Big White

Big White Trail Map

Big White is located in Kelowna, British Columbia. With 118 marked runs and a vertical drop of 2,550 ft there is enough exciting terrain for skiers of all levels to explore. Approximately 74% of the terrain is rated intermediate level and above, but there are still plenty of runs for beginners. Big White is known for its deep powder, and the mountain receives an average of over 25 ft of snow per year.

As I have recommended in nearly every blog, I will once again suggest you stay on the hill. Big White has a large village at its base, with hotels, condos and cabins available for rent. By staying in the village you will have easy access to the mountain and also the beautiful village.

Big White Terrain

Two areas that I highly recommend you ski are Sun Rype Bowl and Parachute Bowl. These are both feature challenging high alpine skiing, but are usually filled with boot high powder which makes them extremely fun to ski. For beginners I recommend trying out Kalina’s Rainbow. This run will allow you to get a taste of high alpine, without the steapness.

The village at Big White is smaller than other ski villages in B.C., but still has a lot to offer. With over 18 restaurants, bars and cafes there is something for everyone. Two of my personal favourites are Cecil’s Perogies and Globe Café and Tapas Bar. Both of these restaurants offer affordable and delicious food. For après and night life you MUST try Snowshoe Sam’s. Voted Canada’s #1 Ski Bar by Ski Canada Magazine this is where all the action happens after the ski day is over.

For more information visit www.bigwhite.com.

Happy skiing!

Whistler Blackcomb (Part II)

The village at Whistler Blackcomb is one of a kind. Featuring dozens of restaurants, cafes and stores there is something for everyone. The resort actually has two villages. The main village is at the base of Whistler Blackcomb and a smaller village, called Creekside, is located at the bottom of Whistler Mountain.

Accommodation at Whistler Blackcomb is easy to find, as there are over 40 hotels and condos available to rent. I recommend staying in the main village, because there is access to more amenities, such as restaurants, grocery stores and shopping. The main village is very large and exciting to explore. By staying in the main village you can use the free shuttle service that buses you from your hotel/condo to the base of the mountain. This saves you from having to walk long distances with your ski boots on.

Eating is one of my favourite ways to spend my time in Whistler Blackcomb village. With over 90 restaurants in Whistler, there is every type of food one can imagine. I recommend trying the Whistler Brewhouse, which makes their own beer on site and fresh pizzas and rotisserie chicken in a stone oven. Another great restaurant is Sushi Village, where you can eat fresh sushi in small, private Japanese style rooms.  

To get involved in the happening après scene try the Garibaldi Lift Co. Bar and Grill located at the base of Whistler Mountain, or Merlins at the base of Blackcomb.

I highly recommend making the trip to Whistler Blackcomb. With world-renowned ski terrain and a beautiful village, it is impossible not to fall in love with this resort.

Whistler Blackcomb (Part I)

Whistler Blackcomb is one of the World’s premier ski resorts and a personal favourite of mine. It has over 8,100 acres of terrain to explore and 200 marked trails. My Dad, brother and I ski it every year over the Christmas break and never seem to tire of the terrain or the atmosphere in the village.

Blackcomb Glacier

I have chosen to break this ski resort into two blogs (Part I and II) because it so large I would not be able to tell you everything you need to know in one blog. Part I will focus on the terrain of the two mountains.

Whistler Blackcomb is unique in the fact that it actually features two mountains: Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. Blackcomb mountain offers high alpine skiing. Some of my favourite areas are 7^th Heaven, a large bowl that faces into the sun. It features tons of powder and something for all skiing abilities. My absolute favourite run is the Blackcomb Glacier. To get there you take the Glacier Express Chair to the Horsemen T-Bar and hike up 60 ft to the top of the glacier. Skiing the glacier is something every skier should experience (but is best for strong intermediate and advanced skiers).

