Red Mountain BC, how is it ?

[Angle Parking]

Red Mountain Sucks! Any excuse to post my favorite marketing video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=T7Z0MBLHF20

Overwhelming, bottomless shame.... That's what I am filled with as I ponder the fact that I have never seen this. Merci monsieur

Red holds a special place in the heart of those who enjoy steep and gnarly terrain. If this is you than a pilgrimage is in order, even if conditions do not line up.

[garyfromterrace]

Arguably, the best lift serviced terrain in Canada. Haven't skied that much in US, yurp, or Japan, but as good as any I've skied there too.

[paulster2626]

Just got back last night from an interior trip, actually. Skied Red for 4 days, starting Feb 11-13. It was progressively warmer and sunny every day. Icy mornings, then in the afternoon the snow on the sunny aspects would slush up and we'd hit it there. North facing stuff like Beer Belly, Sara's Chute, Coolers was VERY firm but edge-able. Vibe there is very chill, nobody cares if you wear a mask in the lift line or not, and the Rafters pub has solid food and good atmosphere. Easy to get trapped there for hours.

We stayed in one of the constella cabins on Saturday night - 3pm apres mid-mountain in the sun was solid. Got up for a piss in the middle of the night and went outside to enjoy the silence and stars. Definitely do this if you can. They've got a big clubhouse to chill in with a nice wood fireplace and a guy there who will make you food like fondue and mini pizzas if you want. Or you can bring your own stuff, whatever. It's really touristy but at the same time something you won't regret. If you brought kids to this they would go bonkers (the good way).

Lifts are shit. I mean, I know it's not cool to complain about lifts but these are old and uncomfortable. Every time I get off motherlode my leg is asleep like I've been on the shitter for too long. At least they don't stop or break down all the time though.

Terrain is great, there are lots of steep tree lines, but aside from a few lines on the north side of Granite and the chute show on Grey, there's not really too much ass-puckering going on like other big mtn. places such as Revy/KH/WB - but that's comparing different things.
I did feel like I had to take an inordinate amount of cat tracks all the time, but I guess when every angle of the mtn. is lift-accessible that's what you're gonna get. Red is also not a good place for boomers to just rip groomer laps - if you go there, you are going there to ski trees.

The old cabins down in the granite basin or whatever it's called are cool AF. Go check those out for sure - if there are people inside say hi and ask if you can look around. Very neat.

Went to Whitewater on Monday, and it was dumping. We had an amazing day. I think the base is 500' higher than Red so the snow had held up a bit better over the previous thaw/freeze cycles. Vibe is suuuuper chill, but they are mask nazis in the lift lines. Not a big deal at all though. Great terrain, awesome lines, and trees are dynamite - comparable to Revy IMO. Chairs are slow but new and feel like sitting on a chesterfield compared to Red's antiques. If you have skins, there's a lot of terrain available to you.
If you don't, there's still a lot of terrain to have fun on. Definitely a must-do. And make a reservation at Wood Sushi for dinner down in Nelson after as well. Tsunami rolls are the bomb.

Back to Red on Tuesday, 9cm of fresh snow and sunshine blazing. Most crowded day of them all, but that meant a 3 minute wait at the base and then zero lines after that. First tracks in Beer Belly, bit of a dust-on-crust situation but still a huge improvement on what we were dealing with the rest of the week.

Oh and if you're driving between Kelowna + Rossland, stop for a coffee at a place called Deadwood Junction. Trust me.

I have pictures to prove it, they will come later.

[romeo tango]

.. Red Mountain Sucks!...

i know those women ....

.

[caderader]

Just got back last night from an interior trip, actually. Skied Red for 4 days, starting Feb 11-13. It was progressively warmer and sunny every day. Icy mornings, then in the afternoon the snow on the sunny aspects would slush up and we'd hit it there. North facing stuff like Beer Belly, Sara's Chute, Coolers was VERY firm but edge-able. Vibe there is very chill, nobody cares if you wear a mask in the lift line or not, and the Rafters pub has solid food and good atmosphere. Easy to get trapped there for hours.

