TR: RAC level 1 and hard pack in the Dive

Sweet pics man, looked like alot of fun! AND... just as everyone sees there own line when they attack a slope I saw something else in your cool shots that stood out just a little too much to let pass.

Hope you don't mind but a quick 180 rotation via the Gimp helped produce this holiday sickened Rudolf. Coincidence? I think not. Merry Christmas!

:shock: :shock: :shock:
Wow. Defiantly going to make that into a Christmas card.

nice pics!

can someone relate Delerium Dive to the chutes at Castle in terms of steepness for me?

I have always wondered if it is worth it to rent gear and find a friend who has done it before etc...

I've never skied castle but Delirium is worth renting gear for simply because of the super low skier traffic. The gate obviously turns most around and therefore it becomes a gate that protects fresh lines to those that have the gear. (it's also super cheap to rent stuff, especially from UofC)
The dive itself isn't that crazy, but you can dial it up pretty hairy if you want to.

The Dive is very similar to the chutes at Castle, but the chutes at Castle (desperado and bandito) are longer with a more continuous fall line. The Dive is also similar to the Whitehorn Gullies at Louise.

The Dive certainly has drops and cliffs that you can go over if you want... you know ... to add some spice, but if you stick to the main gullies, it's no steeper than the chutes at Castle or the Whitehorn gullies at Louise.

The best thing about the Dive is the limited traffic and it usually has the best snow on the mountain because it's a lee feature, so lots of wind deposited snow. Unfortunately, the Dive has been hardpack for the last two weekends. Definitely needs snow.

My problem with the Dive is the gate. Yes it keeps the riff raff out and protects fresh lines, but its opening is also controled by patrol.
Since that is the only thing I would go to sunshine to do, I get pretty pissed off if they keep it closed for 2 hours in the morning and then close it early in the afternoon.
As it is the lift system that takes you back to the top is arduous. On a good day you would be lucky to be able to do 4 runs into it.
Other than that, it is a great adventure that you can tailor to your own liking, as long as you don't get intimidated by the steeps at the top which at first seem to need a mandatory air. But alas look around, especially at the bottom of the staircase or Bre-X and then the entrance is doable for most!

What runs on a mountain aren't controlled by patrol?

EDIT: I do understand your point though, some days I'm troubled to come up with any reason as to why patrol closes the Dive for a few hours. Although I'm no snow safety specialist or patrol manager.

The BackcountryEDIT Slackcountry!, and the slackcountry at SSV isn't all that shit hot IMHO

Obviously I was talking about within resort boundaries. Runs get "closed" in the backcountry usually for the same reason that patrol closes inbounds runs, avalanche danger. There is never any true closures in the b/c but hopefully you're making safe decisions.

Unfortunately, (and fortunately) patrol has to assume that not everyone is educated enough to make the safe decisions for themselves.

Between you and me, we could ski the dive twice in the morning, ski cut some areas, set off some firecrackers, and get er open so that everyone else can cross OUR tracks. All the while making safe decisions :)

Sounds nice, but ski cutting the Dive would be scary shit. Not exactly a "lower consequence" slope.

you can do 10 runs in the dive in a day if you are fast...

10 runs?!? Are you only riding the main chute?

yes, 37 minutes on average top to top.

main line, out fatboy, up gondola, angle, divide and hike to the top...

are you saying that you have personally skied 10 full laps of delirium dive in 1 day? if so, i call bullshit.

If you're really giviner anythings possible dude..not saying i've ever come anywhere close to 10, but its possible, and if mntlion said he did it I wouldn't doubt it for a second.

I'll speak up for mntlion. When I lived in Banff, the rumour was 11 laps. The few times I skied with him I never asked, but if the man says 10 then we'll go with 10. This beat the previous record by a well known telemarker/local bartender of 9 laps. My best is 8 laps and it felt like a reasonably laid back day at the end. It helps that it was the first day the dive was open that season and I was excited. So uhhh, get out there and go for it.

I can vouch for the fact that mntlion did 10 Dive laps in one day.

I can also vouch for the fact that it is a fairly pointless thing to do, and not much fun, to tell you the truth.

I can defiantly see 10 laps...although I imagine I'd be faster skiing down from the top and down through the chutes than trying to navigate those stairs and rocky traverse to the main line.

well, it looks like I put my foot squarely in my mouth with my bullshit call, sorry mntlion. but i don't think i'd even want to try 10 laps.

What's the new name for the RAC course?

RAC. Pretty drastic change I must say.

yup 10 laps, started 9:30 went patrol opened the path, adn just got in last lap at 3:30.

first 9 laps are all in from the bomb tower at the top, down main, to fat boy, to goldola, more Ibu, then angle and down 205 (groomed) and up divide.

44,000 ft vert..
and merlyn was leading the way up the walking path every time.....

No, it starts with an I. Can't remember.

Excellent job on completing the RAC and thanks for posting pics of the Dive.

BTW: that is exactly it --- 'I' was added to 'RAC', to make it (ready kiddies) IRAC.
Introductory Recreational Avalanche Course

My personal Best in the Dive is 6 laps on multiple days. And that's with us leaving early and starting somwhat late. 10 isn't a stretch if you are motivated.
Eat on the gondola baby!!

Well my course was still called RAC. Maybe it has officially changed but hasn't worked its way down to the actual classes yet.