Essentials - Road Tripping North America
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Transcript of Essentials - Road Tripping North America
EvER HEaRd of tHE saying ‘tHE gRass is always gREEnER on tHE
otHER sidE’? you pRoBaBly did. doEs it makE any sEnsE? it pRoBaBly doEs. EspEcially foR skiERs and snowBoaRdERs,
BEcausE wE’RE tHE typE of pEoplE wHo likE to go out foR an advEntuRE, to sEaRcH foR nEw linEs to RidE, to find waist dEEp powdER and mEEt intEREsting pEoplE.
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Last season, we left the Dutch mountains and we didn’t travel to the Eu-
ropean Alps like we normally do, but decided that this was the right time
to cross the pond and experience the effects of ‘La Nina’. It wasn’t our
first time in the US and Canada, but this trip was different. More than 2 ½
weeks of stormchasing. We decided to document our trip and publish all
our experiences to help you organise a roadtrip like this for yourself.
In the end, we drove over 4500 kilometers (or 2796 miles) to find out that
roadtripping the United States and Canada is an amazing experience that
every European skier and boarder should do at least once. We discovered
new lines, met some great people, visited amazing resorts, but above all
we experienced the stoke and enthousiasm that all the locals had for their
home mountain.
so goodByE ‘tHE gRass is gREEnER on tHE otHER sidE’ and HEllo ‘tHE snow is wHitER on tHis mountain’!
Bart Suichies Arjen de Graaf Maurice MommenHaas
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The 2010-2011 season was a La Nina season. Normally that means above average snowfall in large parts of North Ame-rica. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect time to hop over the
pond to roadtrip through the US and Canada?
The wePowder roadTriP
We wanted to make a roadtrip a bit different than a regu-
lar one. In our opinion, we managed to do that. In over
two weeks time, we’ve driven 4500 kilometers, visited
ten different resorts, experienced all sorts of snow (from
deep powder to wet slush) and temperatures from plus
15 till minus 35 Celsius, but above all, we enjoyed mem-
orable moments with a lot of remarkable people.
Our roadtrip started in Seattle, Washington and ended
in Salt Lake City, Utah. While driving those 4500 k’s, we
visited the following resorts:
Snow may be white both in the European Alps and North
America, the moments you’ll remember most during
roadtrips are unexpected experiences and new friends
you meet along the way.
To give you a strong advice: get on a plane and enjoy the
powder in the US and Canada!
CrysTal MounTain (WA)MT. Baker (WA)
whisTler BlaCkCoMB (BC)red MounTain (BC)
whiTewaTer (BC)Fernie (BC)
JaCkson hole (WY)Powder MounTain (UT)
snowBird (UT)snowBasin (UT)
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
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INDEX
inTroduCTion 3
The TriPThe road trip of wePowder 6
Crystal Mountain 12
Mt. Baker 14
Whistler-Blackcomb 16
Travelling 18
Red Mountain 20
Whitewater 22
Fernie 26
Travelling 28
Jackson Hole 30
Powder Mountain 34
Snowbird 36
Snowbasin 38
Partir c’est mourir un peu 40
The guideCulture and history of skiing in
the USA and Canada 44
Ski resorts, ski hills and
powder hounds 48
Where to go 52
When to go 54
Getting there 58
Getting around 60
Accommodation 62
Costs 64
Safety 66
Cat- & Heliskiing/boarding 70
The wraP-uP 72
No trees
Trees
Meadow
Rocky
Glacier
Ski hill
Ski resort
wePowder iConswePowder uses icons to characterize a
skiresort or skihill. They will enable you to
get a quick overview of a ski area. There
are five icons that define the area.
An icon will be used when it’s really char-
acteristic for an area. An exception is the
glacier icon, that will always be used
when a glacier is part of the ski area.
We rate all areas on the following subjects
as well:
costs (is it expensive or cheap to be
here?),
accommodation (is it easy to find
last-minute accommodation in or
nearby the area?)
untracked (how fast does the area
gets tracked?)
overview (is it easy to spot lines if
you’re not familiar with the area?)
We rate the areas with a score between
1 and 3. More icons means that a resort
is more expensive, it’s easier to find
accommodation, the area gets tracked
really fast and it’s easy to spot your lines.
Red
Mou
ntai
n
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the resortCrystal Mountain is the larg-
est resort in the state of
Washington. Based on the
foot of Mt. Rainier you’ll find
about 2600 acres and over
59 slopes of white stuff to
enjoy. Interesting parts of the
resort are the bowls you can
reach from Northway Peak,
like Morning Glory Bowl and
Pulker’s Gulch, where you’ll
find nice gladed runs. At the
other end of the resort you
can traverse into Campbell-
and Avalanche Basin from
the top of the High Campbell
chairlift. An avalanche beacon
and a little hike are necessary
if you want to get into South-
back Country, but you’ll have
a good chance to be rewarded
with some untracked snow.
Even though Crystal Moun-
tain is one of the most popu-
lar resorts in Washington, it’s
never really crowded. You’ll
only find yourself in a lift line
during holidays and some
weekends, but if you’re used
to lift lines in Europe, it’s like
waiting for a red signal at an
intersection compared with
a 10 kilometre traffic jam.
Because you’re not waiting in
line at the lifts and therefore
riding more, have a beer at
the Bullwheel at the end of
the day. You won’t regret it.
conditions & impressionsAfter we got rid of our jet lag
(Amsterdam – Seattle is a
long way folks!) we’re driving
to Crystal Mountain in about
1 ½ hour. As we’re here the
day before President’s day,
the parking lot is relatively
busy with skiers and boarders
enjoying their long weekend.
It hasn’t snowed for a cou-
ple of days and as a result
everything inbounds is com-
pletely tracked. Despite the
lack of fresh pow it’s easy to
see the potential of Crystal
1. Crystal MountainAltitude: 1192-2137 m - Average snowfall p/s: 932 cm www.crystalmountainresort.com
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
Sunday, February 20th
Travelling in the morning
Distance Seattle Tacoma Interna-
tional Airport – Crystal Mountain:
69 miles/1,5 hour
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Mountain. With some help
from local Tyler Ceccanti we
find some nice pitches with
untracked powder. After an
hour of skinning we’re get-
ting our first North American
faceshots of the trip! It is the
best way to instantly get rid
of our jetlag! The beer in the
Bullwheel tastes very sweet.
Unfortunately we can’t stay
any longer. On the road again
and on our way to Belling-
ham, on our way to Mt. Baker.
accommodationWe arrived at SeaTac Int. Air-
port in the evening, so we
stayed in an hotel near the
airport. For less than $50 we
got ourselves a room with two
kingsize beds and all the other
things you need during a stay
in an hotel. If you want to save
some money on accommoda-
tion you can easily find cheap
motels along the interstates.
According to European stand-
ards, you get real value for
money and in our case, great
service by our Mexican friend
Cortez of the RedRoof Inn. It’s
also possible to stay in Crystal
Mountain at the base of the
resort. RV’s are welcome as
well at Crystal.
places to goLike every other resort in
North America, Crystal Moun-
tain gets tracked fast. Make
sure you’re in time on a pow-
der day! You’ll find some new
glades from the top of North-
way Chair. There are different
‘gates’ where you can duck
into the trees. You’ll also find
some nice terrain in South-
back Country. The bowls of
nachos at the Bullwheel are
nice and huge!
aftER an HouR of skinning wE’RE gEtting ouR fiRst noRtH amERican facEsHots of tHE tRip! it is tHE BEst way to instantly gEt Rid of ouR jEtlag!
Travelling in
the evening
Crystal
Mountain -
Bellingham:
171 miles
3,5 hours
Crys
tal M
ount
ain
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the resortMt. Baker is perhaps one of
the most iconic ski areas in
Washington. At the foot of the
volcano they get lots of snow
every winter, and we mean
LOTS of snow. Baker holds
the record for most snow in a
season: up to 29 meters came
down in ‘98-’99 season. The
average snowfall per season
is 16.3 meters. Not bad. Eight
chairlifts (without a safety-
bar and all fixed grip) give
access to a ski area that will
mostly appeal to advanced
skiers and boarders. You can
find nice treeruns and bowls
everywhere. You can score
beautiful lines inbounds, but
the out-of-bounds potential is
endless. It’s one of the reasons
that Baker is very popular with
film crews. The backcountry is
open as long as you follow the
rules. Check the backcountry
policy of Mt. Baker at their
website (www.mtbaker.us).
conditions & impressions On the way to Mt. Baker
we are confronted with the
limitations of our rental car
for the first time. The Chevy
Tahoe with its all-terrain tires
obviously has difficulties on
the last part of the road to
Mt. Baker. It’s snowing hard
and the road gets whiter
and whiter. Fortunately we
2. Mount Baker Altitude: 1067-1551 m - Average snowfall p/s: 1643 cm www.mtbaker.us
Monday, February 21st
Travelling in the morning
Bellingham – Mt. Baker:
56 miles/1,5 hour
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at tHE End of tHE day tHE conclusion is clEaR: tHis is an aREa wHERE wE all could BE foR a montH oR longER!
reach the parking lot without
too many problems. Today it
snows all day and there are no
queues at the lifts. First, we
blast inbounds through the
tracked terrain and from the
top of Chair 8 we immerse into
the backcountry. Because of
the heavy snowfall, it is dif-
ficult to exploit the vast po-
tential of Baker, but between
the trees there is some nice
powder and in between the
snow showers we can ski a bit
more of the vast terrain. At the
end of the day the conclusion
is clear: this is an area where
we all could be for a month or
longer!
accommodation Mt. Baker has no accommo-
dation at the ski area. The
nearest hotels are located in
Glacier, which is about half an
hour drive away. We stayed
in Bellingham, the town situ-
ated at the bay. From Belling-
ham it is an one and half hour
drive. Again we had a motel
along the interstate for only
$40 a night.
places to go
If there’s one day that you
should be in Baker (besides
after each heavy dump) is the
day when the Banked Slalom
is organized. This snowboard
event takes place in Baker
since 1985 and attracts partic-
ipants from across the country
and abroad. It started as a race
and defined the soul of snow-
boarding. The winner goes off
with the “Duct Tape Trophy ....
and eternal fame, of course”.
