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Revelstoke or Kicking horse next season for POW?

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Tomskis
Posts: 25 - Karma: 129
Revelstoke vs Kicking horse

which is best for snow, terrain, all that shizzle :D
Apr 27 2011 4:59PM
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Banane.
Posts: 3102 - Karma: 414
Im going to revelstoke next year, terrain is beter and more snow i think.
Apr 27 2011 5:04PM
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Parkstad
Posts: 90 - Karma: 61
I was in Revelstoke last season. Simply AWESOME!!! Best place I've skied ever, so much fun terrain and it snows all the time!

Here is an edit of our days skiing: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150451637790623
Apr 27 2011 5:07PM
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Radio
Posts: 946 - Karma: 12
i have heard from a ton of people that kicking horse has amazing terain and a ton of it
Apr 27 2011 8:15PM
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ganja_enthusiast
Posts: 1119 - Karma: 34
i heli skiied at cmh in mica creek withc is like half hour away from revi and its crazy good snow quailty. Passed revi resort and it looks super raw.
Apr 27 2011 8:56PM
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.skiperisher.
Posts: 323 - Karma: 83
Revelstoke for sure but kicking horse isnt to far away so you can ski both easily
Apr 27 2011 9:28PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
Revelstoke and Kicking Horse both have very shitty lift layouts. As for inbound terrain, I'd say Revelstoke is your better option. the laps are long, but the terrain is awesome and there's a lot of options so it doesn't get tracked too quickly.

As for slackcountry, Kicking Horse is all time. If you're touring savvy, there is enough terrain that can be accessed from the ski hill to keep you entertained for a lot of time. The downside: most of it can't be skied in bad visibility due to it being above tree line. While there is some cool terrain inbounds at Kicking Horse the gondola laps are painful, and it seams to get tracked way too fast.

Again - if you're touring savvy, they're both within great proximity to Rogers Pass, which is... well, if you don't know what it is, you're probably not ready for it.

Golden is closer to Alberta and gets overrun by Albertans, and RCMP has a training grounds there so there are a LOT of cops around Golden.
Apr 27 2011 9:35PM
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ganja_enthusiast
Posts: 1119 - Karma: 34
yeah no one really lives in revi so your good for lines
Apr 28 2011 12:59AM
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ya_frizz
Posts: 44 - Karma: 11

i have the same question!

i've been told revelstoke gets alot more powder in the season than kicking horse due to its geographical location. However i've also been told that kicking horse has better terrain that can be accessed. I suppose it comes down to what you want, powder or terrain.

Apr 28 2011 9:15AM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,622
As far as next season snow, you never know.

Personally, I haven't skied Revy yet. How it has come to this, I just don't know.
I'll stay away from Biasing since Golden is my home but basically anything that Drail said was right.

Kicking Horse has some amazing slackcountry that is easy to access, if you get Kicking Horse on a powder day, it's quite amazing. The lifts can be longer, especially during the weekend. It's all worth it though.
This season that was just had has been amazing in terms of snow fall, I however missed out. I'm over it.
Previous season I was there everyday, so it was a bit of a different experience compared to your weekend warrior/high school student.

I found week days, no one is there. Week day powder days, no one is there.
You have to make it the right days and everything. All the chutes can get filled up over night from wind transfer and become amazing. Fuez bowl is also amazing if you get it with fresh. I've had some amazing powder days there this year, along with Lake Louise.

