Lost Lake trail system near Whistler(feedback wanted)

I am here again trying to plan a week of skiing around Jan 1 or so. At the
moment I know that B.C....has great snow......Sovereign Lake etc. I am
though trying to find a place I haven't been...and where a car might not be
necessary. I've heard of a medium sized groomed trail system at Lost Lake
near Whistler. Has anyone been there and done that? Is it too far for day
trips from Vancouver? (I'm guessing yes). Is the area very expensive?
(again guessing yes). I might though, as Scott Elliot has suggested, make
the Vernon area a base.....for Sovereign Lake, Larch Hills etc. Any
comments.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I haven't skied the trails at Whistler, but I have run on them when I was
there in the summer. They seem like they would be good skiing, but did not
seem to be very long. Check out the total length before committing to
spending too much time there.

In another few years the trails at Callahan Valley, near Whistler, where the
winter Olympics are to be held in 2010 should be open. I believe they plan
to have both recreational and competition grade trails. The area will be
more of a cross country ski destination when that happens.

Scott

"Mark Eastman" wrote in message
om...
I am here again trying to plan a week of skiing around Jan 1 or so. At the
moment I know that B.C....has great snow......Sovereign Lake etc. I am
though trying to find a place I haven't been...and where a car might not be
necessary. I've heard of a medium sized groomed trail system at Lost Lake
near Whistler. Has anyone been there and done that? Is it too far for
day trips from Vancouver? (I'm guessing yes). Is the area very expensive?
(again guessing yes). I might though, as Scott Elliot has suggested, make
the Vernon area a base.....for Sovereign Lake, Larch Hills etc. Any
comments.

Mark

Scott Elliot wrote:
Hi Mark,

I haven't skied the trails at Whistler, but I have run on them when I was
there in the summer. They seem like they would be good skiing, but did not
seem to be very long. Check out the total length before committing to
spending too much time there.

In another few years the trails at Callahan Valley, near Whistler, where the
winter Olympics are to be held in 2010 should be open. I believe they plan
to have both recreational and competition grade trails. The area will be
more of a cross country ski destination when that happens.

And sell lots and lots of HF wax:-)
Scott

"Mark Eastman" wrote in message
om...

I am here again trying to plan a week of skiing around Jan 1 or so. At the
moment I know that B.C....has great snow......Sovereign Lake etc. I am
though trying to find a place I haven't been...and where a car might not be
necessary. I've heard of a medium sized groomed trail system at Lost Lake
near Whistler. Has anyone been there and done that? Is it too far for
day trips from Vancouver? (I'm guessing yes). Is the area very expensive?
(again guessing yes). I might though, as Scott Elliot has suggested, make
the Vernon area a base.....for Sovereign Lake, Larch Hills etc. Any
comments.

Mark

Mark Eastman wrote:

I am
though trying to find a place I haven't been...and where a car might not be
necessary. I've heard of a medium sized groomed trail system at Lost Lake
near Whistler. Has anyone been there and done that?

Yes. If everything's open, there are about 28 km (17 miles)
of trails, with a nice mix of all grades, including both dead
flat ones and leg-burning uphills / screaming downhills
(especially when icy).

The weather in the valley (where the trails are located) is
often quite warm, though; check trail conditions at

http://www.crosscountryconnection.bc.ca/new.htm

and the weather at

http://weather.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-86_metric_e.html

Notwithstanding that, I've always found the grooming to be
good.


Is it too far for day trips from Vancouver? (I'm guessing yes).

If you're doing without a car, possibly -- I'm unfamiliar with
the bus schedules. Otherwise, it's perhaps 1.75 hours' drive
one way, give or take. (The highway is twisty, and doesn't
consistently have passing lanes. It's also not the best road
to be on if you're amongst the weekend crowd rushing to return
to Vancouver after the lifts close on Sunday -- people tend to
drive beyond their capabilities & the road conditions.)


Is the area very expensive? (again guessing yes).

http://www.whistler.ca/Community/CC_Skiing/index.php

says CAD$20 (about US$17) for a day ticket. If you're around
Whistler on January 8th, XC skiing's free that day. (It's a
promo day held in conjunction with the Lost Lake Shuffle, a
4- or 2-hour enduro -- if you're into that sort of thing.)


I might though, as Scott Elliot has suggested, make
the Vernon area a base.....for Sovereign Lake, Larch Hills etc.

Always a good choice. The snow will be dryer & colder, so you'll
find more classic skiers than on the coast at Whistler. Don't
think you'll get by without a car; you might be able to if you
stay at Silver Star and ski only Sovereign & Silver Star trails.

If you're only concerned with the quality of skiing, consider
that Vancouver skiers go inland all the time (to Vernon, Kamloops,
Kelowna, etc.) to ski; except for racing, I've never heard of
Interior skiers coming out to the coast to ski.


--
Feng Chen,
Vancouver, Canada