Whis Day 5 - What bar puts pitchers of Kokanee Gold on special?

Sunday night we checked out Davey in the Fire & Ice show at the base.  They jump through a ring of fire (NBD).  GLC had pitchers of KGold on special.  That obviously turned into trouble.  We struggled in the morning to pack and get out on the hill.  A predicted forecast of a few centimetres turned into huge flakes all day.  We got to the airport super early to meet a Vancouver friend for dinner and then I adventured my way downtown on the Canada Line.  It's an awesome way to get downtown from YVR and is so clean compared to other city subway trains.  I'm preparing for this terrible red-eye flight back to YYZ then onward to YOW.  I wish I could go MJ-styles and just have a doctor knock me out.

Village stroll.

Burning ring of fire.

The riders were awesome.

Need a beer?

Snow Jam line up for summer 2011.

Turpin showing us around.

I see something du about this photo. 

Struggling hard.

Nuclear snow storm.

Canada line.

Vancouver.

Granville Street.

Creeping.

Whis Day 4 - Bootpack for your turns

Today was awesome.  So much sun & so much fresh snow still to be had in the slackcountry.  I'm too tired to write anything else, the pictures speak for themselves.

Ready for a hike?

Yep.

Snow.

On top.

Ouwhee how's the serenity?

Slackcountry.

The best.

Traversing mountains.

Whis Day 3 - White, exposure & real mountains

We woke up to snow in the village and even more snow up the mountain (plus Moguls coffee, duh).  We started the day off around 7th Heaven on Blackcomb and scored some pretty fun turns.  The snow wasn't letting up and DC joined the party mid-morning.  He brought us over to some more serious stuff (for a bunch of Larry-East coasters).  I personally have barely ever skied powder and was losing my mind over some of the things we did & saw today.   Dave led us into upper Sapphire (totally cool, calm & collected - not scared at all) and onward to some other nice bowls.  The visibility was shit and I'm quite lucky to have pounded into a snow drift off of a drop (invisible to me - in the middle of a bowl) instead of rocks.  Today was a miniature, tiny, joke of a glimpse into what real skiing is.  I'm insanely humbled and stoked.

Oh hey der!

Safely into Sapphire.

Chocolat chaud.

Blackcomb glacier.

Yep.

Mountain moving machines.

Meeeeeeeeerrrrrrrlins! + KGold.  Da best.

Sun peaks out at the end of the day.

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes...

5 beans, 2 chopsticks, 1 hand... GO!

Sake marg can be blamed for this photo.

KFC roll.

Whis Day 2 - Keep your head down & hike

The second day obviously started with coffee & banana bread from Moguls.  Flute bowl was still majestic today and we hiked it three times (dead legs).  DC slayed some spines and I fell in love with the Salomon Rocker2.  A storm began to roll in later in the afternoon & pushed us down to Dusty's for wedges, butt rub & KGold.  Sushi Village tonight... DU!

–JC

Good morneeyen

The Rocker2's... YES!

Pissing at the top

Avalanche debris in Flute bowl

Beauty everywhere you look

JC, BM, DC

Storm rolls in... sweet dreams!

Whis Day 1 - Pow

We started the day bright and early, boarding the Whistler Gondola at 7:15 for First Tracks breakfast at the top.  I've decided that a rule for this trip is to eat banana bread whenever given the opportunity and the buffet breakfast did not disappoint.  Harmony was super fun in the morning and we eventually hiked over to Flute Bowl (majestic).  The whole day was unbelievably du in every sense of the word.  Happy St. Patty's Day Whistler!

–JC

Good morning

Harmony baby

People stoked on the snow

Symphony Amphitheatre

My love... Flute Bowl

Friends!

Richard's Red at YOW

The trip begins with a Rickard's Red in the Ottawa airport.  With its sights set on sake margaritas at Sushi Village.