Sometimes when I describe what it’s like to live in Whistler I say that it’s like a mix between Las Vegas, Disneyland, and the North Pole. Obviously this isn’t really a fair assessment to any of the destinations except that all of them are rad, assuming the North Pole is where Santa really lives. At any rate, I just returned home from Vegas and, instead of unpacking and hitting my desk, I suited up the kids for the first day of Whistler Blackcomb’s Peak 2 Peak summer sightseeing season.

The Peak 2 Peak gondola is always a huge hit for my kids and I never get tired of being in the alpine. I’d also heard WB opened a catwalk overtop of the guts of the Peak 2 Peak called the Peak 2 Peak Gallery and inserted some tablets to describe the technology and engineering behind the world record Peak 2 Peak tram span. Anyways, we thought we’d make a day of checking it out. Fun.

If you’re visiting Whistler this summer, the Peak 2 Peak should not be missed; from hiking, trail running, the Via Ferrata, and winemakers’ dinners to warm evening vistas as good and better than anywhere in the world, Whistler’s alpine is the place to be in the summer. More info here and photos below.

-Jer Postal.

This past Wednesday, homage was paid to one of the most influential figures in our valley’s history, Jack Bright, Whistler Mountain’s first general manager. As would be expected of such an occasion, the gathering drew a long list of prominent and long-time Whistlerites.

Besides it’s main purpose to commemorate the life of a cherished family member, friend, and colleague, the celebration served a sort of window into another era. Whistler’s history is so short and mercurial, it is easy to forget how much change has occurred in just a few  decades. We are fortunate to still have with us many people who have witnessed  (and contributed to) Whistler’s rise from its modest beginnings as a remote venture with an uncertain future. Jack’s celebration drew many such folk, and the informal conversations spreading throughout the crowd were a veritable oral history of the ski resort.

There couldn’t have been a more appropriate venue. In its first incarnation the building housed the Whistler Inn, built by Jack Bright himself in 1975. They expanded it a year later to make room for JB’s Restaurant, and the building has been a hub of the Creekside neighbourhood ever since.

Several people volunteered, or were summoned, to speak in front of the crowd. Among these was Hugh Smythe, first hired by Jack as a 19 year old ski patroller in 1966. Hugh described the Brights as a sort of surrogate family for him in those early days, fondly recalling family dinners at their home.

There is an interesting symmetry to Hugh and Jack’s story. Building upon his early experience working for Jack, Hugh went on to work, in a roundabout manner,  at every  level of ski resort management himself, including as Blackcomb Mountain’s first general manager. Focusing on Jack’s mentorship and entrepreneurial intuition, Hugh also recalled a road trip the two of them took to Todd Mountain (now Sun Peaks) to try and lure ski star Jim McConkey to Whistler to head the nascent ski school.

Jack, on the cover of 2 major ski mags in 1960, when he was a ski instructor in Mammoth, California.

Appropriately enough, a few minutes later, “Diamond Jim” himself was up front, remarking on how well Whistler has treated so many people, and the crucial role Jack played in this success. Several other friends and family members came before the crowd to celebrate Jack’s many qualities and accomplishments.

Ever since Whistler Blackcomb unveiled the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola in December 2008, guests and gearheads alike have been clamoring to learn more about the engineering marvel. In response, Whistler Blackcomb has constructed the PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery, unveiled to the public for the first time on Saturday May 25, opening day for summer sightseeing and the PEAK 2 PEAK Alpine Experience.

This raised walkway is located in the Whistler Mountain PEAK 2 PEAK terminal, and will provide guests with a birds-eye view of the record-breaking gondola’s engineering and inner workings. Video tablets will be installed on the platform where guests can watch five different videos showcasing facts and statistics, the construction of the gondola towers, cable installation, the gondola’s evacuation system, and the history of Whistler Blackcomb.

“The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola is an impressive feat of engineering, and our guests constantly want to learn more about its complex cable system and detachable technology,” says Doug Forseth, Whistler Blackcomb’s Vice President of Planning, Government Relations and Special Projects. “The PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery will provide comprehensive interpretation of the inner workings of the gondola and how it was constructed.”

The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola first opened to the public in 2008, and has revolutionized how guests experience both mountains. Spanning the distance between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, it takes just eleven minutes to cross, allowing guests to experience the high alpine of both mountains in the same day.

World records:

• Longest unsupported span of 3.02 kilometres (1.88 miles)
• Highest lift of its kind at 436 metres above the valley floor (1,430 feet)
• Completes the longest continuous lift system on the globe

Summer Sightseeing Opening Weekend
Beginning May 25, Whistler Blackcomb is set to open a snow tubing area and snow pile for guests. Located next to the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain, tubes will be provided as a courtesy for families and guests who are interested in playing and sliding on slushy summer snow.

The Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain and Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain will both be open to the public during sightseeing hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Both locations will have their patios open, providing spectacular valley and alpine views to enjoy with cold drink, meal or snack.

