Talkin’ Proud – My Home Hill

Reading Time: 21 minutes

Ski Canada chatted with some passionate locals who have had a longstanding love affair with their home hill.

Talkin Blue

Blue Mountain

 

What do you love about Blue Mountain? The styles, the grooming, six-pack chairlifts, the fact I can do ten thousand runs in a day. Every day is an honest-to-God, real-life Warren Miller movie. The snowmaking. The patroller I saw once taking ski lessons wearing acid wash denim. The many places to sit and drink refreshing beverages and watch people. (Some of) the awesome bar staff. The views of Georgian Bay. The fact that there is still an old slow double chair where I can relax on the way back up. Watching people ski down the wrong run, take off their skis and cry as they slide the rest of the way on their bums or alternatively, try to walk back up.

What don’t you love? The six-pack chairlifts (because they’re made for six tiny people or four normal-sized people). The fact that the same liftee gives me a hard time about seeing my pass every one of the ten thousand rides up the chair. People telling me that I’m skiing too fast. Really? What’s the point of skiing down a hill slowly?

What brought you here? Ski racing. My brother was invited to race for the Toronto Ski Club so the family moved clubs. We rented a tiny place right behind a restaurant and we made a game out of trying to ditch our garbage in the restaurant’s bin without getting caught. I was 10.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Where else would I wanna be? It’s a four-season place. I can’t remember there being a day that I haven’t laughed here.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? Everything— unless you’re the visitor who doesn’t understand how to drive through a roundabout. Big Baby, a stellar beginner ski run. An awesome terrain park, although I’ve never gone through it just across it. Great shopping, parties, food—and great skiing. Lots of events in the Village.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Hmm…you first. Honestly, I think I’ve fallen on almost every run.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The grooming is top-notch! Members of all the private clubs in the area are at Blue during the week—that speaks for itself. There’s plenty of variety in terrain, and lift lines, although long sometimes, do move pretty quickly. You can ski from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Seeing all the great people I don’t get to see when it’s not ski season. Après! You just can’t do it the same in the summer. Shot skis, break-dancing with ski boots on. Farting in the lift line then blaming it on my buddy. Laughing at the adult racers that take life way too seriously!

Do you owe anybody money? Ha! Who don’t I owe money to? Ladidadi, we like to party! Having a good time all the time ain’t cheap, you know!

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Le Massif

 

Talkin MassifWhat do you love about Le Massif? The amazing snowfall, the variety of fantastic terrain, the great people and the unique backcountry culture. As a volunteer media ambassador, I spend my winter weekends sharing the magic of this mountain with great people from around the world—a real refresher for me after a week in the office.

What don’t you love? Its proximity when I really have to stay at work on a powder day. Also hearing people asking for a refund because the snow is too deep—true story.

What brought you here? I moved from Montreal to get closer to Le Massif 10 years ago—the best way not to miss its legendary powder days.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Because I don’t need to be. I’ve got the snow, the terrain and the people I like here.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The quality and amount of snow we get here is shared by everyone, whether you’re a local or not. Same thing for the amazing panorama. The on-hill food is easily the best in North America. Spending a week at Le Massif increases your chances of experiencing a powder day.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! After a storm, be there at 8:00 a.m. to be ready for first tracks; ride the trails facing west first. My first-track favourite is a combination of La Vieille Côte and La Chaudière—amazing tree skiing almost top to bottom. Then I head for the Camp-Boule Express sector for deeper snow. Keep the Liguori off-piste sector for later on; you’ll lose precious time hiking while there’s plenty of snow inbounds.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? It’s the best Western skiing in the East! I love the fact that I need fat skis to enjoy my local resort. Wouldn’t you?

What are you looking forward to most this winter? The new gondola, of course. Also, the extension of the Liguori off-piste sector down to the base will provide safe access to amazing terrain, another secret that won’t be anymore.

Do you owe anybody money? Maybe a few beers from last season.

