Brink's Canada Trip - Dec11

[brink]

Well - it all starts tomorrow - Flew up to SYD tonight.
Air Canada dep SYD 1215 to YVR arr 0730 08Dec.
Shopping in Van and then up to Whistler.
Skiing starts Fri09Dec.

[brink]

So far......;
At LCT
1993

Pizza on hotel room floor at 10.30pm - one of many poor eating choices to come!!!
1994

[jharley]

Happy holidays - looking forward to reading next update and further photos
John and Susan

[The Wang]

Over 3m of snowfall already, heaps open... Should be fun http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/weather/snowreport/index.htm

Heaps of photos please :)

[brink]

Ok here goes.............
Flight into Vancouver was a bit of shocker, heaps of turbulence, many small kids/babies screaming all night and about an extra hour flight time........so we hit the shops in Vancouver just a bit jaded. But for MEC for socks and thermals, West Broadway was a bit disappointing with the girls not able to find jackets they saw on the various store websites back home. SportChek sent us further east to their Burnaby store where they reckoned has more stock..........was a good move..........this shop is so awesome...like Auski on steroids. Gilrs scored Burton and North Face jackets. The Burnaby mall was just like Chadstone but better. Absolutely loved Vancouver from the moment we got there... feels so familiar or something. Drive up to Whistler was bit challenging die to fatigue and by the time we got into our condo in the upper village about 31 hours had elapsed since leaving Sydney......left the ski hire and tickets for the morning.
Some photos:
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Coffees on West Broadway. Funny asian owner attempted to kids awake with 'mind games'.
1999
SportChek Burnaby.......I love you.

We rented our gear from Affinity in the upper village. What can I say....I walked out with brand new K2 Rictors and they upgraded son1 and daughter1 also to Rictors and K2 Burnin Love's. +1 and daughter 2 didn't ski, but went shopping instead. +1 now has black furline spyder jacket - my fault for staying in upper village.

Weird weather today, -7 in village but +5 in alpine - massive temp inversions. Snow was week old packed powder but very skiiable on the groomers. Uploaded from Blackcomb base and then up Solar coaster. Took runs down Catskinner before getting the P2P. Skied Emerald and Big Red. So many runs to choose from - didn't ski same place twice.
2000
Our diggs - Greystone

[brink]

2001
Absolute bluebird conditions
2002
Can't get me happier than this
2003
P2P views
2004
2005
Marmot run

[Xena]

We stayed at Greystone on our second trip. Ahhh...Whistler...where my ashes shall be spread one day, in a long slow trail along Seventh Heaven. We plan on a re-visit in 2012 with our ski trip buddy families (18 people all up).

Have fun! Send some snow down Colorado way, will you please?

[brink]

More photos - day 2 and 3 at Whistler
2006
Top of 7th Heaven
200720082009Was wind blown and crusty.
2010Whistler mid mountain. Fog below was pea soup at bottom of red chair

[brink]

Couple more;
2011
2012
2013

[john.brinkman]

You are all looking good. Cool and overcast in Adelaide, no snow though. XXX Libby & Duckbar

[jharley]

I am sooooooooooooooooo jealous! Love to you all!
Susan XXX

[Pini Pow Pow]

Looks great, jealous!

[chunky]

Even crusty the cover looks reasonable.

[brink]

Whistler Day 4;
2016
Top of Harmony Chair
2018
Start of Harmony Piste
2017
Near bottom of Harmony
2014
Hot tub an absolute must!
2015
Scary bear skeleton!
Last day today - it's after 9.30am and we-re barely out of bed - so stuffed.

[jharley]

Loving all the photos!
glad you are all having such a good time
Susan
XXX

[brink]

Whistler day 5 - only skiied a few runs due to fog and fatigue.......no photos.
Drove to Kamloops today via Lillooet. All went smoothly, great snowy scenery.
A few bridges on the way;
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Now we are kicking back at the Wedgewood BnB for a few days - very nice place.
Head to Sun Peaks Friday. A little bit in the forecast - C'mon fresh stuff!

[brink]

We had two relaxing days in Kamloops - agreed that it's no draw card, but we stayed at an awesome BnB - Wedgewood which we had the run of, killer breakfasts all laid on and plenty of the personal touch. Also we had fun the shops (Aberdeen Mall) and swimming at the Canada Games Aquatic Center. About 7cm fell the first night and a 2021few more second night.
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[Bear]

Great Thread.

I miss Canada. One day I may get back to it.

[brink]

Arrived at Sun Peaks last night.
Pizza at Mountain High (good).
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Was snowing outside bff's but stopped after short time.
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[brink]

First day at Sun Peaks: Lowish cloud and light. Skiied Sundance and Mt Morrisey. Snow was compact powder, some fresh stuff on the sides. Snow went stiff as the day went on - hard work. Decided to swap Rictors to Rossi S3's for tomorrow.

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[brink]

Sun Peaks Day 2:
Bluebird day. Came down Rambler off Sundance first - top third with fresh stuff on top only - then ice block all the way. Was feeling very disappointed (I can go to Buller for that!). Things changed when we headed up the Sunburst - light powder most of top half with fresh tracks easily found, turning to packed powder and then the dreaded hard groomed for just the last bit. Rode Crystal and Elevation chairs before Masa's for luncheon. Finished off over on Morrisey for a few runs ("The Sticks" is a real favorite of the kids - adults too!). Temps dropping rapidly after 2pm - Mid mountain now down to -7.3c at 3.15pm. Thinking about Black Garlic tonight but still full from lunch!
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[The Wang]

Hey it's home! I mean, ah, Sun Peaks!

