Truck camping at ski resorts in the Pacific Northwest/British Columbia

melcooke said:
I've skied Mission Ridge 8-10 times but have yet to be there when the snow was really good. Rumor is that when the snow is good it is a really fun place.
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Those rumors are correct!


melcooke said:
We've a friend who has the 2K Honda and she really likes it. Not real noisy but it is a generator. She has a chain and locks it to the truck when away. Generally only has to run it for a couple of hours each day. We're going to do our best to avoid a generator, time will tell.
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A little Honda generator with a snow wall around it is surprisingly quiet. I have yet to need one though.
 
Kolockum said:
Those rumors are correct!


A little Honda generator with a snow wall around it is surprisingly quiet. I have yet to need one though.
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How do I know if Mission Ridge has 'good snow'? What should I look for and where?

Friend said he has an older Honda 2200 he will loan me for the trip...good way see if it fills a niche! He is on my to White Pass; perfect.
 
If and it's a big if, i run my Honda 2k, it is only when we are out of sight and sound of other people.
Pretty obtrusive to me to have to listen to one. A ski area parking lot during the day/early evening would most likely be ok as most people around you are out and about.
Going to be a strange winter here at Big Sky, and all over i guess. Will wait and see. Frankly, it can get so crazy that i just leave and go sliding around in the forrest/yellowstone just to get away from the crowds.
Love the smaller ski areas, we used to go check them out a fair amount.
If you come through this way, reach out to me and i'll buy you a beer(or hot chocolate)
w
 
Wow, this is crazy, I'd be really freaked on by the loud sirens too.
Wallowa said:
[SIZE=10.5pt]Mel...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Thanks again for info...very valuable....still sorting out where I can simply walk up and buy tickets when I arrive at a ski area and not be forced into buying tickets on-line, if available...virus panic is in full bloom at ski areas and no end in sight...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Let me explain if I can my comments about last year’s negative contacts at Canadian borders. I have traveled in Canada many times over the years and these were the first negative crossings. Our cranky RCMP contacts were indeed an anomaly.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Going in [Porthill] RCMP Bardal [his actual name..like the oil supplement] kept telling me that I did not need a shotgun for bear protection in the interior since there were rangers there to protect us [I had the requisite permit]...I patiently explained we were off-roading it in non-park areas with no rangers within hundreds of miles, especially at O-Dark-Thirty... told him we had no way to escape the Hawk camper if a pissed off [early Spring..]Grizzly wanted in while we were inside; bear spray inside the Hawk would not be prudent...he advised us to take it back some 30 miles into USA and put it in a storage locker..but we were not coming back to that border crossing on our return.. on and on and on... I finally slid my completed RCMP required firearm permit and $$$ across the counter and stood there until he accepted it...30 mins of goofy-ness.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Next negative event for me was after we crossed into Alaska at Hyder. No USA border station going in. Those that don't know, that Hyder 'road' [dirt] is a dead end near a famous glacier...we encountered mud slides and then 2+ feet of heavy old snow across the road after many beautiful miles up that cliff side road...back we go to cross back into Stewart Canada...honestly, we did not see anyone living in Hyder going in or coming out, Stewart and Hyder are cool places, but talk about isolated! So as we approach the Canadian border and there is a very 'rustic' shack [weather beaten does not start to describe it] on passenger’s side with a stop sign and a window perhaps 6 feet above the road...I assume it is the border station...but do not see anyone in the window; waited briefly then pulled slowly forward: Siren! I mean big, frickin’, loud Siren! I jam on brakes and backup to find an RCMP [female] at my driver’s window; I lower the window...she shouts at me in her best enforcement scolding scream: "I don't know what 'stop' means in Oregon but here it means stop!" I say I did stop, she says “No you didn't and 'we' [ a fellow RCMP then appears in the window of the shack; he is very sheepish looking] were going to go in pursuit of you and that would have been a $2,000 fine”...wife, nudges me and I stop talking, except to answer her questions, all the while wondering if she would take a check..I was in law enforcement and can sympathize with her being stuck at a meaningless, clapped out, BFE border crossing; she must have really pissed someone in RCMP off to get assigned there; or she is in their witness protection program...her igniting and transforming into a living, fire-breathing Valkyrie was a real shock; it took me several days to de-stress. Funny now but not then...Did find out that Stewart RCMPs are not happy with residents of Hyder since RCMP does not have any jurisdiction in that corner of Alaska and Hyder folks get bounced often when they enter or pass through Stewart for supplies. Not a border war, but no love lost either. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Mel, did not know border was closed...more insanity, seems to be the new norm.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Phil [/SIZE]
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Wallowa said:
How do I know if Mission Ridge has 'good snow'? What should I look for and where?

Friend said he has an older Honda 2200 he will loan me for the trip...good way see if it fills a niche! He is on my to White Pass; perfect.
Click to expand...
we pack a honda gen for a back up, and do pretty well w/o running it. they are quiet and durable.
 