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
Travelling in
the evening
Mt. Baker –
North Van-
couver: 85
mijl/1,5 uur
(excl. Boarder
control)
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the resortWhistler Blackcomb is the
largest resort in North Ameri-
ca and winner of many awards
as ‘best ski resort’. The fact
that many sports of the Olym-
pic Winter Games of Vancou-
ver took place in Whistler, has
only brought more fame to the
resort. And it must be said. The
mountains are big, the village
is bustling and the atmosphere
is great. Blackcomb Mountain
is the most challenging moun-
tain, with lots of backcountry
opportunities on the glaciers
but also with many inbounds
options, including lines from
Spanky’s Ladder. On Whistler
Mountain, the Peak Chair is
the must-do. After a dump it
seems that almost everybody
throws themselves of the
cliffs! If that’s too intense then
you’ll find your way to one of
the twenty three bowls or gla-
ciers. And that’s without even
mentioning the great nightlife
and events! Whistler is a place
which every skier and boarder
should’ve visited at least once
in their lives.
conditions & impressionsThe Sea to Sky Highway from
Vancouver to Whistler is a
spectacular road, so the drive
is already an experience in it-
self. Whistler is close to being
the perfect resort. Fast lifts,
great terrain, beautiful back-
country: the resort seems
to have anything. Everything
gets tracked really fast in
Whistler, so after running a
lap at Spanky’s Ladder, we
started hiking the bootpack
towards Blackcomb Glacier.
After a one hour walk we
find an fine line where we
can leave our signatures in
untracked snow. It remains
sunny all day, so we can get
the most out of the mountain.
In the afternoon we have a
beer in one of the friendliest
pubs in Whistler, the Garibaldi
Lift Company. With great at-
mosphere, good beer and the
chance that you bump into a
pro, the GLC is a great place
3. Whistler Blackcomb Altitude: 675- 2284 m - Average snowfall p/s: 1000 cm www.whistlerblackcomb.com
Tuesday, February 22nd
Travelling in the morning
North Vancouver – Whistler: 119
kilometers/1,5 hour (back to the
metric system)
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overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
Whi
stle
r
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to hang out. Since staying
in Whistler is just above our
budget and we also want to
enjoy the nightlife of Vancou-
ver, we leave Whistler with a
big smile!
accommodationIn Whistler and Blackcomb
you’ll find accommodation in
every price range. Well, you
won’t find any $40 motels,
but all the accommodation
is close to the lifts and you
can enjoy all that Whistler has
to offer: the après-ski, clubs,
shops and and early lift ac-
cess. Want to smash some
money on real luxury? Stay in
the Fairmont Chateau or the
Four Seasons Hotel.
places to goEvery year, the season offi-
cially ends with the Whistler
TELUS World Ski & Snow-
board Festival. A week long
celebration on the mountain
and in the village, with events,
contests and hopefully deep
Travelling in
the evening
Mt. Baker –
North Van-
couver: 85
mijl/1,5 uur
(excl. Boarder
control)
on wHistlER mountain, tHE pEak cHaiR is tHE must-do. aftER a dump it sEEms tHat almost EvERyBody tHRows tHEmsElvEs of tHE cliffs!
powder. You have to be there!
The Garibaldi Lift Company is
a good place to share your
epic stories with your friends
after a day in the pow. There
are many good restaurants in
Whistler, but the line at Sushi
Village is there for a reason.
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Travelling
Vancouver is a phe-
nomenal city. The
truly superb loca-
tion, with the sea
on one side and the moun-
tains on the other, gives the
city a unique identity. From
downtown Vancouver you
can reach three ski resorts
within half an hour: Grouse
Mountain, Mt. Seymour and
Cypress Mountain. Grouse
is the closest to the city and
here you have stunning view
of Vancouver.
Yaletown is a nice neighbor-
hood where you can find nice
restaurants and you party in
great clubs. So it’s a miracle
we are all quite fresh in the
car. We have to drive a lot of
Wednesday, February 23rd
North Vancouver – Rossland:
619 km/8,5 hour
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kilometers today. Rossland
in the interior of BC is the
destination.
After Hope begins ‘the big
nothing’. We are happy that
we have bought snow chains
in Hope for our Tahoe, be-
cause it will keep snowing all
day and the road to Rossland
is still long.
If you’re used to densely
populated Europe, the road
to Rossland is a relief. Few
villages and stunning views
are like driving through a
no man’s land. Delayed by
strong snowfall we arrive in
Rossland pretty late. It’s a
nice ‘town’ with a small and
tight knit community. We’re
a little later than planned, but
still well in time for the Punk
Rock Bingo at The Shovel.
Here they serve great burg-
ers, one of the best we had
so far. And on top of the great
burger, one of us also wins a
pair of gloves! As the snow
continues to fall, tomorrow
promises to be a good pow-
der day. Let´s fire it up at Red
Mountain!
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the resortRed Mountain Resort has five
lifts and a total of 88 slopes.
Although the origins of the re-
sort are located on Red Moun-
tain, you´ll find the most chal-
lenging descents on Granite
Mountain (2075 meters). The
area can at best be described
by great tree runs with a con-
sistent slope angle. From the
4. Red Mountain Altitude: 1186-2073 m - Average snowfall p/s: 760 cm www.redresort.com
Thursday, February 24th
Travelling in the morning
Rossland – Red Mountain:
3 kilometers/5 minutes
Paradise Chair, you can ride
nice gladed runs with names
like “Powder Fields’. Actually,
you could ride Granite Moun-
tain on any side with beauti-
ful tree runs with pillows and
nice little cliffs. Besides the
inbound’s potential, Granite
Mountain is also the starting
point for great tours up to Mt.
Robberts and Grey Mountain.
In short, Red Mountain is a
treerun paradise!
conditions & impressionsHell yeah! Powder day! You
will hear loud cheers as the
Silver Lode Chair begins to ro-
tate. Everyone goes directly
to the Motherlode Chair that
brings us to the summit of
Granite Mountain. Guide Ja-
son shows us one of his stash-
es between the trees, offering
face shots all the way down.
Not bad for a first run at Red.
Jason moved to Rossland wih
his girlfriend a few years ago
and does not expect he will
ever leave. “It is a paradise on
earth. People here perhaps
work harder, but we get more
in return”. This certainly ap-
plies to the hike to Mt. Rob-
berts. After about one hour
hiking (on a very relaxed boot
pack) the reward is a fine line
of powder that’s preserved
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
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Red Mountain
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well in the shade. A lot of ver-
tical with dry powder! Back in
Red we end up in the parking
lot with big smiles all over our
faces. Meanwhile, the tem-
perature dropped to minus
thirty, time to drive to Nelson!
accommodationYou can stay at the slopes of
Red Mountain, but you’ll find
the best atmosphere in Ross-
land. In this classic ski town
you will find a nice community
of people who chose to live in
the mountains. We stayed at
the Mountain Shadow Hostel
for $ 25 per person per night.
In the hostel you will instantly
contact other skibums and you
can instantly arrange a ride to
the lifts. Have your breakfast
across the street.
places to goThe place to be in Rossland is
the Flying Steam Shovel. It is
a historic place,with good food
(mmm, that Shovel Burger)
and entertainment. A perfect
place to drink a beer and have
dinner after a day in the pow-
der.
Travelling in
the evening
Red Mountain
– Nelson:
83 kilom-
eters/1,5 hour
it is a paRadisE on EaRtH. pEoplE HERE pERHaps woRk HaRdER, But wE gEt moRE in REtuRn.
