Alberta_Rose

Heh! Oh yes.

There's parking at the top of the hill behind the big flag pole .... I think the marker slipped a little!

Mountain Girl

My knees are doing GREAT ! thanks. It was a little tough at the beginning of the second surgery, but its all good now.

Ramsey

COP is a training hill, unless you like Park/Pipe, then it's not too bad....

There are a couple of fast-chairs, so quick laps are possible...

Excellent for Beginners.... Indeed, if you're totally new then it's worthwhile clocking up a few hours worth of lessons here before spending $20-$40 in fuel and $70 on a day-ticket to a bigger mountain.

If you are a good rider, the COP is useful for after work.... Just to clock up the hours really, so you're ready for the big rides at the weekend

Intermediates looking for cruisers would be bored though.

Too late now, but there was an Early-bird pass for $300 this year (it's still only $500 full price, i think?)... So can work out quite cheap... think of it as a Snow-Gym!

Of course, like any ski-hill, it is fully weather dependant.... and not being in the mountains, COP suffers from the pretty extreme variations that Calgary gets during the winter. They do have a ton of snow-guns to support mother nature though.

Crash7

Nakiska is looking better and better! - Happy days!

I havent been to Kicking Horse yet, the OH isnt up to it and the last thing I want to do is take her somewhere extreme and break her confidence!

In time I intend to do a road trip and include, Kicking Horse, Golden, Panorama, Castle Mountain & Kimberly

Roll on winter!!

Mountain Girl

Now that sounds like a plan.

Ramsey

The 'Horse is awesome.... If you're a good (and fit!) rider.

The map will show a lot of green areas at the bottom, but these quite often fall below the freezing level and get quite slushy.

I say fit... as if you look at their map, there is one long Gondola and a 'top-up' chair. You pretty much end-up having to ride all the way down every run or two... Powder at top, packed in the middle, slush at the end.... you will definatley feel the burn!!

But the ridge-lines at the top are awesome!... A black at the 'horse is a double-diamond at the other mountains... there is some ver very good terrain!

Crash7

Thanks, this is good info, I will definately be trying the Horse! - I like to think I am relatively fit, but I still suffer from the dreaded burn! It sucks! But as you mentioned on long runs I think its a given!

Are the blacks at KH steep or technical? Generally speaking, particularly in Europe blacks are usually no steeper than red's but are narrow and littered with mogals, which on a snowboard arent great fun!

Cheers

Ramsey

It depends on your definition of "Technical" really..... If you want steep, then yes, if you want trees, then yes, rocks to hop off, then yes... If you want seriously steep chutes where "technical" involves dodging cliff faces and boulders, the double-yes!

Dont get me wrong....There are runs there for the intermediate skier, but I would think you would get bored pretty quick.

Crash7

Nice one, sounds like a blast!

Have you (Or anyone else) every riden 'Fortress Mountain' opinions?

Ramsey

Nope!... has been closed every time i've been here previously.

Weather it will open again is anyones guess (lots of politics there!)

I was driving past the access road at the weekend and was considering borrowing a snowmobile and water-ski tow this winter

Kittykerr

im going to buy a COP pass for this season, sure its small, but its also less than 15mins from most people in calgary.. so ill be going most days that im not going up to the mountains.. even an hour or 2 before or after work will be worth it. especially weekdays and evenings..

plus the beginners lessons are superb. about $45 for 2 hour lesson, ski/board hire and a full day lift ticket.. when i started to snowboard i was going from the top on the 1st lesson.. great way to learn before heading to the hills.


as for the real hills, well i snowboarded most of them last season but ill be buying a sunshine pass this year. to me it was the best.

it has the most snow, longest season. is huge and the snow is rarely icy or slushy.. plus i cant think of any reason why lake louise is worth the extra 45 min drive.. lake lousie is fun, but sunshine is just as good/ or better...

Ramsey

I agree... COP is great for clocking up the hours... and Sunshine is the best ALL-AROUND hill for a pass, but you do have to commit to getting there early at weekends or face the walk of death from your car to the Gondola base as it has the smallest car park (gondola base = still 20mins from the actual base area!)....

Kittykerr

yep you do need to get there early, but i do anyway. any minute that the hill is open that is not spent on the snow is a minute wasted in my book. i normally arrive about 8am, and dont leave until the last chair lift (+the ski out)

plus sunshine has the longest day too. as the midway point lift doesnt close until 5pm, and then have a good 20mins run back to the car from there... i think last time i was just taking my board off at nearly 6pm!

Crash7

I could not agree more, if you going to pay for a pass and travel there from Calgary you may as well get your monies worth!

How much is a season pass for Sunshine? I personally prefer LL but the points you raise are good ones and make sense and when you weight everything up Sunshine comes out on top!

And as it is not RCR controlled there isnt a ban on kickers like at LL

Kittykerr

if you buy one before the end of september then its $749 for an adult. which is what i will be doing.
i think its about $850 after that, however if you buy next seasons pass in the may at the end of the season its about $550..