Wallowa said:
How do I know if Mission Ridge has 'good snow'? What should I look for and where?
Click to expand...
Sorry I didn't see you question earlier. I look on their web site or weather.gov and see what has been going on and what the current the trend is.
 
Wallowa, as someone mentioned earlier check their website for recent snow.

Mission tends to get a lot of wind, especially at the top, which blows the snow off the upper mountain runs. This also makes for icy conditions if there has not been fairly recent snowfall. They do make snow on the lower hill.

Wallowa said:
How do I know if Mission Ridge has 'good snow'? What should I look for and where?

Friend said he has an older Honda 2200 he will loan me for the trip...good way see if it fills a niche! He is on my to White Pass; perfect.
Click to expand...
 
Mel, Thanks appreciate that insight...trying to time the weather and snow will be impossible once I go on the road [February] but of course I will be checking out the sites everyday and since I am not on any schedule I can delay as long as my little heart desires!

Adventures must have unknowns or they don't deserve the name... :cool:

Phil
 
Keep those edges sharp!


Wallowa said:
Mel, Thanks appreciate that insight...trying to time the weather and snow will be impossible once I go on the road [February] but of course I will be checking out the sites everyday and since I am not on any schedule I can delay as long as my little heart desires!

Adventures must have unknowns or they don't deserve the name... :cool:

Phil
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He is back!!! :ninja:

Here is a list of ski areas I hope to ski at in February....working from West to East...any tips or your evaluation on these areas will be appreciated...I added Schweitzer Mountain, but for some reason it seems to be too much of an "up town" resort for this old hillbilly...let me me know what you think.. thanks! All are moveable pieces and no set schedule...will try for mid-week, no crowds when I can..

White Pass, Mission Ridge, 49 degrees N, [Schweitzer] Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Bridger, Red Lodge, Lost Trail, Brundage, Tamarack and maybe Anthony Lakes on way home...

Thanks Again,

Phil

Ps...If you know of any cat skiing available please let me know...
 
Phil, here is what I know. There certainly may be others that know more about these mountains than I do. If I don't mention the hill I don't know anything about it.

Mission Ridge: Often suffers from low snow but when it does get snow it is great. Being on the eastside of the North Cascades crest the snow is usually really dry. Some pretty good in bounds hiking in the Bomber Bowl.

49 degrees N: Unless they have changed things this year nearly half of this mountain is not open mid week. Now owned by the same people who own Silver this place still hangs onto its mom and pop attitude. Once again snow coverage can be an issue but what they get is really nice. Lots of terrain and good tree skiing.

[Schweitzer]: Yes, has gone upscale but not so much to make me not want to ski it. Lots of variety in terrain. Generally better snow at 49 and Mission but generally more of it.

Silver Mountain: Lots of varied terrain and good snow. Lots of terrain and it still has a low key vibe. Crappy grooming so if it is a groomer day go to Lookout Pass instead.

Lookout Pass: We love this mountain, mom and pop and great grooming. Lots of snow. Not a great amount of challenging terrain but some fun trees.

Bridger: Have not skied here but will be Feb. 5th or 6th.

Brundage and Tamarack: Once again have not skied here before but will be Feb. 17th and 18th.

Have fun, sounds like a great trip.

Oh, if you have some flexibility Mt. Spokane is another low key area that can have great snow and has a friendly vibe.
 
Mel,

Great synopsis..thanks.....you mentioned the the magic words "trees" and "mom and pop"....do I have time for Mt. Spokane? Heck, I do not have a scheduled time for this trip....will "play it by ear" and see where it takes me!

When I rough out a timetable; I will put it in this thread. All will depend on snow and areas being open. Will hold Schweitzer as a possible.

Phil
 
In a penny---in a pound...

How about Whitefish? Stats look great... what has been you experience there? I set my own route and pace, so if the snow is there maybe I will also ski there..

Thanks...Phil
 
Yup, many if not most “major” resorts are getting a couple of C-notes for their lifts these days. The only way we can keep skiing is by buying an IKON season pass...or EPIC if those resorts are in your area of ops. Very cool project, in the distant past I’ve often thought a tour of resorts large and small by camper would be cool. Looking forward to a post-trip report.
 
fish more said:
What does it cost to ski in Oregon, my daughter went to Squaw Valley, CA. It was $200.00 for the day
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Obviously it varies...but go on-line and google different resorts...check ticket prices...being a "Super Senior" I get small to large discounts but like at Big Sky ski hill in Montana; it still is an obscene price...that is why I normally skin up and ski down, away from the crowds..

Squaw Valley? Come on...that is like Aspen...I remember as a kid in Reno ...Alpine Meadows ticket was $4.50...but alas all those days are long gone...plus resorts are squeezing out the bucks to cover the virus panic....

Back to my question: Any input on Whitefish Ski area?

Phil

Indy Pass is also an option...I got one this year....
 
Different areas are managing COVID-19 issues in different ways - best to check and it will likely change over the winter. Seems like many areas are not using lifts at full capacity so lines are longer. Ticket sales are limited too. Will still be a ski season, just different. we are completely opting out of areas and just BC this year.
 
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