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Revelstoke

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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
So im 25 and I haven't skied more than 2 weeks a year since i did my ast season 3 years ago. Myself and the missus decided we'd immigrate to north america for 2 or 3 years seen as Ireland is fucked (reccesion and all that). SoI started looking for north american resorts with the most powder, Revelstoke looked sick so we decided on that. Both of us have done seasons but we didn't want to miss powder days due to work like you do working your way through the season, instead we decided to save enough money to ski 3 months, budget in some Heli skiing and then head down to Vancouver and back to the real world of Jobs and shit.
Anyway, we just booked our flights and I wanted to share my excitement!!!!
May 24 2013 1:29PM
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Edward92
Posts: 45 - Karma: 41
As someone too from the UK, I cannot express how jealous am I of you! Wish I could do that, hope you have a great time man
May 24 2013 1:32PM
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Banane.
Posts: 3102 - Karma: 414
Don't go heliskiing, don't worth the money. Buy a touring set-up and tour in roger pass
May 24 2013 1:33PM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Heli-skiing is on the bucket list! Details on roger pass, please?
May 24 2013 1:37PM
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Craigskis
Posts: 6648 - Karma: 1,636
It always rains in rogers pass this guy^ doesn't know what he's talking about
May 24 2013 1:37PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,564
.
May 24 2013 1:43PM
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gotti
Posts: 4269 - Karma: 4,548
Just curious why? I live on the ec and that has been a goal of mine ever since i started skiing
May 24 2013 1:43PM
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backwardsrider
Posts: 543 - Karma: 70
this
May 24 2013 2:35PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
It depends on what you're looking for. If you're a beginner/intermediate powder skier, it might be worth a day heli trip because you'll likely have an epic time regardless. If you're an advanced powder skier, it's definitely not worth it unless you're hiring a private heli and filling it with people you know.

If you're in a heli with people you don't know, there's inevitably going to be someone slowing down the group or falling over all the time. Additionally, if the guides aren't sure about your ability levels, they'll be playing it very safe in terms of terrain - think meadow skipping, low angle glaciers and really mellow trees.

If you're all expert skiers and you know each other, you're far more likely to be allowed to access some tasty goods and genuinely make the most of the experience.
May 24 2013 2:45PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,564
Very true I've found this to be the situation I was faced with when I went cat skiing. Although I think there are some heli operations, that do intermediate, advanced and expert groups. But I'm not sure if any of the revvy operations do this or if having different groups actually does much to help the situation you described.
May 24 2013 3:02PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
Generally it doesn't, unless you're super lucky. I've been out with 'expert' groups where people have double ejected (user error) over a cliff 20 meters down the first run.
May 24 2013 3:06PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,564
I tend to find 'expert' is a very subjective term
May 24 2013 3:26PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Revelstoke is dope but the actual resort isn't really that big. You've basically got 1.5 chairs and the gondola, and the gondola doesn't get you anywhere. Therefore, sidecountry/backcountry/rogers pass etc is popular.

But the resort has so many fun places and chutes/pillows/faces that are amazing on a pow day.
May 24 2013 4:25PM
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TheBigApple
Posts: 1169 - Karma: 488
Vancouver is expensive as fuck to live in and the job market blows there. Just a heads up.
May 24 2013 4:25PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
Compared to Ireland... It's pretty good.
May 24 2013 5:17PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
As someone who's done a fair amount of skiing and living in Revelstoke I would advise you invest heavily in touring gear and avy training.

Fuck heliskiing. So what if it's on your "bucket list", you're ski bumming save the Richie Rich fantasy for when you have a big boy job and no longer have the freedom to move to Canada on a whim. A solid day of heliskiing will set you back about $2000.00 after taxes, about as much as a really nice used car that can take you to Rogers Pass a few times a week for the whole damn season.

You're Irish so going to the bar and making friends with people should be second nature, make that your mission in December, meet the fuck out of people and be friendly to everyone. Revelstoke is a small town and people get sort of cliquey later in the season after they've met a few friends, it's very handy to be able to ride with whoever happens to be on the mountain, put yourself out there!

Lastly, Vancouver is a beautiful city but is the most expensive city to live in North America, even more expensive than NYC (according to The Economist). If you're looking to make money to go skiing again you're better off in Northern Alberta, if you want the big international city lifestyle stick with Vancouver.

Best of luck to you!
May 24 2013 5:58PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
Oh also FYI - we're getting a proper terrain park at Revelstoke next winter. :)
May 24 2013 6:00PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
Why????? Revy needs a park like i need to get fucked by a chainsaw in the ass. As an example look at the park at Kicking Horse just a joke. You don't go to that mountain for park, and if you do you need to be shot.

