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June, 2025

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Powder vs terrain

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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
So, I'm having an inner battle right now as to which is better.

-consistent snowfall of good quality pow to refresh the hill almost every day (but overall relatively flat, with the odd short shot of good terrain)

or

-inconsistent snow leaving the hill and slackcountry tracked at times but long steep fall line with technical/playful terrain everywhere?

There are a lot of factors that aren't full taken into account here, and I am thinking of a few specific areas when having this debate myself, but I'm asking anyways. Obviously the best of both worlds is ideal, but let's just ignore that for now.

So what do you say, powder or terrain, which is better?
13 years ago
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Round-Four
Posts: 1073 - Karma: 174
i dont care lets just go skiing
13 years ago
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Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,546
If you don't have the terrain, then the pow is uselsss. Fuck hippy pow.
13 years ago
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

yes. 

13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
My comparison is between Revelstoke and Red Mountain, for those that are curious.

Been calling Rossland (Red Mountain) home for years, made the move up to Revelstoke for more snow and bigger mountains, and as far as inbounds and slackcountry goes... not sure if it's actually any better.

I think I may need to invest in a sled if I want to actually enjoy myself here. I think I choose terrain over pow at this point in my life, but I made this thread because there seams to be a LOT of people here that are way, way more stoked than I am when I'm up on the hill. Curious about what NS thinks about it.
13 years ago
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Ski_ThEast
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 272
so basically like little cottowood canyon vs jackson hole, sorta?  I'd rather have inconsistent snow and just all around better terrain so then when you do get good snow, it's that much better.
13 years ago
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
Shane said it best.  You've got to be able to rip on shitty days to be a good skier.

Terrain>Snow.

Snows a lot in Buffalo NY, not that great of place to ski on the east coast.
13 years ago
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CartelCrew
Posts: 46 - Karma: 37
If you are fortunate enough to live in Utah you don't have to choose.
13 years ago
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-Style_Doggie-
Posts: 13 - Karma: 10
haha in australia we have neither
13 years ago
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250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
going to la grave in france once really made me start to appreciate terrain over snow. Its just the way it goes over there. Sometimes some of the best days youll have there would be with what north americans would probably call shitty snow. But if you get done skiing a couloir with 2000m of vert your going to be fucking stoked either way. With all that being said though pow is obviously awesome, wasnt really doing any pillow smashing over there like in bc. Its a tough choice that i think all comes down to preference, but i think when it comes down to making those super memorable days, the terrain is usually the main factor, at least for me.
13 years ago
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snowfinder
Posts: 2941 - Karma: 34,924
Click for larger image
13 years ago
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I've made the pow choice living in Niseko, but I do miss steep terrain. However, it really depends on how little snow the mountain with terrain gets, we had a really mediocre season in Portillo this summer, and I would choose almost anywhere with snow over that year, but not the year before, where we had semi decent snow. So yeah, it's hard to pick.
13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Japan is probably the best example of this. I've had many conversations with friends about doing a month (or even a season) over in Japan. endless pow, but really mellow.

We should all just turn pro so we can travel around skiing the best terrain with the best snow all winter. I'll make the call to Red Bull tomorrow morning.
13 years ago
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Japan isn't just Niseko, Hakuba has some steeper terrain down on Honshu, but a bit harder to access and less snow. I think if I didn't have Chile to go to in the off season, I would have to go somewhere with more terrain.

I was just talking with an Austrian guy who used to work for red bull last night, definitely the sponsor to have, crazy salaries!

13 years ago
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,972
alaska
13 years ago
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
top 5 greatest gifs
13 years ago
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schism
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 389
Coming from ontario, right now I just want powder, and too be honest I'm not a good enough skier to shred the super hard terrain from the get go.

This season when I moved to bc, I decided on Whitewater & Nelson. It seems to be a great decision after skiing on opening day.
13 years ago
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BirtDike
Posts: 1258 - Karma: 514
Terrain...Powder isnt very fun without technicality or steeps.
13 years ago
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Pancake_Fucker
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 1,989
Wait until we get more snow. You'll be stoked. Or come skiing with us. Nothing but stoke. And there is lots of terrain in revy. Not to mention Rogers pass? Just gotta go with guys that are always pushing you. It's never as fun skiing alone.
13 years ago
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ShredMasterPlus
Posts: 1159 - Karma: 807
Hard to say, here in Louise we don't get a ton of snow compared to interior BC but we have tons of steep terrain and a really long season. It doesn't take much snow to have a great day, 10cm's and you can start hucking and bombing chutes again. We also have one of the longest seasons in Canada (November-May) and we have had the whole mountain open for almost 3 weeks now. But this year to be honest I have been driving to the rogers pass a few days a week to ski epic powder.

I think having a GNAR resort is better because you can push yourself way harder with access to ski patrol and such and then once you get your legs back under you later in the season you can either sled or tour access those big lines that also have the epic powder and slay them. Also early season you can always go earn those easy pow turns anywhere. Also it is early season wait a few more weeks and things will start to be shaping up even better then they already have!.
13 years ago
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
Jackson's snow is pretty damn consistently good (exclude last year where everything in the lower 48 sucks & jackson still did better than most). I had my 10th powder day of the year today, 4 of which have been blower.

13 years ago
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
Go for the terrain. I'm from the east so all I got is terrain with no snow anyway. If I can ski on rock and dirt now I don't think I will mind more rocks and dirt anyway.
13 years ago
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
I've only skied at Red once, but the main advantage seemed to be the better glading. Having said that, Mackenzie is a BIG mountain and I think you'll start having more fun once you familiarise yourself with a bunch of good spots.

