Whistler-Blackcomb

So we started off our skiing adventure on Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains - changing daily the mountain or during the day thanks to the Peak2Peak Gondola. The first days the weather was very snowy and windy.

Great for us, the last two days it cleared up - at least in the valley.

But on the peaks, there were still heavy winds and flurries, so we hurried up to get lower and did some gladed runs through the trees with great powder - going "off piste" is not an offense, it is a MUST!

I didn't know that 7th Heaven is that cold, so I better stay on earth:

Skipasses: big paper passes with a rubber band (very old-fashioned), staff is scanning them at the valley stations. Most of the staff on the lifts, schools, hotels and lodges is from foreign English-speaking countries like Australia, New Zealand, England, but you can also find Germans, South Africans and other nationalities. It is said that a collapse of the skiing industry in Canada could cause a serious rise in unemployment figures in Australia.

Hours of operation: 8:30 to 3:00 (depending on month)

Lifts: 3 gondolas incl. Peak2Peak, several 4-seater chair lifts (only one with bubble), some smaller chairs and some T-bar lifts.

Trails: different labeling system (more on that in Sun Peaks) and not all of them are groomed at night. There are trails for every ski type - just there could be more runs to the valley as the handful there is gets really crowded in the afternoon.

Snow: mostly powder, and if not it was very nice soft snow that you can even handle easily after a long day of skiing.

Specials: Mountain hosts offering you a free orientation tour - our host took us to the powder bowls and through the trees.

The only animal we had seen.

Whistler Village in the evening

www.whistlerblackcomb.com

Our adventures live on video - enjoy!