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Mont-Sainte-Anne

Talkin MSAWhat do you love about Mont-Sainte-Anne? The quality of the snow and the grooming, the constant fall line, the trail layout, the challenging terrain, the diversity of terrain, the view of the St. Lawrence river, no lift lines and the proximity to Quebec City.

What don’t you love? I hate when someone steals my parking spot.

What brought you here? We have the best of both worlds here: the best skiing and riding east of the Canadian Rockies and one of the prettiest cities in the world, Quebec City, 30 minutes away. Skiing, biking, hiking is a way of life here. I see so many families raising their children in this kind of environment, I strongly believe this is the recipe for happiness.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Why would you go anywhere when you are happy where you are? I’ve skied in New Zealand, Australia, France, Austria, Switzerland, the U.S., Korea, and I can honsestly say I’m always happy to be back home.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The challenging terrain is right there, easy to find. No other resort in Eastern Canada offers that kind of challenge. The grooming here is absolutely amazing. When you’re tired of the double blacks, you can enjoy constant blue cruisers with perfect grooming even late in the day. The trail layout here is perfect.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Santa Claus lives at MSA, I saw him on the slopes last season!

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? It’s really the quality and diversity of the terrain. There’s amazing beginner runs with wide, uncrowded slopes; constant fall-line blues for intermediates, including bump runs and glades; and the best expert skiing.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? The atmosphere at the mountain is magic. Everybody is here to have fun. And I look forward to skiing Super S; this trail is incredible, try it!

Do you owe anybody money? I hope not!

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Tremblant

Talkin TremblantWhat do you love about Tremblant? Besides the fact that it’s my home, I love to take a moment to enjoy a hot chocolate à the little hut on the Versant Soleil.

What don’t you love? I guess the few flats for someone like me who loves to go fast!

What brought you here? My grandma was born and raised here, so I spent all my childhood here, every weekend and vacation. I caught my first fish on Lac Moore in Tremblant village. My first turn on skis was between my father’s legs on Tremblant mountain (let me tell you that Tremblant did not look like this at the time). But I have good memories of those two T-bars on the north side and remember my first scary ride in that single yellow chair on Expo.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Because this is where I choose to live for the great quality of life!

Erik Gagné
Erik Gagné

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a resident like you? The generosity and simplicity of the people, and most of all, the friendly and warm welcome of
the French-Canadians.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Girls go wild at the P’tit Caribou bar after 10:00 p.m.! Also, the great not-so-known hidden spot for natural snow on the Lower Ryan run.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? I have Tremblant tattooed in my veins, and the atmosphere, the people, the staff make this place unique.

What are you most looking forward to this winter? To get a huge dump of snow like there is no tomorrow—last year we suffered from El Niño’s warm weather, so I’m dreaming of a perfect Quebec winter with a lot of snow!

Do you owe anybody money? Not as far as I am concerned.

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Banff

Talkin BanffWhat do you love about Banff? I’ve skied a few awesome spots around the world and the Banff-Lake Louise area just might have what I need to actually stay in one place for a while: a long winter, great people, lots of skiing, no lineups, snowpark, awesome andscape—and the summer is pretty sweet, too.

What don’t you love? I can’t ski back to my house.

What brought you here? Car, plane, skateboard, Greyhound, legs (in that order).

Why aren’t you somewhere else?Why aren’t YOU here? If you were, you might not need to ask!

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The fact that Banff-Lake Louise is nestled in the heart of the beautiful Canadian Rockies, yet close to the airport with excellent access. The AAA steak is amazing. Almost everyone you meet is genuinely friendly. The activities: skiing, boarding, snowmobiling, dogsledding, snowshoeing, ice climbing—and most of the time no queuing.

 

Alan Hogg
Alan Hogg

 

Give us a secret. C’mon, you now you want to! Strangely enough my girlfriend and I share the same last name, so we pretend we’re married. Oh, and my Facebook wife is a Kiwi I met in Wanaka, N.Z.

