Whistler: Have You Seen Me Shred?

Opening Day! 

The answer to this questions is, and always will be, ‘NO’. And now you owe me a dollar!

I will explain this later, but I just thought I would get an update out on how we are settling into the Whistler way of life, and getting back into the working world.

So firstly, our jobs are sweet. Both Nic and I are ‘Rental Techs’ at Affinity Sports. The company is awesome, and the crew are even better. They are owned by Whistler Blackcomb (WB), but still maintain some sort of independence. What this means is that we get the best of both worlds. Working for WB, you get access to a lot of staff discounts, which comes in handy when you 'making bank' at $10.25/hr. These perks include, staff accom – which has a number of perks in itself, discounted meals at certain restaurants, a season lift pass, discounts at some of the major retail shops, etc.

And then with Affinity still maintaining some independence, you get the Affinity staff parties, which we have already had a few of, you get to demo the gear we are renting, and if you play your cards right, you can help your family and friends out as well.

So yeah we are a few weeks into the season and the job has been sweet so far. The first week entailed training, drinking, and winning shite! Each night we had beers and food provided for us, whilst we learnt some of the finer points on the gear we stock by some humourous company reps, all whilst getting paid. The final day of training culminated in the first staff party, a casino night 'A' themed dress up party, where, with the fake money you had won and lost throughout the evening, you could partake in a silent auction. Nic walked away the biggest winner, with a brand new snowboard in check and a hangover to complete the Whistler experience.

Agassi and Angelica with their spoils

With the week's training under our belts, we were pretty much set to the task, with the mountain opening a week earlier than expected. I would say we have picked up the lingo and jargon reasonably quickly, but to be honest, it’s all about how much bullshit you can spin on the product you are pushing. Apparently this comes quite naturally to me.

It is only the second job I have had where I actually enjoy going to work. Although on some of the more hungover days, it has been quite the struggle!

As mentioned, we are in staff housing and we couldn’t have asked for more. We requested to be in Brio, which is a little quieter than Glacier but still has its moments. Glacier seems to be where the under 21s are put, and as you can imagine the party never stops up there. As we are now considered wise and mature, and old for that matter, Brio has suited us just fine. One of the best things about staff housing is you are surrounded by your mates. We have met a great crew, and everyone is only a flight of stairs away. You always have someone to ride with, someone else to share a cold one with, and someone else to suffer through an all-day hangover with – those are your true friends.

Just some casual drinks amongst friends

We haven’t had the best snow or conditions so far, but we did manage a 20cm day which had everyone frothing at the mouth. I have managed to get two core shots within two days of fixing each one, but have learnt a few tricks along the way and can now fix them myself. We are all hoping the weather changes and we start getting some good dumps, you just hope you have the day off on these said days!

First snow day

The Festive Season planning has begun, and to give things a little push in the right direction, we have started a ‘Round Sheet’. We have stolen this concept from work, and many sporting clubs we have been involved in, but the general idea is if you do or say something stupid, you owe a dollar. So yes, under no circumstances can you tell people how much of a shredder you are, or stack it off a chair lift, or play drinking games with water. All the money collected is going to go towards something festive, or probably just another carton – but cartons are pretty festive aren’t they?

I have also managed to see a few things I never got around to last time I was here. Perhaps that was due to the timing of my last visit, or the fact that the last trip to Whistler didn’t contain much else than drinking and riding. But yes, early on in the piece we managed to hike out to Lost Lake and spend an arvo chilling out on the water’s edge, and take in the scenery and serenity of the surrounding mountains. It did give us a small glimpse into what summer could be like in Whistler, and it looks pretty fricken inviting! I have also managed a visit out to Squamish, under my own invite this time, and the town is a whole lot better than the four walls I saw last time!

Lost Lake

So yeah, Whistler hasn’t yet delivered the snow we would have hoped for, but in all other aspects is it kicking goals, from 50, on the run…

Vancouver: Juxtaposition of Opinions

Granville Island Marina

Vancouver had been billed as the place to be in BC – well, if you’re not on a mountain somewhere. To say it didn’t live up to the hype would be a little harsh, but it just didn’t quite mesmerise us as we had been lead to believe. Don’t get me wrong, Vancouver is a beautiful city, I think it’s just a case of end of the trip blues.

I should clarify, Nic and I are considering this as the last stop on Part 1 of our trip. We have finally reached Whistler and shall be staying put for a couple of months at the least. For us, that is like signing a mortgage and settling down!

But back to Van, I believe we didn’t get the best out of it because we knew our time on the road was nearing an end. Like all trips, the last stop you never really get everything out of it. You have sort of swapped out of that travel mode and are thinking of things you need to get done when it’s all over. Instead of just rolling along like you usually do on the road.