Just curious, what are you not enjoying about RMR so far?
13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
lack of fall line skiing.

Even if you boot pack to sub peak it's max 400M vertical to the bottom of the bowl before it turns into a ski out, but in all reality there is really only about a 150M headwall of good technical terrain followed by about 100M of half decent turns. From there it's either a long flat traverse back to the Stoke or a shitty long ski out to the Ripper followed by a long flat traverse back to the Stoke. Really long laps for such a short run.

I almost think the best way to ski here is to just go back to Garcias Ridge and put a boot pack in (or skin maybe?) and just bang off some short lines and don't even bother with the lifts. If they put a lift straight up North Bowl it might not be half bad, but I doubt that will ever happen, that and it would make things get tracked way too fast.
13 years ago
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wasatch_rat
Posts: 1774 - Karma: 3,011
if you have a problem finding exciting terrain in either of the little cottonwood resorts your skiing them wrong.
13 years ago
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DR.SHRED
Posts: 2134 - Karma: 503
terrain the snow will come eventually and when it does the stoke level is super high knowing that your landing or line is going to be rad
13 years ago
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Ac31stuff
Posts: 557 - Karma: 10
Everyone is saying terrain but id prolly go Pow because im not going to ski some 50 degree coulior if its boilerplate anyway. Plus its not like your not going to have terrain at any of the bigtime pow resorts like Alta Baker and Whistler. I would be more comtorble with a weeklong trip to Alta than Kicking Horse because of the consistency factor. However I think Jackson would be a better bet than Targhee cause Even though Targhee gets 150ish more inches Targhee is rather flat and Jackson is Jackson.
13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Did you just say that Whistler doesn't have good terrain? I'd say that Whistler is one of the few places that meets both the pow and the terrain criteria. The only problem (ok, two problems) with Whistler is the cost of living and amount of people getting after it.
13 years ago
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,899
I think Revy is one of those mountains that takes a long time to figure out, partially because of the super long laps. I bet you end up liking it a lot more in a few more months.
13 years ago
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,899
I'll take consistent pow over terrain, I want my knees to last.
13 years ago
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Ac31stuff
Posts: 557 - Karma: 10
i said the oposite actually or at least ment the opposite i meant that baker alta and definantly whistler have great terrain along with the killer pow
13 years ago
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extravert
Posts: 1113 - Karma: 3,208
I agree with this. I skied targhee for the first time last winter. The snow was amazing even two days after the storm, but its just not the same as Jackson.
13 years ago
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
Yeah, you've really got to know your spots. It'll come with time. Just out of interest though - did you make it out today? It was frickin' all-time out there. :)
13 years ago
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roddy116
Posts: 10662 - Karma: 7,805
how about both? i love terrain park and a good 5-6 inches of pow.
13 years ago
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Smokeythebear1
Posts: 8 - Karma: 12
Coming from Loon, I def miss knee deep powder!
13 years ago
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jon@wh2o
Posts: 314 - Karma: 158
If you're from Red, you must've skied WH2O before?
That's my favorite balance of terrain and pow. Shorter laps, but I'd say the best of bost worlds meet here!
13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Whitewater doesn't really have much for terrain in bounds though. I mean, now that they got the new lift it helps for vertical for hot lapping Backsides, but there's maybe a handful of drops inbounds. The slackcountry is a totally different story, but as for lift accessed, there's really nothing there.


13 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Sadly, no. I tweaked my back yesterday, I'm probably gonna have to sit out for a few more days here. Might make it back on my skis by Monday but probably not till later in the week. I was supposed to head to Rogers today too. Pretty bummed about that. Gonna go drink it off at Big Eddy tonight though.

One good thing about having a minor injury during the winter that keeps you off your skis for a few days - guilt free drinking. Can just sleep off my hangover and watch movies tomorrow without feeling like I'm missing out any more than I could be.
13 years ago
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jon@wh2o
Posts: 314 - Karma: 158
yes....true.... and let's make sure that's what everyone thinks ;)
13 years ago
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charcharbinks
Posts: 515 - Karma: 734
Unless you're in park, you should be riding something steep enough to make you shit your pants.
13 years ago
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Derelicte
Posts: 300 - Karma: 298
Definitely terrain, no question.
13 years ago
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Derelicte
Posts: 300 - Karma: 298
gotta be able to challenge yourself everyday, farting around in low angle powder is no fun
13 years ago
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
False.

13 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38245 - Karma: 131,399
This is hard, but terrain would be nice. You can make it by with small terrain. You just gotta know where to go and be willing to adventure.
13 years ago
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Banane.
Posts: 3102 - Karma: 414
Well i ski revy this year. The north bowl is nice but get tracked out fast, usualy I'm lapping north bowl and get back to stoke. When it's more tracked I go in 3 bear and a pillow field that I found. Get you back to the ripper, from there you hit the other pillow line. Go back to stoke and do the same thing. I have some friend whi know the mountain really good so we always have good spot. But man wait till the mid-mountain is open, it will be on an another level, with kill the banker and all the glades
13 years ago
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jca
Posts: 4183 - Karma: 6,367
hahahaha

im sure you'll find something fun soon darryl
13 years ago
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Jessie406
Posts: 170 - Karma: 328
POWDER !!!
13 years ago
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Pancake_Fucker
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 1,989
No. Not at all. The stoke is coming from all the skiers that came there for the winter just to ski, and are on the hill every day shitty snow or not.
13 years ago
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