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Thu
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02/04/09
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Henry and Ani are staying at
ours (while Nick is in Vancouver) and we're having a sociable
breakfast gathering and a late-ish start. Is it that the rest of
them are trying to make up for this? Our warm-up run is down the
moguls from Peak Chair, and Sleigh and Ani decide to go via 'The
Coffin' - the mere mortals go round and wait at the bottom. We
then have gorgeous powder turns back to the lift, at half past ten
or something. The resort must be emptying out. We go and do
'Christmas Trees' next. Then Henry takes us down the promised
'Khyber Pass' and it is awesome! Tree skiing at its most
manageable angle and density, with fresh powder on it. So much
fun! We have a lunch stop back at the Roundhouse, then go and do
it again. For me it is another once a day run though – I can
only handle it once and approach it with the necessary gusto,
after that the air's out. Still I'm not doing that badly. Then we
lose James, then Henry. Sleigh and I end up in a slope quite
tightly packed with small trees and half icy, half slushy moguls.
Finally we hear James and Henry calling and spot the cat track at
the bottom. Sleigh makes it there and waits for me. I see some
people jumping across the way I need to go, and ask Sleigh if the
coast is clear. Unfortunately I don't consider what I might be
hitting there. Turns out its quite a jump and not a bad drop down
the other side either. Too much for me anyway. No doubt Sleigh
would have been fine, but he might not be able to testify to this
in the future, as he might have been slightly concussed after his
failed back flip earlier. I double eject and crash land in a heap.
Didn't hurt, fortunately, but one of my bindings is a mess! The
brake is hanging off and the base plate has cracked. That's
normally James's job – breaking his equipment. And other level 3
skiers. Level 3 aggressiveness that is. Mine was probably more of
a level 3 daftness. I make it back to the village OK though, and
'Summit' have a replacement base plate. Not happy about the $60,
but good to go again!
Back at Eagle Ridge Henry and
Ani cook up a wicked Chicken Carbonara and everyone is briefly
sociable before the X-Box lures the boys back.
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Fri
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03/04/09
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We do the 'Khyber Pass' again,
twice, and hook up with Ani's friends Amy, Jake and Rob on the
second leg. Just after we come down into the forest I have an
encounter with a pungy tree. Although he's only little, he's
tough. Tougher than me. I end up head down quite a steep slope,
dangling from the pungy tree by one ski. My cries for help go
unanswered, what with the general excitement. There is no way I
can move from where I am though. In the end I manage to unclip one
of my skis with the help of a pole. Fortunately I still catch up
with Amy and co on the way down. Feels safer that way. Just in
case you do go down into a tree well head first.
Back down the slopes, we head
straight to Merlin's for another Hairfarmer's Special. A quality
party ends with me telling the guys from Ontario how, without
James, I would have a shiny outfit, certainly no duct-taped
gloves, and would ski half as fast.
Sensible is out of the window,
and we head for the curry house, where I find myself starstruck,
on the same table as the 'Hairfarmers'! It's the last night for
'Big Stu', one of the Basecamp crowd, and, as a loyal fan, he's
treating them. In terms of girl goupy applicants, unfortunately,
much like on the slopes, Ani is way ahead of me, discussing
Norwegian vocabulary for cunnilingus.
Back at the house James and I
have a tea and rum with Henry and set the world to rights, before
finally retiring truly late. It's gone 1am – shocking. We can
only have been up this late once or twice before on this trip.
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Sat
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04/04/09
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James and I aren't in a hurry
to get on the slopes and over breakfast I spot an ad in the Pique
promising free admission to the cultural centre today. James
reluctantly agrees to come along, and fails to be impressed once
we get there. I quite enjoy the exhibitions and information about
hunting and gathering, medicinal plants, weaving, ceremonial dress
and so on. James is right though, an actual history of the native
people and their encounter with settlers would have been nice.
Afterwards we go for a climb and take it easy for the rest of the
day. In the evening I cook for everyone and manage to make the
biggest bodge job ever. The supposedly quick and simple tuna
pasta takes three hours to cook. Still comes out tasting OK
fortunately.
