news from Canada - a round up

What was originally a whistle stop tour around several resorts has been somewhat extended by the Volcanic Ash Cloud preventing flights back to the U.K. This cloud does, however, have a silver lining in that it has allowing me to see a few more of our properties and also to sneek in a bit more time on the slopes.

My visit started in Jasper,

more of which later, after a pleasant flight to Edmonton. The second stop on my visit was to Sun Peaks, enjoying some good ski conditions and virtually deserted slopes. The Delta offers a great base right on the slopes, but much of the accommodation is within a few steps of the piste or the village's ski through pathway. Top tips - try breakfast at Memories in the Cahilty Lodge or grab a superb coffee at Bolacco's. Looking around the Hearthstone and the various town home and condos. we have available, such as the delightful Stone's Throw, showed me that the resort offers plenty of scope for all budgets and requirements in terms of accommodation.

On the slopes, you can find whatever you are looking for - glorious tree-lined groomers on Mount Morrisey and Sundance, some challenging blues below the Sunburst Express and some tougher terrain too - Headwalls, Spillway and Sting of particular note for Black Diamond enthusiasts and a few steeps and glades too. My favourite run however has to be the winding blue run through the trees on The Other Way.

Departing the snows of Sun Peaks, I found myself in the sunshine of the valley, before heading to Kamloops, only 45 minutes from the resort.

More to follow!

It is still snowing - 18 cms yesterday

Vast dumps in Whistler this weekend - there is still time for some excellent spring skiing. The Mountain is open until May 24th.

This has been the 3rd snowiest season on record - a fantastic 42 Feet!!

Vancouver 2010

Back at my desk after a fantastic two weeks in Canada - although the sun is shining and much as I love my job, I cannot say I am pleased to be back:)


It was the most amazing trip on all levels. I have not skied for 36 years (due to a fractured back) but my friends at Big White persuaded me that I could. So with much trepidation, I took to the nursery slopes; much to my amazement, I found that I had not forgotten all I knew and with the "new" skis, I was soon on the main chair lift under sunny skies with a grin from ear to ear!. After an excellent lunch I returned to my apartment at the Stonebridge Lodge, sank gratefully into the hot tub and then went for a massage - what a fabulous day!!

From Big White, I flew to Vancouver and after a couple of days relaxing with friends went down town to sample the Olympic fever that swept the city. It was absolutely amazing; the weather - the warmest for 100 years, the crowds - all good humoured and mostly dressed in Olympic or Canada logo wear - there were just seas of red! There was such a feeling of joie de vivre and excitement; free concerts and all sort of entertainment around the city. I was lucky enough to get tickets for the men's figure skating and the ice dance. Both events were full but the queues to get in were minimal and everything was brilliantly organised.

After 3 days in the city, I headed up the newly completed Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler - just as beautiful as the old road but a lot faster and safer. The village was looking stunning - decorations everywhere - the trees lit with bronze, silver and gold lights; the sun was shining and full of people enjoying themselves!! Again free concerts everynight and an amazing sense of energy. I was staying at the Evolution in Creekside and was struck how much this part of Whistler has changed; lots of restaurants, a good supermarket and so easy to get into Whistler village - just $2 and a 5 minute bus ride and you are there - during the day of course, you can take the lift up Whistler amd ski down into the village

The next day, I took a private instructor (so worth while) and surprised myself by being able to ski off both the Peak Chair and Harmony, not elegantly to be sure, but at least I was on the mountain! There was not a cloud in the sky, the snow was phenomenal, beautifully groomed and I had one of the best days of my life!

The next day it was time to don snowshoes for a walk in the forest before heading off to the Callaghan Valley for the cross country relay race - those athletes are just so fit it is scary. We had great seats and could see most of the course; the place was crowded and the atmosphere was amazing; cow bells, shouts, whistles - the lot! My only complaint was that I did not have enough sun screen and got sunburnt! Off to the Celebration Plaza to see Amy Williams collect her Gold Medal; I felt amazingly proud watching the Union Jack slowly rise up the flag pole. The day ended with a good dinner and lots of excellent Canadian wine with friends and colleagues from Whistler.

