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kevneal
Nov 7, 2002, 11:21 AM
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Planning on moving out from scotland next year. Need advice... which is better for Ice ? which is better for jobs - i am in technology not the best area I know just now.. Ps I am coming over in jan/feb for a scouting trip..if anyone is around then ? Cheers kev (scotland)
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 12:31 PM
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Well...the far west side of Alberta is on the east side of the Rockies. The ice climbing there kicks ass. Calgary is most likely where the jobs are at, which is about 5 hours drive from the rockies (someone correct me if I am wrong). Not sure if there is any good rock closer to Calgary. I have tried looking for work in Canmore and Banff ect, but all the jobs seem to be in hotels and tourism. The Vancouver B.C. area is good too. Squamish is only an hour away, and there is tons of excellent rock there. Marble Canyon / Lilooet area North of Squamish has lots of ice climbing. Alberta is cheaper with taxes / insurance ect. The ideal thing to do would be to live in the Rockies during winter and Squamish in the summer. Lots of help I am eh. If you want to be close to the ocean then the Vancouver area is the place to be. Vancouver is one of the few places that you can ski, kyak, and golf all in the same day. If you ski, then that doesn't narrow it down either. Tons and tons of skiing every where.
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 12:34 PM
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The best thing to do would be to come and scout it all out. I plan on heading out to the Rockies to do some ice climbing around the same time you are. If you need a partner drop me a line. Eventually my goal is to get a house out in the rockies. The Vancouver area is just too busy for me. People can't drive worth sh1t here.
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micronut
Nov 7, 2002, 2:50 PM
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Why doesn't B.C. fall into the ocean?....... Because Alberta sucks!!!!
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stevo
Nov 7, 2002, 3:20 PM
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BC is pretty sweet b/c it is nice and green. But if you need some greenbacks to survive than BC is not the place. I moved to Calgary from eastern Canada for a few reasons. Kick ass climbing and I could get a good job. First of all, if the rockies were five hours from here I wouldn't live here. Within one hour you are easily within the rockies. To the point, during the summer after work I was dashing out to the rockies to get some sport climbing laps in. Squamish, BC has great climbing on good rock, but also has alot of people. AB has wicked alpine climbing, superb ice and mixed, the sport settles the appetite, bouldering...who cares. Also you can always find somewhere to go where their are no other people. If you would like to hit up some ice when you are here, drop me a line. THe season is already full on. Its going to be a killer year.
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maiorlive
Nov 7, 2002, 3:24 PM
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Calgary is ONE (1) hour from Canmore and Banff (depending on traffic). This area has something in the range of 1000 different published sport climbs from about May til September, not including the Ghost region. If I remember correctly, Ha Ling peak above Canmore has the longest sport route north of Mexico at 20 or 21 pitches (10b???). Most of those climbs are on limestone, though I believe Lake Louise is quartzite. I haven't looked into trad routes because I haven't gotten into it yet. I can't imagine there's a shortage. I don't ice climb either, but friends who do never seem to lack for a new place to climb in the Alberta Rockies. Banff and Canmore are tourist towns and the jobs are what you might expect. Depending on what kind of technology you're working with, Calgary would be a better job market. If Calgary doesn't have a job in your area, Edmonton might but that makes it a 4 hour drive to climb on rock (i.e. at least a day trip). What kind of technology do you work with? W
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 3:36 PM
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D'oh my bad. When I went there in Febuary I went straight from the airport to Pincher Creek in the dark, which took 5 hours. That's it, I too am moving to Alberta.
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boardcrazzy
Nov 7, 2002, 4:14 PM
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Five hours to Pincher Creek is a bit much. I am down there regularly from Calgary in only 2 hours. Would be 2 1/2 from the airport at most.
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victoriaclimber
Nov 7, 2002, 4:19 PM
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I would have to recommend moving to Vancouver. Squamish has some of the best climbing in North America, and you can do lots of Skiing / Ice Climbing at Whistler. Also, there's lots of great alpine climbing to be had in the Coast Mountain range. Plus the weed is basically legal there. L8R
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 4:25 PM
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2 1/2 hours eh...well he was driving pretty slow, and there was snow
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acrophobic
Nov 7, 2002, 4:43 PM
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Yeah Calgary i think is your best bet for jobs... BC is warmer... but the only jobs are on the coastline really.. but then again ther eyou are close to Squamish and such. Calgary is like an hour and a half away from canmore if you go the speeding limit. Canmore also has a ton of climbing around it.. Grassi, Creek, Heart, Lake Louise.. and has some good multi pitch routes like Chinamans and Yam. Vancouver also has a lot of jobs, but is more expensive, also the tax is higher. BC is 14%, alberta is 7%.... It really depends on what you want to do for a job. If you have skills and training in IT, vancouver.. but make sure you have offers. If you hate the cold, choose vancouver. ALberta winters can go down to -20 easily. BC usually hovers around +8.
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gawd
Nov 7, 2002, 4:59 PM
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there is no comparison.... bc......flat and simple... the skiing in most of albeta flat out sucks......the skiing in bc....is endless...there is a reason it is called bc.... the rockclimbing in alberta is 85% less then parr...the rockclimbing in bc....is 80% stellar..... ice climbing in alberta is amzaging.......the ice climbing in bc......is a mico cosim below amazing....... bc is heaven and alberta tries hard...
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 5:19 PM
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Lake louis, kicking horse, castle mountain....do not suck!