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Sun
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05/04/09
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Sleigh and Riley, Henry and
Ani, James and I have a leisurely start and then head out to do
'Husume' – the route I didn't do the other day. It's a gorgeous
sunny day, and spring is in the air. At the col we're heading for,
to get into the gulley, Henry, Ani and Sleigh decide to go via the
actual summit on the left, while Riley and me stay behind, so I
can take photos of them coming down the face opposite. Then comes
the time for Riley and me to make our way down. And it's steep.
And a long way down. The snow isn't that great near the top, but
there's a glory section half way down, when it's just the right
kind of snow, the right kind of gradient, and I can feel like a
star, too. Herosnow. I like it!
We all have a few beers in
the sun on the roof terrace at 'Black's', and then review our
glory some more at home, with photograpic evidence, over some
reheated carbonara, followed by Ani's hot chocolate toddy.
Over all the excitement of the
day I completely forget that Sunday is yoga day. It's been a
fantastic day anyway!
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Mon
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06/04/09
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We're up late, and so is
everybody else in the house. At about lunch time a little gang of
us finally head out, leaving Henry behind with Frodo and the
X-Box.
Jack and Ani are on skis,
Sleigh, James and I on boards. It's positively hot outside and
we're all in jumpers, having cold drinks outside the Crystal Hut
and enjoying the view. It's so nice and sunny, nobody wants to go
indoors after the lifts close, and so we head back to the terrace
at 'Black's' where Henry joins us. This is when the grand plan is
formed. The boys are going to have hair cuts!
At the house the clippers come
out. Henry is having a tonsure, James a mohican, Sleigh a mullet
and Riley a bleach. Ani gets a few thin streaks, and I have one
slightly thicker one done. Jack and Nick refuse. Still it's
giggles all around.
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Tue
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07/04/09
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The boys are intent on
watching the football, and Ani is heading to Squamish to get her
social security number. I chill out at home and spend an hour or
so chatting with Stefan on facebook, then mess around loading
photos. In the afternoon I head out to go to yoga. It's sunny
again, and hot enough to just go in my tank top. Amazing. Somewhat
concerned about our snow though. The freezing level was above the
top of the mountain the last two days, and is apparently still
meant to be above mid station tomorrow. Not good. The forecast is
for significant snow fall later in the week, but it always is.
More of a marketing strategy than a real forecast it seems
sometimes.
Yoga is great. I manage the
arm balance we did the other week on both sides this time, and
with the help of the wall behind me, I go from teddy bear into
head stand.
After class I speak to
Christina to get some tips for books to study with by myself in
the summer. Christina recommends Banyan Books and Yoga Pod in
Vancouver for a real treasure trove, but also promises to make me
a list. I also exchange e-mail addresses with LJ, who is always in
class, as he might be in Europe travelling next year. He seems
real nice and right down our street with his back country skiing,
hiking and climbing.
With the yoga success and the
sunshine, I feel sufficiently buoyed to try and return the rubbish
lube I bought yesterday to 'Rexall', the Canadian 'Boots'. The
manager chucks it in the bin, refunds my money, then says 'I'm
sorry you weren't satisfied' and winks.
Back at the house Sleigh cooks
Thai curry for everyone. Amazingly all the new hair-dos are still
intact and have inspired much tagging on facebook.
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Wed
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08/04/09
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Conditions on the mountain are
promising to be truly unimpressive, and James and I go for a
little of 'other people's skiing holidays', meaning we don't get
up, don't ski and then watch the world go by from the terrace of
the Amsterdam pub over beer and food, discussing the latest in ski
fashion. Over night an army of lime green jackets has appeared in
the village, mostly on children. We play a game in which points
are scored for spotting a new green jacket, and there is an
endless supply of them, aided by the fact that these children
apparently have limitless energy for milling around and running up
and down the village stroll. We decide against dessert at the
Amsterdam and pick up a cheese cake from the grocery store
instead. Then we head back home and break into the 'The IT Crowd'.
I didn't really want to watch it with its work association and all
that, but it is hilarious! And nobody's really doing any work in
it anyway, even if it's set in an office.
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Thu
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09/04/09
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I've picked up Jack's cold,
and feel pretty awful with it. I'm also premenstrual I think.
Everyone is going out for a session in the park though, and I
decide to trek along on the board, just for some fresh air and
light. After some kid mows me down, I am definitely feeling too
fragile for jumping and I just scoot down the sides and head back
on my own after lunch. I finish reading 'Self' by Yann Martel,
feeling all tearful at the end.