Still, Vancouver did have a lot to offer, and we hardly scratched the surface. We started with a trip out to Lynn Canyon, which offers a pleasant hike through the forest up to Rice Lake. The trip is worth it due to the fact that it is practically free, but I’m sure there are a hell of a lot better ways to spend a day in Van.

Lynn Canyon and Rice Lake

The trip back, via public transport, was worth the price of admission if you are coming back as the sun is setting. The final leg of the journey is a ferry ride across False Bay, and watching the city skyline come to life as the last light of day disappears beneath the horizon is always a cool way to get a feel for a city.

Downtown Vancouver at Twilight

Sunday, like most Sundays of the trip revolved around drinking froths! It was a good mate’s birthday and we just happened to be in town on the right weekend. Benny had picked out a sweet local brewery which just so happened to have some Sunday specials on. And like all pubs, the FOOTBALL was on, so I was all over it.

A cheeky stop off at a second pub and a liquor store on the way home ensured we all woke up the following morning suffering…at least we didn’t have work to go to!

Monday was an admin and run around day but Tuesday, Nic’s friend Hannah had the day off and took us on a tour of Vancouver. It is always great getting to see a city through the eyes of a local, and Hannah seems to know her way around Van pretty well for only being there for 6 months. I don’t think I could do a similar tour in Perth and I have lived there for over 10 years. Apparently I’m just not that observant.

The day took us all over the city, with each stop providing a different perspective to the city as a whole. The first stop was out at Deep Cove and a quick hike up to the quarry not only got us out of the frigid wind, but gave a beautiful overlook of the cove and surrounding waters.

Deep Cove

A short drive from here got us to Cypress Mountain, one of 3 skiable hills in the Van area, and the view from one of the lookouts was incredible. The photos don’t do it nearly enough justice, but there would be no need to do a scenic flight over Van, given you can get such views for free from the side of a hill! You really can see the whole city, from Stanley Park, to Downtown Vancouver, to Burnaby, to Surrey, there doesn’t seem to be a part of the city you can’t see. On a clear day (which we had but couldn’t capture with the camera) you can even see ‘MERICA!

Stanley Park, Downtown Vancouver and Greater Vancouver viewed from Cypress Mountain

A quick drive through Stanley Park gave yet another view of the city and its downtown skyline. Stanley Park seems to be Vancouver’s equivalent to Central Park in NY, and it does seem like a perfectly good way to while away the sunshine hours of a summer day doing whatever it is that floats your boat – swimming, running, riding, sitting on your arse drinking froths, whatever!

Exiting the park we made our way to Kitsilano Beach, one of Van’s favourite summer spots. But like most Australians, it’s hard to get excited about a beach. Still, it does seem like one of the better spots to swim in Van if the temp permits.

Kitsilano Beach

So far, Van had offered us what most cities offer and a bit more, but we hadn’t quite got the feeling most people get when they talk about it. Well our last night was to deliver a part of what most people mention when describing Vancouver, and it’s not the good part.

For those who don’t know, Vancouver is renowned for its homeless population and certain areas have a very seedy, underground vibe! It just so happened that we were staying in one of the said areas. With that in mind, we practically emptied Rodge of anything of value to us, without bringing the kitchen sink with us. Well, he went untouched for 3 nights until the last…it’s always the last!

On our final morning we were woken rather early (for us) to be informed that Rodge looked to have been broken into. As mentioned before, we had emptied him of most valuable possessions (passports, computer, snowboards, etc.) but we had, you know prior planning and all, done a big shop in Van stocking up on the essentials before getting to the exorbitant prices of Whistler. So instead of unpacking what seemed like 6 months’ worth of food (yeah we stocked up alright) we left it in the car, hidden away as best we could.

So to cut a long story short, there is some homeless fella getting around with a fair supply of our food, pimped out in a brand new tent, complete with blow up mattress, and don’t worry he nabbed the pump as well, so there won’t be any breathless nights trying to blow the bastard up either! But by far the worst was the esky. Seriously, who steals a man’s esky? An esky is sacred, and that my friend is sacrilege! And to top it off, I still had a few froths left in it!

We were able to get the smashed window partly fixed (for the time being she is permanently closed but only a crazy man would have his window down in this weather) and made it up to Whistler the same day we planned, and hopefully travel insurance comes through with the goods, cos that what you have it for, right?

So Vancouver was both good and bad, a real comparison between the best a city has to offer, and it’s downright dirty, drug infused side. Still, if that’s the worst it has, I’m OK with it. No one was hurt, and now I don’t feel the need to donate to any charity for a while. I’ve done my good deed for some lucky bastard!

