To each their own. I started at seymour and was there for 3 straight seasons having a blast. They have an affordable student pass rate as well as being some 25ish minutes from my house. I worked my schedule out so I'd be there on certain weekdays and it was never too busy. Most days I'd be able to ride straight to the front of the line before having to unbuckle.

Yes! Tell me everything!

I have no plans other than my flight gets into CTS on Jan 7 and I leave on Jan 14.

Yeah, the corporate rate runs till Oct. 1, so hurry up dude!!

Theres so much to tell really so I'll try and keep this short. Most foreigners go to Niseko because its easy to get there and it pretty much dumps for 4 months straight. Especially in January it can snow an average of 30 cm's per day. I remember one day it was literally waist deep outside the front door of my building. It was ridiculous on the hill. Niseko is also good if your Japanese skills are kind of lacking. These days because of all the western tourists most hotels and lodging companies are bringing in english speaking staff to make the whole experience just that much easier. Hokkaido also has a ton of really sick resorts not far from Niseko. I can think of 4 or 5 within a 45 minute drive of Niseko. They all get retarded amounts of snow and the crowds usually get smaller the further you get from Niseko.

A good friend of mine started up a Japanese ski holiday company recently. Kelvin can pretty much tell you where to stay and how to get there and where to find all the goods. He spent a good couple years in Japan so he knows what he's talking about. If you drop my name maybe he can cut you a deal.
Welcome to Samurai Snow - Japan Ski Specialists | SamuraiSnow

Let me know if you want some more info. I'm pretty jealous right now. I really want to go back.

A little sample of what you're going to experience.

Oh yeah Kelvin is the first guy you see in the green jacket lol.
Luke

insert in.gif here.

Don't know if I need any new gear this year, most of my stuff is only 1 or 2 seasons old.

Might get some accessories when the new gear starts rolling in, the basics like gloves, goggles, a helmet, etc.

Right now I am reserving judgement on this coming season, last season was such an epic fail, and long range forecasts (which I think are fucking non-sense really) say this season is going to be even shittier.

Nonetheless I have a few buddies planning to hit some mountains in the states. Last year I spent almost an entire week at Brighton, and it was beyond awesome.

Definitely interested in a RS meet at CYP.

anyone here a snowboard instructor? looking into getting my level 1 casi certification. Im planing to do this as a part time job along with my full time job. I would like to know more on how the industry is.

https://www.facebook.com/events/359294917580695/

last year they had the I/O? or similar smith goggles for like 100$~

only thing i saw good last year

Just thought I'd spread the stoke with our edit from last season again. Less than 2 months guys!!! :D

If anyone is interested, Fun in the sun on W4th ave has TONS of AK jackets at 160-300 bucks. I picked one up today. Sweet, sweet goretex. Also a Gopro black for filming some shenanigans. I'm so fucking ready.

I could use an AK jacket to match my pants, looking for something much slimmer than my Columbia.

I picked one up for 200! Do your worst whistler weather! Head down there as I bet the good sizes and colours will go fast.

I'd like to get out this year. Didn't even go once last year due to the shit weather and on my second outing the year prior I cracked a rib and separated my shoulder on 2 separate bails. The cracked rib was manageable but when my shoulder separated that was it. That sucked hard :(. I ain't young no mo! No more big jumps for me anymore.

Currently riding a Lib Skate Banana and I'm more than happy with it. Tons of flex for noodling around and jibs. I mostly just like hitting deep pow and carving big and wide.

Went to try my luck today but only med or larger sizes left. No luck for myself finding any smalls. Good deals to be had though!

Sadly going to not buy a ski pass this year. Realized for me to go on a weekday, I'd have to get my car on the other side of Cambie Bridge, get through downtown rush hour, over the Lions Gate bridge, all during peak time. Off at 5/530, probably wont get up to Cypress until almost 7?

I'll probably just pick up a GMC anyways, that way I can attempt that some days and save on weekends when we have a RS meet. :)

J.P. Auclair and Andreas Fransson Confirmed Dead; Avalanche.

RIP to these two skiers. Didn't know who Fransson was and only knew of Auclair because of the Trail video, which is one of my favourites.

Liz Daley, a snowboarder and backcountry guide from Tacoma was killed as well, in a separate avalanche in argentina. Fucking terrible snowpack down there right now from the sounds of it. Tragic. Warm weather, huge dumps on a very crusty layer from a long stretch of sunny weather from what I read.
Liz Daley Killed by Avalanche in South America | Transworld Snowboarding

does cypress still offer nightly passes? i just tried looking..

there's a cross country pass for $149, then apparently a downhill add on for 30.. but odnt know if that works.. and too lazy to find out. lol.

7pm = perfect time imo. you get 3 hrs which is MOOOORE than enough time!

No nightly passes. Just the NiteOwl reduced rate @ $33+tax starting after 5pm.

7PM isnt a bad time, I would probably be riding solo most of the time. None of my close friends are buying season passes anymore.

Big White ftw! Much better than Whistler imo. Too bad it's so much farther.

Ah gotcha. Same here. Riding solo is fun sometimes, but gets boring fast :(

SOLO-RIDER checking in (novice)

Solo riding is fun sometimes, but as slowguy said, it sometimes gets boring...and lonely.

If any of you forever alones hit up Big White and wanna rip with a few people gimme a shout, I'm up there with 1-4 friends every weekend.

Nakiska Season Pass holder rite here!
only $100 this season

I love the fact that I can wake up at noon, eat a quick lunch, drive over to Nakiska and do a bit of boarding until closing, I'll be there almost every Sunday!

Starting to look pretty good up in Whistler!

http://snow.whistler-blackcomb.com/glacier/2glacier.jpg