Do you owe anybody money? Parents: yes. Others: probably. And BM, you owe me 20 bucks.

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Big White

What do you love about Big White? Definitely the snow! I’ve been fortunate to ski at a lot of places around the world, but the snow here is, hands-down, the best anywhere (and we get lots of it, too). It’s dry and light, but not so dry that you sink to the bottom like the cold Rockies kind of stuff. Okanagan champagne powder has a creamy kind of feeling that you float through. Love it!

Talkin Big WhiteWhat don’t you love? The noticeable shortage of sushi—good sushi. So if you know
a sushi chef or are one yourself, we could use you here.

What brought you here? The job—I’m Director of Snow Sports.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Is this some sort of trick question? (See above.)

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a resident like you? The friendly atmosphere. The community here at Big White is really unique, with lots of interesting characters making this place what it is. Guaranteed you’ll feel welcome and want to come back.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! I lip synch to Justin Bieber songs while I tune my skis when no one’s around. Oh, you mean about the resort? You can find freshies in the Easter Chutes days after a snowstorm, plus the aspect of the slope allows for lots of wind-loading so if we get 30 cm overnight, there’s probably 40 there.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Besides the snow, the terrain here is really fun—great wide-open alpine cruisers, steep narrow chutes, powdery bowls and glades for all ability levels. Another thing you’ll notice is that Big White isn’t one of those homogenized resorts where the terrain is just a varying degree of pitch, there are lots of twists, turns and rolls that add to the excitement of a run. Natural features were left in place and that makes the skiing experience here a little different from a lot of other places.

Do you owe anybody money? I’m a ski instructor, of course I owe people money!

Skiier
Photo by Gavin Crawford

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Castle Mountain

Talkin Castle Mountain

What do you love about Castle Mountain? The lack of crowds and the snow.

What don’t you love? This is a classified secret.

What brought you here? I skied it late in the first year it ran and I was hooked. I bought a cabin on Lee Lake and was a regular until the upper T-bar (No. 4) was removed, then not so much for many years.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? Basically, you have to love skiing for skiing’s sake. If you want a social life, try Vail.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! My secret is “Road to Beaver Mines.” Some people have another name for it.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The wind, the sift that the wind brings, the powder that the wind transports to secret places…

What are you looking forward to most this winter? The snow!

Do you owe anybody money? No, but what a strange question!

Skiier, photo by Ryan Creary
Photo by Ryan Creary

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Kicking Horse

What do you love about Kicking Horse? The quietly confident skiers and boarders that pin it all over the mountain. People here don’t tell you how good they are, they show you.

What don’t you love? The people who high mark across the lower chutes and therefore shorten the run-outs from the Fuez Bowl chutes.

What brought you here? A dart on a map! Never having set foot in Golden, I just packed all my worldly belongings into the Neon and had a place rented the evening I arrived.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? In my mind Kicking Horse and Golden make up the perfect little mountain town that has everything to offer from a sick mountain to rapidly developing bike trails.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? Short mid-week lift lines, gondola rides with people who will point you to the good stuff and enough terrain to explore so you might just stay a little longer.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! If you mention my name, you’ll get a high-five from the folks in the ticket window.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The mountain is a little more rugged in that there isn’t a sign pointing you to the best run of your trip, so you have to go looking for it and you’ll enjoy it all themore when you fi nd it. Plus, it’ll make for better après ski.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Fresh snow, new lines and working on my snow moustache.

Do you owe anybody money? Maybe in a couple years I’ll be debt-free…maybe.

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Fernie

Talkin FernieWhat do you love about Fernie? Diversity. Fernie has it all. From high alpine bowls to tree skiing, ridge lines and long fall-line groomers. The most diverse terrain around. Period.