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the resortWhitewater is the ski resort of
Nelson, BC. Nelson is a laid-
back, relaxed and fairly liberal
town on Kootenay Lake, with
plenty to do. There’s no ac-
commodation in Whitewater,
but only one daylodge and
three lifts. The three lifts are
in a beautiful setting and open
5. WhitewaterAltitude: 1417-2040 m - Average snowfall p/s: 775 cm www.skiwhitewater.com
Friday, February 25th
Travelling in the morning
Nelson – Whitewater:
16 kilometers/20 minutes
up vast terrain. Whitewater is
known for its dry powder, and
it receives about 40 feet (about
12 meters) per year. There are
beautiful bowls and steep
tree runs, but there’s also a
true atmosphere of skiing and
snowboarding. In Whitewater
the days revive when commer-
cialism wasn’t penetrating the
mountains, but when it was still
about the riding. People come
here for skiing and snowboard-
ing, and nothing else. The at-
mosphere is unique and you
have to experience it yourself
to understand it.
conditions & impressionsIt’s another cold day in the
mountains. The thermometer
shows temperatures below
minus thirty. Fortunately, the
sun is shining and we start
searching for untracked pow-
derfields. That’s quite difficult
inbounds (as in: everything is
tracked), but with some help
of the skipatrol, we make a
nice skin track that will defi-
nitely bring us some freshies.
After nearly two hours we are
on top of a ridge. The sun is set-
ting and shines its surreal light
on the mountain. After the first
turn we get a big smile on our
face. Fresh powder. And that
for about 800 vertical meters.
We ride down to the parking
lot. This must be the feeling
that Whitewater is known for.
In the end it’s all about the rid-
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
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ing. Totally happy we have a
beer in Nelson. Then it’s time
to follow the upcoming storm
on its way to Fernie!
accommodationYou can not stay in Whitewa-
ter overnight, but there’s
plenty of accommodation in
nearby Nelson. As in Ross-
land you’ll get the most out
of your stay in Nelson by
staying in a hostel. We
stayed at the White House
Hostel for $ 25 withing walk-
ing distance of all pubs.
places to goMike’s Place in the Hume Ho-
tel has a cozy bar with excel-
lent pub food. The atmosphere
is always good in Nelson, es-
pecially during the Coldsmoke
Powder Fest!
travelling in the evening
Whitewater – Fernie: 326
kilometers/4 hours and 15
minutes
pEoplE comE HERE foR skiing and snow-BoaRding, and notHing ElsE.
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the resortFernie is an old mining town
in the Elk Valley. The lifts start
from the Fernie Alpine Re-
sort, a few miles outside the
old town of Fernie. Because
of the location of the Elk Val-
ley, Fernie is a real snow mag-
net. When it starts snowing in
Fernie, it can remain snowy
for days and you’ll ride dry
powder with the locals. Dur-
ing such days, most shops in
the village close their doors.
“Gone skiing, the 30 cm rule is
in effect. Locals divide Fernie
into two parts. You have the
‘old side’ with the Elk, Bear,
Boom and the Haul BackT-Bar
and the most “recent” ex-
pansion of the area with the
White Pass, Timber and the
recently opened Polar chairs.
Fernie has five bowls that are
overshadowed by the mighty
Lizard Range. From the bowls
you can reach some ridges
where you van ride steep ter-
rain, but in the bowls you can
make it as easy (or difficult) as
you want. The combination of
a good atmosphere, enthusi-
astic locals, great powder and
nice terrain makes Fernie a
must-ski destination!
conditions & impressionsWow, three days in Fernie and
6. FernieAltitude: 1195-1925 m - Average snowfall p/s: 875 cm www.skifernie.com
Saturday, February 26th, Sun-
day, February 27th and Monday
February 28th
Travelling in the morning
Lizard Creek Lodge – Elk Chair: 50
meters/30 seconds
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
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three days of Fernie powder.
Fortunately, it is not that cold,
with temperatures around -15.
The snow keeps falling and on
Monday the pow is at least 80
centimeters deep. Everyone
is stoked and with every turn
you almost disappear in the
snow. The Griz, the local snow
god, has done a good job. Dur-
ing snowfall it’s always great
skiing between the trees and
we lap Morning Glory Glades
over and over again. Not a lot
of people ski here, so we find
some nice untracked fields.
We continue to lap Siberia and
get faceshot after faceshot till
the lifts close. It’s time for a
beer in the Griz Bar. At the
end of the day we conclude
that Fernie is ‘a very nice play-
ground for adults’. The locals
are friendly and love to take
you to their “secret stashes”.
The locals know that they live
in a special place and truly
enjoy this. It’s painful to leave
Fernie after three days, though
our next destination is not that
bad either: Jackson Hole.
accommodationBoth in the town and on the
mountain there is enough ac-
commodation that suits every
wallet. The Raging Elk Hostel
Fernie is a nice budget place,
but if you have more to spend
than the Lizard Creek Lodge is
a great choice. On crawling
distance of the lifts, slopes
Travelling in
the evening
Fernie –
Jackson Hole:
977 kilom-
eters/14 hours
tHE comBination of a good at-mospHERE, EntHusiastic locals, gREat powdER and nicE tERRain makEs fERniE a must-ski dEstina-tion!
and the Griz Bar you will get
rooms the size of a hockey
pitch. The outdoor pool over-
looking the slopes and the Liz-
ard Range is attractive at
night. Staying in the Lizard
Creek Lodge is the icing on
the cake of our stay in Fernie.
places to goAt the end of a powder day
everyone gathers in the Griz
at the daylodge. There’s often
a good band, good parties and
always loads of fun. Locals of
all ages, freeriders, freesty-
lers and ‘ordinary’ tourists
provide a unique atmosphere.
An atmosphere that can best
be described as: Enjoy the
mountains! In the town of
Fernie you’ll find more fun in
the hotels and ‘The Pub’.
27
Travelling
Originally the
plan was to
leave early on
Monday morn-
ing in Fernie. Jackson Hole
is the next destination, and
that’s about eleven hours
away. As it just kept on
dumping in Fernie, plans
changed and we decided to
shred some pow with the
locals another day instead of
a day on the road. After a
great day with faceshots, we
left Fernie at about six pm.
But it doesn’t stop snowing.
The intensity and frequency
with which the flakes are fall-
ing from the sky is getting
stronger and stronger. When
we cross the border into
Montana we can’t decide
what to do. Sleeping? Con-
tinue driving? Meanwhile,
the road dissapears. Any-
way, in Europe we do this
every winter (drive all night
to get to the Alps), so we de-
cide to keep on driving.
After four 15-inch pizzas in
Kalispell we drive away into
the night. The road is no
longer distinguishable from
the roadside. Slalomming
through all the deer at 30
miles per hour isn’t the right
speed to get to Jackson in
time. There is an oncoming
car. On our lane. Signals.
Signals. Signals again. Only
at the last moment the car
deviates to the right. Maybe
we should stop driving?
After a couple of hours delay
we reach the interstate to
Missoula. It’s still dumping,
but at least this is one straight
road. At a gas station we get
some drinks and snacks and
our Tahoe gets some fresh
gallons. A state trooper looks
at the whole scene. Haas
takes the wheel and we con-
tinue our drive south. It stops
snowing and the road is clear.
Haas speeds up in order to
make up for lost time. It is now
3.00 AM.
Blue and red lights behind us.
“Is that for us?” Haas askes.
“Think about it,” I reply, “the
last half hour I have not seen
other cars. How fast are
you driving?“.”Ninety-five,”
Haas answers, “I’ll keep
on driving, maybe it’s for
someone else. Two minutes
Monday night February, 28th
and Tuesday morning March,
1st
Travelling in
the morning
Fernie –
Teton Village
(Jackson
Hole):
977 km/14
hours
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
9
28
skiing”.
Morris and Bart are sleeping in
the back and it’s almost 5.00
am. To get a motel and sleep
for a couple of hours is use-
less. If we continue driving,
we’ll make it right in time for
the lifts to open. At 7:00 AM
we cross Teton Pass. Eve-
ryone wakes up and we are
glad that we ordered some
take away sandwiches at
the pizzeria the night before.
later, an agitated trooper
stands quite irritated at our
window. “What took you
so long to pullover?” With
a mea culpa that we’re just
simple Europeans we try to
apologize. “Where are you
guys going?” “Jackson” The
trooper replies: “Guys, Jack-
son will still be there if you
drive 75!” Eventually he lets
us get away with an official
warning. “Save your money
for Jackson guys. Enjoy the
A meatball sandwich with
three meatballs tastes great
early in the morning. At 8.00
am we’re at the parking lot
at Teton Village. Our friends
from Salomon are waiting for
us. “Come on guys! Let’s
have a coffee and start ski-
ing! “. Two hours later we are
halfway on the hike to Cody
Peak. Welcome to Jackson!
BluE and REd ligHts BEHind us. “is tHat foR us?” Haas askEs. “tHink aBout it,” i REply, “tHE last Half HouR i HavE not sEEn otHER caRs.
29
the resort“Jackson, I want to go to Jack-
son.” There are few resorts
that get as many credits as
Jackson Hole. The opening
of the legendary tram in 1966
has been the birth of a legend.