The following day, it was snowing, so conditions for the athletes on the Men's Grand Slalom were not quite so easy; but it was a great race and really exciting watching the speed that these men reached. They seemed so much faster than when you see them on Ski Sunday:)

The day and unfortunately, the stay, finished with a sleigh ride and a wonderful fondue dinner at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. A memorable 2 weeks.

Vancouver 2010

I am off to Big White tomorrow and then to Vancouver and Whistler - woo hoo
Should be awesome - will send over some updates.

Revelstoke

Revelstoke Mountain Resort - British Columbia

For decades, helicopter and cat skiers from around the world have flocked to Revelstoke, BC, attracted by its perfect powder, varied alpine terrain and quaint mountain community. Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing was the company of choice for guests who wanted the ultimate heli ski vacation, with over 50 feet of annual snow, 200,000 hectares (500,000 acres) of exclusive terrain and a long family history of guiding excellence.

Now, in addition to Selkirk Tangier Heli Skiing, there is another way to ski or snowboard Revelstoke's epic terrain - at Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Heading into the third season of operations, RMR boasts North America's highest lift-serviced vertical at 1,713 metres (5620 ft), 3031 acres of fall line skiing, high alpine bowls, 13 areas of gladed terrain and phenomenal groomed terrain. Revelstoke Mountain Resort is also the only resort world-wide to offer lift, cat, heli and backcountry skiing from one village base. Across our group of companies, that include RMR, Revelstoke Cat Skiing and Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing, skiers and snowboarders have access to a total of 515,000 acres of terrain.

Upon completion, the Resort will offer more than 20 lifts and over 100 ski and snowboard runs, transforming the area into a world-class destination. The four-season resort will include over 5,000 new housing units (1,500 resort condominiums, 2,000 hotel suites, 850 townhomes and 550 single-family lots), as well as more than 500,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, plus the signature Nick Faldo-designed resort-style golf course.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort is already moving into its next phase with the launch of summer operations, beginning in July 2010.

Our Operations Director's Adventure to America

Our Operations Director is currently in America visiting some of the Ski Resorts and reporting back with a daily diary of what they have to offer and what kind of mischief he is getting up to. After all we can’t expect him to work 24 hrs a day!

Day 1
So off on a 10 day tour of the the Colorado Ski resorts - Flight was with BA from the brand new swish terminal 5. Check in was smooth - and although i did have to sit in the middle of the row as the flight was full the 9hour and 50 minute flight passed quite quickly thanks to the infront screen - ended up watching four films! Arrived into a very sunny Denver.

First stop Aspen/Snowmass -
Transfer with Grayline Bus Service was pleasant although 4 hours long.
Arrived at my hotel at 21:45 local time - straight off to bed to get all of 4 hours sleep! You could fly into Aspen from Denver which would have been quicker.


Day 2
St Regis Aspen hotel is lovely, top quality yet cosy feel. Upgraded to a suite which is very spacious. Feeling more awake than i should and had a good breakfast (included in the room price) - i have yet to utilise the complimentary Butler service - don't really want to bother him! But i could and i can request anything really (within reason) from a coffee to something down the local shops or unpacking my bag!

Spent the day exploring Snowmass mountain and then Aspen town. Snowmass is great for families, its a quieter town in the evenings though it does have over 20 restaurants. It has a great kids center called The Tree house - where there is child care and the ski school. Snowmass has loads of terrain and the hotels/condos i saw had ski in access and will be going on our website when i am back in the office. The Hotel Viceroy espcially- just opened yesterday - and very stylish - will be THE place to be in Snowmass.

Aspen Ski resort is a town not a resort. Its totally different to other ski resorts. All accommodation (of which there isn't a huge amount compared to Whistler for example) is within a short walking distance to the gondola. It used to be a mining town and has lots of history. There are plenty of boutique and indivdual shops, cafes, bars & restaurants, a cinema, theatre and library. Only one chain is in site (McDonalds). Its obviously known as being popular with the rich and famous but that shouldn't stop anyone from staying and skiing here as there is accommodation to suit all budgets. I think its one of my favourite ski areas now. One option is to stay add ski in Snowmass which is cheaper and use the free shuttle service to Aspen to ski or just apres ski (last bus back at 2:15am) - takes about 20 minutes.