Live in Calgary guys, Van city is great if you have cash, or a way to make cash.  Calgary has jobs and is just an hour away from some pretty epic skiing.
May 24 2013 6:50PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
Maybe not most of the year, but believe it or not we get dry spells, just like everywhere else. Just adds to the variety on the mountain in my opinion, and it might keep some people away from the stashes a bit longer. Don't worry, riding the park won't be mandatory.
May 24 2013 6:59PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
Yeah, but you can go and find tons of staches. We had TONS of dry days at Sunshine, but there was always something hidden somewhere.
May 24 2013 7:27PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
I'm not a park rat (I hit my first rail since 2009 last year), but I'm stoked we're getting a more well-rounded mountain, personally, and a park really shines on sunny spring days. Feel free to keep shooting down new developments though.
May 24 2013 7:38PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
Hey i'm all for progress....when it's realistic. I build park for a living and the biggest thing you need is something called a market.  Its a massive investment just to make it work at a resort of Revy's size. Its the same reason it doesn't work at kicking horse. People don't go to kicking horse to ride park, they go there to ride bowls, chutes, and get some big mountain action.  Thus dry or blower the park never gets used, and is always terrible.

If Revy is going to have a park, then awesome but the size and quality of the park program at Revy are going to have to be twice as good as a major resort just to make it work. That's why i think its silly.
May 24 2013 8:01PM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Damn!
Both of us are expert level but theres no way I coud afford a private heli! And I'd be pretty pissed if I forked out all that money and got stuck with shitty skiers. What about cat skiing? or is it the same story?
Thanks for the info all the same!
May 25 2013 7:00AM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
I've done all my seasons in huge french resorts (Three valleys and Tignes). We're looking for loads of powder, chutes and of course pillows that you never get in europe.
Anybody here from revy?? I want to get to th good stuff and having local knowledge and people to ride with is always a huge plus!
May 25 2013 7:03AM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Cheers for all the tips mate.
We've budgeted for touring gear and loads of avy training as soon as we get over.
We're flying into Vancouver and we're gonna spend a while there looking for a 2nd hand truck, whats the deal with rogers pass?

I've lived in Vancouver before, so i know its expensive but I work in hotels so I need to be in the big international city for the jobs I'm interested in!

Thanks for all the advice!
May 25 2013 7:09AM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,564
Done two cat days, same story both times
May 25 2013 9:56AM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/glacier/activ/activ1.aspx
May 25 2013 10:03AM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
Depends a lot on the cat ski operation to be honest.
May 25 2013 10:06AM
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Drail
Posts: 14011 - Karma: 10,001
so much I want to say in this thread.

I guess all I will say is this:

Rogers Pass has some of the best pillows I have had the grace to ski down. It's a large place though, and I'm not going to tell you where to find them. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out once you are there. Besides pillows, there is terrain of all varieties and sizes at Rogers from the mellow trees and meadow skipping to gnarly shit like cravassed glacier travel to couloirs with mandatory repels. Runs are up to 2000M vertical, and avalanche terrain and danger is very real.

I find inbounds more annoying than fun due to the layout and amount of vertical fall line skiing per run compared to lap time. It does snow 5-10cm pretty much every day though, so that's a bonus. There is some decent slack country, but just like inbounds, lap time is way longer than it has to be for any of the good terrain.

Heli skiing is for the rich, if you're not loaded, don't pretend - you'll get a lot more satisfactory skiing by touring. Unless making pretty turns down mellow slopes is your thing. Instead spend the money on a few days at cat skiing operations (Retallack is high on my list of best terrain and snow for cat operations), if you are into touring (if you're not Revelstoke might not be the best place for you) you should also think about spending that heli skiing money on booking huts. There are many, many different operations in the West Kootenays to choose from so do some research.



May 25 2013 11:19AM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
Wait wait wait..... so let me get this straight. You've never worked out here, don't have much BC experience, and don't even have a job before you move.

Wow.... good luck man. Umm I guess that's all I can say.
May 25 2013 12:46PM
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geist
Posts: 493 - Karma: 984
It's doable^
Hope goes well, if it doesn't work out could always move onto a different resort
May 25 2013 12:53PM
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Turkelton
Posts: 2829 - Karma: 8,558
Looked at prices for cat skiing in Monashee, Revelstoke and Rettalack, and it looks like if you plan it right, it can get down to 300 for 4 days which would be worth it for one time every year
May 25 2013 1:07PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
Sure it is, but the realities are gonna hit ya in the face when you get here. My advice is to work for a large resort ( most places have hotels so I'm sure you can get on), and get a full season here under your belt.