Bike to Work week is coming up- May 27 to June 2. It’s a community event happening across the province, including in Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton, that promotes clean air and a healthy, low-carbon lifestyle. We can all get behind that, right?

Get your team together – even a one person team works! – and commute by bike at least three days out of the seven for a chance to win awesome prizes, including a cruiser bike from Comor Sports, leather panniers from Corsa Cycles and a Giro helmet from Bike Co.

Teams can register online and get more information here: www.biketowork.ca.

2013 Deep Summer Photo Challenge at Crankworx Whistler Announces Five Heavy Hitting Photographers And Opens Entries For The Pinkbike.com Wildcard Search

Crankworx Whistler’s preeminent mountain bike photo contest, the Deep Summer Photo Challenge, has confirmed its roster of five pro photographers to compete in the August 14 slideshow competition, and has again opened the doors for the sixth contender with the Pinkbike Deep Summer Wildcard Search. This year’s show promises more variety and a broader perspective from photographers with expanded boundaries through the Sea to Sky Corridor from Squamish to Pemberton.

“The Deep Summer Photo Challenge is a crowd favourite at Crankworx Whistler every year,” says Crankworx General Manager Darren Kinnaird. “We decided to give the photographers and their teams a broader boundary to work with, while still including a percentage of their show from Whistler and the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. We are thrilled to have the talent we do on the roster for this years’ event and can’t wait to see who the Wildcard Challenge on Pinkbike.com will bring to the table.”

The five pro photographers set to storm the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and create a slideshow to be shown on Wednesday, August 14, are:

• Scott Markewitz 
• Harookz
• Garrett Grove 
• Nicolas Teichrob
• Bruno Long 

The Pinkbike Deep Summer Wildcard Search will determine the sixth photographer to join the competition.  See Pinkbike.com at this link for details and dates for the Pinkbike Deep Summer Wildcard Photographer Search.

The Deep Summer Photo Challenge will take place under the stars at the spectacular Whistler Olympic Plaza again in 2013. Priority seating and close sightlines to giant HD screens will be on offer with a number of ticketed seats available for $5. The area beyond the ticketed seating will be available for spectators to take in the Deep Summer Photo Challenge free of charge.

The photographers will rally their chosen athlete teams to embark on three days of intense shooting and editing commencing Saturday, August 10. Slideshows will be handed in by the end of the day Tuesday, August 13. Then on Wednesday, August 14 a massive crowd will experience deep summer in Whistler through the lenses of six elite mountain bike photographers with first place taking home $5,000, second place $3,000, and third place $2,000.

RSVP for the Deep Summer Photo Challenge at facebook.com/crankworx and stay tuned to www.crankworx.com for upcoming news. Connect with Crankworx through Facebook.com/crankworx, Twitter.com/crankworx or Instagram.com/crankworx.

The Deep Summer Photo Challenge at Crankworx Whistler is proud to be presented by SCOTT, Pinkbike and the Bearfoot Bistro.

August 9-18, 2013, the world’s best downhill, slopestyle and enduro riders will migrate to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park for the 10th Annual Crankworx Whistler. Crankworx Les 2 Alpes will take place July 6 – 14, 2013 and is the only Crankworx event to take place outside of North America. High-summer’s convergence of all things freeride, Crankworx is a 10-day festival of epic endurance, supreme flow, monster air and vertical-dropping riding. A time-tested stage for gravity-fed mountain biking, Crankworx has forged the future of freeride, launched careers and raised up a spectacle out of dirt, sweat and cheers. Feel the impact. Embrace the amplitude. Experience the awe that is Crankworx Whistler 2013.

I have a confession to make. I don’t practice yoga. I appreciate how I feel after having done the occasional class but I’ve never felt challenged to fully pursue it.  Maybe it’s because I’m always the most inflexible, unknowledgeable and awkward one in the class, or maybe it’s because I get bored after 45 minutes and my mind starts to wander, or maybe it’s because my face doesn’t go purple and I can still walk the next day.

I started going to mom and baby yoga. I figured that it would be the best way to shock my post pregnancy body to exercise, a great way to meet moms and connect with my baby.  Every Monday morning I join Annie and about ten other moms at the Yoga Studio in Squamish (there is also a Wednesday afternoon class) for an hour of interaction, communication, physical activity and encouragement with my baby. It’s where chattarunga doesn’t mean phone a friend and shi-vassana isn’t my quiet bathroom time out.

During class we incorporate babies into our practice.  Our class begins with ‘checking – in’ time, where new moms meet and introduce their bambinos.  Once everyone is settled, we start with a gentle massage – valuable tool for reliving wind and other digestive problems and a great way of interacting with baby – followed by relaxing breathing exercises, slowly progressing to more dynamic practices such as flowing warrior and abdominal exercises.  Most of the babies are under seven months of age and there are some lucky gals whose babies easily weigh almost 20 pounds.  Imagine throwing an extra 20 pounds into the mix?!?  Your face will quickly turn purple! 
 After some yoga for moms (while babies relax on the mat in front of you), the fun postures for two begin. Typical postures include; spin rolls, with babies resting on knees or staff pose, with babies rolling along the outstretched legs.  Babies love postures for two, hearing them laugh and giggle makes my lack of flexibility and coordination trivial.  The practice is always concluded with plenty of time for relaxation and connection with baby – most new mums appreciate the chance for a little rest.

