Details on January 2021 Ski Patrol Heliski Trip to British Columbia
Friday, November 30, 2018
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Columbia River Valley History & Context
Some good history & context. Enjoy.
Link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd5COZ655cQ
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Pow
If you're on FB, be sure to follow https://www.facebook.com/cmhski/
Weather Links
Here are a few good weather links for your perusal:
https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-65_metric_e.html
https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
https://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/conditions/weather-forecast
https://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/conditions/webcams (Gnorm is always a highlight...)
https://opensnow.com/state/BC/forecasts
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=total_precipitable_water/orthographic=-133.20,47.90,723/loc=-123.514,35.819
Warning - Our team physician staff recommends you not use these links more than once per hour. Could cause short & long term productivity loss.
https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-65_metric_e.html
https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
https://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/conditions/weather-forecast
https://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/conditions/webcams (Gnorm is always a highlight...)
https://opensnow.com/state/BC/forecasts
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=total_precipitable_water/orthographic=-133.20,47.90,723/loc=-123.514,35.819
Warning - Our team physician staff recommends you not use these links more than once per hour. Could cause short & long term productivity loss.
Credit Card Travel Notices
Team -
As we all know, credit card companies track charges carefully to prevent fraud. In my experience, these flags can pop up on legit charges made from other countries, including Canada. It's usually a "hold" that requires you to call the credit card company and okay the charges. No big deal, but a hassle.
So, not a bad idea to contact the company whose card you're going to use (call or on-line) and notify them that you'll be travelling to Canada in January. This way, no hassle.
FYI.
As we all know, credit card companies track charges carefully to prevent fraud. In my experience, these flags can pop up on legit charges made from other countries, including Canada. It's usually a "hold" that requires you to call the credit card company and okay the charges. No big deal, but a hassle.
So, not a bad idea to contact the company whose card you're going to use (call or on-line) and notify them that you'll be travelling to Canada in January. This way, no hassle.
FYI.
Friday, November 23, 2018
Another Psych-up Video
- It's shot in 2016, also an El Nino year. Let's hope we get good conditions as well.
- It's shot at a place called the Blanket Glacier Chalet, just a bit south of Revelstoke. BCG is run by Marty Shafer, who guides for CMH in his spare time. See: https://www.powder.com/stories/interviews/the-perpetually-stoked-ski-guide/. I've made many turns with Marty and he's a great guy. With some luck, we'll have him on our trip. For those of you on Instagram, see: https://www.instagram.com/blanketglacierchalet/
Enjoy. Link to video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix75mWs7dJg
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Friday, November 16, 2018
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Gear Bags, Boot Bags, Backpack Bags
Team -
I've gotten a few questions about the gear bags to use on the trip. Here are my thoughts:
1. Gear Bag. As you know, there's no need to bring a ton of gear on the trip. 1 set of ski clothes, jeans & a fleece for dinners, workout pants & fleece for stretch & breakfast. There are laundry facilities @ the lodge to refresh anything if need be. (More on ski gear below). As such, no need for a giant, special gear bag. You check this bag with the airline, so watch the weight. I've found that my bag ends up weighing 40-45 lbs for a week-long trip. Be careful not to go over 50 lbs, as the airlines will charge you extra (beyond the regular bag fee) for the extra weight of this checked bag. Pic of my bag below.
2. Boot Bag. Yes, it's a good idea, and most everyone does, carry their boots with them as carry-on baggage on the plane. If the airline loses your gear bag, CMH and other guests can provide you with gear so you don't miss a day of skiing. However, if you lose your boots, you could be in a world of hurt with unfamiliar boots. So, carry them on. This is typically a bit of a challenge. If your plane is a 737, then fitting a boot bag into the overhead with both boots in the bag is very tight. If your plane is an Embraer Regional Jet, it's impossible. I usually end up taking one boot out of my boot bag and cramming it in the overhead next to my boot bag. Also, in my view there's no need for a special backpack-strapped boot bag (ala Transpack types) - you won't be carrying it very far and you can't pack much in it and have it fit in the overhead. As such, something easy and cheap is fine. Pic of the one I've used below (complete with wear & tear).
3. Backpack/Other Carry-on. As my second carry-on for computer, book for the flight, etc., I usually use a small backpack. Frankly, any bag that you usually use for this purpose is fine.
Here's the gear I've used on previous trips (thanks John P. for the tip on the tape measure):
A few more tips on gear:
4. Ski Gear. I usually bring/I recommend:
a. Ski Jacket & Pants. No need for super-special Gore-tex, etc. The regular jacket that you use for free skiing is fine. One set is fine, as a) there's no need to be a fashion statement & wear a different outfit every day and b) if the gear gets damaged with a small rip or the like you can repair with supplies from our sponsor Gear Aid!!
b. As for insulation, I usually bring a couple sets of long underwear. Thin to medium is fine. This enables me to wear a fresh set when the first gets sweaty and to double-up IF it's super cold. 2-3 sets of socks is good too, so that you don't have to do laundry every night. On top of that, a medium fleece (ala R2) or the like works well. As we discussed, there's no cold chairlift ride, so no need to bundle up for that - you finish each run and the heli is there shortly for the 5 minute ride to the next run. I sometimes bring a fleece vest or the like in case it's super cold & keep it in my backpack (see below).
