jkamien
Member
I am out here in Vancouver on business for a week. I am going to Whistler Friday night to ski Sat and Sun, but I noticed the lights up on Grouse Mountain on the cab ride from the airport Sunday night after I arrived, and realized I could get some turns in after work, with very little effort.
Following a quick change into ski clothes in my hotel room on the waterfront, I walked through the lobby feeling a little self-conscious, carrying my skis, poles and a boot bag to get a cab. About twenty minutes later, I was buying my lift ticket at the base of the SkyRide, a large tram that takes you up to the base of the ski area.
There's a lot of snow here (76 inch base)! They had reported 2 or 3 inches Sunday night. The snow surface was wet, since it had drizzled a bit during the day. However, the temperature was hovering just above freezing, so it hadn't set up.
There were two quads operating serving about 4 or 5 lit intermediate routes down. The terrain was just blue stuff, but I could sense some steeper stuff existed off in the gloom. I haven't been night skiing for years, but I highly recommend clear lenses for your goggles...I realized things were a lot dimmer than they had to be when I took off my goggles for the first time after 4 or 5 runs. I thoroughly enjoyed my first turns of this season.
The view of Vancouver at night, once the low cloud deck lifted a bit, was spectacular. I'd recommend hitting Grouse when the opportunity presents and you don't have time to get to Whistler. It is hard to believe this place exists so close to downtown. Other than Salt Lake, where can you get really good skiing within a half hour drive of a major city's center?
Following a quick change into ski clothes in my hotel room on the waterfront, I walked through the lobby feeling a little self-conscious, carrying my skis, poles and a boot bag to get a cab. About twenty minutes later, I was buying my lift ticket at the base of the SkyRide, a large tram that takes you up to the base of the ski area.
There's a lot of snow here (76 inch base)! They had reported 2 or 3 inches Sunday night. The snow surface was wet, since it had drizzled a bit during the day. However, the temperature was hovering just above freezing, so it hadn't set up.
There were two quads operating serving about 4 or 5 lit intermediate routes down. The terrain was just blue stuff, but I could sense some steeper stuff existed off in the gloom. I haven't been night skiing for years, but I highly recommend clear lenses for your goggles...I realized things were a lot dimmer than they had to be when I took off my goggles for the first time after 4 or 5 runs. I thoroughly enjoyed my first turns of this season.
The view of Vancouver at night, once the low cloud deck lifted a bit, was spectacular. I'd recommend hitting Grouse when the opportunity presents and you don't have time to get to Whistler. It is hard to believe this place exists so close to downtown. Other than Salt Lake, where can you get really good skiing within a half hour drive of a major city's center?