Whistler Mountain offers a wide variety of high alpine bowls, all of which offer fantastic skiing. A must-ski is Harmony Ridge. With both high alpine bowls and glade skiing the mixed terrain keeps you on your toes. On cloudy days head over to the runs off of Garbanzo express. There you can ski the Men’s Olympic downhill course, Dave Murray Downhill, and other long cruisers. Also, while on the mountain you must ride the world-record breaking Peak 2 Peak  Gondola which spans 4.4 km across the two         mountains.

Check in next week to learn about the Whistler Blackcomb village.

Happy skiing!

Monte Sainte Anne

Monte Sainte Anne 

Monte Sainte Anne is a beautiful resort located in Quebec, 30 minutes outside of Quebec City. With 46 runs and 465 acres of skiable terrain it is one of the largest ski resorts in Eastern Canada. With 80% of the runs rated blue (difficult) to double black (extremely difficult) it is a hill best suited for experienced skiers.

Monte Sainte Anne does not have a village at its base, but there are several hotels and rental chalets extremely close to the base. I recommend a chalet complex fifteen minutes away from the hill called ‘Club Vacances Toutes Saisons’. Reasonably priced with a delicious restaurant on site, it is a convenient and cozy chalet.

The terrain at Monte Sainte Anne is quite varied. With moguls, glades and a terrain park known as the “Dragon Zone” there is something for everyone. Two of my must-skis are ‘La Crete’, a long black diamond run on the south side of the mountain, and a blue glade run called ‘La Rigolo’.

Quaint Streets of Quebec City

One of my favourite aspects of Monte Sainte Anne is the fact that it is so close to Quebec City. I suggest leaving the hill early one day and spending the afternoon and evening in Quebec City. With quaint streets and 100 year old buildings, it is a beautiful city to explore by foot and no matter how many times I have been, I always find something new.

For more information visit www.monte-sainte-anne.com.

                                                                                  Happy skiing!

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a breathtakingly beautiful resort located in Banff National Park. It is the biggest ski resort in the Canadian Rockies and one of the largest in North America. With over 4200 skiable acres and 139 named runs Lake Louise offers something for all skiers. It claims to have “more terrain than can be skied in a week”. I can attest to this as I have skied there several times and still feel like I have more discover on the vast mountain.

Lodge of Ten Peaks at Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a resort that does not offer on-hill accommodation. The closest accommodation is Chateau Lake Louise, which is extremely expensive so I recommend staying in Banff. The drive from Banff to Lake Louise is 45 minutes, but it goes by quickly because the scenery is so gorgeous. By staying in Banff you will save money and get to explore the stunning ski town.

My favourite area to ski at Lake Louise is the ‘Powder Bowls’. This above tree line area features over 25 runs, of varying difficulties, in 9 consecutive bowls. This area is known for its powder snow and sun bathed runs.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Banff offers a wide variety of restaurants. My favourite pub in town is the Rose & Crown Pub, located on Banff’s main strip, which offers delicious pub food at a reasonable price. A great spot for dinner is the Grizzly House, a fondue restaurant that offers exotic local meats such as caribou and elk. Wherever you end up eating you MUST explore Banff. There is so much to see, so make sure you set aside time to walk around. A Banff landmark (that most of us cannot afford to stay at) is The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. I highly recommend going inside and looking around.

For more information visit www.skilouise.com and www.banff.ca.

Happy skiing!

Panorama Mountain Village

This week I have chosen to discuss Panorama Mountain Village, one of my favourite ski resorts in the Canadian Rockies. Voted number one family ski destination by Ski Canada Magazine, it is a great ski destination to spend quality time with family and friends.

I recommend flying into the Calgary airport, renting a car and taking the breathtakingly beautiful drive along the TransCanada Highway and across the transcontinental divide. Just before arriving at Panorama you will pass through the small town of Invermere. This is a great place to buy groceries for the week as they are much cheaper than the small grocery store in the village.

The view from"View of 1000 Peaks" 

 With over 2,847 acres of terrain Panorama offers something for every level of skier as 75% of the runs are suitable for beginners and intermediates. It is known for its long, groomed cruisers, but also has plenty of high alpine skiing. My must-ski’s include Taynton Bowl (black diamond) and on sunny days, View of 1000 Peaks (blue).

