Author Topic: 50cm+ at Castle Mountain tomorrow. Will the G8 make it? (Read 5624 times)

ktm525 · « **on:** January 13, 2011, 10:15:12 pm »

Big snow down south at Castle Mountain. Going to have a sick day and take the G8

Got the big fat Volkls ready to go.

rrocket · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:57:13 pm »

KTM with ice tires?

ktm525 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2011, 11:02:25 pm »

Quote from: rrocket on January 13, 2011, 10:57:13 pm

KTM with ice tires?

A little chilly for that. Currently -22 with windchill in the -30s. Should make the snow nice and light. Supposedly there is an inversion and temps are warmer with elevation. Hoping for -10. Perfect.

rrocket · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2011, 11:04:44 pm »

Quote from: ktm525 on January 13, 2011, 11:02:25 pm

Quote from: rrocket on January 13, 2011, 10:57:13 pm
KTM with ice tires?

A little chilly for that. Currently -22 with windchill in the -30s. Should make the snow nice and light. Supposedly there is an inversion and temps are warmer with elevation. Hoping for -10. Perfect.

That's what a jacket is for...

johngenx · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2011, 09:12:42 am »

Castle will have awesome cold smoke pow. We caught over 40cm of fresh last weekend (farther north) and it was superb. Enjoy!!!

Mike · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2011, 09:15:48 am »

so........did you make it?

ktm525 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2011, 07:44:33 pm »

Last minute change of plans. Went to Lake Louise. Great powder day, unfortunately no base previously so it was face shots and base shots all in the same run. Typical Louise.

The roads were nasty, as bad as I have ever seen Banff-Lake Louise. In the parking lot just 4*4 trucks, Subarus and one G8.

Actually there was a Lotus soft top (with winters) stuffed in the snowbank. That is hardcore.

Huge truck pile ups all over the highway It seems the truckers were trying to make up lost time when they closed the road foer avalanche work. Also two buses in the ditch. The majority of the vehicles in the ditches were "Professional" drivers.

johngenx · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2011, 09:36:51 pm »

Quote from: ktm525 on January 14, 2011, 07:44:33 pm

...face shots and base shots all in the same run. Typical Louise...

No kidding. I don't know why I go there. Well, there is some great skiing in the backside bowls, and there is some amazing slack country skiing there too, but it's generally tricky avy territory, so gear, good partners and snow skills are a must. Glad you made 'er through the bad roads...

aquadorhj · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2011, 12:23:01 pm »

did you get back safely?

heard on the radio that highway safety or some group generally advised against traveling past canmore that day due to severe weather. hope you had fun, though.

safristi · « **Reply #9 on:** January 16, 2011, 12:44:39 pm »

..G8 so ya made it to the SUMMIT..

...............the LOTUS just floated above the powder don't ya know............

ktm525 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 16, 2011, 02:58:47 pm »

Quote from: safristi on January 16, 2011, 12:44:39 pm

..G8 so ya made it to the SUMMIT.. ...............the LOTUS just floated above the powder don't ya know............

I wish I had a camera at the time. A lotus on steelies stuffed ( I think stuck) in a snowbank in the Lake Louise parking lot. AS I said before I think we were the only two RWD morons there..

Guy · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2011, 05:21:00 pm »

Quote from: ktm525 on January 13, 2011, 10:15:12 pm

Big snow down south at Castle Mountain. Going to have a sick day and take the G8

Got the big fat Volkls ready to go.

How fat those Volkls?

johngenx · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2011, 08:34:13 pm »

I'd put money on Gotamas. 106 underfoot and a rep for being a great ski. My Manhattans are 139-108-128 and I think that's close to the ideal size for a ski. Rockered tip for float, fat for powder, and some underfoot camber for edge control.

I'd like to add a pair of K2 Pontoons for the deepest days... (and they bust crud like nothing too)

Guy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2011, 10:17:40 pm »

So my Fischer Watea's 94 will look skinny out West. I'm going (again) to Louise in March.

johngenx · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2011, 11:27:05 pm »

Go to Kicking Horse instead. Seriously. Yes, Louise has some decent back-side bowls, but KH's snow lasts longer. As for your skis, well, 94's will look a little big at Louise, and skinny at KH...

Loudpedal · « **Reply #15 on:** January 17, 2011, 12:03:43 am »

What tires are on the G8?

Guy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:02:48 am »

Quote from: johngenx on January 16, 2011, 11:27:05 pm

Go to Kicking Horse instead. Seriously. Yes, Louise has some decent back-side bowls, but KH's snow lasts longer. As for your skis, well, 94's will look a little big at Louise, and skinny at KH...

I've been to KH once, loved it. Thanks for the suggestion!

tortoise · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2011, 09:49:28 am »

I destroyed a brand new pair of skis at Rock Louise (Ptarmigan Chutes) so yes, go to KH. It's a great hill and the restaurant at the top is great.

I think the best way to ski that area is to tour around to the various hills. Red, Fernie, KH and Castle (though I've never been) all deserve some attention. Seeing as Fernie and Red are lower in elevation you won't be stuck in the rain at Fernie (which happens more often than you'd think) and likely to hit good snow.

ktm525 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2011, 11:34:52 am »

Tires: Continental Winter Extreme Contact 225/55-17

Skis: Volkl Mantra's 191cm 133-96-116. Not quite Gotama's width but I am still not a fan of reverse rocker skis on high speed run outs. The Mantra's are like a Bugatti Veyron, esp. at the 191cm length. Enough float for most Lake Louise, Kicking Horse and Castle days with the stiffness to carve on the hardest of windblown ice.

Louise: Trans Canada was closed at Field so KH was a no go.

If you are an advanced/expert skier then Lake Louise has lots to offer. The back bowls, summit front side and if conditions allow Purple bowl, West bowl and ,maintenance chutes offer superb powder skiing days after a storm event. I have chewed my bases just as much at KH as Louise. Summit Poma/Paradise chair circuits allow great ratio of powder vertical vs bottom runout/lift time.

If you are a beg/int. skier then I don't really see the allure of Louise, you are better off at Sunshine skiing the divide.

If super duper snow is your game then currently the champ has to be Revelstoke. Lot's of snow and the vertical to match. Fernie is hampered by warm spells (rain) and lack of vertical for the steep stuff.

Guy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 17, 2011, 01:05:28 pm »

Thanks KTM. I'm advanced/Expert east coast type, more used to ice than powder, 20 days of skiing this season alone altough none on powder yet this year. I bought the Watea's in December and have not used them yet.

We will stay in Banff so it will likely be Louise and Sunshine with a possible trip to KH. Altough I have been to Louise 4-5 times now, I've never been to Sunshine. Time to go have a look!

BTW why did'nt you use the LR3 that day? Sounds like the perfect vehicle for the conditions?