But, with all the snow comes the consequences, if you travel to Revelstoke for a powder day, be ready to be stranded there. Highways will most likely shut down. It should be worth it though. From what I've heard about Revy is that the top terrian is amazing
Apr 28 2011 9:32AM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
This season was especially bad/good? for that. While in Golden mid winter I was talking with some friends who said that there were multiple times where all three passes shut down (Rogers, Kicking Horse, Vermillion) so Revy and Golden were shut down from the population base that is Calgary.
Apr 28 2011 2:33PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5975 - Karma: 3,530
I vote Kicking Horse. Much drier snow. less trees. steeper fall line.I am not sure about line ups. Saw some nasty lines from ervy this year. the longest line up we had at golden was 30 minutes and that happened about 4 times. during a 90cm storm this year every highway in and out of kicking horse was closed for 4 days. complete isolation for the biggest storm in 30 years. Revy gets more snow. that is for sure. However, KH never had a warm day until mid april this year. that means super consistent snow. tracked pow is easy to ski because it is so light. and as said above. a 5 cm night with good winds can give you 20+ in the chutes, and it is all chutes here.

Depending where you are coming from either mountain will blow your mind.
Apr 28 2011 2:48PM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,622
I hate this, sure, the season I am not in Golden, you guys get amazing storm cycles. Worst thing was hearing about all the powder skiing to be had from my mom!

But yes, Kicking Horse is known to be a little drier.

I too was trapped in Golden for a weekend. We made it to Lake Louise one night, had an amazing day of powder skiing there (haven't had that since I lived there) then punched it through to Golden to have an amazing day there. Had to drive through Fernie to get back to Calgary.

Regardless, both mountains have amazing terrain, and are both amazing on powder days.
Apr 28 2011 3:31PM
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SurfaceHoar
Posts: 311 - Karma: 240
Go to Revy if you are set on staying at one resort.

Go to kicking horse if you want to ski other areas.
Apr 28 2011 5:01PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
ist revelstoke like 5500 vert ft?? i would go there!
Apr 28 2011 5:11PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
bottom half of the mountain is pretty useless for the most part. it's that way with all the big vert mountains I've noticed. I mean, who the hell actually skis the bottom half of whistler/blackcomb?
Apr 28 2011 5:22PM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
+ a million for Revelstoke. We were there in a crappy snow year and even then it was so, so much better than Kicking Horse. Take your brave hat though, it can get pretty gnar if you don't know where you're going.

Plus Kicking Horse's attempt at a park offended me. If you're going to make it that shit, don't make one at all. The biggest jump was like a 10fter and there were rocks in the landing. I mean come on.
Apr 28 2011 8:23PM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,622
You don't go to Kicking Horse for the park. It's fun to do a quick jib through on the way down. Sorry to hear that you were offended. I'm pretty sure KH doesn't feel the need to put a park in, it's not their selling point, but it's still something where fun can be had.

The real jumps that are made for events are fun though. Look at the Wrangle the Chute jump, it was pretty fun, a lot better than the previous years (thank you Brian).
Apr 28 2011 8:29PM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
Oh I appreciate that, it's not at all like I expected a park nor did we go there to ski park... but if they're going to do a park, it shouldn't be a half-arsed jumble of features, some of which were downright dangerous. That's what annoyed me - if you're going to commit to doing something, do it right or don't do it at all.

And yes, Wrangle the Chute is a badass event, but if the jump builders/park crew are capable of such nicely made things then why did the day-to-day park suck so much?
Apr 28 2011 8:34PM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,622
Now correct me if I'm wrong. But the reason they were able to build a jump like that is because of all the snow in Crystal Bowl. Hemlockjibber up there is the main man behind the jump.

As for the park at the bottom. It's all natural snow. Kicking Horse has one (maybe two) snow guns. Which is why the bottom is so bare during easy season. With only using natural snow, they can only do so much. Which is why there is a little jump there. Or the mountain biking jumps that are just covered in snow on skiers left under the gondola, right before the upper parking lot.
Apr 28 2011 8:44PM
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A.Eberhard
Posts: 4426 - Karma: 415
Stay in Kicking horse ski there a few times then drive down to revelstoke when you want to go. Best of both worlds.
Apr 28 2011 8:44PM
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Z-Juice
Posts: 3151 - Karma: 1,504

I've heard it's unreal. My dad said that they tell you to make sure your beacon is working before every run. damn.