There are many films made
about Jackson, and not only
because Teton Gravity is lo-
cated there. No resort in North
America can match the quality
of the terrain of Jackson Hole.
Inbounds you can find classics
such as the S & S Couloir and
Corbets. In the backcountry,
the headwall is known from
many movies and there are
many lines to ride. Jackson
Hole is a cozy and authentic
cowboy town with much his-
tory. The ski area is located
7. Jackson HoleAltitude: 1924-3185- Average snowfall p/s: 1143 cmwww.jacksonhole.com
Tuesday, March 1st & Wednes-
day, March 2nd
Travelling in the morning
Parking Lot Teton Village – Jackson
Hole Tram: 100 meters/one minute
in Teton Village, resort-style,
but built with charm. The lo-
cals are pretty hardcore and
the Jackson Hole Air Force
is just legendary. Every self
respecting skier and boarder
must have been here. Period.
conditions & impressionsThe sun is shining in Jackson.
The terrain is fairly tracked, but
the guys from Salomon take
us right into the backcountry.
It’s pretty much tracked there
as well (make sure to be at
the Tram at 7 am on a powder
day), but the lines you can ride
are phenomenal, including the
magnificent valley views. Dur-
ing the two days we have skied
in Jackson, we have probably
skied less than half percent of
the potential. Of course, we
took some time to ride Corbets
Couloir. It’s one of the most fa-
mous inbound couloirs in the
world and of the “landmarks”
of Jackson. The entrance is the
most difficult and depending
on snow conditions ranging
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
9
Jackson Hole
Jack
son
Hole
30
from ‘easy’ to ‘yeah, that’s not a
bunny hill’. We found some sort
of corkscrew that launched you
into the couloir. A free fall of a
few meters, turning in the air
and then hope that your edges
will hold on the hard pack, oth-
erwise the yardsale will start in
about two seconds. After 17
years I can finally remove Cor-
bets from my hit list. We unani-
mously agree that we would
like to stay in “The Big One”
longer, because the potential is
really amazing.
accommodationThere is accommodation in
all shapes and sizes at the
bottom of the lifts in Teton
Village, but also a few miles
away in Jackson itself, which
obviously is cheaper than
Teton Village. We were lucky
that we could crash with our
French friends in the luxury of
the Snake River Lodge, within
walking distance of the tram.
And quite honestly, after a
night of not sleeping and one
day of riding in Jackson, the
spa was very nice. When you
stay in Jackson, you can use
the shuttle buses that run be-
tween Teton and Jackson.
places to goIn Jackson Hole, there are
many places where you
should go. If your into hiking
and touring, Teton Pass is the
place to be. You must have
Travelling in
the evening
Jackson Hole –
Salt Lake City:
273 miles/5
hour
wE unanimously agREE tHat wE HavE to stay in “tHE Big onE” longER oncE BE-causE tHE potEntial is REally amazing.
experienced Corbets and the
backcountry (hire a guide for
the latter!). There’s great food
at the Japanese guys in Teton
Village. There are nice shops
in Jackson Hole itself, such as
Moo’s Gourmet where they
serve the best milkshakes and
ice cream ever.
Jackson Hole
31
a Free Fall oF a Few MeTers, Turning in The air and Then hoPe ThaT your edges will hold on The hard PaCk, oTher-wise The yardsale will sTarT in aBouT Two seConds.
32
the resortPowder Mountain is about a
half hour drive from Ogden.
The name says it all: “They
do not call it groomer moun-
tain.” Four chairlifts access a
large ski area with many possi-
bilities. The terrain in Powder
Mountain is not very steep,
making it great for laidback
rides through the trees. Pow-
der Mountain has no fancy
daylodges or expensive ac-
commodation. The daylodge
is quite old and resembles a
large football canteen. It’s all
about the skiing and board-
ing, that’s for sure. Powder
Mountain is unique because
of two unique features. From
the top of the Sundown or the
8. Powder MountainAltitude: 2316-2712 m - Average snowfall p/s: 1270 cmwww.powdermountain.com
Thursday, March 3rd & Satur-
day 5th
Travelling in the evening
Parking Lot Teton Village – Jackson
Hole Tram: 100 meters/one minute
Emerald Chair you can dive
into Powder Country. Lots of
powder turns later you end up
on a road, where the Powder
Mountain bus will pick you up
and drop you off at the lifts. A
must-do is a ride in the snow-
cat. For $15 the cat drops you
of at Lightning Ridge. You can
hike up to James Peak from
there, but you can ski down
into the valley as well.
conditions & impressionsAccording to the weather
forecast the storm has
missed the Cottonwood
Canyons, so resorts like
Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and
Brighton aren’t that interest-
ing today, so we drive back
up north to Powder Moun-
tain (which we scheduled as
well on Saturday). The road
is closed due to avalanche
danger. At least it’s snowing
up here! With a few hours
delay we drive up to the day-
lodge. The snow is heavy for
Utah standards, but it is knee
deep and we ride through
the trees below the Paradise
Chair in nice mellow terrain.
The rest of the afternoon is
filled with ripping the area of
Powder Country. The runs
are nice, but the atmos-
phere while waiting for the
traditional school bus is even
more fun. In the evening we
have a beer in the cozy main
street of Ogden, which used
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
9
34
to be a Sodom and Gomor-
rah decades ago, but is now
one of the outdoor capitals
of the world.
accommodationPowder Mountain has no
slopeside accommodation.
There is something to be found
in the small village of Eden at
the bottom of the mountain,
but you should stay in Ogden.
Here you’ll find plenty to do
at night, there are good res-
taurants and you have much
choice in accommodation.
Because we’ll ride at Snow-
bird the next day, we book a
motel in Cottonwood Heights,
but we are really looking for-
ward to staying at the Marriott
in Ogden, and ending our trip
in style!
places to goWhen you visit Powder Moun-
tain you should definitely ride
Powder Country and ride
the snowcat up to Lightning
Ridge. These are the gems of
the area. In Ogden, there are
plenty of nice bars and res-
taurants at 25th Street, such
as Brewski’s and Roosters.
Try to read about the history
of Ogden itself as well. The
city that was too intense for
gangster boss Al Capone has
an impressive past.
Travelling in
the evening
Jackson
Hole – Salt
Lake City: 273
miles/5 hours
tHE snow is HEavy foR utaH stan-daRds, But it is knEE dEEp and wE RidE tHRougH tHE tREEs BElow tHE paRadisE cHaiR in nicE mEllow tERRain.
35
the resort‘The Bird’ is one of the two
resorts (with Alta) in the Lit-
tle Cottonwood Canyon. The
area is known for its snow.
The dry powder is driven into
the canyon by the “lake ef-
fect”. Snowbird annually re-
ceives about 500 inches of
white gold. The tram takes
you to an altitude of 11,000 ft
and from here you have many
options. You can ski the
steeps of the Peruvian on
one side, or you can dive into
Mineral Basin at the other.
Here you can traverse to the
Bookends or you can jump
over to neighbour Alta (ski-
ers only). At the top of the
Baldy Express there’s the in-
terconnect with the ski re-
sort of Alta. You get the most
out of Snowbird if you have
some experience in your
legs. Inbounds, you can find
very challenging terrain and
with small hikes there are
also beautiful things to ride
out-of-bounds. And we don’t
even have time to take our
touring gear into the LCC.
conditions & impressionsWe are lucky. Our friends at
Black Diamond have invited
us to join them for first tram
at the Bird with skipatrol. It’s
early, but we’re in the tram by
7.30. It’s cold, but the sun is
shining and there’s about 20
centimeters of fresh powder.
For two great runs, we have
the whole resort to ourselves.
After that, the first commer-
9. Snowbird Altitude: 2364-3352 m - Average snowfall p/s: 1270 cmwww.snowbird.com
Friday, March 4th
Travelling in the morning
Cottonwood Heights – Snowbird:
12 miles/28 minutes
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
9
Snowbird
36
cial first-tracks trams arrive.
By that time we have already
left our marks in Mineral Basin.
In the afternoon we find some
powder in the Peruvian Gulch.
All the terrain that doesn’t re-
quire any hiking gets tracked
fast, so you better come early.
The best place to have a beer
is in the Goldminer’s Daugh-
ter, in the nearby resort of Alta.
accommodationSnowbird has some ski-in,
ski-out accommodation, but
unless you’ve got a lot of
money to burn, don’t stay at
the resort. We slept in a sim-
ple Super 8 Motel in Cotton-
wood Heights. The advantage
of staying in Snowbird is that
you’re directly near the lifts.
It’s only half an hour drive from
Salt Lake City, but it some-
times happens that the road
to Snowbird and Alta is closed
because it has been dumping
too hard. In that case you’re
lucky if you stay in Snowbird!
places to goSnowbird has awesome ter-
rain, but we just loved the
Bookends. The area of Mt.