Karin and Rosie at the Yoga Studio. Photo credit: johnleeimages.com

The yoga is focused on post-natal strengthening exercises, particularly focusing on pelvic floor and lower back strengthening, as well as breastfeeding positions. Several postures can help to ease some of the discomfort common in the post-natal period, such as bridge pose or butterfly pose, both strengthen and tone the reproductive system, so even if you’ve never done yoga before, the post-natal period is an ideal time to start.

Whether it’s motivation you’re looking for, time with baby, or something to do in Squamish while you’re stocking your pantry with supplies, check out Annie’s class at the Yoga Studio (theyogastudiosquamish.com). She will whip you into shape, all while offering peace, love and encouragement.

Namaste.

Nadia Samer photo courtesy Whistler Blackcomb

Dirt in the valley and snow on the mountain tops sets the stage for Whistler Blackcomb’s annual Crud 2 Mud Downhill, a “transition season” event that combines the end of the ski and snowboard season with the start of the downhill mountain bike season.

Those brave enough to tackle the Crud 2 Mud course can do so on their own or in teams. The fun begins when the athletes strap into bindings at the top of Whistler Mountain and race their skis or boards down to where the snow meets the mud.  At this point, quad muscles already burning, winter gear gets swapped for summer gear and competitors jump on their bikes and race down the Whistler Mountain Bike Park trails to Whistler Village.

“Spring time in Whistler means we get the best of both worlds; we can ski and bike in the same day,” says Whistler Blackcomb Events Supervisor Sebastien Fremont.  “The Crud 2 Mud course is shaping up perfectly with all of the hot weather we have seen and is definitely going to put Whistler’s best multi-sport athletes to the test.”

Registration for the Crud 2 Mud Downhill is open until 2pm on Saturday, May 25, and is available online, in person at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Services, or by calling 1.800.766.0449. The event is recommended for strong intermediate to expert skiers/snowboarders and mountain bikers. The event is open to males and females ages 13+ and is $55 for individuals or $80 for teams of two. Whistler Mountain Bike Park lift tickets are not included in the registration cost but can be purchased at a special rate for the event of $31 (Adults) or $28 (Youth/Senior) at Guest Services. …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Building on the popularity and feedback from the last three years, Whistler Outdoor Photography Workshops is pleased to announce the dates for a Fall Whistler Outdoor Photography Summit, September 26-29, 2013. This year’s summit is in conjunction with the Whistler Arts Council and Out of Bounds Backcountry Photo Contest, a premier photo exhibition with a $1,000 cash prize.

“Photography in Whistler and the outdoor activities that we love go hand and hand just like the athletes and the equipment they use on the mountain. Documenting and sharing our adventures with others inspires us to be out in the mountains even more.” – Director Blake Jorgenson

Details:

• Full Advanced Course: 3 days of shooting and instruction, 6 evening lectures/presentations over 3 evenings – $900 (includes breakfast)
• Full Intermediate Course: 3 days of shooting and instruction, 6 evening lectures/presentations over 3 evenings, – $750 (includes breakfast)
• Evening lectures x 2: $10 per lecture, $15 for both or $50 for all 3 nights.

Instructors:

• Blake Jorgenson
• Jordan Manley
• Scott Serfas
• Paul Morrison
• Eric Berger
• Guest industry speakers TBA …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

I was born in South Africa where I studied Fine Art at the Johannesburg Art Foundation.  I feel very fortunate to have had a childhood in Africa, surrounded by the colour and rhythm of the African people and though I no longer live there, the forms and textures of Africa still reflects very strongly in my work.  For the last 14 years I have been working primarily in clay, using primitive methods of firing like sawdust and Naked Raku.  Without using glaze I can maintain the tactile quality of the clay, something that is very important to me because I want my work to invite touch as much as I want it to be visually pleasing.  I fell in love with the technique of Naked Raku because the raw texture of the clay and spontaneous markings created by the smoke firing during this process, give my work a stone-like quality.

The Photos

01  Mugs waiting to be fired.
02  Work looking up at me from inside the kiln.
03  My kids.
04  Completed work.
05  My work studio.
06  Me at work.
07  My pin board in my studio with my old drawings.. something I would like to re-visit again some day soon.
08  Collection of my work in progress. 

The Questions

What neighbourhood do you live in?
I live in Alpine Meadows.

What do you do and where?
I work as a potter out of my home studio on Drifter way.

What are you working on & where can we find your work?
I am currently working on a series of clay bears and Naked raku vessels for the BC Gallery of Ceramics on Granville Island as well as preparing for the IDS interior design show this September at the Vancouver convention centre.  I am also working on building up stock as I am looking forward to another great season at the Whistler Farmers market this summer….that is where you can find me every Sunday from June till September.