c. There are 2 important points to point b, above. First, at the beginning of each day @ breakfast, the guides stand up and give us a weather report on where we'll be skiing that day, including foretasted temps, overcast, etc. Everyone uses this to plan their layers for the day. Second, CMH brings lunch to us each day in the field (sandwiches, hot tea & hot soup). They usually try to pick a spot in the sun, out of the wind, etc. But, given the light layers that we have on (per above), this can sometimes get a bit cool. So, 2 strategies: I sometimes pull out my vest from my backpack & put it on. Others store a down vest in their pack & put it on over their ski jacket. The latter is clearly the warmer. Your call. Frankly, most times I don' make any changes at all.
d. Helmet & goggles are obvious. A buff-type neck gaiter is also sometimes useful, and easily stored in a pocket until needed. Also, a small cloth to clean out the inside of the googles is sometimes helpful, especially for people like Dave Berry who fall a lot (just checking to see if you're still reading...).
e. Gloves. About 75% of people have gloves with some type of gaiter to keep the powder out. But, it's fine to ski with shorter gloves. Key is keeping the inside of the glove dry. People use a few techniques. First, I always treat the exterior of the glove with SnoSeal or NikWax or the like. Second, I usually take an extra pair of glove liners & if using them that day & if needed, can put in a fresh pair at lunch. Some people bring an extra pair of gloves in their small pack (see below), but I find this not necessary if you prep them properly.
f. Beacon. CMH provides a beacon that we must all use. It's a customized Barryvox. They check the batteries every night to keep 'em fresh. And the guide checks each person everyday before they let us board the helicopter.
g. Backpack. CMH provides a small backpack (appx. 15 liters) for each guest to use during the trip. It has a shovel, probe, extra ski straps & radio. There's enough room to store a small vest or fleece. You can bring your own pack if you like. The guides like them small & light weight, as they load & unload them a lot during the day. But, no real reason to bring a bunch of stuff; the CMH pack works fine. And no, we can't leave anything in the helicopter between runs. It all needs to be in your pack. Also note the implication here - no need to bring your own shovel, probe, beacon, etc. They provide all.
I've gotten a few questions about the gear bags to use on the trip. Here are my thoughts:
1. Gear Bag. As you know, there's no need to bring a ton of gear on the trip. 1 set of ski clothes, jeans & a fleece for dinners, workout pants & fleece for stretch & breakfast. There are laundry facilities @ the lodge to refresh anything if need be. (More on ski gear below). As such, no need for a giant, special gear bag. You check this bag with the airline, so watch the weight. I've found that my bag ends up weighing 40-45 lbs for a week-long trip. Be careful not to go over 50 lbs, as the airlines will charge you extra (beyond the regular bag fee) for the extra weight of this checked bag. Pic of my bag below.
2. Boot Bag. Yes, it's a good idea, and most everyone does, carry their boots with them as carry-on baggage on the plane. If the airline loses your gear bag, CMH and other guests can provide you with gear so you don't miss a day of skiing. However, if you lose your boots, you could be in a world of hurt with unfamiliar boots. So, carry them on. This is typically a bit of a challenge. If your plane is a 737, then fitting a boot bag into the overhead with both boots in the bag is very tight. If your plane is an Embraer Regional Jet, it's impossible. I usually end up taking one boot out of my boot bag and cramming it in the overhead next to my boot bag. Also, in my view there's no need for a special backpack-strapped boot bag (ala Transpack types) - you won't be carrying it very far and you can't pack much in it and have it fit in the overhead. As such, something easy and cheap is fine. Pic of the one I've used below (complete with wear & tear).
3. Backpack/Other Carry-on. As my second carry-on for computer, book for the flight, etc., I usually use a small backpack. Frankly, any bag that you usually use for this purpose is fine.
Here's the gear I've used on previous trips (thanks John P. for the tip on the tape measure):
A few more tips on gear:
4. Ski Gear. I usually bring/I recommend:
a. Ski Jacket & Pants. No need for super-special Gore-tex, etc. The regular jacket that you use for free skiing is fine. One set is fine, as a) there's no need to be a fashion statement & wear a different outfit every day and b) if the gear gets damaged with a small rip or the like you can repair with supplies from our sponsor Gear Aid!!
b. As for insulation, I usually bring a couple sets of long underwear. Thin to medium is fine. This enables me to wear a fresh set when the first gets sweaty and to double-up IF it's super cold. 2-3 sets of socks is good too, so that you don't have to do laundry every night. On top of that, a medium fleece (ala R2) or the like works well. As we discussed, there's no cold chairlift ride, so no need to bundle up for that - you finish each run and the heli is there shortly for the 5 minute ride to the next run. I sometimes bring a fleece vest or the like in case it's super cold & keep it in my backpack (see below).