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Fri
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10/04/09
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We hit the slopes late and
with the main purpose of going for lunch. The barbecue at Glacier
Creek appeals, but unfortunately it's not on. Still we have a nice
time sitting on the terrace and then enjoy a gentle snowboard back
via Rock'n'Roll or Ridge Runner, one or the other – how come I
still don't know what's what? This is normally the bit of the
mountain that we hit in order to escape the crowds, but no such
luck. It's packed. It is Good Friday after all. The conditions are
uninspired, too, much like they were yesterday, and James and I
are content to just head back to the house.
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Sat
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11/04/09
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We're enjoying a leisurely
start again, because the promised snow still has not materialised.
Is it still coming? Or was that it? Season over? Oh, woe! Sleigh,
James and I walk into the village later to go for a climb, and all
is green along the road. I feel rather nauseous with the terrible
exertion of walking and decide to merely stretch, not climb.
That's just as well, because it allows me to keep an eye on
Sleigh, who is learning to belay.
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Sun
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12/04/09
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Leisurely start ... again …
It's raining, no, pissing it down, rather. We decide, again, that
tomorrow is going to be the day, snow-wise, and chill out at the
house. The outing of the day is a trip to “Ingrid's”, where I
greatly enjoy my garden burger. After that I'm keen to get back to
India. I've started reading 'Shantaram', the book I picked out for
James in Smith's at Kings Cross, waiting for the train to
Edinburgh, on the way to Graham and Gill's wedding. I sold it to
him as the kind of book that I, personally, ought to read, and
ought to want to read, but couldn't really fathom. He was emphatic
from square one that it's brilliant. Now, seven months later, he's
finally finished it, with all his guitar playing and that. And
I've just run out of things to read. Despite my inner reluctance,
I'm hooked from page one.
In the evening Jack cooks
Paella for Sleigh, James and me, and it is excellent. All the more
for the four of us, as Riley is going out and Nick is back in
Vancouver pursuing his newly found love life and building a future
by means of more Ikea trips or something. Henry and Ani have moved
out to another property that's become empty.
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Mon
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13/04/09
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Winter is not over yet! And
Monday is still powder day! Hurray! We rush out early together
with Sleigh, Henry and Ani and revisit old favourites like
'Backpackers' and 'Fraggle Rock'. We then also hit some new stuff
with 'Couloir Extreme', which has hardly any tracks on it when we
get there, and piles of snow! After that James and I finally have
our intiation to 'Spanky's Ladder', the bootpack that unlocks the
gemstone bowls over the back of the ridge behind Glacier Chair. We
opt for 'Sapphire Bowl', which is a triple black. Maybe my first?
In any case I am doing it unwittingly again, given that I still
haven't really studied the off-piste guide (or even the piste map
to any degree of literacy). James tells me the out of bounds stuff
has much more cool factor anyway. After some discussion we
determine that this is mainly due to them not being on the map or
in the book, and does not need to relate in any way to their
technical difficulty. We decide they should be graded like
climbing routes with an additional indication for likelihood of
death, as some of them are hardly more difficult than a walk in
the park and some are simply insane. To finish off with we take
the Peak2Peak over to Whistler Mountain and do 'Million Dollar
Ridge' again. As I'd anticipated the snow on it isn't as good as
we have had it, but it's still a good run, and by the end we're
all tired and ready to go home with big grins on our faces.
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Tue
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14/04/09
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The sun has come out, and we
set off for an out of bounds adventure. Together with Ian, Sleigh,
and Henry and Ani and their enormous group of friends we decide on
Corona Bowl, which is a little further than Husume. When we get to
the col we decide to climb up the adjacent summit first. It's
precarious up there, and I feel a little nervous with nothing
other than snow to hold me up there. James meanwhile is happily
scrambling about taking photographs and babbling – good thing
too, without his photo I wouldn't have seen the impressive summit
ridge stretching out just behind us. It's just the two of us and
Ian in the end, as everyone else has rushed off already. Still, we
have fresh tracks pretty much all of the way down! Later everyone
is babbling about the best run of their lives... Perversely I'm
not that happy with my skiing, although I didn't even wipe out
anywhere. I was leaning back a bit too much I think, and in
hindsight would have liked to ski it more aggressively. There's
always next year! Is there? When we're enjoying beers and burgers
outside Blacks later, I get a call from Bob at Whistler
Dogsledding and arrange a trial day as mushers for Thursday.
