up the Huckleberry chair on the easy hill and look to your right across the valley. Awesome!
The Sundance (blue) Chair offers trees, bumps, and bumps in trees options. Goat Glades, Duke, The Q all provide lots of challenge. North and South Shotgun are a ‘Y’ shaped natural half pipe and are a different sort of run. The exit at the bottom is a pain and don’t go down the creek bed. Personally I like skiing bigger, more open terrain but if the top is closed these runs are a fun alternative.
Cat skiing
Castle has the only cat ski operation in Alberta. Compared to other cat operations it is relatively small, less expensive (2013/14 rates $375 + tax including avy gear and lunch ) and has a couple of unique features. Cat skiers board the Huckleberry Chair to gain the first 1000 feet of elevation then board the cat for the last 1000 feet of elevation. This allows one cat to service two groups. The other unique feature is that the area is considered ‘in bounds/not lift served’. This means it is avalanche controlled. You still carry beacons, probes and shovels and will do drills at the beginning of the day but knowing the area has AC every morning provides some extra reassurance. In this Youtube slide show the avalanche hazard was truly off the scale but we were able to cat ski thanks to this unique feature. If you look carefully a couple of the slides show bomb craters.
The terrain is intermediate pitch and a great introduction to catskiing but you should have at least rudimentary powder skills before hand so as to not delay your group. No friends on a powder day! Reservations are a good idea.
@Castle Dave
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