What don’t you love? That I can’t be skiing every day.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Because, like Bono and U2 belt out, “It’s a Beautiful Day” every day in Fernie.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The diverse terrain: take Elk chair up to Bear Express, warm up on Bear, then take Cedar Centre, then Boom Chair to Timber Express, doing the trees on Boom, then from Timber explore two of the five bowls: Siberia and Timber.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Powder seekers should always review the sun and wind patterns. A special place to go: Easter Bowl.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The terrain, scenery like in a national park but with the convenience of on-mountain accommodation, and a great ski town five minutes away.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Skiing powder with friends.

Do you owe anybody money? Nope, but my kids owe me.

Matt getting snowed by Luc Nadeau, by Henry Georgi
Photo by by Henry Georgi

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Mount Washington

Talkin WashingtonWhat do you love about Mount Washington? Huge snowfalls, sick backdrops, mellow scene, small lift lines, no attitude, fresh skiing all day with a little hiking and the terrain is amazing in The Outback.

What don’t you love? The boundary rules. I like skiing closed areas and recently it’s harder to get away with it when it’s sunny. We also need a halfpipe—and free beer in the bar would be nice, too.

What brought you here? The new terrain that opened in The Outback.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? You obviously have never lived in Cumberland.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The Waverly in Cumberland (on Wednesday nights), and the stellar mountain and ocean views.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Don’t piss off the patrol.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The snowfall, the views— and did I mention the snowfall?

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Heli-skiing Vancouver Island.

Do you owe anybody money? Apart from the taxman—my dad.

TalkinSkiier5

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Marmot Basin

Talkin MarmotWhat do you love about Marmot Basin? It’s located in Jasper National Park, a.k.a. paradise.

What don’t you love? People that bitch about change.

What brought you here? A visceral desire to never grow up.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Why would I leave paradise?

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? You can’t buy a Louis Vuitton purse here, the Golden Arches went out of business, Jasper’s the global headquarters of ARC (Alpine Rasta Coalition) and we consume more pilsner per capita than anywhere on earth.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! No Prolly Beach…and good luck finding it!

JB SutherlandWhat sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Coolest town in Canada, hardly anyone on the hill, wicked variety of terrain, stellar folks!

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Rolling the honed Austrian steel up onto edge and into a state transcending violent elegance and vicious grace.

Do you owe anybody money?: Just Blair Timmins (kind of).

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Kimberley

TalkinKimberleyWhat do you love about Kimberley? Nearly everything!

What don’t you love? I wish there was a good coffee service at the top of the mountain in Kootenay Haus.

What brought you here? I was born here!

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Kimberley is simply the best!

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? In a week, one can experience a serious and surprising variety of skiing terrain and normally excellent conditions.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! The Sunpit. (I may receive a mauling for this!)

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Although many people experience only the frontside, there’s an amazing variety of terrain. As well, Kimberley has reliably consistent snow and weather conditions.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Just being able to get up onto that amazing mountain and ski. In fact, I look forward to every season here.

Do you owe anybody money? Why, who’s asking?

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Panorama

Talkin PanoramaWhat do you love about Panorama? The blue skies and sunshine, fresh snow that lasts for days and the lawlessness of the town.

What don’t you like? The ski season is too short! Our four-month ski season flies by pretty quickly. I wish it were longer.

What brought you here? I worked at Lake Louise for many years and I wanted a change of scenery. I visited a friend at Panorama and loved it, plus they gave me a job. It’s a great close-knit community that I’m proud to be a part of.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Panorama has a small-town feeling with big-time terrain. With 4,000 feet of vertical and Taynton Bowl, you never get bored. And I met a cute girl working at the hill…now we’re married!

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a resident like you? If there’s no fresh snow, you know there will always be great, fast groomers.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Well, not really! Ktunaxa always gets passed by, making it an awesome stash. Or Fritz, first run after it’s been groomed—really fast and really fun.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Being a family-focused resort, many of our guests ski only the lower mountain, leaving the steeps and off-the-beaten-path runs free for us proud ski bums.

Do you owe anybody money? Yes! Ha-ha. I still owe Panorama for my wedding!