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Wed
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15/04/09
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Everyone in the house is
having a lazy start. Mid morning Nick, who's back from Vancouver,
James and Henry go to watch the football. I give Donna a call to
wish good luck for tomorrow, as it's the big day for her and Rob.
I'm feeling very sad I can't be there, but it would have involved
22 hours in the air for the afternoon reception, with the happy
couple jetting off on honeymoon very early the next morning, and
Donna says we'll catch up on celebrations in the summer. After the
call I sit in the sun on the balcony for a bit reading my book,
then meet James for lunch outside 'Moguls'. In the afternoon we go
for a walk around the 'Lost Lake' with Nick. Winter is slowly
retreating in the valley and you can now begin to see how glorious
summer is going to be round here. Shame we won't be here to see
it. Another time, hopefully. And we'll still have the most amazing
summer anyway...
In the evening James cooks
'toad in the hole' for everyone. The effect is astounding, the
boys are practically purring. I've never seen them this quietly
gratified...
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Thu
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16/04/09
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The dog sledding isn't
happening today after all, but that makes time to ring Rob &
Donna after they have done the deed, and then go for a bit of
snowboarding.
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Fri
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17/04/09
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The Telus World Ski &
Snowboard Festival starts today, and is running until next Sunday.
We watch the skateboarding competition in the underground car park
under the Telus centre, then emerge back into the sunshine to
watch “Run GMC” on the main stage, banjos and all – good
fun!
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Sat
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18/04/09
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We explore the art exhibition
at the Telus Centre and check out what's happening in the village.
In the evening we watch the skier's Big Air competition. Mind
blowing stuff.
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Sun
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19/04/09
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I spend the morning making
photos and videos from our exploits into a film with music for
Stefan's birthday. Not a bad effort in the end. I'm quite proud!
For the rest of the day I enjoy reading 'Shantaram' and being
transported back to Bombay and magical India.
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Mon
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20/04/09
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We head up the mountain
expressly for lunch, and then do a couple of runs. Back in the
village, 'A Whole Lotta Led' are playing the main stage. There is
brilliant sunshine, and the biggest crowd we've seen at the
festival is sending clouds of cannabis smoke up into the air at
4:20, this also being the police radio code for a drug offence. At
that time on 20 April the anti-establishment like to light up
ceremonially. The band's front man Greg, also of “Hairfarmer's”
fame, is welcoming 'the members of our law enforcement community'
to the festival before advising the punters to put away their
smokes.
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Tue
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21/04/09
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James and I head up the
mountain late for a 'picnic' above the 7th Heaven cat
track, enjoying the view and watching the weather come in. On our
way down we find the one line that's been groomed already. As
we're having a little rest we get caught by ski patrol. I'm
chatting away about the weather, while the guys stays absolutely
silent. We get the message and get on our way again. I'm mighty
relieved I don't crash with the patrol guy behind me, and it's not
my best performance ever on the board, but also obviously not the
worst.
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Wed
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22/04/09
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We go for a trial day at
Whistler Dogsledding. It's an early start, and we get a lift with
Campbell, who seems to be the third in command. Also in the car
are Will, Carrie and Adam, further members of the team. Later we
meet Andy, one of the photographers and Matthieu, one of the
drivers. When the truck get to the kennels, 350 dogs start going
mad with excitement. Our working day starts by picking the dogs,
who will go out on tour and loading them onto the truck. Then we
go round picking up dog waste from the different pens the dogs are
in. The working age dogs are split into a male and female pen,
then there is an area for pups, youngsters, veterans, dogs who
need medical attention, and, overlooking the lot from a prime
position up the hill, the area for the racing dogs. Once the dogs
are all on board the truck, we head out to the trail we are going
to be using for the day and set up there. There aren't many
tourist booked today, so there is plenty of time for cuddles, and
it also happens to be nice and sunny. Later James and I get a lift
back from Bob, the main man, and talk about visas and
accommodation. It all sounds very positive, and we have had a
fantastic day too!
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Thu
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23/04/09
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James and I go for a long walk
around Lost Lake in the sunshine and talk about the future and the
state of the relationship.
