Westbound Boarder

Well it’s Wednesday, and for those of you who don’t know, it’s time to talk snowboard camp. I warned you last week that each Wicked Wednesday Andrea, Rochelle (our NEW contributing blogger!) and myself are going to be giving you all the dirt on upcoming snowboard camps. Our goal is to give you all the information you may need to make an informed decision about which camp to choose. So here it goes!

Do you live near the best resort in the world? Or are you planning a trip to Whistler-Blackcomb before winter is up? If you are lucky enough to answer yes to wither of the aforementioned questions, well now you are even luckier, because Whistler-Blackcomb is bringing you Roxy Women’s All Star Snowboard Camp, on March 7th and 8th and April 4th and 5th.

This is an opportunity for just the girls to, ‘get to that next level fast.’ Whether you are looking to improve your freeriding or want to excel in the park, this Roxy Women’s Camp is where it’s at. For only $179 bucks you get to spend 2 full days at Whistler-Blackcomb (lift tickets, muffins and coffee included!) with Roxy’s top female coaches and demo the latest ROXY snowboard gear. Oh, and to top it off, at the end of the day you will receive professional video analysis so you can really take advantage of the days lessons (you may even take home a few prizes!)

One thing’s for sure, you will improve your snowboard skills and make some friends. You really have nothing to loose with this one as two days of Whistler lift tickets alone would cost more than this ROXY camp. So as long as you are at least 19 (but under 100) and you are not a complete beginner (you have to be able to carve down the hill), well, then welcome to Roxy All Star Snowboard Camp!

Here’s a lovely Christmas gift for those of you headed to Whistler this season.  Rumor on the slopes has it that Whistler’s Excalibur Gondola reopened yesterday, according to the Web site.  Danielle recounted the tragic incident a few weeks ago; after several days of reconstruction and safety testing, the lift is finally open to the public.  Safety, of course, is the resort’s number one priority, so if you’re worried about being the next to fall from the sky, rest assured!

That’s not the only thing Whistler folk have to celebrate this month; the mountain’s new Peak 2 Peak gondala opened as well on December 12.  And with four new inches of snow on Christmas day, Whistler’s looking pretty good heading into the new year.  Merry Christmas to all, and may it be white!

Every year we take a nice and relaxing trip to Whistler, B.C. to experience the best snowboarding in the world; literally. This year (and for the first time) we’re opting for Vail, CO, and man am I glad. For those of you who haven’t heard, over 50 people were stranded more than 30 feet off the ground in the Excalibur Gondolas for nearly 4 hours last Tuesday afternoon. Colder than usual temperatures in the Whistler-Blackcomb village caused water to seep into a gondola tower and freeze, causing the structure to rupture and collapse. More than a dozen riders were injured and sent to the hospital, but thankfully there were no fatalities.

Unfortunately, the timing could not have been worse for Whistler-Blackcomb. Not only is the world relying on Whistler, British Columbia to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, but only a few days before the accident was Whistler’s much anticipated Peak 2 Peak gondola debut. The new and much anticipated Peak 2 Peak Gondola is quite impressive - spanning nearly 1.88 miles (over 10,000 feet!!)  from peak to peak, hovering more than 1400 feet off the ground and only taking 11 minutes - this gondola sets a world record for the longest and highest unsupported span for a gondola.

Naturally, since the accident, avid skiers and snowboarders are raising the question regarding the safety of this masterpiece, not only for today, but for the traffic of the Olympics. Whistler officials and engineers of the gondolas are reminding everyone that the Peak 2 Peak lift design is unique from the Excalibur Gondola. The Peak 2 Peak is designed to enable water to go in and out of the structures in order to prevent freezing, expansion and rupturing, which is what caused Excalibur to malfunction. Another point the Whistler officials are emphasizing, to stress the safety of the Peak 2 Peak, is that among all the lifts in Europe that are similar to the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, not one has malfunctioned in a way that has caused serious danger to anyone.

Despite the fact that Whistler’s local residents and tourists have been rattled by the accident, nothing can take away from the enormity and excitement of the Peak 2 Peak record breaking gondola debut and Whistler hosting the upcoming historical 2010 Winter Olympics (only a little over a year away!!).  Personally, I am just grateful no one was really hurt, and I don’t, and will never, think twice about returning to literally - Heaven on Earth - Whistler-Blackcomb, B.C.