We stayed in one of the constella cabins on Saturday night - 3pm apres mid-mountain in the sun was solid. Got up for a piss in the middle of the night and went outside to enjoy the silence and stars. Definitely do this if you can. They've got a big clubhouse to chill in with a nice wood fireplace and a guy there who will make you food like fondue and mini pizzas if you want. Or you can bring your own stuff, whatever. It's really touristy but at the same time something you won't regret. If you brought kids to this they would go bonkers (the good way).

Lifts are shit. I mean, I know it's not cool to complain about lifts but these are old and uncomfortable. Every time I get off motherlode my leg is asleep like I've been on the shitter for too long. At least they don't stop or break down all the time though.

Terrain is great, there are lots of steep tree lines, but aside from a few lines on the north side of Granite and the chute show on Grey, there's not really too much ass-puckering going on like other big mtn. places such as Revy/KH/WB - but that's comparing different things.
I did feel like I had to take an inordinate amount of cat tracks all the time, but I guess when every angle of the mtn. is lift-accessible that's what you're gonna get. Red is also not a good place for boomers to just rip groomer laps - if you go there, you are going there to ski trees.

The old cabins down in the granite basin or whatever it's called are cool AF. Go check those out for sure - if there are people inside say hi and ask if you can look around. Very neat.

Went to Whitewater on Monday, and it was dumping. We had an amazing day. I think the base is 500' higher than Red so the snow had held up a bit better over the previous thaw/freeze cycles. Vibe is suuuuper chill, but they are mask nazis in the lift lines. Not a big deal at all though. Great terrain, awesome lines, and trees are dynamite - comparable to Revy IMO. Chairs are slow but new and feel like sitting on a chesterfield compared to Red's antiques. If you have skins, there's a lot of terrain available to you.
If you don't, there's still a lot of terrain to have fun on. Definitely a must-do. And make a reservation at Wood Sushi for dinner down in Nelson after as well. Tsunami rolls are the bomb.

Back to Red on Tuesday, 9cm of fresh snow and sunshine blazing. Most crowded day of them all, but that meant a 3 minute wait at the base and then zero lines after that. First tracks in Beer Belly, bit of a dust-on-crust situation but still a huge improvement on what we were dealing with the rest of the week.

Oh and if you're driving between Kelowna + Rossland, stop for a coffee at a place called Deadwood Junction. Trust me.

I have pictures to prove it, they will come later.

Sounds like an immensely satisfying trip! This is awesome beta. Looking forward to a similar trip in 5 days.

[XXX-er]

Used to go to red back in the 80's 2 bus loads of drunks with the orchard country ski club, if a local remembers the 3 skiing nuns ... that was us

it was customary for the 1st bus to reach the blueberry paulson bridge to unload and moon the 2nd bus

do they still have the little pouch of twine on the center pole of the granite chair which I have never seen ? As I understand it at some point it would be impossible to evacute the chair once you passed I think it was bufflo ridge, so the twine was to lower down and pull up a rope

[DanoT]

Red is having a really poor snow year and lists the alpine base as 139cm/55ln. Whereas nearby and higher elevation Whitewater is at 244cm/96in. alpine base depth.

[PNW-skier78]

Red is a sweet place and Rossland is full of ski bums.

Checkout rams head inn if you go there. It is reasonable priced, walking distance to the lifts, and it has good atmosphere.

http://ramsheadinn.ca


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[snoboy]

WW is not actually higher elevation, it just has a higher base area - thus less vert. However it is true that they do have more snow than Red this year. People should definitely go to WW.

XXX_er: the granite chair is no longer... and hence the twine is no longer.

[paulster2626]

WW is not actually higher elevation, it just has a higher base area - thus less vert. However it is true that they do have more snow than Red this year. People should definitely go to WW.

That's what I meant. Sorry. There was less of that "shitty at the bottom part of the mtn" type of snow.

Once you go there it's easy to see how a storm cloud could get socked-in and just keep dumping.

Red felt like it was the end of the season already - stumps and rocks poking out a little more each day.... hopefully the weather pattern has now shifted and some cycles can start coming through.

[stayhighstaydry]

People should definitely go to WW.
.

plus WW has the best ski lodge cafeteria in N.A.

The problem with interior B.C. is the general lack of elevation.
So watch the weather and be ready to pull the trigger or sit it out.
Not someplace I would make arrangements for too far in advance.