TalkinSkiier6

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Revelstoke

Talkin RevelstokeWhat do you love about Revelstoke? The leg burn and no lift lines.

What don’t you love? Needing to find a bathroom at the top of the mountain; pee breaks take time away from skiing!

What brought you here? Off-the-charts snowfall.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Nowhere else offers the perfect combo of snow, scenery, untouched wilderness, mountain culture and, most importantly, amazing people right out my back door.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The opportunity to find fresh lines a full week after a storm.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Just follow the kids with fat skis….

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The size of the mountain and the endless terrain and lines that you can access. I’m still discovering new zones all the time. Whether you’re skiing the frontside or hiking off the lifts, it’s impossible to get bored.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Snow in my face!

Do you owe anybody money? My parents.

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Silver Star

Talkin Silver Star

What do you love about Silver Star? I have so many incredible choices and options each day on how I choose to slide. There’s something pretty special about knowing I can go alpine and/or nordic skiing right from the same mid-mountain village. Not too many places I can recall where the alpine skiing and the cross-country are both exceptional.

What don’t you love? There is often a passive approach to dealing with emerging issues (weather, aging marketplace, environmental stewardship, etc.). Our resort community has some very bright, passionate and experienced people and today’s complicated issues need all players working together.

What brought you here? Schooling and my profession.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? I’ve entertained this question a number of times. Each time I go through the exercise of listing out my needs—exceptional terrain for alpine skiing, nordic skiing, mountain biking, consistent snow, parks and backcountry access, lakes and rivers, airport, good health care and school system—and I end up back at Silver Star and Vernon!

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a resident like you? He or she will likely pick up on how understated the resort actually is, yet how much it has to offer. While Silver Star is not about bling and glitz, I’ve always found it interesting, even after 25 years of being here, how visitors who have skied/lived in major North American resorts like Aspen, Vail, Whistler and Tremblant, end up coming back here again and again.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! You’re going to have to go skiing with me first. I won’t only tell you here—I’ll happily show you!

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? I’ve skied in so many places, some with more epic snow, others with more stunning terrain. Silver Star is one of “those places.” It’s somehow able to consistently put out an awesome experience day after day. It quietly goes about being a great place to ski and ride. Something you learn to appreciate when you know other resorts struggle with rain, lack of snow or huge crowds….

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Those random moments of pure, unsolicited happiness that come from sliding on snow-covered mountains. They bring me back to my youth and keep me young at heart (or immature—depends on whom you speak to).

Do you owe anybody money? I might after this is printed!

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Sun Peaks

Talkin Sun PeaksWhat do you love about Sun Peaks? Dry snow, no crowds, great locals and great cruising.

What don’t you love? Not enough waist-deep powder.

What brought you here? I came for a speed-skiing race and never left—that was 20 years ago.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? Two businesses, two houses and why would I go elsewhere else?

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? Great skiing, great people and a totally relaxed holiday.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! I would love to share but would be lynched by my buddies. Let’s just say you need to nicely ask a local what’s “compulsory” during a powder day!

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? No crowds, ultra-dry powder and tons of sun.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Opening day powder skiing in all the new glades cut last summer.

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Red Mountain

Talkin Red MountainWhat do you love about Red Mountain? Its proximity to town. I can leave my office on a powder day, ski for one hour and still make it back to my desk with no one (hardly) noticing. (Plus it is socially acceptable to work in my long johns for the rest of the day.)

What don’t you love? My mother is a ski bum and won’t answer her phone on a powder day in case I’m looking for babysitting.

What brought you here? Skiing, biking, the lifestyle.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? I am spoilt and like it here too much. I’ve skied all over the world and still have not found anything that compares. Plus there’s a “powder clause” in my work contract!

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The ability to really discover the mountain. There is a lot of hidden treasure out there and staying a week allows someone to find it.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! We get cell phone coverage pretty much all over the mountain so you can “be at work” with your BlackBerry and no one knows that you’re finding deep stashes on the north side.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Skiing 360 degrees around the mountain; it’s not “out of bounds.” And there’s always snow to be found.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? The Farmers’ Almanac says that we are going to have an early winter. And we had snow already in August!

