# Inexpensive BC/Alberta trip



## JetLife (Mar 9, 2013)

Can't go wrong with any of them, Lake Louise is the biggest in AB and Revelstoke has the highest vert of them all. I'd recommend checking out marmot in AB it's a more chill environment/less tourists. Also when in BC if you're near Kelowna you've gotta go to Big White.


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## whatupdet (Jun 3, 2013)

Originally I was hoping to do a 10 day trip with a friend and do as many resorts within the Calgary-Fernie-Kelowna-Revelstoke-Calgary loop but now it's a solo trip and doing it on the cheap as I'm saving to move out next winter.

Marmot looks pretty decent, especially if I can get a lesson to help me progress into black runs. Lake Louise would be nice because then I could commute back and forth from Calgary and save on accommodations whereas I'd love to board at Revelstoke but it is the most expensive, highly doubt I'll make it as far as Kelowna.


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

whatupdet said:


> Originally I was hoping to do a 10 day trip with a friend and do as many resorts within the Calgary-Fernie-Kelowna-Revelstoke-Calgary loop but now it's a solo trip and doing it on the cheap as I'm saving to move out next winter.
> 
> Marmot looks pretty decent, especially if I can get a lesson to help me progress into black runs. Lake Louise would be nice because then I could commute back and forth from Calgary and save on accommodations whereas I'd love to board at Revelstoke but it is the most expensive, highly doubt I'll make it as far as Kelowna.


I'd stick to Sunshine-Lake Louise or alternatively Castle-Fernie could be a lot of fun and more low-key.
Being from Edmonton Marmot doesn't hold a candle to any of those resorts (in my opinion) and conditions can be extremely cold and icy. I ride Marmot 10-15 days a year and while it's my home mountain and I love it for what it is, I wouldn't book a trip around it as your sole destination.


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## JetLife (Mar 9, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> I'd stick to Sunshine-Lake Louise or alternatively Castle-Fernie could be a lot of fun and more low-key.
> Being from Edmonton Marmot doesn't hold a candle to any of those resorts (in my opinion) and conditions can be extremely cold and icy. I ride Marmot 10-15 days a year and while it's my home mountain and I love it for what it is, I wouldn't book a trip around it as your sole destination.


Icy compared to the other ones? Or east coast icy


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

JetLife said:


> Icy compared to the other ones? Or east coast icy


Compared to the other ones. I mean any resort can get that way so it's a toss-up regardless. I just find that there is much more variety of terrain at the other mountains mentioned so that if you do have a day with bad conditions it doesn't kill the whole trip.
I've been to marmot on bluebird powder days and been to fernie on days where the hill is so packed everyone is crashing into each other at the ice rink in the lift line... You never know exactly what you're going to get but at least if he sticks to south AB/BC the risk of extreme cold is lower and there are other mountains around to try if he doesn't have a great experience the first time.


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## JetLife (Mar 9, 2013)

Cool, it's my first winter out here and I've only been to big white as far as mountains go so any info about them helps


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

JetLife said:


> Cool, it's my first winter out here and I've only been to big white as far as mountains go so any info about them helps


Love Big White, my favourite mountain. Had a dual pass for biggie and silver star the four years I went to school down in Kelowna, that really shaped my riding and I try to get back out to the Okanagan to ride at least once a year (sadly I don't think it will be possible this year though).
In my opinion nothing in Alberta is as good as Okanagan riding. Sounds perfect for the OP i.e. would get two great mountains in close proximity but if that trip is out of the question I would do Castle-Fernie if it were me.


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## JetLife (Mar 9, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> Love Big White, my favourite mountain. Had a dual pass for biggie and silver star the four years I went to school down in Kelowna, that really shaped my riding and I try to get back out to the Okanagan to ride at least once a year (sadly I don't think it will be possible this year though).
> In my opinion nothing in Alberta is as good as Okanagan riding. Sounds perfect for the OP i.e. would get two great mountains in close proximity but if that trip is out of the question I would do Castle-Fernie if it were me.


Ya it was amazing, I have nothing to compare it to but there was a few days where it was foggy so none of the locals were out and I had all the pow in the trees to myself :snowboard2:


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

whatupdet said:


> Any advice?


Sounds like you're an intermediate boarder, and for that you're better off in the Banff corridor than the BC resorts. Fernie and Kicking Horse are tied for my favorite, but the snow can be very variable (due to lower base elevations) and they are much more rough than the AB resorts.

Plenty to see/do at Lake Louise, and for an intermediate I think it's better than Sunshine.

Also the AB resorts tend to have more consistent conditions, while getting less overall than Fernie/KH.