Mountain High are still going strong then? Excellent, I lived off the stuff when I was there :giggle:

[brink]

Last day skiing at Sun Peaks today (boo hoo). Although no fresh dumps, very good quality snow on most runs. Crystal was probably favorite followed by Grannie Greens. Family loved doing 5 Mile and Homesteader. We'll be back here for sure. When I first got off Sunburst and felt the quality underfoot, the snow in the fir trees, the magnificent blue sky and views - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Off to Banff via Revvy tomorrow. Will Lake Louise be better?
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[chunky]

Hopefully but LL is in a rain/snow shadow - very dry and cold (more so in Jan) but when it hasn't snowed for awhile it may be more icier than the resorts to the west. Absolutely some of the best scenic skiing you will do in the world there.

[jharley]

Hi Family Brinkman, so glad you are all having such an enjoyable time in winter wonderland, happy, happy Christmas xoxoxoxoVavi

[jharley]

Hi all

Just had 2 wonderful days over xmas with family and friends (very hot in Charlton), looking forward to some extreme relaxing for a few days. Loving all the photos!
Susan
XXXXX

[brink]

Time for an update! (Attempted to last night but internet kept timing out.........grrrrrr.......)
We left Sun Peaks for Revelstoke stop over via Salmon Arm. Was an uneventful trip - in fact all the driving has been ok. Stayed a the Swiss Motel which was good for the one night and included breakfast. Girls made several waffles! Drove up to the gondola base so I can say "I've been there" - couldn't see much due to low clouds from mid mountain. Saw more of Kicking Horse when we drove past Golden. Revelstoke has small mountain town feel - that reminded me of Bright or Mansfield.

Next day we made Banff and dropped into Lake Louise Chateau on the way. Girls were instantly impressed with the ice skating on the lake and massive ice sculpture.
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[brink]

Banff!
We didn't go skiing Xmas eve and day. Shopping and a few other activities instead!
The forecast wasn't looking that great for snow - but Xmas day delivered!
We went on a sleigh ride at 10am and by 10.30am flurries started increasing to puking by early afternoon. We skated at Lake Louise in the afternoon and went out to Giorgio's for dinner - a superb Xmas by all accounts.
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[jharley]

Hi all

Wishing you a happy new year!
We are all good here in Charlton.
The weather is a 'balmy' 38 degrees today and forecast to remain so for the next 3-4 days....the only ice is in the freezer!
Love Susan
XXXX

[brink]

Quick update on the Skiing at Lake Louise and Sunshine:
Skied Boxing day and 27th at Lake Louise. Weather was fine boxing day so got the signature views. Snow quality was meh - packed and well tracked. I was on mid-performance Heads which were hopeless in the loose powder (possibly also man made stuff on front side). Downhill ski kept sliding out so swapped to fatter Head i.peak 90's with greater success, but not as good as the Rossi S3's. Overall we felt LL was sight seeing tour on skis - ie the back side. Seemed a higher boarder to skiier ratio - with plenty of "beached whales" sitting in the center of the runs. had there been fresh dump I may have been more positive about the place. The second day there was was sheer madness crowd wise and more clouded in. Family liked Larch area and the Temple Lodge for hot chocolates - very picturesque setting.
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More on Sunshine in next post.

[brink]

Sunshine Village- 28th Dec.
Got there early to get on Gondola so girls could get to their snowboard lesson by 9am. (both were sick of ski boots). Poor visibility and strong winds on higher chairs, but up to 30cm fresh pow everyone talks about. Finally got me some boot/knee deep freshies off the Wawa chair. Skiied on Kastle BMX 88's - beautiful for the conditions. Good initiation like K2 Richters. Son was on Dynastar Sultan 85's which he liked. Went on most chairs in the bowl area but visibility and winds got the better of us so went to mid mountain (Wolverine Chair) for plenty of fun runs in partly tracked powder. Snowed all day. I did one run on Goat's Eye before packing it in (Girls wanted to go after a big day snowboarding with a a real gun instructor) - I'll be back here one day.
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[brink]

Well - things must come to an end.....
After half day finishing off some sightseeing in Banff we drove to Calgary for a flight back to Vancouver.
Spent the last 3 days in Vancouver and now waiting for our (delayed) flight home from YVR.
Spent our time kicking around Kitsalano, a Vancouver Giants hockey game (awesome!), the Boeing Factory down in Seattle (big trip for 90min tour, including the obligatory stuff around with US Border Control, but a real eye opener) and the Bright Nights display (for the littlies really but still fun). We'll be back!
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[chunky]

Fantastic! US border control through to Seattle is painfully slow. Next time we cross the border we will go inland and cross at a smaller border crossing (which we did on the way back from Seattle and was much much quicker)

[chunky]

So what place did you like sliding the best?

[brink]

Definitely Sun Peaks from an all round perspective. Whistler Blackcomb obviously awesome but family found 'green' runs a bit more like blue but I would give it another bash for sure. I would have liked to have seen more of Sunshine Village as well.

[chunky]

So you got the bug and want to go back now ?

[brink]

Yes for sure. Canada rocks. Instantly liked it more than the US on several levels.
Park City, Japan and Verbier are all on the (distant!) list, but +1 is already talking about "living in Vancouver" - so just have to come up with a plan to pay for it all.

[brink]

Have updated a few entries so the photos show.

[Xena]

Great photos Brink!!!