VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Hi all- getting pissed off at the non-family jet set wanna be attitude of Mt Washington (I mean, do they really think they are Whistler??) has resulted in me taking my crew to Manning Park recently. The place is small, four lifts (one mostly skies on the Orange chair anyway which is the one of two larger ones open midweek), has drier snow than most coastal mtn resorts like Vancouver or the Island (cept perhaps Cain). Teaching your kids on the wagon trail runs is great. Not much has changed since I skied here in high school but that's also one of the best parts

I hope to drum up some publicity for this ailing operation that is (again) in receivership which is truly too bad. The only reason I can think of is that everyone expects detachable quads or sixpacks which of course are associated with a price. I wonder where those places think the next generation of skiers and boarder is supposed to come from....I hope some of you appreciate serenity, wildlife, no traffic and few to no crowds in a mountain atmoshpere that fosters 'old time" values and family time.

Right now Manning is offering $35 lift passes for adults midweek, $45 weekends or midweek accom and pass for $49 (2 persons + per room) Youth/kids are of course even less than that....Hot tub and pool and a skating rink where you can play broom ball and shinny hockey at night, wx permitting. No line ups, dry powder, RV plug ins (free or $30/day depending on days ) and free showers, heated space to hang, microwave and kitchenette in the lodge basement area opening toward the RV parking area. BBQ (some RV'ers have campfires at night) and tube runs right there outside.

The lift ticket savings more than offset the ferry cost and the Crowsnest drive is spectacular and takes 3hrs from the terminal. Supercheap food and gas in Abbotsford. Mountain biking and wicked trails in summer. Ski touring is welcomed and the cross country trail network is awesome.

Please support one of the oldest and most pleasant resorts in the Fraser Valley The forecast looks good for this week coming up, let's hope it doesn't get too warm, HOPE weather and the manning links are:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0138
http://www.manningpark.com/?q=node/79
The webcam shows the conditions and the snow report, unlike Mt washington, does not lie, if anything they understate the great conditions. If it's raining, they tell you so Heading back up for a week in spring break, maybe I will see some familiar faces then

Just because you don't enjoy Mt. Washington please stop bagging it! There is great skiing there and I have been a season pass member there for 26 years ski race coached for a number of years and look forward to going up there as much as possible. Of course this year has been a bit difficult weather wise since a great Christmas break but that is the way it goes sometimes.

Everyone knows that they lie about the weather and the snow depth. If it is 8-10C in the Comox valley then you know it is going to be border line rain or full on rain....you know enough about the weather not to go up even if they are saying that it is not going to rain.

If you think Manning Park is better then great. If you feel that it is a better place to take your family then great. Just don't bag on the mountian that I grew up skiing on and plan to have my kids grow up skiing on.

Sorry just tired of all the constant bitching Kus. Feel free to lash out at will!

-Mark

Personally I am still pissed at the location of Mount Washington. You'd think with modern technology they would pick it up and put it closer to where everyone lives. Sheesssh... Moses parted water and they didn't have iPhones or facebook back then, moving a mountain should be no biggie.

I find myself always staring at the lines on the Olympic mtns above Port Angeles. All those bowls and chutes need some turns put on them.

They should develop a ski area up there and connect the gondola to the ferry terminal. Just kick back on the ferry, have a coffee then enjoy the 8,000 v' while looking back at the lights of Victoria.

Or just move mt Washington and put it right on top of Langford.

TheLaw wrote:Just because you don't enjoy Mt. Washington please stop bagging it! .....
If you think Manning Park is better then great. If you feel that it is a better place to take your family then great. Just don't bag on the mountian that I grew up skiing on and plan to have my kids grow up skiing on.
...Sorry just tired of all you constant bitching Kus. Feel free to lash out at will!

I wasn't so much talking about Mt Wash but yeah, it IS the only other real option on the island so if you want to talk about Mt Wash, let's do it:

Pros-I like it as an option, the Raven Lodge is great, I have had some decent days there, one great one. Their parking at the base of the green is always accessible and the sushi is enjoyable after a day.

Neutral- Accom is available and their pricing isn't out of norm but not within my reach, plus after years of living on a mountain my least favorite thing was trudging supplies and bedding for 5 through the snow to a cabin where I have to park a ways off. Grooming has been hit and miss, usually I see at least a few holes dug and death cookies on the side of the runs but that depends also on conditions. I do see sometimes they don't groom the beginner runs down tho which can be a problem.

Cons- The drive is hard, the hill climb and descent is unsafe, a one day-er is not an option in my book and there is no decent place to even park an RV, never mind plug in. The terrain is okay but far from great, most fall lines are sidehill, the back chair is useless. Obviously their planning is very poor and they used loggers to plan the runs. Their clients were family but with their pricing I don't know how any family can afford it unless they have serious spare cash.

Customer service: Nearly empty rental shop, two pairs of boots to get, missed 1 1/4 hr!! of skiing for this "never again" little side trip....Food prices in the caf? Holy shit, I think they have gold in their hot dogs...Security guys are rude and think they are the cops, one just about bashed my window in knocking when they wanted me to move 100 yrds over in the Sunrise parking lot. I have written the mountain several times now, requesting options for families and suggesting they have more midweek specials like Kokanee week, reinstate RV parking, start family specials or lower their family season pass rates or provide more options.....I haven't even gotten a f$#K off back. I think that's enough to bag them as you say.....my experience has been far from acceptable.

As far as my "bitching", personally I am also a grumpy guy, it gets better when I keep on my meds or if the wind blows (which it hasn't for a year now). Plus I'm here to balance the Sandy Beach factor Also, if nobody raises concerns or provides feedback (whether good or bad), nothing changes my friend. Do you think a $70+ lift ticket is acceptable? what if it was $100? maybe not then? I understand your attachment to your home mountain and it was probably great when things started as an option to ailing Mt Arrowsmith, Forbidden and Green Mtn, Cain.....but now...Monopolies suck. I like to think I fairly assess the situation and if I am not happy with something I let it be known, sorry bout dat. I know a large portion of this great country rather sits on their hands and grumble to themselves instead in their mindless apathy.....but let's not get into that...

Cj wrote:I find myself always staring at the lines on the Olympic mtns above Port Angeles. All those bowls and chutes need some turns put on them.

I'd be all over hurricane ridge and touring the Olympics if the ferry ran the other way around, right now it leaves Vic at 10 and returns at 2. Even on an overnight you barely get a day in. I have suggested a ski weekend run to the Coho people once, you can guess what happened there.... they DO run a ski shuttle from PA to the mountain tho but it leaves at 8 or so started a thread under other topics

35cm of new snow last 24, minus 4, snowing heavily now and will clear/dry and cool toward end of this week and weekend, more snow Friday in between, sounds killer wish I could go again