Baldy is great as well. The vil-
lage itself isn’t exactly bustling
with action, but if you are stay-
ing in Salt Lake City there’s
plenty to do. If you’re into
3,5% beer and the Bible a visit
to the temple of the Mormons
is an idea. When the Utah Jazz
plays a home game, it will cost
you only $25 to see these
NBA giants play. Now that’s a
bit different from the Austrian
après-ski experience!
Travelling in
the evening
Snowbird -
Ogden: 64
miles/1,5 hours
you gEt tHE most out of snowBiRd if you HavE somE ExpERiEncE in youR lEgs.
Snowbird
37
the resortSnowbasin has the same
owner as Sun Valley in Idaho
and has hosted the downhill
skiing during the Olympic
Games in Salt Lake City in
2002. This has been the rea-
son to invest heavily in the
resort and the results are
mindblowing. Although not
as well known as the resorts
in the Cottonwood Canyons
and Park City, Snowbasin is a
large and varied resort with
high speed lifts and beautiful
terrain. The most salient are
the lavish daylodge and res-
taurants on the mountain.
With thick carpets, large
chandeliers and huge fire-
places, they look more like
medieval castles or old-boys
clubs than your average day-
10. Snowbasin Altitude: 1935-2838 m - Average snowfall p/s: 1016 cmwww.snowbasin.com
Sunday, March 4th
Travelling in the morning
Ogden – Snowbasin: 20 miles/
34 minutes
lodge. Nowhere you get so
much luxury for the price of
your lift pass. As an added
bonus, you can even ski down
to Ogden - snow conditions
permitting - from the top of
the tram! Be sure you ski
down with someone who
knows the terrain very well.
conditions & impressionsIt’s the last day of our trip and
the contrast could not be any
bigger. From the ‘football can-
teen “in Powder Mountain to
a five-star lodge in Snowbasin.
What luxury! Our boots sink
into the thick carpet while we
wait for our guide. It’s snow-
ing. It’s snowing hard and
where you really have to be
sure you get there in time in
the more popular resorts in
Utah on days like this, you can
ride powder in Snowbasin all
day without efforts such as
hiking or skinning. It is wonder-
fully peaceful. We ride deep
powder through the trees of
Mt. Ogden Bowl and the No
Name Peak. Everyone gets
some on this last day. It keeps
snowing all day and when the
days ends, we’re all okay with
the end of the trip. Thank you
Snowbasin for ending in style
with a great powder day!
accommodationSnowbasin has no slopeside
accommodation. The most ob-
vious option is to stay in Ogden.
We had the luxury of staying at
the Marriott, a nice hotel in the
heart of Ogden. They even
have a chair lift in the lobby!
overview
rates
accommodation
untracked
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Denver
Salt Lake City
Seattle
Vancouver
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
9
Snowbasin
38
And it is very relaxing to chill in
the pool or gym after a powder-
day. From the Marriott it’s
close to the bars and pubs of
the historic main street.
places to goOne of the places you
shouldn’t miss if you ride one
day at Snowbasin is the Shoot-
ing Star Saloon in Huntsville. It
is the oldest bar in Utah (since
1879) and little has changed
since then. This is where the
history of the Ogden region
comes to life. With banknotes
from around the world on the
ceiling, stuffed animals (even
a St. Bernard) on the wall and
good burgers (especially the
Starburger!), this is where you
go if you really want a local ex-
perience!
Travelling in
the evening
Snowbasin –
Ogden:
20 miles/34
minutes
fRom tHE ‘footBall cantEEn “in powdER mountain to a fivE-staR lodgE in snowBasin. wHat a luxuRy! ouR Boots sink into tHE tHick caRpEt wHilE wE wait foR ouR guidE.
39
Partir, c’est mourir un peu
Sometimes it’s very hard to
unclick your bindings for
the last time. The knowl-
edge that the last run of
the trip has ended sometimes makes
me emotional. It feels like all the beau-
tiful moments of a trip come together
in that click. And there were more than
enough of that moments during the
trip we made in North America.
And so it feels strange to leave those
good times behind us and get on the
plane to fly to Europe (which fortunate-
ly lasted a little longer because we had
booked a flight that no longer existed).
The last part of our road trip consisted
mainly of reliving those moments, but
also making new plans.
Because the grass isn’t greener on
the other side, but obviously it’s very
nice to have some fresh grass with a
little different taste. And to help you
get out there as well, we decided to
write down all our experiences. So you
already get an idea how to start your
own road trip. We made a list of all the
things that are important for you as a
freerider. Things like costs, accommo-
dation, lift passes, transportation and
much more.
In our opinion, an important part of
the experience of the trip is to know
a little bit about the history of skiing
in North America.
We hope you will get some ideas out
of this wePowder Essential and that it
will help you plan your trip to North
America.
Travelling in the morning
Ogden – Salt Lake City Internation-
al Airport: 39 miles/50 minutes
40
BesT sPoTs
BEst couloiRs
JACkSON HOlEWhistler
Fernie
BEst small REsoRt
WHITEWATERRed Mountain
Powder Mountain
BEst tREERuns
RED MOUNTAINWhistler
Fernie
BEst tERRain
JACkSON HOlEWhistler
Snowbird
BEst viBE
WHISTlERJackson Hole
Fernie
42
For many skiers and snowboarders riding in the United States
or Canada is a dream. Endless slopes filled with powder.
Helicopters flying you to the highest peaks. And by hearing
names like Aspen, Vail and Whistler the heart of every avid
rider beats faster. If I ever could ride there once.... ‘Waist deep blower
all day every day’. It is time to live the American Dream. But... you’ll
have to do something for that. And with the fulfillment of every dream
it’s essential that you properly tackle your dream, so you can get the
maximum out of it. So it actually becomes the fulfillment of a dream
and does not result in a nightmare.
History and cultureLike Europe, North America also has
a nice ski history. A little bit of histor-
ical awareness on the development
of winter sports in North America
will help you appreciate your time in
North America even more. Just like
Chamonix and St. Anton am Arlberg
in Europe breathe much history, you
can also find this in some areas in
the United States and Canada. And
so here is a step back in time.
45
Although people
have been skiing
in the U.S. and
Canada from the
mid 19th century, it was not of-
ficial until 1905. In Ishpeming,
Michigan, the National Champi-
onships were organized and the
National Ski Association (now
the U.S. Ski and Snowboard
Association) was founded.
The German Otto Schniebs
migrates to Massachusetts in
tHEn tHE most difficult ski Run in tHE u.s., tHE RocH Run, opEns in 1941 in aspEn.
first time in the United States.
Lake Placid is the location,
but alpine skiing isn’t on the
agenda yet. In the same year,
the first skilift (a rope) opens in
Shawbridge, Quebec.
They don’t have to hike up
anymore In Utah since 1936.
The ski club of Brighton opens
the first rope in the Wasatch in
that year. A little further north,
in Sun Valley ,Idaho, they are
a little bit more serious. They
open the first chairlift in the
world that hangs high enough
so you can ski under it.
Skiing becomes more serious
and it is time to install ski pa-
trol. The East is ahead in this
period and ski patrol starts in
Stowe Mountain, Vermont in
1938. The first chairlift in Utah
opens in Alta in 1938. The lift
iss built from materials that
they used in the mines and is
funded by businessmen from
Salt Lake City. It takes two
more years until the famous
Alta Lodge opens. The largest
mountain in California, Mam-
moth Mountain opens its first
lift (still a rope though) in the
same year.
Then the most difficult ski
run in the U.S., the Roch Run,
opens in 1941 in Aspen. The
Second World War under-
standably has a negative im-
pact on the development of
ski areas, but in 1946 Aspen
1927 and becomes the first
ski instructor who will teach
the Arlberg technique in the
US. Schniebs was quoted
about 80 years later in the
film “The Waiting Game” by
Wink Inc. “Skiing is a way of
life”. In that aspect, not much
changed.
In 1929, Orland Bartho-
lomew skis more than 480
km through the High Sierras
in California. He roughly fol-
lows the route now known as
the John Muir Trail. Along the
way he climbs Mt. Whitney,
the highest mountain in the
lower 48’s, for the first time
in the winter.
In 1932 the Olympic Winter
Games are organized for the
46
VerseSneeuw 43
1990
De bereikbare droom
Nu
Het product wintersport
2020
Waar is de passie?
1952De mens speelt met De natuur.
De eerste vierkante meter kunstsneeuw wordt geproduceerd in Grossinger, New York.
Anno 1950
a012-Watdeedjij50.indd 43 26-10-2009 15:14:08
builds a new lodge and a chair-
lift aimed at a first-class target
group, something that hasn’t
changed today.
