jawnbc | Whistler

I had, for the most part, a great weekend up in Whistler. For those who might not be familiar with this wee hamlet, Whistler is arguably North America's pre-eminent ski resort. It's two mountains (Whistler and Blackcomb) have a combined total of over 200 runs. This isn't a democratic playground though: excepting some programmes that allow people working in services jobs to live in the valley, Whistler is the Land O' Cash. Whistler will host the alpine, nordic, sliding and biathlon events for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (as part of "Vancouver 2010).

The 120km drive up the Sea to Sky Highway (#99) is scenic, but it can also be treacherous...think snow, driving after a long day, and après ski. It's been massively improved, but I'm still not inclined to make a day trip of it. So when friends gave me the heads up about a $99/night rate at the Chateau Whistler Resort, I leapt.

Chateau, not ShitHo

I've never boarded for 3 days in a row before. Granted, I only did 2-4 hours on any given day, but even when I still (downhill) skied, 2 days in a row was exceptional. I credit snowboarding being less taxing on the legs and back (while demanding more of the core) for my late-in-life stamina. Oh, and over 100cm of fresh snow in the days before I arrived--and another 30cm on the day I arrived. But Saturday morning was bright and sunny!

Does Black Tusk make me look slimmer?

Part of the genius of Whistleris that anyone who's confident enough to leave the bunny hill can ski nearly top to bottom on either mountain. There are green runs from all but the very peak of Blackcomb--and from the peak of Whistler, though I think the Whistler run should be blue: I got stuck up there (walking in nearly waist deep powder, in snow that people are trying to get to to ski on, is not entirely fun. Or fun at all, really). And the new Peak-to-Peak gondola makes it easy to across the valley between the mountains without skiing all the way down one and going back up the other. On each day I did some version of up one/down the other. Very handy.

From Blackcomb towards Whistler and the Tantalus range

What did I learn this weekend? Well, I'm a happy green 'boarder. I might do the odd blue, but green's just fine thanks. I also learned a good friend does not necessarily make a good snowboarding buddy. And I learned that being unable to stay past 23h isn't at all a bad thing--particularly if it leaves the mountain empty on Sunday morning!

Complete photoset on Flickr here. Next weekend I'm off to Big White in the Okanagan for another boarding weekend.