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Spring or Early Winter in Banff?

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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
My dad and I just won a photo contest that provides us with a ski trip to Banff. We are so stoked!!! The only catch is we can go anytime this season until the end of the year or hold off until next season. But if we go next season, we are required to go before Dec. 26th.

What would you do? How's the snow now? How is it usually in mid December?

I am thinking it would be best to wait until December... but it's a gamble on the snow. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 25 2010 9:31PM
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___ASP___
Posts: 3857 - Karma: 459
the start of this years season wasnt too bad, some pretty good snowfall, but there is no guarantee you will get good conditions before christmas, i would almost say you are better off to come now, there is quite a bit of snow, no pow, but pretty good coverage, plus the park is in the best shape i have ever seen it, all the jumps and jibs are set up really well, spring skiing at sunshine is always sick!
Mar 25 2010 9:58PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,347
Dude, I'd come now for sure. Nothing beats sunshine in the spring! I saw those photos and your dad kills it! Banff is super fun right now too.

We had a really good November and December this season but as it has been said, that's not always the case.
Mar 25 2010 11:55PM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
We also have a tri-mountain pass for 3 days. I was just looking at trail maps and it looks lik Lake Louise  and Sunshine Village are definitely the way to go. Which of the two has the best mountain? Steeps? Conditions? Sorry to try to pry for information, I just want to do it right. Thanks for the help.
Mar 26 2010 12:48PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
You should go for opening weekend at sunshine next season, it is guaranteed sickter. Spring sunshine is pretty rad for park, but unless you get lucky there won't be much in the way of pow pow.
Mar 26 2010 8:32PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
sunshine spring park sessions can be some of the best days of the season. Like I would put some spring park days above some winter pow days.
Mar 26 2010 8:48PM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
I do like park, but I am looking more for big mountain terrain since I will be with my dad. We will definitely take a few laps through the park though. Is there anything else we should do in Banff while we are there?
Mar 28 2010 4:13PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
do you and your dad have beacons and shovels?
Mar 28 2010 10:31PM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
Yeah. We both have all the gear. We go touring about every week or two. We love skiing in the backcountry.
Mar 29 2010 12:07AM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
don't know how familiar you are with sunshine but there is this free ride area called delirium dive and you need your beacon and shovel to get in so bring that stuff if you want to check it out. if you go in december it might not be open yet. and like other people have said you might get lucky with a late season dump. it's really up in the air.
Mar 29 2010 9:03PM
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-Marc-
Posts: 865 - Karma: 207
either march or december those are usually the best snow times sunshine had two feet opening day
Mar 29 2010 10:29PM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
Thanks for all the help.
Mar 30 2010 11:55AM
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Midge.
Posts: 381 - Karma: 12
I'd say come now. We just got 20 cm in the past week and its pretty sick right now. The park is really good.
Mar 30 2010 7:03PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
ya come right now
Mar 30 2010 8:26PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
The snow is good at both right now!!!Just don't go to Banff Norquay unless you only want to ride park. Heres a video from yesterday at Lake Louise...

Mar 31 2010 6:51PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Sorry for double post, but I would say the lake is steeper and more "extreme" in bounds then shine. However if you have the avy stuff, which you do, Sunshine has some epic lift serviced, out of bounds, riding.
Mar 31 2010 6:54PM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
^^ Looks sick. I think we are going to try to go this season. We are going to try to head up there April 14th through the 18th. We'll ski the 15th, 16th, 17th. So stoked!
Mar 31 2010 10:22PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
thats sweet man. most of the people who posted in here ski the shine so they could probably show you around
Apr 1 2010 12:29AM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
early season is a gamble and always cold. Spring at the shine is hella fun.
Apr 1 2010 6:00PM
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ike.
Posts: 2292 - Karma: 93
spring is amazing at sunshine, and we got over 20 cm last night i believe, so you minght even get a rare pow day in if you're lucky.
Apr 9 2010 12:37AM
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Flik
Posts: 150 - Karma: 229
It's set we're are flying out tomorrow. We'll be skiing Lake Luise and Sunshine Village Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'll likely be wearing the same gear that I have in my latest video post. If you see me give me a shoutout.
Apr 12 2010 12:03PM
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