By: Sara Tollestrup

Whistler Blackcomb's website is claiming that "it's officially the snowiest November ever," so naturally I had to get up there and see for myself. Like many office dwellers, students and other non-snowboard bums I missed opening day on Whistler. My recompense for missing the big day, or what friends were calling "the best they'd seen it," was to hit the mountain for the opening day of the Creekside Gondola and Garbanzo Express.

The claims laid down by Whistler Blackcomb online and practically every British Columbian who has a facebook or Twitter account proved accurate. The pow was deep. Admittedly some zones were a bit tracked out, but that's to be expected when shred hungry riders have had over a week to get after the snow. In and around the trees there were plenty of powder stashes. Our best tree runs of the day were off of Garbanzo where the snow was easily waist deep.  

Yes we all love powder that reaches our belly buttons, but that doesn't mean our legs do. Half way through my first run I was wondering if I had just imagined all of the olympic bar squats I'd been doing with pro rider Spencer O'Brien. Red Bull has a gnarly trainer named Damien that they send Spencer to so that she's in tip-top shape come competition time. His workouts are made up of lunges, squats and even bike sprints. But despite Damien's crazy workouts I was calling for a hot chocolate break five runs in. My friends, who are also 9-5ers, were equally as happy about heading into the Roundhouse for a time out.

After a longer-than-I'm-willing-to-admit-break we headed back out to find some more pow. We found plenty of freshies as did a couple of other girls we spotted who were covered from head to toe in snow.  At 3:00 it was time to head home and being the keen bunch that we are we opted for the ski out. A word to the wise, even if there is heaps and heaps of snow at mid-mountain it doesn't mean that lower down is any good. I would recommend sticking to downloading on the gondola for now. With a cumulative snowfall of 530 centimeters and more coming down I think it's more than safe for Whistler Blackcomb to claim the snowiest November ever.

Creekside Gondola

Less than half way up Creekside and look at all of the snow

Lift line at Big Red Express

Snow

More snow

Hot chocolate break

Thigh deep snow

Jet plane to Vancouver, boot pack to Mt. Shames!

Last Thursday The North Face Canada hosted a store opening party on Robson and Granville, which I flew down from northern BC to hang out at.  It was a fun event, with a few friends showing up and some team riders as well, including Megan Pischke and skier Dana Flair.  I brought my mom and sister Spencer O’Brien, and long time friend Jamie Drummond.  They were offering some nice wines and beers, and servers were walking the room all night with some delicious hor’Derves for all to be had! 

Not knowing that Mt Baker had opened the day of my arrival, and that Whistler was opening that weekend, I was just kicking myself for not being prepared!  I flew back on the Friday to Prince Rupert in time for a pretty huge storm to set in for the day.  There was still snow on the ground in town, so a group of us drove up to Mt. Shames to do some hiking.  It was well worth the four hour trek boot packing up in thigh deep for a few of the best early season turns I’ve ever had!  Later that day we ran into a group of local riders who had brought a pack of dogs up with them, it was a riot and for sure the most fun day of the year so far…

New North Face store on Granville and Robson.

North Face Canada marketing guy Cory Stecker, myself (wearing my merino wool summit series thermals, btw!), Spencer, and Jamie. 

The hike up was gorgeous!  Alpine with snow covered trees and deep powder. 

All smiles while getting some powder.

Blower pow, going to make another turn and still in the air from the last on

Bottom of the lines in North Bowl.

Another view of our lines in North Bowl on the hike out.

Group of local Mt. Shames riders with their pack of dogs.

SO rad, dogs running down the mtn having just as much fun as people.  Only they don’t have to buy any gear, boots, jackest, gloves.  Lucky animals!