Panorama Hot Springs

The base of Panorama is lined with condos that you can rent. I highly recommend staying in one that is right on the hill. There is something magical about being able to ski right into your condo. Panorama is famous for their Panorama Springs Hot Pools, giant pools naturally heated by the earth. Definetly a must-try! The village at Panorama is quaint but full of charm. Featuring eight restaurants and bars I highly recommend T-Bar for après and Mile High Pizza for a delicious dinner. Panorama is also a great location to stay in at night and cook your own meals with family and friends while a log burns in the fireplace. 

For more information visit www.panoramaresort.com.

Happy skiing!

Mont Tremblant - Eastern Canada's Best

This week I chose to write about my favourite ski resort in Eastern Canada, and one that is within driving distance for Ontarians. This resort is Tremblant. It has the highest summit and most runs in Quebec it also features a beautiful village filled with restaurants, night life and a ski-vibe that cannot be beat.

Mont Tremblant

When skiing at Tremblant I would definitely recommend staying on-hill. Tremblant offers a wide variety of on-hill accommodations including hotels, condos, and chalets. By staying on-hill you will experience the Tremblant ‘lifestyle’ and get to enjoy the ski hill and village without even having to get in a car.

The skiing at Tremblant is awesome. My favourite area on the hill is “The Edge”. This area offers groomed runs but also varying difficulty glade runs. My brother and I spent hours on The Edge in the glades when we were kids. I definetly recommend checking it out.

Mont Tremblant's Village

The village is one of my favourite aspects of the hill. It offers a large variety of restaurants and shops. I love walking through the village and taking in the sights while soaking in the ski lifestyle. Two of my favourite restaurants are le Shack and le Diable. These restaurants are both very casual but offer deliciously beautiful food. From poutine to double-decker hamburgers they offer something for everyone. Le Shack is also the number one bar for après on the hill (as voted 16 years in a row). Another of my favourite bars to après at is Bullseye Bar. Located at the bottom of the hill it features over 25 varieties of beer and an awesome spot to kick back after a day spent             on the hill.

A must-eat at Tremblant is the traditional Beavertail. A deep fried piece of dough topped with everything delicious. My favourite is cinnamon and sugar! Another secret treat can be found at the base of the North Side of the mountain. A tiny wood hut pours warm maple sugar onto snow. Then the frozen, gooey maple syrup is wrapped around the stick and ready to eat . SO GOOD!

Tremblant is a wonderful destination for all levels of skiers and a great place to spend time with family and friends in the village and on the slopes. To check out more of what Tremblant has to offer visit the website at www.tremblant.ca.

Feel free to post any questions or comments.

Happy skiing!

Welcome!

In order to understand why I chose to blog about skiing, I must first explain how skiing has impacted my life.

I began skiing at the age of three, when my Dad took me to the local ski kill (Lakeridge) and helped me ski down the bunny hill. The memories of this day are a bit foggy, but my Dad tells me I loved the sport immediately.

My Dad and I at Whistler

As I grew up my family would go skiing nearly every weekend in the winter. My dad, mom, brother and I would trek to ski hills in Southern Ontario and spend the day enjoying the sport. I took very few ski lessons because my Dad insisted on teaching me himself. He called it a great opportunity for "quality time together", time he did not want to give to a ski instructor.

This quality time became important to my family and as my brother and I got older and became better skiers, we would go on our "Annual Family Ski Trip". Starting out at smaller resorts such as Tremblant, we worked our way up to skiing large resorts in Western Canada.  

My brother and I are now away at school, but we always manage to plan at least one family ski trip a year. I think it has become a tradition that we will carry on as long as we can ski. 

This blog will share my experiences at different hills across North America. My hope is to inspire readers to take a ski vacation with their family and friends, regardless of their skiing ability. Each week I will focus on a different resort and include information on accommodations, restaurants, must-ski runs and much, much more!