Whistler & Sun Peaks - staff visit by Mark Hill

My excitement was tangible as I boarded the Air Canada flight to Vancouver. As with the entire trip the service levels were first class, we had the metaphoric red carpet rolled out.

Once in Vancouver the drive downtown was spectacular with the Coastal Mountains as the backdrop. After a quick shower at our hotel, The Fairmont Waterfront we were met in the lobby by the first of many friendly faces for a tour of this wonderfully positioned hotel. Dinner that evening was in the Pan Pacific which is the envy of all the Vancouver hotels with its position directly on the Waterfront with views of the Harbour & Mountains.

Our one & only full day in Vancouver was certainly action packed. It started with a tour of China Town & Gastown which are interesting areas & rich in history. Then to the Sky Tower which affords glorious 360 degrees views of the downtown & surrounding areas (you can actually see the Mountains of Washington State in America). The highlight of the day was a visit to Granville Island which actually isn’t an Island but a Peninsula. They have a wonderful market & lots of lovely craft shops, the whole area had a very laid back atmosphere. The afternoon was spent visiting the Vancouver Aquarium located in the heart of Stanley Park, the Capilano Suspension Bridge & Grouse Mountain where we partook in some Snowshoeing.

I’d heard so many great stories about the Sea to Sky highway & wasn’t disappointed when I finally got my chance to experience this breathtaking journey. Once in Whistler I was extremely happy with my accommodation at the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre. The highlight of the whole trip was this afternoon’s Snowmobiling. We were taken in small groups up a tree lined, snow capped trail to the summit of one of Whistler’s many mountains which afforded knock out views as far as the eye can see! Dinner this evening was at Nika Lake Lodge which is a new development in Creekside on the banks of the Nika Lake. The hotel has been beautifully finished in dark wood to an extremely high standard. Dinner in the Lodge’s restaurant was exquisite & the views afforded by its position overlooking Nika Lake were stunning.

The following 2 days were all about Skiing the famous slopes of Whistler. Being a complete novice I was relatively relaxed about stepping onto the slopes for the first time & very excited about the new powder that had fallen overnight (approx 5cm). By the end of the day my mood had changed considerably, I was frustrated, angry & ready to consign my ski career to the garbage but was determined to continue the following day. I had to quickly change for a site inspection & evening meal at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The Fairmont has a very imposing lobby which sets a president that thankfully the remainder of the hotel lives up to. The rooms are a good size, beautifully decorated & very sumptuous. We were spoilt in the restaurant to a 5 course marathon which was washed down with the finest BC wine.



I’d hardly had time for my head to touch the pillow when I awoke & headed straight for the Four Seasons Resort for what can only be described as a monster breakfast which included fruits, cereal, traditional & freshly made omelettes. After a hearty breakfast I headed for the slopes again for a more successful days skiing. Maybe it was the breakfast but something clicked up on Whistler Mountain & I returned to the base a jubilant mood.

After two wonderful days in Whistler we headed East to the much more peaceful resort of Sun Peaks. The drive between the two roads along the Duffy Lake Road was spectacular. It was a complete shock to the system after Whistler to walk from one end of the village to the other in a matter of 5 minutes. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful village stroll with the quaint properties on either side. We had another wonderful evening meal this time in the Delta Sun Peak’s restaurant “Mantles” again washed down by BC’s finest Vin Rouge.

My final full day in Canada was spent on the slopes of Sun Peaks. Sun Peaks is blessed with the second largest terrain in Western Canada behind Whistler. The three mountains that surround the village Mt Tod (the original), Mt Sundance & Mt Morrisey create a super backdrop to this fantastic family resort. I had my best days Skiing in Sun Peaks. Looking at the other properties the Delta Sun Peaks & the new Delta Residences stood out head & shoulders above the rest.

I’ve been asked many times what Canadian’s are like & I’ve found it a difficult question to answer. I still can’t pinpoint any specific mannerisms or traits but what I did discover is that they are the most friendly, helpful & welcoming people.

Fernie - Staff visit by Ruth Heymans

I will always have wonderful memories of my first ski trip, which was to Fernie. The first thing that comes to mind is fresh snow. It was snowing while we were coming down the slopes! I first thought it would not be the wisest move to go skiing when I saw it was falling down, as I am a beginner. Quite the opposite; it was an absolute delight!

As a novice Fernie was great, there were no queues and plenty of room – I could fall over as much as I liked and was not in any one’s way. I had always been told that Fernie was for advanced skiers; I was therefore very relieved to discover that I could find plenty of runs that I could ski.