In 1949, Mad River Glen (now-
adays one of the last three
resorts where only skiers are
allowed) opens. Squaw Val-
ley, that is hosting the Olym-
pics eleven years later, opens
in 1949. Squaw, near Lake
Tahoe, California plays a lead-
ing role in the winter sports
in North America. Icons like
Scott Gaffney and the late
U.S., Jackson Hole, Wyo-
ming opens in 1966. The fa-
mous “Tram” to Rendezvous
Mountain is a fact (the tram
get’s replaced in 2008 by a
more modern copy). In Jack-
son Hole the Austrian Josef
“Pepi” Stiegler is the head of
the ski school, and he stands
at the base of the extreme ski
culture of Jackson. Whistler
opens in 1966.
The crisis of the late ‘70s and
early ‘80s, however, makes a
turnaround. Nearly 20% of the
ski areas disappear and large
cooperations that exploit sev-
eral ski areas form. Intrawest,
Vail Resorts, Resorts of the
Canadian Rockies, Aspen Ski-
ing Co. are some big names
who operate ski areas. It leads
to a further professionalisation
of the industry.
intRawEst, vail REsoRts, REsoRts of tHE canadian RockiEs, aspEn skiing co. aRE somE Big namEs wHo opERatE ski aREas.
Shane McConkey have their
home in “Squallywood”.
Although the Americans have
bring many things from Eu-
rope, the first artificial snow
is produced in Grossinger’s
in New York. That is in 1952.
In those decades skiing be-
comes more and more a sport
for the middle class. Men as
John Jay, Warren Miller, Dick
Durrance and Dick Barrymore
travel through North America
to promote the sport in the
cinemas. Ski resorts grow
and grow. One of the most
exciting destinations in the
47
EvEntHougH tHE aREa appEaRs com-mERcial, onE tHing’s foR suRE: tHERE is lots of powdER to RidE!
Red
Mou
ntai
n, D
ave
Heat
h
48
ski resorTs, ski hills
and Powder hounds
ski resortsThis professionalism has led to
the formation of large ski resorts
with more than excellent facilities.
Famous resorts such as Whistler-
Blackcomb, Vail, Keystone and Lake
Louise are owned by the earlier men-
tioned large corporations. There is
much invested in these areas and
therefore you’ll find state-of-the-art
lifts, fine restaurants and many oth-
er amenities to ensure you can enjoy
a nice holiday. New resorts are still
being developed. The small ski re-
sort of Revelstoke recently changed
its name to Revelstoke Mountain
Resort including a new gondola and
many new apartments.
ski hillsThere are also ski hills. The main dif-
ference with resorts is that the ski
hills are non that commercial. Some
exist for public benefit. And in our
view that benefit is indispensable.
An area as Bridger Bowl (Montana)
is an example of such a community
hill. The lifts are a bit older (some-
times the lifts are occasions that are
bought from other resorts), the day
lodges are less luxurious and there
is often little or no accommodation.
But on the other hand, the lift passes
are a little bit cheaper. Best of all:
it does not mean that the mountain
is less steep and the powder less
deep. On these ski hills you can often
49
still find the real skibums. Skiers and
boarders who have given up every-
thing just to be in the mountains. An-
other example of a community hill is
Mad River Glen ski area in Vermont.
Anyone can be a shareholder of Mad
River Glen. For $ 2,000 you are a
shareholder in this small ski hill in
the eastern part of the U.S..
powder houndsHowever commercial a ski area
might be, one thing is certain: peo-
ple ride a lot of powder. In North
America, the threshold to ride pow-
der is much lower than in Europe.
The ski patrol secures the entire ski
area. This is indicated by a boundary.
If you stay within this boundary,
where the slopes are, you may as-
sume that the ski patrol checks the
whole area on avalanches. How this
works? Imagine the ski area of Les
Quatre Vallées in Switzerland. Draw
a circle around the area and every-
thing within the circle will be checked
by ski patrol. In the U.S. and Canada
a lot of skiers and boarders therefore
don’t ride with avalanche beacon,
shovel and probe. Everyone aged
from 8 to 80 rides in the powder. It
provides a unique atmosphere in the
ski areas, as each area turns into a
freeride area after a good dump.
Cheering people in the lifts, big
smiles and of course a lot of compe-
tition for fresh lines to ride. Of
course, in the area you still have to
deal with “natural hazards”, such as
cliffs, other rocks, trees and more. It
is still a risk sport!
Red Mountain
50
EvERyonE fRom 8 to 80 RidEs in tHE powdER. it pRovidEs a uniquE atmospHERE in tHE ski aREas, as EacH aREa tuRns into a fREERidE aREa aftER a good dump.
Red
Mou
ntai
n
51
USA
Canada
San Francisco
Seattle
Vancouver
Calgary
Denver
Salt Lake City
Reno
The possibilities for skiing and boarding in the U.S. and Canada are almost endless.
There are over 500 ski resorts in the U.S., but where do you go? Obviously, the best
area is the area with the most powder, but you have to start somewhere. In the Salo-
mon Powfinder for iPhone, for Android and on wePowder.com you’ll find a selection of
ski areas in the U.S. and Canada, that are definitely worth a visit.
where To go
But the real adventurer gets into his car and
sets up his own road trip. Follow the storm
on your way to new experiences. To get you
started you’ll find some suggestions for road
trips in North America.
Some U.S. locations are perfect to stay for a
whole week. Around cities like Reno, Salt Lake
City and Denver you can find world-class re-
sorts. Of course you can stay in the ski areas
themselves, but the distances to the ski areas
from Reno/Truckee or Salt Lake City, are in
most cases not longer than about one hour to
several hours.
Reno/Truckee: e.g. Squaw Valley, Kirkwood,
Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Mammoth.
Salt lake City: e.g. Alta, Snowbird, Bright-
on, Solitude, Park City, Canyons, Snowbasin,
Powder Mountain.
Denver: e.g. Aspen, Vail, Winterpark, Key-
stone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain.
10 days*From Flames to Canucks
Start: Calgary
End: Vancouver
Distance: 1050 km
Resorts: Lake Louise,
Sunshine, Kicking Horse,
Revelstoke, Sun Peaks,
Whistler-Blackcomb
12 days*The Powder Highway Plus
Start: Calgary
End: Calgary
Distance: 1530 km
Resorts: Fernie, White-
water, Red Mountain,
Panorama, Kicking Horse,
Lake Louise
20 days*The Coastal Connection
Start: Reno
End: Seattle
Distance: 2255 km
Resorts: Squaw Valley,
Kirkwood, Mt. Shasta,
Mt. Hood, Mt. Bachelor,
Crystal Mountain, Alpen-
tal, Stevens Pass, Mt.
Baker.
20 days*Mormon to Montana
Start: Salt Lake City
End: Bozeman
Distance: 1672 km
Resorts: Alta, Snowbird,
Park City, Snowbasin,
Powder Mountain, Pebble
Creek, Sun Valley, Jack-
son Hole, Grand Targhee,
Big Sky, Moonlight Basin,
Bridger Bowl.
52
If you want to ride powder, you need fresh snow. Obviously, you’re best chance to ride
powder is during or just after a storm, but you have to know where it will be snowing.
North America is pretty big, and because of the size and shape of the mountain ranges,
and because of meteorological laws, it won’t be snowing everywhere at the same time.
With the right knowledge about the weather you know when and where the snow will fall.
Not only you’ll ride more powder, but you’ll also develop a natural feeling for freshies.
Next to the ‘regular’ storms there are two larger phenomenons that influence the winter
in general in North America. Their called La Nina and El Nino, and alltough they don’t
influence the winters in Europe, their impact in North America is significant.
when To go
la nina and El ninoLa Nina and El Nino have their origins at the
Pacific Ocean and are part of the ‘El Nino-
Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index. It’s one of
the many indexes scientists use to get more in-
formation about the weather. During an El Nino
period, the Pacific Ocean is warmer than nor-
mal, in particular at the equator and the coast
of Peru. During a La Nina period the water is
much colder than normal in those regions. The
differences between cold and warm water are
so big, that they influence weatherpatterns all
over the world. If you want to ride powder in
North America, you’re better of with La Nina
then El Nino.
How does it work?During an El Nino year, North America has to
deal with a powerful jetstream from the west.
The polar jetstream is pushed up far north,
giving way to warmer air from the south and
southwest. This ‘Pineapple Express’ will bring
rain and wet snow. It’s the difference between
Whistler and Drizzler, between Mt. Baker Pow
and Mt. Baker Concrete. The opposite happens
during a La Nina season. The polar jetstream
brings in cold air from the north, and in the
meanwhile the subtropical jetstream brings in
humid air from the west. When those two jet-
streams collide, you’ll hit the jackpot. Extreme-
ly cold air combined with extremely humid air
La Nina periods
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980
54
will result in massive amounts of snow. That
happened in the 2010/2011 season between
October and December and later between
February and March. Matchstick Productions
called their 2011/2012 movie ‘ La Nina, the
bitch is back’ for a reason!
when is it on?After monitoring the impact of La Nina for
over 35 years scientist can tell that El Niño and
La Niña take place every three to five years,
though there can be an interval between two
and seven years. According to the National
Centers for Environmental Prediction, this
century’s previous La Niñas began in 1903,
1906, 1909, 1916, 1924, 1928, 1938, 1950,
1954, 1964, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1988, and
1995. These events typically continued into
the following spring. Since 1975, La Niñas
have been only half as frequent as El Niños.