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Fri
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24/04/09
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James and I go snowboarding in
the sunshine with Henry and Ani. I figure it may well be my last
day on the mountain today, so I enquire about the number of days I
had; 65 days on the mountain today. That's just over four days a
week, or thirteen five day weeks with three weeks off, as James
likes to put it. We head up Blackcomb to watch the super pipe
competition. Together with Henry's whiskey this inspires James
sufficiently to pull off a 180 followed by a switch 180 followed
by another jump – and he is mighty pleased. I finally have to
admit that he is now much better than me at snowboarding too, not
only at skiing. The four of us head down to Merlin's and have food
and beer on the terrace in the sun. When we get back into the
village 'Nestor's Uncle' are putting on some funky country tunes
outside the grocery store.
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Sat
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25/04/09
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James and I get up late, and
then head out for 'dogfest' – apparently in Whistler it's year
of the dog every year. We watch the agility contest and the
dancing dogs over a picnic, generally enjoy the festival vibe in
the village in the sun. 'Ruffian Royale' play some cool reggae
tunes in the sun. In the evening it's the snowboarders' “Grenade
Games” final with a DJ set in skier's plaza, and some amazing
break dancing performances to finish up with.
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Sun
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26/04/09
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We meet Henry and Ani, and
decide to go to “Merlin's” for lunch out on the terrace. It
also happens to be the last “Hairfarmer's” gig, and they're
busy setting up outside when we get there. By the end of their
time slot everyone is up and dancing in the sunshine, and they
decide to play on. The party only stops when it starts raining. We
take our good byes from Greg and Doug, the stars, in person then
relocate back to the house for a last drink.
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Mon
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27/04/09
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One drink too many last night?
James and I both wake up with a bad hangover and no food left in
the house, so we head out and get ourselves a picnic breakfast.
Back at the house we watch a few videos and chill out for the rest
of the day.
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Tue
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28/04/09
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It's Jack's last day and we
decide to celebrate the end of the season at “Merlin's” - best
sun terrace in Whistler. On our way there we bump into Lars from
the avalanche safety course, and he joins us with a couple of his
friends. We take our good byes after the beer and burgers and head
back to the house, to take care of some 'leftovers'. Jack still
has some magic mushrooms sitting around, and we go tripping on the
golf course. En-route James finds a discarded football, only a
little flat, which he brings along for a kick-around. Riley
christens the ball 'Wilson' in honour of some castaway movie. For
a while we chase the last rays of sunshine and enjoy the colours
of the grass, then the world goes really hay-wire, as it gradually
gets darker. We scramble up onto a rock and watch the stars come
out, until we notice Wilson is missing and we have to send a
search party. Fortunately we are soon re-united and back on our
rock, ready for more adventures. We make our way into the thicket
behind us, where things get really mad. It is pitch black
underfoot with lots of tree roots and fallen trees to stumble
over. In front of my eyes I can occasionally just make out the
shadow of a person, or a branch, eerily glowing, looking sort of
like a fibre optic Christmas tree. With much giggling we
eventually emerge out the other side. Fortunately we didn't meet
the bear that everyone was keen to see before leaving Whistler.
When the mushrooms wear off a little bit we make our way back home
for a comfort break. We pack a bag with some beers, put on some
more warm stuff and make our way back out, this time to the other
side of the village, where we sit by the river for a bit. We watch
Sleigh, apparently walking on water, over a beer, then head back
into the village, where everyone is a bit lost for a while, having
lived there for four months now. Happily we find the cut through
to our house, and stop at the fairy tale throne for a last beer.
Back at the house everyone retires, and although James, in usual
style, is apparently 'not tired' we doze off happily under my
canopy.
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Wed
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29/04/09
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James finally gets his
McDonalds breakfast, which we have out in the sunshine, then he
heads off to “Tapley's” to watch the Arsenal v ManU game
together with Henry, while I stay in. I do some laundry and call
my parents. They seem to be doing well enough. I tell them about
our plans from here on, then the phone cuts out (again!), and I
get onto writing my diary instead. When James comes back, he
starts taking the snowboards apart and urges me to remember my
settings: Goofy! Left foot 15°,
right foot 7°. James is
regular, with both feet at 15°.
I wonder whether I should go to both feet at 15° next year too?
It might make riding switch easier.
For
the rest of the day we tidy the house up and relax some more in
our room, while we've still got one. Tomorrow it's packing in
earnest, then off to Vancouver early on Friday morning.
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