Whistler in Spring

Snow Atop, Lakes Melted

Thu Apr 13th

A beer in Merlin's to rehydrate!

If you think about it, there is something slightly odd about forcing your feet into footwear, which either at the beginning or end of the day, or indeed all day, make your feet feel like what I imagine young Chinese girls felt when their feet were broken and bound to create Lotus feet.

Probably won't be so quiet Easter weekend

Having dressed in multi-layers of warm clothing that have you glowing under exertion or shivering when seated, you then strap two 'planks of wood' to your feet and ascend the nearest alp (usually in the face of a howling gale) before arriving at the top in a state of suspended animation from the cold.  At that point, you hurl yourself off the top of said alp in a variety of styles and speeds, aiming to reach the bottom in one piece, before doing it all over again, and again.  If you are lucky there will be sufficient light/visibility to show all the bumps and dips on the way down.  If the light is flat, you feel your way down hoping a ski won't catch a pile of snow and send you headlong down the slope or into the nearest snow drift. 

The skiers by the lift were waiting for others not the lift!

At the end of the day with feet, knees and other joints aching, you might reasonably assume we are absolutely mad to engage in this reckless pastime.  Possibly, but we absolutely love it.  

The difference between now and when we first started skiing 35-40 years ago is that the 'planks of wood' (actually they haven't been wood for much longer!), are now very thin and embedded in multiple layers of plastics, epoxies, resins and glues; decorated in a blaze of colours, images and logos.  The other difference is that we can no longer ski from the opening of the first lift until chucked off the mountain by the ski patrol at the end of the day.  The mind is willing, but the body just can't do it.  

So after a final lunch in town, we packed our gear after what may be our final three days on the slopes this season, and having ordered our season pass for next year, headed off back to the Coast.  I wonder if we may be able to squeeze an odd day in ............. Blackcomb does not close until late May!

We have not skied quite so late in the year before.  Whistler was quiet in the week with no lift queues and we were often on runs with no others in sight.

Blackcomb lower slopes

The snow has gone from town and on the lower slopes save for individual 'corridors' that have been maintained for the keen skier to ski back to town.  Those of us mindful of less than flexible knees, hips and other joints usually choose to 'download' from the mid-station gondolas.  At the alpine level, it does not feel at all Springlike as snow levels continue to get topped up, although the runs tend to be harder and faster.  

In town, the post-winter clean up has started.  Grass verges and flower beds were having the winter's grit and debris blown off and cleaned up.  Grass is being scarified to help it start growing.  Roads and paths are being cleaned by sweeping machines and leaf blowers.  The leaf blowers are particularly effective at clearing the paths and verges and blowing dust and rubbish all over parked cars, as we discovered on returning form the slopes.  Bulbs have started to emerge from their winter hibernation and  blossom is blooming. The Winter to Spring transformation is well underway.  I wonder if the road grit gets recycled given the great pile of it in the main car park?

It may be sub-zero at the top, but the lakes around Whistler that could be walked on two months ago are now good for ducks and geese to do their Spring thing.

Lost Lake - one of the higher lakes with residual ice

The highway was not busy back to the ferry.  Arriving back at Horseshoe Bay for the boat across to the Coast, the Easter exodus had started and the queues were backed-up almost to the 'Sea to Sky'.  The ferry before ours was late leaving, so everything was delayed waiting entry to the terminal.  

When we got to the ticket kiosk I fessed up to the higher roof box on the car.  "Don't worry" she said "nobody will notice"!  The chap controlling the traffic when we got down to the boarding queues, looked at the box and said it should be fine.  It was, and they clearly haven't yet fitted height alarms at the Horseshoe Bay terminal.  

We have now been able to enjoy Whistler throughout the seasons and knowing it as we now do, have grown quite fond of it.  A bit like Val d'Isere without the crowds and pushing in the lift queues! 

The main parking lot - grit and snow mountain - cleared from Whistler

Fred 'Chemmy' Cronk on the downhill!

It was good to get back 'home' after a week away, unpack, unwind and catch up on admin. The day started clear and on my return from the morning Hopkins Landing walk with Jack, I was looking forward to my first coffee of the day.  As I neared the house the road was blocked by BC Hydro (power suppliers) vehicles.  I had a sense coffee might be delayed.

Camp fire hob cooking

Routine maintenance, which we had not been told about, meant we were powerless.  We have a gas hob, so coffee, toast and the rest of breakfast was 'camp-fire' cooked on the hob.

The highlight of the day was our interview with the bank, to open our bank account! Boxes all ticked and a visit for paper signing on Monday (it is not a public holiday in BC) and we will have a local bank account.  Driving licences to follow next week.