La Niña conditions typically last approximately
9-12 months. Some episodes may persist for
as long as two years.
important weather phenomenonsLake effect around Salt Lake
The Great Salt lake never freezes and can
warm rapidly which allows lake-effect precipi-
tation to occur from September through May.
Lake-enhanced snowstorms are often attrib-
uted to creating what is locally known as “The
Greatest Snow on Earth.”
Lake-effect snow around the Great Salt Lake
is generated in a similar fashion to elsewhere
in the world. For the Great Salt Lake, lake en-
hanced precipitation occurs when a strong,
cold, northwesterly wind blows across a rela-
tively warm lake. This is common after a cold
front passage, where the winds are predomi-
nantly northwesterly and the air is much colder
than the lake. When the land-lake breeze blows
towards the lake, there is a convergence zone
that acts to channel the cold air over the center
of the lake and further enhance precipitation.
The salinity of the Great Salt Lake prevents
freezing but reduces the saturation vapor pres-
sure and latent heat flux into the overlying air.
As a result, minimal amounts of moisture and
latent heat are added to the air moving over the
lake. The Great Salt Lake primarily provides a
lifting mechanism and acts as an atmospheric
destabilizer, which encourages convection.
This is in contrast to the Great Lakes, where
the lakes contribute significant amounts of
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
55
moisture and latent heat. The high relief of the
Wasatch mountains further capitalizes on lake
enhancement and can receive multiple feet of
snow from lake-effect alone.
A strong Northwesterly current maximizes
precipitation for the Salt Lake Valley.
A minimal temperature difference of 29 °F (16
°C) {fact} between the surface and the 700
mbar (70 kPa) height is needed, but not nec-
essarily sufficient in itself to cause lake-effect
snow.
An inversion or stable layer below 700 mbar
(70 kPa) has never yielded lake-effect snow.
Lake-effect snow can occur in concert with
synoptic scale storm systems.
A large lake-land temperature difference fa-
vors over-lake convergence.
Lake-effect is typically initiated during the
night when land-breeze convergence is fa-
vored and convection occurs predominantly
over the lake.
During the daytime lake-effect precipitation
dissipates when solar heating creates scat-
tered widespread convection over the land.
The 700 mbar winds typically determine the
geographic position of the precipitation
Limited amounts of directional and vertical
wind shear tend to produce heavier precipita-
tion events.
The Great Salt Lake contributes minimal
amounts of moisture so that upstream mois-
ture is a crucial variable.
Pineapple Express is a non-technical term for
a meteorological phenomenon characterized
by a strong and persistent flow of atmospheric
moisture and associated heavy precipitation
from the waters adjacent to the Hawaiian Is-
lands and extending to any location along the
Pacific coast of North America. A Pineapple
Express is an example of an atmospheric river,
which is a more general term for such narrow
corridors of enhanced water vapor transport
at mid-latitudes around the world.
The composition of moisture-laden air, at-
mospheric dynamics, and orographic en-
hancement resulting from the passage of this
air over the mountain ranges of the western
coast of North America causes some of the
most torrential rains to occur in the region.
Pineapple Express systems typically generate
heavy snowfall in the mountains and Interior
Plateau, which often melts rapidly because of
the warming effect of the system. After be-
ing drained of their moisture, the tropical air
masses reach the inland prairies as a Chinook
wind or simply “a Chinook”, a term which is
also synonymous on the Coast with the Pine-
apple Express.
Keep in mind that
there’s a time
difference of 6-10
hours between the
Europe and North
America. Give
yourself some time
to adjust to that!
56
Lizard Creek Lodge, Fernie Alpine Resort, 5346 Highline Drive, Fernie BC, Canada. 1-877-228-1948, www.lizardcreek.com
Deluxe Condo style units RestaurantSpa / Health Club /Pool Gift Shop / Ski Rental
Lizard Creek LodgeLocated at Fernie Alpine ResortSki In Ski Out
There are plenty of opportunities to fly to North America from Europe.
Sometimes you’ll need to take a domestic flight to arrive at your desti-
nation. Count on a minimum of 12 hours travel time from door to door,
depending on the region you are going.
geTTing There
Denver and Salt Lake City in the U.S. and Van-
couver and Calgary in Canada are the airports
that are popular with European skiers. This
obviously has to do with the proximity of large
and well known ski resorts:
Denver: e.g. Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail
Salt lake City: Alta, Snowbird, Park City,
Snowbasin
Vancouver: Whistler
Calgary: Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, Kick-
ing Horse, Fernie
Sometimes it is necessary to transfer to other
airports from the ones above (or any first ar-
rival point on the East Coast, such as Wash-
ington or New York) to reach other ski resorts.
Bozeman: Big Sky, Bridger Bowl
Reno: Squaw Valley, Mammoth
Seattle: Mt. Baker, Crystal Mountain, Ste-
vens Pass
Albuquerque: Taos
Spokane: Red Mountain, White-
water
costsObviously it depends on the departure air-
port and arrival airport, but an amount be-
tween € 500 and € 800 for a return flight is
pretty common.
gearAlmost all airlines charge extra fees for car-
rying skis or snowboards. Check in advance
whether it’s a problem to bring your own gear.
In some cases the airline should be notified
about the baggage in advance, or you can
get a discount if you already paid in advance.
The cost for carrying skis or snowboards are
between €25 and €€50 (depending on the
airline.
Bringing an ABS backpack or similar can be
difficult because of the tightened regulations.
Although you can officially bring the cylinder
in your hand luggage, you will never succeed
when trying. Not really strange when you’re
not allowed to bring toothpaste. So print the
form you can find on the website of ABS and
put the cylinder including the form in your lug-
gage that you checked in. Indicate this clearly
at the desk.
visaFor almost all Europeans, it is possible to
travel to the U.S. without a visa. However, it
is necessary to leave your data and the first
destination at the Electronic System for Travel
Authorization (ESTA).
58
lufthansa: www.lufthansa.com
British Airways: www.britishairways.com
klM/Air France: www.airfrance.com
Continental: www.continental.com
Air Canada: www.aircanada.com
United Airlines: www.united.com
Delta: www.delta.com
59
geTTing around
carThe distances in the United States and
Canada are large and both countries are
fully equipped to use the car. Public trans-
portation is not an option when you’ll make
a road trip through North America. Obvi-
ously, a car is not an absolute necessity
when you are staying in one place all week.
Areas such as Whistler and Jackson Hole
have excellent public transport that will
bring you to the lifts. If you want to visit
more areas, than a car is an absolute must.
Please note that U.S. rental cars are gener-
ally not equipped with winter tires, but with
all-season tires. Ask for this specificly at
the car rental. 4x4 is also extremely useful.
The price of a car ranges from $ 60 per day
for a mid-range up to $ 150 per day for a
big fat SUV.
Another interesting option is renting a mo-
torhome. You’ll save on your accommodation
and you’ll immediately have the feeling of the
ultimate road trip. Where it can be hard to
find a place to park a camper in European
areas, it’s no problem in most areas in North
America. Indeed, in many areas such as Fern-
ie or Crystal Mountain, the campers can be
parked at the bottom of the mountain. The
rent of a motorhome will cost you about $
1000 a week.
Alamo: www.alamo.com
Thrifty: www.thrifty.com
National: www.nationalcar.com
Hertz: www.hertz.com
Budget: www.budget.com
Highways & interstatesThe public transport in the U.S. and Canada
is not good outside of the big cities, but obvi-
ously the roads are perfectly developed. The
roads are wider than in Europe. There is of
course more room to build roads, but the big
pickups and SUVs need to have some space.
And that is a virtuous cycle for the camper.
You’ll mostly use the highways and the inter-
states. Highways are regional roads where
the speed is limited to 55 miles per hour. If
you really want to travel fast then you use the
60
interstate. These are the roads with ramps
and without intersections, where the speed
limit is generally slightly higher, between 50
and 75 miles per hour. Since traffic jams are
rare outside the big cities it is easy to calculate
the travel time between resorts. Interstates
with an even number generally run from west
to east, where those with an odd number run
from north to south.
passesThe Col de Lauteret, the Julier Pass and the
Col de la Forclaz won’t be found in North
America. Many resorts are accessible without
really having to take significant hairpin bends.
Naturally, there are some passes, but these
are much lower than the average European
mountain pass. However on those passes
(and in most mountainous regions in North
America) you must have winter tires or carry
snow chains with you during winter. Exam-
ples of passes are the Kootenay Pass in Brit-
ish Columbia, Teton Pass in Wyoming, but
also the Little and Big Cottonwood Canyon
in Utah.
gasThe petrol price in the U.S. has recently ris-
en considerably, but at this time (late winter
2011) a gallon (3.79 liters) costs $ 3.50 for
about. All in all a lot cheaper than in Europe.