Best bet would be to wait and see where it's dumping, and go there. You ever been in 3+ ft of fresh powder before? :hairy:


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

If your looking to save funds join couchsurfing and see if there's a place to crash for free.


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## whatupdet (Jun 3, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> Love Big White, my favourite mountain.
> 
> In my opinion nothing in Alberta is as good as Okanagan riding. Sounds perfect for the OP i.e. would get two great mountains in close proximity but if that trip is out of the question


I guess I shouldn't rule it out, I could fly into/out of Kelowna but I wasn't willing to drive from Calgary to Kelowna by myself and especially how I'm trying to cut down on costs.


poutanen said:


> Sounds like you're an intermediate boarder, and for that you're better off in the Banff corridor than the BC resorts.
> Plenty to see/do at Lake Louise, and for an intermediate I think it's better than Sunshine.
> 
> Best bet would be to wait and see where it's dumping, and go there. You ever been in 3+ ft of fresh powder before? :hairy:


I would consider myself an intermediate boarder. If I play the wait and see game I still need to give work a couple of days notice for vacation days and the best I could do with booking on points not in advance is 2 days later but if the forecast looks good for a particular area I may book around that expectation. The only powder I've experienced was Whistler/Blackcomb back in March for one day when they received 18cm and it was awesome until my friend bitched out and wanted to hit groomers because he didn't like the bumpiness of ungroomed powder runs.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

Not sure how comfortable you are driving in snowy mountains, but it can get pretty sketchy, especially if you're not used to it. The 1 between Banff - KH / Revelstoke is often closed in the winter due to avalanches / control etc.

Given that and your limited budget, staying in a hub like Banff makes sense so you can maximize your snow time and avoid getting stuck / stranded 

Or just come to Whitewater


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## neachdainn (Dec 8, 2012)

kalev said:


> Not sure how comfortable you are driving in snowy mountains, but it can get pretty sketchy, especially if you're not used to it. The 1 between Banff - KH / Revelstoke is often closed in the winter due to avalanches / control etc.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Really hoping to hit whitewater this winter... Let's hope the planets align!


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## whatupdet (Jun 3, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> Love Big White, my favourite mountain. Had a dual pass for biggie and silver star the four years I went to school down in Kelowna, that really shaped my riding and I try to get back out to the Okanagan to ride at least once a year.


Curious how you found Silver Star, looks like a nice mountain with lots of intermediate glade runs.


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

whatupdet said:


> Curious how you found Silver Star, looks like a nice mountain with lots of intermediate glade runs.


Ya it's a great hill. Big White in my opinion has more variety of terrain but Silver Star is nothing to shake a stick at. A cool thing about Silver Star is that you can find the summer mountain bike courses in the woods and just rip the berms all the way through the trees. Also there is some quite gnarly terrain on the back side. 
I don't think it's necessary for you to make the trip in because in any of those centres you are going to get some great riding for the couple of days you'll be there, that said if Kelowna is an option for you I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it over Calgary or Edmonton if your goal is to ride.


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## SBK (Sep 14, 2011)

whatupdet said:


> The only powder I've experienced was Whistler/Blackcomb back in March for one day when they received 18cm and it was awesome until my friend bitched out and wanted to hit groomers because he didn't like the bumpiness of ungroomed powder runs.


Rule #1, you have no friends on powder days.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> Ya it's a great hill. Big White in my opinion has more variety of terrain but Silver Star is nothing to shake a stick at. A cool thing about Silver Star is that you can find the summer mountain bike courses in the woods and just rip the berms all the way through the trees. Also there is some quite gnarly terrain on the back side.
> I don't think it's necessary for you to make the trip in because in any of those centres you are going to get some great riding for the couple of days you'll be there, that said if Kelowna is an option for you I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it over Calgary or Edmonton if your goal is to ride.


I lived in Kelowna last year and did a season at Big White. I never made it to Silver Star, but some of the locals I met seemed to prefer it over Big White. I'm not sure why - maybe it was quieter? 

Either way, I loved Big White (probably why I never made it to Silver Star) - endless terrain, amazing snow, trees / glades, friendly people, good times!


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## whatupdet (Jun 3, 2013)

ryannorthcott said:


> Ya it's a great hill. Big White in my opinion has more variety of terrain but Silver Star is nothing to shake a stick at. A cool thing about Silver Star is that you can find the summer mountain bike courses in the woods and just rip the berms all the way through the trees. Also there is some quite gnarly terrain on the back side.
> I don't think it's necessary for you to make the trip in because in any of those centres you are going to get some great riding for the couple of days you'll be there, that said if Kelowna is an option for you I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it over Calgary or Edmonton if your goal is to ride.


I had a change of mind and am almost set on flying into/out of Kelowna and trying a couple days each at Big White and Silver Star.


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