Posts Tagged ‘skiing canada’
Air Canada Premium Economy
We’re very excited to announce that as of 2nd March 2014, Air Canada will be offering a Premium Economy service on the daily service from London Heathrow to Vancouver.
Read the rest of this entry »
Powder Playground
Dry, light, Canadian Rockies powder and lots and lots of it! Ski resorts all over Alberta and British Columbia are currently experiencing some of the best conditions this season. In the past 72 hours Whistler has welcomed 85cm of fresh powder bringing their cumulative snowfall this season to a massive 1015cm. Close behind them are the resorts of Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, which make up the Banff-Lake Louise ski area, who have also seen upwards of 1 metre in recent weeks. One person lucky enough to have experienced this is Catriona, our Banff Lake Louise rep who has sent us this update on conditions. Read the rest of this entry »
Whistler: The most skiable terrain in the World
Whistler has the most open terrain IN THE WORLD right now! I know we make a big fuss about Whistler but no wonder – they’ve had over 10 feet of snow fall this season alone!
Today the Peak Chair opens, tomorrow Harmony Express opens – I have one question for myself, what am I doing sitting here at my desk? I should be there…
Of course I’m here so I can book holidays for those who are able to take time off at this time of year (and beyond) – I won’t get to ski until Mid March and only then if we are quiet enough, one of the pitfalls of working in the ski industry, we’re busy when the snow is falling and everyone else is skiing. Read the rest of this entry »
Whistler Blackcomb beats average annual snowfall
Whistler Blackcomb has seen 186cm (73 inches) of fresh snow in the past 7 days, which takes the season’s total to 1,033cm (407 inches), beating their annual snowfall with three months remaining in the ski season.
“Each day over the past week I’ve been overhearing friends and guests’ claiming ‘this was the best day ever,’ as they describe their day at Whistler Blackcomb; claims that are immediately trumped the next day with the new ‘best day ever’ claim,” says Doug MacFarlane, Whistler Blackcomb Mountain Operations Manager. “And they’re right. Whistler Blackcomb has seen an incredible storm cycle resulting in 186 cm (73 inches) of snow this past week. Couple this with our operations crews efforts; grooming 1,000 fresh acres each night and patrol working hard to open alpine lifts as early as possible after each dump of snow, it’s an incredible time to ski and ride at Whistler Blackcomb.”
There are some amazing late season deals available to Whistler, starting from only £849pp for 7 nights at the Tantalus Resort Lodge, with the resort open until mid-May with skiing available on Blackcomb Mountain. Call the reservations team on 0131 243 8097 for more details.
To view other fantastic Whistler offers – click here
Non-Stop Fun In Whistler
The excitement in Whistler doesn’t stop with the 8,000 plus acres of ski terrain; there are endless opportunities for adrenaline fuelled fun off the slopes. Here’s the latest low down on just some of the activities available from Leanne at The Adventure Group.
“Intro to adventuring in Whistler” could take a few pages, but I’ll try and keep it short and sweet – the Coles Notes of how to effectively have FUN! With endless opportunities in this winter wonderland, it can sometimes be daunting to choose the best option for your group or family. You want something unique, that you can’t experience anywhere else which make you laugh, right?! Let me give you some “insider tips” to make your holiday that extra bit special… Read the rest of this entry »
North America Snow Update
North America’s 2010-11 ski season is off to a great start with many areas opening early and reporting healthy snow falls.
Among the resorts already open are Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper Mountain Colorado; Snowbird in Utah, Killington on the East Coast in Vermont and north of the border Banff and Lake Louise in Alberta. Whistler has announced it will open nearly a week early, later today, thanks to the great pre-season conditions there.
In California, Mammoth is the latest to open (On Thursday 11th November) with more than 2,000 people arriving to enjoy skiing and boarding down from the 11,053 foot summit via Cornice Bowl. Six lifts were operational and 2,000 vertical feet (about 650 metres) of vertical terrain were open on a base of 18 to 36 inches (45 to 90cm).
First Chair 2010 - Mammoth Mountain
Whistler To Open 6 Days Early
The office was buzzing with excitement on Saturday when the news came in that Whistler Mountain will be opening 6 days early thanks to new snow and low freezing levels.