Do you owe anybody money? I borrowed money from my son’s piggy bank this morning. Does that make me a bad mother?

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Whistler-Blackcomb

Talkin Whistler-BlackcombWhat do you love about Whistler? I don’t think there’s anybody who loves Whistler more than I do: everything about it, everything it stands for, the community, the mentality. The resort is full of outdoor enthusiasts who know what’s up when it comes to values and happiness. I’m telling you, even the ski bums living in closets, pulling minimum wage, are stoked. It’s the most beautiful place in the world covered with amazing bike trails and ski runs.

What don’t you love? Maybe there is one: the price of real estate. I wish I could afford to live in my hometown, but Pemberton is pretty rad!

What brought you here? Smart parents.

Why aren’t you somewhere else? The only other place I could see myself living is Revelstoke, but only because it’s kind of like Whistler was years ago, when my parents were raising us, so I’m assuming it will be like today’s Whistler by the time I want a family.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a local like you? The insanely sick shredding—that’s what we say for “extraordinary skiing and mountain biking”—the unmatched nightlife and the friendly people who go out of their way to make it a good experience for all.

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! I’ll just have to show you the secret stashes if you bump into me in Whistler, if you can hang. That sounds really cocky, but I just mean that I’m not very good at waiting for ridiculously slow people on the ski hill! But I’ve been known to take tourists into some pretty special places on Whistler Mountain.

What sets the skiing here apart from all the others? The snowpack is more dense than in the Rockies. Everything gets packed in around the rocks because the snow sticks to it well. The coverage means the avalanche risk is lower so it’s safer to ski steeper terrain. When it snows 10 cm in Whistler, it feels like bottomless pow. The vast amount of terrain between the two mountains also means that there are always good conditions somewhere up there. Even on days when it’s miserable at the base, it’s often bright and sunny at the top two-thirds of the ski area, which is still way more skiable terrain than any other resort in North America.

What are you looking forward to most this winter? Skiing with my friends while it’s dumping and foggy, in the trees either at Whistler-Blackcomb or in the backcountry with snowmobiles. Shredding until it’s dark and then hitting up Dusty’s or the GLC for après-ski drinks, and then some chill lounge, like the Mix or the Players Chophouse, for dinner before hitting the dance floor wherever someone like DJ Adam Bomb or Rob Cutler is throwing down. And then getting up and doing it again. I won’t have many days like this with my World Cup schedule, though!

Do you owe anybody money? Ha! Love this question—but I’m not going to answer it!

Talkin Skiier 8

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Whitewater

Talkin WhitewaterWhat do you love about Whitewater? The people, powder snow and snow and snow, and great food, and snow.

What don’t you love? Hmmmm…

What brought you here? After skiing resorts all over the world, places like Alaska, the Three Valleys region in France, Switzerland, Utah…I realized how good we have it here and decided to stay. Did someone say the WH20 locals are spoiled? All they have to do is leave and then it will click…home sweet home.

What can a one-week visitor appreciate here as much as a resident like you? Seeing the locals that rip, deep, day after day; the food in the Fresh Tracks Café; the mountain’s wesome staff. Did I already say deep?

Give us a secret. C’mon, you know you want to! Despite my years as a relatively high-level
skier, there’s no way my old lungs and legs are going to be able to handle the 2,000-foot lines under our new triple, the Glory Ridge chair. But thanks to fat skis, I can still try to keep up with the younger generation.

Talkin JensenWhat sets the skiing here apart from all the others? Powder. People. Pure pleasure.

What are you most looking forward to this winter? Midweek days when it secretly pukes
and no one’s here. And the whole new adventure that’ll come out of a bigger, better resort.

Do you owe anybody money? Who doesn’t? Isn’t that life?

Leslie Woit
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