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boardcrazzy
Nov 7, 2002, 5:20 PM
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There are quite a few craigs that are only 45 min from Calgary such as Heart Creek, Barrier Bluffs and Prairie. I haven't climbed at Prairie yet, but I read in a guide book that some of it can be climbed in winter without too much discomfort during a Chinook. I have been up Heart Mountain many times in February without stepping in any snow. I don't really ice climb that much, but I know of a lot of areas and climbs around the Canmore/Banff area as well as Lake Louise and up towards Jasper. Calgary is really easy to get out of too for the most part. It can get cold, but it never really lasts long. I'm originally from Saskatchewan, now that's cold. We also get an aweful lot of sun here too. I can't remember if it rains all winter or all summer in Vancouver (feel free to correct).
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 5:22 PM
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It rains all winter. That's not exaggerating either. The rains started yesterday. That's it...I am moving to the rockies! I love cold weather.
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sunsation
Nov 7, 2002, 5:22 PM
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I am laughing my ass off reading all this! Way to stoke the fires in Western Canada, Kevin! Personally, I have travelled all over the world and have yet to find a place I love more than BC. We have it all here: mountains to climb (ice, alpine, mixed, sport, trad, boulder), snowboard, ski, bike down; ocean/lakes/rivers to kyak, raft, jet ski, waterski, swim; wicked wineries in the Okanagan and the list just goes on. If you love the outdoors, you will be in heaven here. Alberta is cheaper, no question. And the Rockies are great. But the winter's are REALLY cold in Alberta. Drop me a line and I'd be happy to show you around the Vancouver area and maybe head up to Lillooet for some ice climbing. Oh, and there's a little word you should start building into your vocabulary...eh...
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boardcrazzy
Nov 7, 2002, 5:23 PM
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Lake Louise sucks until they replace the platter with something snowboarder friendly. Kicking Horse rocks, Castle ROCKS more (don't tell anyone, I don't want to wait in lineups).
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krillen
Nov 7, 2002, 5:36 PM
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Calgary's economy is exploding. Eevn if you dont' find a job in IT right away, there is work to take until you do. Plus it's MUCH cheaper to live. Tax wise (as was stated) and the rent prices are much lower too. Sure it is colder, but there are more opportunites. Check www.workopolis.com and search by area for jobs, see what you get out of it. [ This Message was edited by: krillen on 2002-11-07 09:36 ]
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wetrocks
Nov 7, 2002, 11:03 PM
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Both places are sweet. Lived in Calgary for a couple of years, I moved there for the work and had a job within the first day of being there. Moved back to B.C. and forgot how damn expensive it is. Basically which do you hate more, rain or cold? Ya..I miss the cold too. I'd say Calgary if you want work, the Liberals in BC have been chopping jobs everywhere, so more competition. Good Luck
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kman
Nov 7, 2002, 11:24 PM
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Like I said...rockies in winter, lower mainland in summer. I have to go check my lotto tickets now
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wandt
Nov 8, 2002, 7:20 AM
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BC... yes we have the weed and the granite. Alberta.... yes they have the economy and the iceclimbing. At this point I think I'd head to Alberta simply because those Wrangler jeans and cowboy hats suit me so damn well. Yeehaw. Oh yeah... cowgirls and country bars are where it's at too.
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kevneal
Nov 8, 2002, 3:21 PM
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wow never expected this to kick off like this, nice to see you have local rival stuff as well... I work in IT - ouch and in oil so calgary should be the place for me - but I have never not lived by the sea. so it would be v.strange... what about the ladies bc or a ? cheers kev
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kevneal
Nov 8, 2002, 3:26 PM
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oh yeah did not mean to stir you all up but I had an small ideas that it may get you going.. we have snow over already so going out tommorow - cheers kev
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beyond_gravity
Nov 8, 2002, 4:00 PM
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I'd recomend going to Calgary insted of Vancouver...There is a shortage of carpenters right now and if you'd like to do that i'm sure you will have no problem finding a job. Canmore is home of some of the best alpine and mixed climbers in the world, such as Sean Issac and Berry Blanchard (sp?)...There is limitless poetional for remote new routes. If you like limestone, you will love the sport and trad climbing in Alberta. There is everything form 45º Jug Hauls, To 200m slab climbs. If you want to delvolop, there is tons of unclimbed lines...both sport and trad. Yamnuska has everything for trad from the 8 pitch 5.6, to AstroYam, with a 40 foot 11b runout! Bouldering here isn't very developed. The places we have are quality, but just sheer numbers of routes is lacking. Also: For ice climbing and alpine climbing, the Avalanche conditions are genrally more stable here then on the coast. And you just don't get the same wet slides that you get in the coast mountains.
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shiloj
Nov 8, 2002, 11:57 PM
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you have hit on the old bc-alberta rivalry (STAMPS SUCK!). but even though i love bc, i'll try to set that aside and be objective. if ice is your priority, go to the rockies for sure. everyone in bc roadtrips to the rcockies in the winter. theres a reason for that. its a solid 3-4 hour drive from vancouver to lilloet to find ice. and its not consistently cold for very long. although if you want FA's, apparently the mixed climbing potential in Lilloet is untapped, unlike the rockies which has been getting creamed out by locals for more than a decade. that said, vancouver in the summer is unbeatable. i've had mornings of world-class mountain biking followed by an afternoon of climbing followed by an evening of snowboarding. the recreation possibilities are unlimited...thats why people move here.
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