Skiers and snowboarders will get their first turns at Whistler Blackcomb this Friday, with Blackcomb Mountain opening shortly after on Thursday, 25th November, Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day.
“New snow and low freezing levels, along with the hard work of our mountain operations, grooming, and snowmaking teams mean we can open Whistler Mountain on Friday, November 19,” says Doug MacFarlane, mountain manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Though early season conditions will apply, having those first few turns of the season is a great feeling and we’re happy to make that happen for our guests six days earlier than planned.”
The Snow Cats are ready to get to work
Possibly the luckiest guy this season?
Last month we announced that Neill Hadden was the lucky winner of our Ultimate Ski Holiday to Whistler, BC. After being somewhat overwhelmed, he has kindly put together this blog post. Warning it has the tendency to make your rather jealous…
I took up snowboarding quite late at age 26, young enough to be enthusuastic, brave and possibly a little reckless but old enough to find the first week a brutal and bruising experience! Since then I have been at every opportunity including trips to Switzerland, Canada and NZ. This year I had been travelling in August including a couple of days boarding in Cardrona, New Zealand and so on my return got cracking with organising the Hadden ski trip for Feb 11. Was looking at various North American options but was beginning to feel the pressure of making all the arrangements for a party of 6 so asked one of the others to help with some research. In the course of this he stumbled on the Ski Independence prize draw and sent me (and probably half his address book!) the link to enter. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 5 expert runs in North America
We had a heated argument in the pub the other night about the top 5 epic expert ski runs in North America. The debate was fierce – what makes a ski run ‘epic’ – pitch, scale, snow, exposure, elevation, scary terrain features, fear factor, what?
Pitch can be conquered with bullet-proof technique. Scale means stamina. Runs always change their character in different snow conditions, weather, light and time of day. Exposure makes you feel alive. Elevation – no pain, no gain. Scary terrain features? I laugh in the face of ‘mandatory air’! Fear factor – beats the crap out of the X-factor. What should be included, and what criteria should we use? Does Snowbird have better terrain than Kicking Horse? Is the snow depth and quality in Fernie better than Crested Butte? Who can say, but in my opinion a truly epic ski run needs five qualities – (1) a degree of difficulty that keeps you thinking and working hard the whole way down. (2) a fear factor. (3) a tick-the-box factor. (4) an aura. (5) a scale that’s off the dial.
Insider guide to Panorama
If you’re heading to Panorama this winter, here is an insider view Hayley Wilson from Panorama Mountain Village
Where do you head for fresh tracks?
On a powder day, Heli-High is usually the first run in Taynton Bowl to open after a storm. Stick to the ridge as long as you can for wide open trees. The bottom is tight and technical but well worth it!
Looking for that cruiser that will take your breath away?
Early in the morning, head over to the Sunbird Chair to Little Dipper, which could also be named Little Ripper. It’s a wide, rolling run that’s off the beaten path, so you might just have it to yourself!
Breathtaking scenery in Panorama
Where should we head if we need an energy boost?
Head to the Summit Hut at the top of the mountain for excellent views, special coffees, and the best homemade brownies around!
Where’s the ultimate lunch stop?
The Elkhorn Cabin on Rollercoaster is the place to go for amazing views of Mt Nelson and delicious all-Canadian fare. I recommend the homemade meat pie; an old Bilodeau family recipe and a classic French Canadian dish.
We need to take some top shots, where’s the best place for a Kodak moment?
Anywhere on the mountain where Mt Nelson acts as a backdrop, such as Top of the World, Picture Perfect or World Cup Way.
After a day on the slopes, where’s the best place for beer ‘o’ clock?
The T-Bar for a great atmosphere, live music on weekends, and a great local crowd.
Other than skiing, what’s a unique après ski activity in Panorama?
Book the Summit Hut with a bunch of friends for après ski fondue. Take the last chairlift up; enjoy great B.C. wines, cheese fondue, and chocolate fondue. Once you’re done, ski down the mountain just before sunset and have it to yourself!
Head to the Summit Hut for some après ski fondue
Final Words of Advice…
Go heliskiing and experience Panorama’s backcountry! It’s a once in a lifetime experience and you don’t have to be an expert!
