Is this a do-able (tranlation - easier) and fun run -stupid question #902

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Permalink Reply by Bobbby on December 23, 2008 at 12:27pm

I personally think that Buddy's run is the most difficult run on the mountain. That being said, you could probably do it... I just don't like it because it's icy. It's a fairly easy blue run, on the slope side of things.

I think you could do it, though. It might be a bit difficult in places (ex, Tornado Lane, aka the iciest place on the entire mountain...) but you can most certainly do it. I'd personally recommend, though, the other side of the mountain, near Sundown. I'd go up Sundown, take down Rendevouz way, and cut across to the cat track (right past rendevouz) and take down the green that is on the left. It's not top to bottom, but it's more enjoyable. If you want top to bottom, you could go on duster (directly right after the downhill before Rendevouz) and that will take you to the bottom of rainbow, where you can either cut to the cat track and take vagabond down or head down the blue to BC Ski way.

Have fun!

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Permalink Reply by skisteamboat on December 23, 2008 at 1:15pm

Its doable but really not much fun, especially Tornado Lane in the afternoon when it gets pretty scraped off and Icy, not to mention crowded.

I would go part way down Buddy's, cut across Calf Roper past the Four Points Hut down Upper and Lower Rainbow and then the long cat walks of BC Skiway etc.

You might take Buddy's all the way to Four Points Lift the first trip (if its running), go back up and then the Calf Roper cut off. Four Points is my favorite lifts even if it is only a two place fixed grip. Slow and through the trees and great views over your shoulder.

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Kup on December 23, 2008 at 1:20pm

" even if it is only a two place fixed grip"..... what does this mean for the non-savvy ski lingo guy?

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Permalink Reply by skisteamboat on December 23, 2008 at 1:33pm

Basically one of your fundamental ski lifts. Two place chairs semi permanently (removable to replace or inspect the cable) attached to the haul cable so it does not stop or slow down at the loading and unloading stations. The chairs are moving at the same speed as the cable for the entire circuit.

A high speed detachable chair is like Thunderhead, Sundown Express, etc. Those lifts actually lift the chairs off the main haul cable and then attach it to a slower cable/track at the loading and unloading stations. After the skiers have (hopefully without falling) made it on or off the chair, the mechanism reattaches it to the high speed haul cable for the ride up/down the hill. You can see the same thing at the Top and Bottom of the Gondola where the mechanism is more visible.

"Ask an engineer what time it is and he will tell you how to make a watch."

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Kup on December 23, 2008 at 1:38pm

excellent answer. Although not an engineer, I work for a large engineering firm and surrounded by them all the time. so this lingo is par for the course.

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Permalink Reply by skisteamboat on December 24, 2008 at 8:36am

I meant Bar UE. Must have been a late night when I typed that. There is no Four Points Lift.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on December 24, 2008 at 9:31am

Well, there is a Four Points lift, but it is a fixed grip triple, not a double.

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Permalink Reply by skisteamboat on December 24, 2008 at 11:23am

Right. I meant to say, the Four Points Lift is not the one at the bottom of Buddy's and Cyclone.

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Permalink Reply by Boo Boo on December 23, 2008 at 2:20pm

BC Skiway is actually a lovely run... Not a huge amount of "excitment", but it can be very pretty :-)

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Permalink Reply by Stbtskier on December 24, 2008 at 11:01am

Kup, you sound like a skier that Wally World was made for. This is the Sunshine Peak area and the best way to get there is up the gondola and take Spur Run (cat track) to Sundown Express. Veer to the right once you download and go past the top of Sunshine Express lift. This will put you at the top of Tomahawk which is a nice easy blue with gentle rollers. The top is the steepest part and you can ski Sundial around this part. There are many gentle blues that cut off of Tomahawk to the right down to another long blue called Quickdraw. You can continue to ride up the Sunshine Express and try the different blues in the area. To get back to the top of Thunderhead you can take Broadway from Rendezvous Saddle which is a cat track down to the Elkhead lift. Take Elkhead up and ski down Tower to Thunderhead. Ski to skier's right of the lodge and cut across Rudy's Run to catch Vagabond. You can ski Vagabond down to Right-O-Way or try Betwixt over to Eagle's Nest. All of these runs are gentle blues and should keep you off of the icier runs such as Tornado Lane and the upper part of Buddy's. Buddy's is great early before it gets the traffic and cutting off on Calf Roper is a good idea. You can then ski to Four Points Hut to warm up or down upper Rainbow and use the cat track (Park Lane) to get to Vagabond. When close to the base I would use Short Cut instead of Right-O-Way as it will bring you in higher and make it easier to get back to the lifts.

Dave

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Permalink Reply by Kup on December 24, 2008 at 4:09pm

Dave:
these sound like awesome runs!!!! thanks so much for the info. already cut and paste it into my 'notes' that I'm bringing with me (I know, Im anal). I assume these are all 'ski-able" and dont have me like walking up hills in boots or something, do they?
Kup

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Permalink Reply by trudeska on December 28, 2008 at 2:24pm

Avoid runs that lead you to Right of Way if you are concerned about flatter grades. It does flatten out considerably at the end to the point of skating and poling. So not worth whatever run that takes you there. And Right of Way is the absolute wrong way to get to the Gondola if that's your intent. It takes you to the extreme skier's right side of the base area. The gondola is the opposite side across a wide flat area.at the base.

As the name implies Tornado Lane is narrow which doesn't allow for turn shopping when conditions are icy/crowded/skied off. There are so many other runs that are stellar. I wouldn't think so much about stringing together runs to avoide lifts.

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