Castle Mountain/Montana

[TelemarkTom]

Planning a late January trip to Castle Mountain in Alberta. It's about a 6 hour drive for us here in Helena, Montana. It will be a long weekend trip (3-4 days). Anybody been before and stayed in Pincher Creek, Alberta before? Suggestions?

BTW, most Montana areas are hurting for snow. Went to Big Sky for opening weekend and it was the worst early season conditions I have seen in 10 years. We got spoiled last year.

Tom

 

[Admin]

Anybody been before and stayed in Pincher Creek, Alberta before?

Yeah, me:

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/index. ... le&sid=223

Great place, as long as the Chinooks haven't been howling. They turn it into what a friend who used to live in Calgary calls the "sastrugi capital of the world."

 

[Patrick]

During the Warren Miller Off The Grid shows (in Canada at least). They had a short film about the place.

It's been on my radar screen for a few years, I just need to make out there instead of elsewhere so time. :wink:

edit: Castle has expanded on Mt.Haig with some intermediate terrain this year. More in the latest(?) Ski Canada.

 

[TelemarkTom]

Great article! Thanks admin.

 

[Tony Crocker]

http://216.250.243.13/discus2/messages/ ... 1076697739

I was there most recently in 2004. I first had the pleasure of skiing Castle in March 1999, the first year of the upper lift when the place was totally undiscovered.

Interesting comment on Montana. The areas to the north (Big Mountain) and south (Targhee/Jackson) are very close to average in snowfall so far.

Both Big Sky and Bridger have independent weather patterns and do not correlate as well to other regional areas as one might expect. Looks like they are unlucky so far, much the opposite of last year at this time. But I'll bet they are still much better than here in California.

 

[TelemarkTom]

Thanks for the photos of Castle.

Regarding Montana, Bridger just announced "The projected opening date of December 9th will likely be postponed."

Need one of those magical Bridger clouds that dumps 3 feet.

 

[ChrisC]

Here is a report from Castle's opening day - from the Unofficial Fernie site (Caslte opened before Fernie). See Dec 3.

http://far.redtree.com/cgmrep.html

Obviously, Fernie is near Castle too - which is looking good for snow with a 50" base.

 

[snowave]

Castle is a damn fun mtn.. kinda like a big version of Baldy in CA, with a little more money/development/more terrain.. :lol: some great steeps and is probably one of the best mtns I've ever ridden after a good night of wind from the right direction. Town ain't much, but we had a blast partying with the ladies at the local curling club!