Of course this advantage is somewhat offset
by the petrol consumption of larger cars.
Kootenay pass, Google earth
61
hoTelMoTelholiday inn?
accommodationUnless you have access to a camper, you will
have to sleep somewhere. And of course you
can draw your platinum card, but there are
cheaper options.
Book in advance?If you’re stormchasing it’s simple: do not book
in advance. Make sure you are flexible in order
to follow the storm. It is (with the exception of
the mentioned holidays) no problem to score
last minute accommodation. As mentioned
earlier, Americans don’t have that many holi-
days, so there’s not much chance that you end
up in a very busy period.
stay outside the resortSome areas don’t offer any accommodation,
like Bridger Bowl. An area consisting of a day-
lodge with facilities and a large car park, but
no appartments or hotels. You’ll stay in nearby
Bozeman. The advantage is that for relatively
little money you can rent a spacious motel
room. For about 40-50 dollars per night you
have a room with two queen beds, where you
can easily sleep four people.
In areas that were designed specifically as
a “Mountain Resort” such as Kicking Horse
Mountain Resort or Fernie Alpine Resort,
there’s plenty of accommodation, but it’s
worth it to stay in the ‘old’ town (in these cas-
es, Golden and Fernie) because you’re stay is
cheaper there. The same applies to the areas
in Utah. Staying in Salt Lake City or Ogden is
a lot cheaper than in the skiresort itself.
This construction works well in most resorts.
In a large area like Whistler it’s more difficult
because there’s no ‘old town’ and almost all
accommodation is situated on the slopes.
Besides motels, there are many ‘skitowns’
like Rossland and Nelson in British Columbia
where they have hostels where you’ll find a
bed for about $ 25 a night.
62
Road tripping in the U.S. and Canada is more expensive than any road
trip in Europe. In some ways you save money, but on the other hand,
but you can also spend your money three times as hard. Due to the
powerful Canadian dollar, Canada is relatively more expensive for
Europeans and Americans. A credit card is actually very useful and
almost necessary in the U.S. and Canada. Here is a brief overview
of the costs you are going to make (regardless of car or motorhome
rental and airline tickets).
CosTs
*lift passes (more expensive than
Europe)
Obviously it depends on the area, but
generally lift passes are more expen-
sive in North America than in Europe.
This has to do with the fact that skiers
and snowboarders don’t stay long in
an area (they have less holidays), on
average three to four days. Commer-
cial resorts generally have higher rates
than ski hills. Of course this is based
on matters such as the number and
quality of the lifts and the size of the
ski area. How much is a day pass in:
Squaw Valley: $59
Telluride: $98
Whistler: $ 95 (CAD)
Alta: $ 69
Jackson Hole: $91
Bridger Bowl: $ 47
Pebble Creek: $ 39
Castle Mountain: $ 64 (CAD)
Mt. Shasta: $ 39
Powder Mountain: $ 59
At gas stations, motels and on the in-
ternet you can find vouchers, where
you can get a discount on your lift
pass at some resorts.
*Restaurants and other food
(cheaper than Europe)
In the U.S. you initially think of fast
food. Burgers, pizza, fries. It is also
widely available, both on the slopes
and along the highways and in cit-
ies. The costs? Not much. For less
than $ 10 you can have a filling meal.
Whether it is healthy is the next
question. Healthy meals (ie vegeta-
bles) are more expensive and less
widely available. Sushi is a good al-
ternative. In many resorts you can
find Japanese restaurants and for
about $ 20 you’ll have a meal of this
delicacy from the land of the Ris-
ing Sun. Prices in supermarkets are
comparable to European prices.
*Gas (cheaper than Europe)
Gasoline is much cheaper in the
U.S. than in Europe. As mentioned
earlier, you pay about $ 3.50 a gal-
lon. In Canada, the gasoline is more
expensive. Here you pay (late winter
2011) an amount of approximately $
1.39 (CAD) per liter. Gasoline prices
are always changing and varying by
state, like in Europe.
64
Because of the ‘ski area boundaries’ freeriding in the U.S. and
Canada is more accessible than in Europe. Within these bound-
aries you’re usually safe from avalanches. Skipatrol checks the
area every morning and the areas they don’t trust are blown with dy-
namite or simply closed. Few skiers and snowboarders ride with the
holy trinity of avalanche beacon, shovel and probe. Simply because
there’s less need to than in Europe.
saFeTy:
read FirsT
BeFore droPPing
in
67
However, there are other dangers
that you need to consider and that
are less common in Europe.
trees always win‘Glades’ are specially prepared for-
ests where some trees are cut so
that the forests are perfect for ski-
ing and snowboarding. It is awe-
some to ride through the trees, but
there are of course risks. Trees are
generally not as flexible and the risk
of trauma by hitting a tree in a fall.
Moreover, there is a risk of “tree
wells”. These are a type of wells
that exist at the foot of the tree. It
is most common with trees that re-
main green in winter (such as a pine
or a fir) and it works like this: be-
cause of the large branches at the
base of the tree, the snow around
the trunk can not completely fall
down. There is thus an invisible hole
that can be over two meters deep.
Research shows that 90% of peo-
ple who disappear into a tree well
are not able to free themselves.
Here we have a so called NARSID
(Non Avalanche Related Snow Im-
mersion Death). More information
on NARSID’s is available at:
www.treewelldeepsnowsafety.
com.
out of boundsWhen you leave the boundaries of
the ski area it’s entirely your own
responsibility. Here you are, as in
the Alps, all on your own. You are
responsible for your route selec-
tion, and the assessments of the
safety of yourself and others in your
group. Are you going out of bounds,
then it is obviously necessary that
you have sufficient knowledge of
backcountry features, that you are in
possession of an avalanche beacon,
shovel and probe and the people you
ride with have the same skills. Not
sure of any of these things, then it
is always wiser to hire a local guide.
It’s not that you just can get into the
backcountry by leaving the bound-
ary. The rules differ by resort. Some
areas have an open policy, which
means that wherever you are you
can get into the backcountry. Other
areas have a gated policy, which
means that you can only leave (and
enter) the ski area through a gate.
Often this gate only open when you
have a beacon. Examples include
Jackson Hole and Delirium Dive at
Sunshine Village. Another name for
the backcountry that you reach from
a ski resort and is quite prevalent is
‘side country’.
The backcountry policy has not al-
ways been like this. In the 70’s and
80’s the backcountry in many areas
was inaccessible and you could lose
your lift priviliges. The late Doug
Coombs has played a major role
in changing this policy, as a mem-
ber of the Jackson Hole Air Force.
Coombs was banned in 1997 from
Jackson because he had poached
the backcountry and was caught by
ski patrol. It started a small revolu-
tion. Skipatrol, management and the
locals were talking to each other.
Two years later, Coombs was wel-
come again and Jackson Hole had
his backcountry officially opened for
skiers and boarders.
68
No road trip through North America is complete without a helicopter
or snowcat. There are many companies that will give you the experi-
ence of a lifetime, but there are some things you have to consider.
CaT- & heliskiing/Boarding
70
differencesThe differences are clear. A cat rides and a
helicopter flies. Or it doesn’t. If the weather
is bad (clouds, wind, snow), the helicopter
sometimes stays on the ground and you’ll
have a down day. A cat always rides. Rain
or sunshine.
terrainThe terrain you ride is dependent on the level
of the group with which you ride. So you’re
as strong as the group’s weakest link. When
you have only booked one day on a helicop-
ter or cat discuss this level with the opera-
tor. There is not much difference between
the terrain you ride with a snowcat, and that
with a helicopter. Depending on the weather
you ride more tree runs with a snowcat . Of
course there’s other terrain in Alaska than in
Montana.
vibeEveryone is stoked during these days. The
vibe in a cat is usually more relaxed than in
a helicopter. You’re in the cat a little longer
because it takes longer to drive to the runs
and thus you can make more contact with
other skiers and snowboarders in the group.
costsCosts range from about $ 500 for one day in
the cat to $ 800 for one day in the helicop-
ter. When you book a week in a lodge, then
you quickly pay between $ 3000 and $ 5000.
Naturally, this includes your accommodation,
full board and a large number of vertical.
71
VerseSneeuw 9
a004-editorial.indd 9 26-10-2009 14:54:23
Hopefully now that the threshold for a North american road
trip is lowered, you’ll get on a plane and go stormchasing in
the U.S. and Canada. Below is one more quick-and-dirty check-
list of the points that you have to check:
The wraP-uP
where to go-Which route to take?
-How long will you be underway?
when to go- Is it a La Nina year?
-Do you want to leave last-minute or do you want to arrange
everything before you leave?
-Is the period you want to leave the best time for the region
you want to go?
getting there-Do you bring your own gear?
-Have you registered with ESTA
(for travel to the U.S.)?
getting around-Have you told car rental that you need snow chains and /
or snow tires?
accommodation-Do you want to book in advance?
-Have you considered any public holidays?
other costs- Is it cheaper to buy your lift tickets in advance?
72