Day 3
Last night had dinner at the trendy Sky Hotel in the bar with the hotel manager and 2 travel agent ladies from germany. Now unbelievably these two ladies happened to be sitting next to me on the flight over from Heathrow!
We had no idea that either of us was going to Aspen nevermind sitting at the same dinner table! Crazy!
Went up the gondola today - I don't ski - so came back down again!! Then transferred through to Breckenridge - 2 1/2 hours.

Day 4 - Breckenridge
Similar to Aspen but larger and more spread out. Met up with the other 75 people on the international Vail Resorts fam! Sharing a condo with two UK guys - both from London - one from Bromley! Not much happening today as Vail resorts wanted people to aclimatise to the altitude and recover from jet lag. These resorts are all well over 8000 feet - in fact Breckenridge is over 9000 feet - so you do need to get used to it - drink plenty of water and take things easier. Afternoon was spent at the Oulets at Silvethorne - a factory outlet place about 20 minutes from Breckenridge.
If you want cheap ski gear or jeans or Nike trainers or Timberland boots - this is the place to go - amazingly cheap prices! Went on a pub crawl around Breckenridge town (probably not the most sensible thing to do at altitude - one drink has the effect of 2!) - with 75 people its quite a feat - unsurprisingly this number dropped from bar to bar. Didn't have the best night sleep after this - i don't know why.

Day 5
I now ski! Put on my first pair of boots & skis today and had a lesson.
Apparantly the instructor thinks I'm a natural and has put me to level 3 tomorrow! Great time - i didn't even fall over! Breckenridge has some good beginners runs and i think is probably the best resort on this trip to learn at.
There is some good new luxury condo property just opened and one being built to open 2010 ski season - on Peak 8 - ski in ski out access. Saw the Bever Run Resort at Peak 9 - looks old fashioned on the outside but great on the inside - large condos all with wood burning firplaces, plenty of facilities and ski in/out - recommend for all people really, couples, groups & families. Will add to our website shortly. I will also be updating the other accommodation options in Breckenridge - so keep an eye out.

Day 6
Checked out and waved goodbye to my luggage as it went by itself to Vail.
We instead went to Keystone for skiing. 2nd day of skiing - not as good this time - the Green runs are steeper and we didn't have a huge time for full-on lessons so fell a few times and my calves, hips and thighs all ache now - starting to parallel turn but am now pretty exhausted.
Keystone good though as a ski resort - plenty of runs - but better for intermediates to Experts. Arrived into Vail - staying at the Lodge at Lionshead - great property with large condos and a short walk to the Lionshead gondola. Said Hello to my luggage as it was waiting for me in the room! 3rd day of skiing tomorrow if my muscles can withstand it and don't seize up over night.

This is the first six days and will post some more once we receive it mean while check out some of the Ski Resorts we have to offer at
www.frontier-ski.co.uk/

Aspen

Jeremy from the office is currently in Aspen - this is his hotel report

ASPEN
Hotel Lenado
Lovely boutique hotel - just a 5 minute walk to the gondola. Only 19
rooms all with a king bed. There are two types of rooms - the superior
Larkspur rooms and the deluxe Smuggler rooms. The only real difference is
the Smuggler rooms have a lovely wood burning fireplace. They have a Full
Gourment Breakfast every morning included in the rates. They also have an
outdoor hot tub overlooking Aspen mountain. As there are only 19 rooms
its a very personal service and the staff know all the guests names. They
get a lot of repeat business. Great for all couples and honeymooners.


Limelight Lodge -
Good value 3 star hotel. Huge spacious lobby and corridors. The rooms
are an excellent quality for the price - good for groups or couples and
families. The most room types they have are the Grand Deluxe which have
one king or 2 queen beds and a small kitchenette area. A continental
breakfast is included in the rates. They have an outdoor pool and hot
tub. The good choice for people on a budget.