The town, which is ten minutes from the ski area, has great facilities and plenty of boutique type shops, bars and restaurants.

So you can ski all day on fabulous snow and go out in the evening. Perfect holiday!

Sun Peaks - Staff visit by Craig Rohloff

The first thing you ask yourself when standing at the base of Sun Peaks, or at least the first thing I asked, is ‘where shall I ski?’ The resort is made up of three distinct mountain faces, all offering a variety of runs, which surround the small and extremely pleasant village. With the clever way it is all laid out the simple answer is to ski them all.

So that’s exactly what I set out to do and I headed up the Sundance Express chair, which services a range of long beginner and intermediate cruisers, as well as the terrain park and half pipe. As is often the case at Sun Peaks the snow was dry and powdery. Even though in early December, the snow quality and coverage was excellent.

From here I took the very long Mt Morrisey Connector, which skirts around the main village. Here there are further excellent cruisers through the trees but also some great glade runs, along with a few short but steep black and double black runs.

From the top of Mt Morrisey there is a choice of runs that feed back to the village or you can take, as I did, the Back In Time run down the valley to the Burfield chair. This takes you to the top of Mt Tod, the third and largest of the mountains and where your choice of skiing really opens up. For beginners there is the long and very scenic 5 Mile run which winds its way for (you guessed it) 5 miles back to the village. As the top section is above the tree line, intermediates and the more advanced have an endless choice of open bowls and ridge lines, from the mildly steep to the hair rising! I choose the Crystal Bowl, gave some great lines and even found some areas of fresh powder – very impressive several days after the last snowfall.

As the day grew to an end I cruised down the mountain completing the loop back to the village and after a quick (actually quite long) relax in the hot tub at the Cahilty Lodge it was time for some dinner. Luckily I had been invited out to the restaurant at the Delta Hotel. The food was excellent and made all the more enjoyable due to our very cosy setting, beside the well stoked fire. Afterwards I headed Massa’s Bar and Grill which despite being early season and fairly quiet had a good atmosphere. After a packed day on the slopes, you certainly can’t go wrong, relaxing with a beer whilst watching the hockey.

Whistler - Staff visit by Dave Ashmore

The slope in front of me was deserted and above me the sky stretched blue to infinity, snow decorated the trees and my last, but one, run of the day looked certain to match those that preceded it.

I had spent much of the afternoon exploring Whistler’s newest lift-served addition, the glorious Symphony Bowl, which until recently was inaccessible. High on the bowl there are fabulous views across to Blackcomb mountain, lower down there are plenty of challenging glade runs and even the more relaxed, regular, trails have trees to weave in and around.

Working my way back to the resort at the end of the day, I found myself atop an empty Dave Murray trail. I pushed off and, assuming a tuck position, gathered pace. My mind raced – a numbered bib, the sound of cowbells, flags of all nations fluttering beside the piste, for the trail is to be home to the Olympic downhill in 2010. I flew down it, cold wind in my hair and victory in my sights, but all too soon my Olympic dream was over, as I had to cut off it and on to a narrower trail leading back to the main Whistler Village resort.

I might not have booked a spot on the podium, but it was none the less a great couple of minutes ‘living the dream’, part of a great day on a great mountain.

Whistler will host the alpine skiing events during the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Dave Murray run and other trails that will form the Olympic slopes are all part of the extensive skiing terrain on offer to visitors to Whistler Blackcomb before and after the Olympics. During the Olympics themselves skiers and snowboarders will still be able to make use of all but the few trails set aside for the racing. But if you can, why not get there before 2010 and try out Dave Murray, but remember – listen out for those cowbells!

Big White - Staff visit by Ruby Hart

I had a great season in Big White and I am delighted to be able to share my enthusiasm and love of the Canadian winter. Big White is known for its champagne powder, but it will not disappoint for both on-hill and off-hill activities.

Having had a great day on the mountain, I would recommend unwinding with an exotic cocktail at the Copper Kettle Grille Après bar, my personal favourite is a ‘liquid massage’. The award winning Kettle Valley Steakhouse restaurant in Happy Valley has some real treats on offer and dinner here will definitely tantalise your taste buds. To wind it all up I would suggest dropping into Snowshoe Sam’s for a late night knees up on the dance floor.

Having had a big night out, you might find yourself feeling a little rough the next day, so why not start your day right with a breakfast bagel from Beano’s Coffee Parlour in the Village Centre Mall. From there get back up on the hill and enjoy some more of that fabulous snow.