c. There are 2 important points to point b, above. First, at the beginning of each day @ breakfast, the guides stand up and give us a weather report on where we'll be skiing that day, including foretasted temps, overcast, etc. Everyone uses this to plan their layers for the day. Second, CMH brings lunch to us each day in the field (sandwiches, hot tea & hot soup). They usually try to pick a spot in the sun, out of the wind, etc. But, given the light layers that we have on (per above), this can sometimes get a bit cool. So, 2 strategies: I sometimes pull out my vest from my backpack & put it on. Others store a down vest in their pack & put it on over their ski jacket. The latter is clearly the warmer. Your call. Frankly, most times I don' make any changes at all.
d. Helmet & goggles are obvious. A buff-type neck gaiter is also sometimes useful, and easily stored in a pocket until needed. Also, a small cloth to clean out the inside of the googles is sometimes helpful, especially for people like Dave Berry who fall a lot (just checking to see if you're still reading...).
e. Gloves. About 75% of people have gloves with some type of gaiter to keep the powder out. But, it's fine to ski with shorter gloves. Key is keeping the inside of the glove dry. People use a few techniques. First, I always treat the exterior of the glove with SnoSeal or NikWax or the like. Second, I usually take an extra pair of glove liners & if using them that day & if needed, can put in a fresh pair at lunch. Some people bring an extra pair of gloves in their small pack (see below), but I find this not necessary if you prep them properly.
f. Beacon. CMH provides a beacon that we must all use. It's a customized Barryvox. They check the batteries every night to keep 'em fresh. And the guide checks each person everyday before they let us board the helicopter.
g. Backpack. CMH provides a small backpack (appx. 15 liters) for each guest to use during the trip. It has a shovel, probe, extra ski straps & radio. There's enough room to store a small vest or fleece. You can bring your own pack if you like. The guides like them small & light weight, as they load & unload them a lot during the day. But, no real reason to bring a bunch of stuff; the CMH pack works fine. And no, we can't leave anything in the helicopter between runs. It all needs to be in your pack. Also note the implication here - no need to bring your own shovel, probe, beacon, etc. They provide all.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Ski News
From this week's news:
News:
Ski Season Kicks off in Banff with Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, & Norquay opening this weekend. (Note this is on the other side of the mountain range than Revelstoke, but Reve is coming along too). https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018/11/07/ski-season-kicks-off-banff/
Humor:
11 Year Old Ripper Skis Jackson Better Than You. (aka Dave Berry has aged pretty well...) https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018/11/07/video-11-year-old-ripper-skis-jackson-hole-better-than-you/
News:
Ski Season Kicks off in Banff with Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, & Norquay opening this weekend. (Note this is on the other side of the mountain range than Revelstoke, but Reve is coming along too). https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018/11/07/ski-season-kicks-off-banff/
Humor:
11 Year Old Ripper Skis Jackson Better Than You. (aka Dave Berry has aged pretty well...) https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018/11/07/video-11-year-old-ripper-skis-jackson-hole-better-than-you/
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Helicopters. Beer.
Dave Berry will go to no end to see that he gets his beer properly opened & delivered...
Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qmauupLvCE
And here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev7K8GtWnks
Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qmauupLvCE
And here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev7K8GtWnks
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Heliski Training
Team -
I see on Strava that many of us are training hard for the trip. It's true - the better shape we're in, the more fun we'll have. So, keep at it!
For fun and future reference, I've started to compile a list of good ski training references. Have a look & please add those that you have found to be relevant, interesting, helpful and/or all of the above.
Let's create a great reference library.
Link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nkYUh5PUJhklftXucYXRqyUmk2HZyYRZ-WGtz9ML4FI/edit?usp=sharing
I see on Strava that many of us are training hard for the trip. It's true - the better shape we're in, the more fun we'll have. So, keep at it!
For fun and future reference, I've started to compile a list of good ski training references. Have a look & please add those that you have found to be relevant, interesting, helpful and/or all of the above.
Let's create a great reference library.
Link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nkYUh5PUJhklftXucYXRqyUmk2HZyYRZ-WGtz9ML4FI/edit?usp=sharing
Patrol Heliski Team Kick-off Party Invite
You all should have received an invite to the Patrol Heliski Team Kick-off party.
Be sure to RSVP at: http://evite.me/tP4nMP64Ge
Be sure to RSVP at: http://evite.me/tP4nMP64Ge
Setting a High Bar...
Team -
Great article on one of our team members! Yep, as many of you know, you'll be skiing with an Olympian. She's setting a high bar.
Check out the full article here: http://southingtonobserver.com/2018/11/01/hall-of-fame-the-air-up-there-stacey-blumer-evans-launched-herself-all-the-way-to-the-olympics/?fbclid=IwAR3XRzTBrf_3G8XTZPkNN_DgULtNwxL7ofcZ1jaefoIeiKU0Sr_gtPkFmjE
Great article on one of our team members! Yep, as many of you know, you'll be skiing with an Olympian. She's setting a high bar.
Check out the full article here: http://southingtonobserver.com/2018/11/01/hall-of-fame-the-air-up-there-stacey-blumer-evans-launched-herself-all-the-way-to-the-olympics/?fbclid=IwAR3XRzTBrf_3G8XTZPkNN_DgULtNwxL7ofcZ1jaefoIeiKU0Sr_gtPkFmjE
Friday, November 2, 2018
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