[XXX-er]

Big White has the highest base elevation in BC at around a mile high so the snow was always pretty good all the times i skied there, silver star is also pretty high

the fog not so much

[plugboots]

Last time I was there, I brought a Magnum of this:

to share, and the owners at Rossberry Hill asked for the empty to put on a shelf.
See if it’s there.

[DanoT]

Right now Sun Peaks has one of B.C.s deeper bases, soft snow, and is arguably one of Canada's best groomer-zoomer resorts. And as one of B.C.s more northerly resorts it has been less negatively effected by mild weather.

[XXX-er]

WW is not actually higher elevation, it just has a higher base area - thus less vert. However it is true that they do have more snow than Red this year. People should definitely go to WW.



XXX_er: the granite chair is no longer... and hence the twine is no longer.

I would venture the snow was more about the prevailing weather ?

the first time I rode the granite chair over that ridge and it crossed that valley was a holy fuck moment

I always had a good time at Red

[snoboy]

XXX-er has it, Red ended up in the doughnut hole too many times this winter, it wasn't an elevation issue. Just a little to the north the Kootenay snowpack is above average. Hoping this weekend systems brings a reset.

WW has killer food at the cafeteria. They have awesome touring. I find the inbounds a little tame and short compared to Red.

[XXX-er]

there used to be the " Old bastard club" which were a very chill group of about a doz old bastards, they would talk to you in the lodge with zero attitude and i think they would probably show you around riding 30 yr old gear but they must be all dead,

I used to ski with the youngest of the old bastards at Big White and he is gone from the cancer, i'm thinking being around that nasty shit killed a lot of guys young

man could that guy ski

[wicked_sick]

The first thing I noticed the first time I was at Red, was how many geezers and grannies there were, and how hard they all ripped. Most had modern equipment, but well worn duct-taped 30 yr old taiga or northface gear, and were a real pleasure to share a chair with.

[UkBCyeti]

General local consensus is that Red has more terrain, and is more a "resort" ie a bit of everything, whereas WW is a shorter, more technical jumping off point for good touring.
You're going to enjoy either, and if you have time, try to get to both.

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[Johnny P]

Snow in the forecast?? Hope so I’ll be there on the 27th for a few days.

[DanoT]

General local consensus is that Red has more terrain, and is more a "resort" ie a bit of everything, whereas WW is a shorter, more technical jumping off point for good touring.
You're going to enjoy either, and if you have time, try to get to both.

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It is worth mentioning that Whitewater is tied with Whistler for the most annual snowfall in Canada but without Whistler's rain events.

Oddly, even though Red and WW are closer to each other than just about any other two ski areas in western Canada, for the most part, Red locals don't ski WW and WW locals don't ski Red.

[UkBCyeti]

Very true. I think I've only skied Red 3 times

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[XXX-er]

The first thing I noticed the first time I was at Red, was how many geezers and grannies there were, and how hard they all ripped. Most had modern equipment, but well worn duct-taped 30 yr old taiga or northface gear, and were a real pleasure to share a chair with.

I used to go down & hang out doing odd stuff at the data center/ working area , it was explained to me that they all worked for Cominco so they were largely all union brothers, an electrician or a carpenter, all made the same good $ and they all had that same demeanor

[ski_it]

It is worth mentioning that Whitewater is tied with Whistler for the most annual snowfall in Canada but without Whistler's rain events.

Oddly, even though Red and WW are closer to each other than just about any other two ski areas in western Canada, for the most part, Red locals don't ski WW and WW locals don't ski Red.

When you have a pass at one, it's hard to pay to go to the other. There weren't many deals either (when I lived there).

[dufferdan]

Skied Red 3 years ago for 3 days. First day, hadn’t had snow in 3 weeks. Groomers were good to get to know the areas.

Was in the bar (possibly the best ski are bar in existence) at 3:30 until 6. Came out to a foot of blower on the car. Next AM, our host woke us all up at 6AM and said we had to be in the parking lot by 8AM. We were in lineup for Red Chair at 8:20, 100 yards back of the corral. As we were getting on the lift, the first of the slathering hordes were on their way down. Two runs of fresh lines on Red Chair and then we went exploring. A terrific mountain and with 2-3’ of fresh, spectacular.

The layout is awesome and some really neat hideaways hold lines for a few days. On my recommended list.


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