Maggots on Whistler/Blackcomb

|| March 3 – Blackcomb || March 8 – Blackcomb || March 9 – Whistler || March 10 – Whistler || March 11 – Musical Bumps ||

March 3, 2006 – Blackcomb

A TGR summit was planned for Whistler/Blackcomb. What is a summit you may ask? Well having only posted on TGR or Teton Gravity Research Forums for about a year I actually didn’t have the faintest idea till some one named “Buster Highmen” (what a strange name) explained that it was a cavalcade of “maggots” descending on a ski resort.

Well it turns out all right since I find out that “maggots” are what posters on TGR call themselves. They turn out to be fine people with a predeliction for big fat skis. Oh they all like to ski fast too. From L to R – Rich (Pulver Schwein), Graeme (seatosky), Mike (spdfrk43) and George (Droopy); Rich and Graeme are from Vancouver, Mike and George are respectively from New Jersey and Maryland.

Initially a bigger group of Maggots and Maggettes had met at the Glacier Lodge but we had split into 2 smaller groups. Our boys head off to Secret Chute and drop into Pakalolo. Here goes Mike.

Followed by George.

Glacier Chair opens up and we’re off to Spankys. Toby (powder11) joins us and he takes half the group over to Rubys. We head over to the Sapphire/Diamond ridge and drop into Wildside. Here’s George.

Mike on Wildside.

Wildside is steeper then it looks.

Here I am taking pics standing out of the way of sluff.

Mike again.

Down Diamond Bowl – Sharon chases, Mike leads. George takes a break.

Another lap on Sapphire; Mike contemplates the shark-fin rocks at the bottom of the Upper Sapphire entry chute and the straightline

A view from the top as Toby drops in.

Rich right on Toby’s tail.

Off to the backcountry and the skin up – or boot pack to East Col then over to Blackcomb Peak. I cheer Graeme on.

After another small bootpack to DOA; Graeme, now fully recovered, drops in.

DOA looks gnar-core from the top; Mike and his cramping quads find the climb to DOA plenty gnar-core.

Rich drops in. The first few turns and chalky and scraped but are still good.

DOA does get tight as Mike in 190 Gotamas finds out.

The snow gets a lot better at the mid point of DOA.

Rich making turns as the chute widens.

Toby drops a hump on the lower part of DOA now heading into Bodybag Bowl.

Mike with the “we did it” point.

Up 7th Heaven and then down Hawaii 5-0. Toby drops in. No entry cornice makes for a fine run.

No crowds and nice snow at the bottom of Hawaii 5-0

March 8, 2006 – Blackcomb

It snowed a lot today. Lots and lots of surprisingly decent snow given the high winds up top. Our first round was up Spankys and down Ruby before it got shut down by the high winds. Then we went off to seek treed skiing goodness.

Here goes Tracy on CBC trees

Gerald on the Crystal trees

Rob chasing and finding soft snow

Rooster tail …

The photographer getting photographed

At the end of the day I took Roger through CBC Trees again for a fast run; he finds the speed to his liking

aggresively turning

Snowsnake bites Roger? What happened here?

Roger makes up for it by sending some pillows

I estimate between 20 – 25 cms of snow at least today and alpine was not open.

March 9- Whistler

Whistler’s alpine hadn’t opened the day before so we knew it would be good. Harmony opened up while the Peak was still on standby so we went hunting snow. George finds some in Sun Bowl

Rob also in Sun Bowl.

Gerald, the photographer, gets photographed. showing his epic angulation steeze

Flurries make for poor pictures but wind and flurries make this gorgeous windlip off Robertson’s Trees a natural halfpipe. Rich hits it.

Rich finds the steep and deep.

Bruce doesn’t seem to miss the cordoruy of Tremblant as he attacks.

I parked myself just downslope of a beautiful pillow that swallows skiers; where’s Bruce?

ah there’s Bruce

Tom is the last one down but hits the lip the hardest.

The sun breakds out! I need willing subjects and off we are to Robertsons again. This is turning out to be the Gerald show.

The light beautifully illuminates the rooster trails that Rich throws out straightlining the trees.

Gerald attacks this run so aggresively I…

all I think about is how the hell …

do I get out of the way? Lucky Bruce doesn’t take me out.

Tom on Robertsons

Gerald again – repeating Robertsons as we work our way down the line farming pow.

Pow is farmed

A good photo needs a decent subject who moves consistently and finds good lines. Rich obliges.

Rich drops a knee … but he’s not on tele gear.. It’s just a snow snake eating his ski.

We take a run up Flute – the sun comes out and lights the trees beautifully for the boot pack out..

Me on Excitation

Ending the day with a run down Peak to Creek’s trees, Gerald finds more pow. Whoever says Whistler gets skied out quick just has no idea where to look.