The reality is that your not going to get the experience you want living in Vancouver. Either you live in the city and be a week-end warrior with no money and little time to ride..... or move to the Rockies and get exactly the season you want.

You've never toured before, you don't have any avy training yet, and you don't know anybody. Get a season at a resort under your belt, and all those issues will be resolved...... I guarantee it. Places like Kicking Horse, Lake Louise, Sunshine Village....and Revy ( to a point) all hire non nationals to work.

You will get the chance to cat ski, sled ski ( which if your not earn your turns is the best way to get around the BC), get avalanche certifications, and make some awesome friends. Most resorts start to hire Augest/September, but if you do get down earlier the likelihood of you getting a job/making friends/ getting used to town will increase dramatically.
May 25 2013 1:23PM
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ShredMasterPlus
Posts: 1159 - Karma: 807
^^ Well he has said he will have enough money to live for 3months without working. Much better way to spend time in a ski town, working sucks trust me ;). Anyways pretty much everything Drail said. Dudes been ski bumming for years. Enjoy man.

For the bc biggest thing I'd say is going with people with experience. Ast is good but actually logging days with experienced people is a much better way to build skills! Revelstoke is a great town for sure, and for Backcountry, I live in Lake Louise and to be honest I made the 2 hour drive to rogers pass 3 days a week for pretty much all November December and January. Early season touring in the pass is unfreakinbelieveable! 
May 25 2013 1:31PM
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m@tty
Posts: 332 - Karma: 89
Spread the stoke.

I'll be heading there as well around late August or early September. Going to make a thread closer to go time, but if you or anyone looking is looking for housemates, post up or shoot me a pm. Couldn't hurt to make some connections.
May 25 2013 1:48PM
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ankhou
Posts: 505 - Karma: 238
Speaking as someone who originally came from Australia to work at a Canadian resort (and ended up staying) - don't work at a resort. Wages are pitiful, the hours aren't ideal and you're often subject to certain conditions regular passholders don't have to worry so much about.

OP, I think you've got your head screwed on straight about the 3 month winter stay thing. You can earn a lot more money in the city, and then figure out whether you enjoy the mountain lifestyle during that 3 months. There's nothing stopping you from moving to the mountains for the following season. Figure out where you want to go for this coming winter and buy an early bird pass for peanuts.

If you're in the mountains and not working, you'll get to ski a LOT more, you won't miss any powder days and you'll still have the opportunity to do avalanche training, meet a ton of rad people and go cat skiing if you want to splash out. I recommend K3 Cat Skiing in Revelstoke if you're planning on coming here.
May 25 2013 4:11PM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Like i said in the OP, we're saving enough to spend three months in revelstoke without working.
As for back country experience..... the Alps have some pretty gnarly shit mate!
May 25 2013 9:09PM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Just to clarify,
I've done 3 seasons in the alps. I worked during all of them. I've done avy trainning, but its always a good idea to do more, especially in a completely different mountain range to that of where i'm used to.
I plan on moving to Vancouver in March, to work, that'll be the end of my season. Hence the 3 months ski bumming.
Loads of great advise guys and i really appreciate it!
May 25 2013 9:15PM
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Drail
Posts: 14011 - Karma: 10,001
No idea how re-active the snowpack is in the Alps typically, but the Columbia Mountains (Revelstoke and most of the Kootenays in general) have that happy medium of light snow and a good bond (to a point). If you have avalanche training I wouldn't worry too much. Even living in BC, if you travel around the province you're always dealing with a different snowpack, but if you stay in the same zone for most of the winter you get a good idea what is going on under your feet.

I gotta stop though 'cause I'm a few beers deep and talking about skiing is making me all anxious so I'm gonna go party down by the beach.
May 25 2013 10:03PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,012
move to san fran and ski tahoe
May 25 2013 11:46PM
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beercan810
Posts: 11 - Karma: 16
I'm in a similar boat. 25, Irish and heading to Revelstoke, although I haven't as much skiing under my belt as the OP. First season.... should be interesting.

Looking to get a job for the season but have some cash to tide me over.

Flying out to Calgary in around a months time. Stoked!
Sep 5 2013 12:07PM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Hit me up in Jamuary if you're still their we'll shred!!
Sep 9 2013 12:14AM
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