St Regis Resort -
My personal favourite (probably because i have stayed there) - in a great
location just a minutes walk to the gondola. High quality hotel with use
of dark woods in the lobby area. The rooms themselves are bright and
spacious. They include king size comfy beds. You also have complimentary
access to your own butler 24 hours a day who will be willing to do
anything from unpacking your suitcase, grabbing a coffee for you or run
down to the Pharmacy or Shop for anything you might need.
They also have and outdoor heated pool and hot tub and the amazing
tranquil Remede spa, where the treatments are all customised to suit your
requirements.
Great hotel for everyone.



He also said that he is loving the resort and thinks we should send many more people there!!

Record snow in Whistler

As the calendar flips over to December, it's now official that November 2009 will go down in history as the snowiest month on record at Whistler Blackcomb, dating back to when the collection of weather data began 30 years ago.

November 2009 has seen a total accumulation of 560cm (18 feet) of snowfall, nearly four times that of November's average snowfall of 148cm (58 inches). This is an increase of more than 19 per cent over the previous record of 469cm (185 inches) set in January 2006, and a 22 per cent increase over January 1992's record of 459cm (181 inches).

And now, with the record broken, there is still an entire season of skiing and riding to look forward to. With a season that offers 192 days of skiing and riding, Whistler Blackcomb is already over half way towards the resort's average annual snowfall of just over 10 metres (33 feet).

new snow

Winter really is coming - new snow in Banff and minus 14 degrees in Jasper - means the ski season is not far away - Hooray!

Jasper new lift construction

Jasper, Alberta
August 28, 2009 – Jasper’s Marmot Basin ski resort is completing the next phase of one of Canada’s most significant ski lift development projects for the winter of 2009/2010 – the installation of 26 towers which will support The Canadian Rockies Express, the longest new high-speed quad chairlift in the Alberta Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Early this morning, crews were busy hooking up the first of the towers to a dual rotor KMAX helicopter, and then watched as the helicopter slowly lifted the 35 foot tall tower off the ground and began its flight up the mountainside. By the end of today, all 26 towers (the two heaviest weighing in at 5,800 lbs. each) will be in place.

Big Red Cat Skiing - New Lodge, New Mountains and New Machines

We were expecting a quiet summer, but our ambition to make Big Red Cats the best cat skiing experience has overridden the attraction of a quiet life.
So here is the news:
* 2 new mountains - and about 100 runs.
* a new Big Red Lodge for this winter 2009/10
* Another Pisten Bully 300
* 24-passenger shuttle bus
* Rossland Winter Carnival new dates 22-24 Jan 2010
* Red Mountain Ski Free Day 15 March 2010

2 New Mountains - Claw Mountain and Mt China
Kieren and Jason the excavator guy just got past the crux of building a road that will give fast access to 2 additional mountains, bringing our total to 7 - so we will now be skiing on almost all of the 19,000 acres in our tenure! This is the biggest summer expansion that we have ever done, and is especially exciting as it gives access to about 100 new runs, half of which are north-facing. Kieren believes that many of the new runs are some of our best - steep, north facing, and fairly open - so there will be plenty of interesting terrain features to enjoy, even for those who've been coming to BRC for 5 years in a row. If you're handy with a chainsaw and feel like cutting your own run, let Kieren know, and in return, he'll let you ski it this winter for free (a day for a day, for good cutters). Check out the photos below and imagine them once they're covered in a couple of metres of snow...
One of the 5 aspects of Mt China.
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The New Big Red Lodge at Red Mountain
Yes you heard it right. We have a new Big Red lodge at the base of the ski hill. Imagine 6 bedrooms (each with 2 beds in each room), so finally there is a perfect place for a grop of 12 men to stay. It has 2 living rooms, balcony with private hot tub and BBQ, garage, wood stove in main lounge and gas fireplace downstairs (as well as cental heating) Huge catherdral ceilings and great big south-facing windows feature a a great view of Red Mountain. The cost is C$700 per night plus a C$200 cleaning fee - that works out to be about C$60 per person per night if you have a group of 12. Since we announced this on Tuesday we already have 23 nights booked! So get in early before all the nights are booked for the Big Red Lodge!
We are still looking into the possibility of building a lodge in the backcountry, but this will be an excellent offering for this season.
<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3806264&id=21327581367>

