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Early season Calgary skiing

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peterpants
Posts: 260 - Karma: 637
Hey y'all, what are your favorite early season places near calgary to go skiing? Bow summit is the one that comes to mind most but I moved back here from BC and havent toured too much in the area yet.
Oct 27 2017 1:29PM
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Slunky
Posts: 690 - Karma: 2,332
peterpantsHey y'all, what are your favorite early season places near calgary to go skiing? Bow summit is the one that comes to mind most but I moved back here from BC and havent toured too much in the area yet.

I doubt that there’ll be too many places actually in Calgary rn given there’s no snow
Oct 27 2017 8:29PM
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SKRockies
Posts: 606 - Karma: 1,689
If you have a car both sunshine and Lake Louise are gunning to open in the 10th
Oct 28 2017 12:37PM
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Kulharin
Posts: 97 - Karma: 133
Which is usually the better bet for snow coverage and open terrain in the early season / opening day? Sunshine or Lake Louise?
Oct 28 2017 2:19PM
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Slunky
Posts: 690 - Karma: 2,332
KulharinWhich is usually the better bet for snow coverage and open terrain in the early season / opening day? Sunshine or Lake Louise?


While I’m biased because I used to be a Louise skier, sunshine is higher up so they’ll probably have more coverage
Oct 29 2017 1:45AM
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disappointmett
Posts: 352 - Karma: 1,488
KulharinWhich is usually the better bet for snow coverage and open terrain in the early season / opening day? Sunshine or Lake Louise?


Sunshine has a higher altitude so you'll probably find more coverage up there and they dont make snow so itll be better conditions.
Oct 30 2017 9:47AM
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matt_720
Posts: 345 - Karma: 515
sunshine dosnt open till nov 10..sadly but they have over a foot of snow so..
Oct 30 2017 12:45PM
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SKRockies
Posts: 606 - Karma: 1,689
mausunshine dosnt open till nov 10..sadly but they have over a foot of snow so..


theyre gonna need a lot more than that, they should have like 2 feet
Oct 30 2017 2:06PM
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matt_720
Posts: 345 - Karma: 515
Yes but you could still ski on one foot without to much trouble
Oct 30 2017 2:33PM
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peterpants
Posts: 260 - Karma: 637
Thanks for the info everyone, but I was more asking about any backcountry ski areas that are best early season (for example people have been skiing bow summit for a few weeks). Maybe this thread should have gone in backcountry & AT. FYI Sunshine will have better early season conditions since its mostly higher altitude, but lake louise will have a great wiwaxy 5000 goin on
Oct 30 2017 9:36PM
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5Avalanche
Posts: 30 - Karma: -541
Go north! Hwy 93 is where the early season touring is for the most part, but some turns around Louise can be found if you know where to go
Oct 30 2017 10:40PM
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peterpants
Posts: 260 - Karma: 637
5AvalancheGo north! Hwy 93 is where the early season touring is for the most part, but some turns around Louise can be found if you know where to go


The issue is I don't really know where to go yet! Grew up skiing in bounds lake louise and bow summit once or twice, went to BC for school and now back without a louise pass, but ive heard highway 93 is pretty great all around and some spots in kananaskis also
Oct 31 2017 2:21AM
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5Avalanche
Posts: 30 - Karma: -541
Go pick up a book such as “Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies”. The book names all the places and gives basic info about where to park. MEC has it. It just has the basics on each place; they leave route finding mostly up to you to figure out with your own avalanche knowledge. But it’s great to flip through if you’re looking for certain aspects, which is true most of the season with a continental snowpack. I’m not going to just name off places because I don’t know your avalanche education background or what kind of terrain you’re looking for.
Oct 31 2017 9:15AM
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disappointmett
Posts: 352 - Karma: 1,488
peterpantsThe issue is I don't really know where to go yet! Grew up skiing in bounds lake louise and bow summit once or twice, went to BC for school and now back without a louise pass, but ive heard highway 93 is pretty great all around and some spots in kananaskis also


http://www.confessionsofaskibum.com/

Super rad resource run by some Bow Valley Locals!
Oct 31 2017 3:41PM
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peterpants
Posts: 260 - Karma: 637
Thanks for the info! (info above) I always forget about guide books, and I will check out that website. Also post on this thread if anyone wants to go for a tour!
Oct 31 2017 9:20PM
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