Apr 28 2011 8:48PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
Both are pretty filthy. When the weather is good, Kicking Horse offers better in bounds and slackcountry (mentioned a few times in here already). Lapping the gondola is a bit much at times, but the upper bowls are fucking money and I think make up for that.
Apr 28 2011 9:48PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5975 - Karma: 3,530
Kicking Horse believes in slow progression with parks. You can't have a S jump with out a XS, you can't have a L without a M and so on. With out the demand or resources they are not going to build an entire series of parks so we can get an XL jump. Also, the park for some reason is stuck on some shitty off angle lower mountain run and with 1 snow gun it makes things tricky. Add to that inexperienced park managers and a mountain paranoid about safety (ironic?) and you get a lame park. Luckily, KH has probably the steepest direct fall line skiing in Canada and the best slack country. I don't notice the park. I do agree that they should at least do it safe and right.

I built the New Years jump and Wrangle jump (both in tricky locations adding all sorts of challenges). I do not build the park there.
May 11 2011 1:45AM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
Either way get a solid touring set up. If you don't want to get into touring you might as well just go to whistler.
May 11 2011 2:38AM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5975 - Karma: 3,530
I love Whis, I lived there for years but why would you move to the busiest mountain ever if you plan on staying inbounds. Kh and Revy have something like 4% of the visitors that WB does
May 11 2011 11:08PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
Revy is siiick. Unfortunately I went there when there was no new snow for the past week and all I did was ski bumps for 3 days.
May 11 2011 11:41PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
Everything inbounds and so much slackcountry is accessible right off the lift or within a very short hike in whistler. It's so easy to explore whistler and if you do your homework you can ski powder weeks after it snows.

Revelstoke has one lift to the top. You basically traverse everywhere. You also have to traverse back if you want to make it to the lift, skins make it waaaaaaaaay easier to get around.
May 12 2011 12:31AM
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WyattShapperd
Posts: 113 - Karma: 158
I've never skied at revy but kicking horse has really good skiing
Dec 12 2012 8:12PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5975 - Karma: 3,530
and I would give the opposite advice. Kicking horse for inbounds terrain and slack country, unless you are into mini golf. Revy gets more snow. The bottom half of Revy doesn't exist due to freezing levels, the bottom of kicking horse is mellow groomers. Kh is Fall line, Revy is random of the track hidden gems. Most good terrain is in the alpine so bad vis sucks for any mountain. There are plenty of good tree runs at KH, they are hidden though.

I don't understand how gondola laps are painful at Kicking Horse. It's 12 minutes to get you 4100 ft or 1300 m vertical, in an enclosed comfortable gondola? Comparing the lift to revy...haha. have fun there.

Golden does get albertans, not sure how its over run though. They cops are a bunch of dick holes in Golden, but they have actually just downsized the force in town. Revy has a scene that has gotten exponentially better in the last few year and is definitely much more of a 'scene' than golden. Not in a bad way though. Lots of motivated people going for it.

Either way, you are talking about 2 of the top 3 mountains in BC so you won't go wrong.
Dec 12 2012 8:22PM
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Nieds
Posts: 832 - Karma: 1,926
That was a sick edit man! Made me so stoked to ski some powder!
Dec 12 2012 11:34PM
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,497
revy.
Dec 12 2012 11:46PM
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WyattShapperd
Posts: 113 - Karma: 158
The worst part about kicking horse is RCR.
They are the owners and have made everything terrible... They raised ticket prices, food prices, and did'nt put the time and effort to make a terrain park last season.
Jun 25 2013 4:39PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
Revy gets more snow on average than KH, keep that in mind.

It's noticeable.
Jun 25 2013 9:05PM
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NPF
Posts: 5152 - Karma: 12,116
the one time i went to kicking horse was so sick. i hadnt snowed in a few days and we were finding fresh stuff all over the place. hiked into superbowl and it was like we were the first ones in there. love the terrain there. i have heard great things about rev too.
Jun 25 2013 11:03PM
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