More Machines
Great news in the machinery department as well - we now have 3 PB300 snowcats! Not only are they all the same, which we love for parts-swappability, and much more fuel efficient, which we all have to think about these days, but also all of the passenger cabins will be the new red ones, though this one will probably have rear-entry stairs, a new ski and board rack system, and capacity for 13.
Now that we have a 24-passenger shuttle bus and a 21-passenger bus, there should be no more riding in the cramped van out to the area, and we will be able to save time by doing some of the briefing while en route!

Ghana´s Snow Leopard in Whistler, British Columbia

Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong from Ghana, nicknamed the 'Snow Leopard', first stepped on skis six years ago at an indoor ski slope in the United Kingdom. Now, as a qualified athlete for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games next February, Kwame is the sole member of the Ghanaian 2010 Winter Games team.

In July, through an invitation from Tourism British Columbia, Tourism Whistler and the Canadian Tourism Commission, Kwame visited Whistler, BC – the Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Winter Games – to check out the Olympic alpine venues and experience summer skiing on Whistler's Horstman Glacier. Tourism British Columbia field reporter Chris Wheeler caught up with Kwame in Whistler and videos of the extraordinary visit are now posted on Youtube and Tourism BC's website, www.HelloBC.com.

While the highlight of the visit was most certainly glacier skiing on Whistler Blackcomb, while in Whistler Kwame and his family also travelled the new world record-setting PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, went ziplining in Whistler's temperate rain forest, cycled the valley trails, went canoeing on Alta Lake, visited the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre and stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott.

"This trip to British Columbia marks an important milestone in Kwame's journey to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and we are delighted to be a part of this exciting occasion," said Rod Harris, President and CEO, Tourism BC. "Kwame and his family certainly immersed themselves into the local surroundings during their stay and had some unique Whistler experiences that we are thrilled to share with potential visitors to BC."

New Highspeed Chairlift in JASPER, Canada

New for 2009 – 2010! COMING TO MARMOT BASIN:
THE LONGEST HIGH SPEED CHAIRLIFT IN THE ALBERTA ROCKIES!

The new chairlift being installed at Marmot Basin will be the largest and most significant ski area development in Alberta for the 2009-10 season and will be the longest, high speed quad detachable chairlift in the Alberta Canadian Rockies.

This incredibly innovative project is scheduled to be completed before opening day: Wednesday, November 11th, 2009.

This will improve an already fantastic ski area in the Canadian Rockies.

Whistler 2009 - Staff visit by Sandra Potter

Whistler was a revelation – gorgeous – blue skies, good snow – one of my skiing friends who has been to Whistler countless times said it was one of the best days skiing he had ever had. I am a non-skier but I had such a good weekend! I used the Sno-Limo and I could feel my grin stretching from ear to ear as I “skied” for the first time since I broke my back. The Sno-Limo is a new idea – essentially you are a passenger on a sled being guided by a skier from behind – it is fantastic!! You can access all parts of the mountain, we used the Peak Chair as well as Harmony and the new Peak2Peak Gondola. That was amazing too! 11 minutes of picture postcard views and I was lucky, I got one of the cabins with the glass floor so we could see down into Fitzsimmons Creek too. It may be the longest cable car ride in the world but no one told me how smooth it was – no bumps and no heart-stopping swinging. The weekend was action packed, as well as the Sno Limo, I went snow shoeing through the forest, visited the new Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre and then relaxed with a wonderful massage at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and still found time for some delicious meals.
I stayed at the Four Seasons – what a treat – glorious comfortable beds, huge rooms, great service and an excellent breakfast!
Flew back last night on one of Air Canada’s new Airbus 330s – very comfy and with its seat back tvs lots of entertainment choices.

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.