Skiing day. I have planned this since I decided to spend summer in Canada. I love skiing. I cannot skip the opportunity to try in Whistler - las Olympic location. Especially I did ski in Sochi as well.
Yes, you can ski in Whistler (click on the link and find all details) in summer - this year from June 22, till July 28. First impression - the skiing itself is much more expensive than in Europe. More about the glacier resort a little later.
I have the equipment (52 CAD for pair of ski, boots and poles ... as well bit more than Europe), skipass so let's GO!
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| Ski and Poles, Boots Salomon |
First difference compare to Europe is the timing. As a privat person, you only can get on the Horstman Glacier at 11 am. Official camps and national teams can get up from 8 am. As I was aware of this, I had time to digest this information. I am waiting in beautiful hot summer weather. Eleven o'clock - Start!
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| Wizard Express to Blackcomb Mountain |
First you use two chair-lifts. Actually there are only chair-lifts on the way to Horstman glacier. The climate is changing slowly. By the end of the second chair-lift is time to use all garments I took with me. I arrived to the point called Rendezvous Lodge (very important place, I did not know at the time I reached it) where we change for bus, which brought us to lower station of the Seventh Heaven Express. Very strange experience to drive bus instead of using the chair-lift.
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| Bus Ride to the Seventh Heaven Chair-Lift |
Peak, we are on the Horstman Glacier. For a moment I thought I will start in the bar with a beer. I did not and I am glad I went skiing straight away.
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| Upper Station of Seventh Heaven Express |
Bit cloudy, but lots of snow. First impression lots of people for such a teeny, made for dwarfs place.
I am not grumpy, I am happy to experience Whistler, remembering Sochi and recalling the beautiful Alps memories. Winter in Whistler must be amazing. For those who love summer skiing like me, I advice - go to Alps!
Most of the space is occupied by training camps of different categories. They are working on acrobatics, moguls, and jumping. For us common people is just one-and-half slope available.
First ride - I am not counting it - it is just the way from peak to botom of the small valley - Horstman glacier. While going down, I am thinking where a I going to ski. Only narrow slope on the opposite hillside is free. Remainig space is filled with training camps.
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My Slope - the Only Slope for Public
Remaining Space Occupied by Training Camps |
Truly first ride - finally I reached the slope. Show is heavy, but not watery. I have heard chemicals are used to keep the snow in usable condition. Surface well prepared.
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| Does it Look Like a Storm? |
Second ride - my t-bar partner gets the information 'immediately leave the glacier'. He does not understand it. Me either. I just go for next ride. The ranger at the end of the T-bar does not want me to make one more ride. A storm is approaching the mountains. There is danger of lightning. Telling him I came extra from Czech republic, he allows me to get up once more. I am almost alone on the slope. All people are in the cue for the T-bar who gets us to the upper station of the Seventh Heaven express.
Third ride - the last one, ended in the cue. I am meeting a man who - as will be disclosed later - is from Austria, and moved to Canada thirty years ago. We speak German. His Allgäu dialect is nice to hear. We are both a little disappointed by what happend. My skiing took twenty minutes. Just twenty.
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| This is the End. We Are Forced to Leave Immediately. |
I am beck on top of the hill, thinking of next step. I see most of people disappear on their skies behind little lodge. There is way to go on skies to the lower station of the Seventh Heaven Express. Despite the fact, the path is very narrow, all the way is enough snow to enjoy it.
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| Road to Valey |
Seventh Heaven - it is not Heaven at all. Weather gets worst and worst. Cue waiting for transport into the valley is long. Rain! I realize the guys in front of me speak Czech. Chair-lift stops. Conversation starts. Heavy rain! We decide to go to restaurant and wait there.
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| Beautiful View from the Restaurant in the Valey |
The chair-lift starts again, but we stay in side and wait until the cue gets shorter. Not necessarily good decision. They stop it again. Just empty chairs are going down. Rest of us will be transported by bus. We are not allowed to leave the restaurant as outside is danger of danger of lightning. We stay inside in the cue for the bus.
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| Guard in Red Anorak: 'You Are Not Allowed to Leave the Building' People in Background Are Guided to Their Bus. |
Fortunately is the cue quite short and we are on the bus in fifteen minutes. All the way down are my thoughts dancing around the feeling - I should have gone by the chair-lift. It is somehow better to be offended by lightning, than in the very old school bus.
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| Approaching the Valey |
Thanks for meeting the Czech guys, it would be very boring afternoon without them. On the way down I saw my first bear and doe. Too fast, I did not have a chance to make a picture.
Finally back in the valley. I return the equipment and receive the money paid for skipass. End good, all good. It is four o'clock and it is not end of the day. Second story follows soon.
Enjoy the weather whatever you do! At the end everything is FUN ... and come back for the second story!
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