Downtown Vancouver

Lake Louise – Jasper – Kelowna: Breath-Taking, In More Ways Than One

Downtown Kelowna

As mentioned in the previous blog, the countryside surrounding Banff is unbelievable – yes the Rockies. So following the advice of Morts and Katie we decided to take the scenic route to Vancouver, via Jasper and Kelowna.

First stop was Lake Louise, which is beautiful. I think it could possibly be more picturesque in the winter with the snow-capped mountains surrounding the emerald green waters, but I imagine it would be the place to be in summer…As long as the water gets warm enough to swim.

Lake Louise

After a quick stroll around the lake we got off the main highway (this becomes important to the story shortly) and took the arrows towards Jasper. A few k’s in we came across a sign warning of winter driving conditions and that snow tires or chains are a must. Given we had neither we faced a slight dilemma. The road conditions were listed as poor but it was only a few more hours to go. Turning around, and taking the long road to Jasper would have taken a further 9 hours from where we were, and there was no guarantee of what we would face in that direction.

Given our penchant for doing things slightly differently, we decided we would continue on and see what trouble we could get into. Taking it slowly of course. For the most part the road wasn’t too bad, snow covered in patches but not too much ice. There was, however, a section that had us crawling along at snail’s pace, still going sideways, and only hoping we would stay on course. All this with a queue behind us and a fair amount of traffic coming at us the other way. I am no rally driver but we did manage to, somehow, navigate our way through the mountain passes and make it through the other side.

Although the day wasn’t the greatest to take in all the sights, we were able to dodge the frequent rain and snow showers and make the most of some of the highly recommended stop offs. Mistaya Canyon was one such stop, with an easy hike down from the highway showcasing the power of water, with the Mistaya River eroding a steep and curving canyon through the layers of rock. The canyon walls are close enough together that I dare say some thrill seekers have jumped across, but the water rushing beneath would be cold enough to cause some serious problems for any who take the risk and fail.

Mistaya Canyon

The route also took us straight past the Columbia Icefield and although the weather wasn’t really permitting to take in the best view of the Athabasca Glacier, we still tried.

Columbia Icefield - Athabasca Glacier

Next up were the Athabasca Falls, and much like the Mistaya Canyon, the falls have worn a unique path through the rock walls and come gently flowing into the wider river section and onward towards Lake Athabasca. The water in the wider section was so inviting it took a fair amount of will power to refrain from jumping in. Although a quick temp check certainly helped change our minds.

Athabasca Falls

As we were told, the 300 odd km journey takes you all day with all the stops you make along the way and we made it into Jasper just before the sun dipped beneath the surrounding mountains. Jasper seems a pretty sleepy, quiet town, but I am sure things change in the heart of winter.

Jasper

Kelowna, on the other hand seems to be a summer destination, although its proximity to Big White still gives it a winter appeal. Situated on Okanagan Lake in the valley of the same name, the city and lake would be alive during the summer months. Being the beginning of winter, the lake was relatively sedate, with only a handful of scenic flights dotting the skies during the day, and the water only disturbed by the industrial barges that don’t stop for a little bit of cold.

Kelowna on the shores of Okanagan Lake

The drive through Alberta and just a few of its national parks is something that everyone, if given the chance, making their way through Canada should try and check out. The drives aren’t long, and there are plenty of spots to stop and stretch your legs. And if the scenery isn’t breath taking, the chilly mountain wind will do its best to give you that breathless feeling.

Banff: Home Amongst Friends

Driving the Americas – Montana country!

Denver was to be our last real American destination, as we spent the next 3 days hightailing it north to Canada, and more importantly Banff. The drive, although long, is rather pleasant, with the Wyoming and Montana countryside beautiful without being breathtaking. Rolling hills of that golden colour of wheat meet the eye everywhere on the horizon. Small, old school cottages dot the landscape and make for a very homely feeling.

And then you hit Canada!

Welcome to Canada!

For the first part, all we saw was about 50m ahead of us, but then we get your first glimpse of the Canadian Rockies. I previously wrote how striking and beautiful the American Rockies were. Well Canada is certainly the bigger brother in this instance. We would get to enjoy these mountains a whole lot more over the next week, but to say they are impressive just wouldn’t be doing them justice.

The ragged cliff faces give them a menacing feeling, but the snow-capped peaks invites you to daydream of exploring their hidden secrets. In all, they amaze us!

Entering Banff N.P.

We had a few reasons in dropping in on Banff. Firstly, we had a number of friends there, some of whom are moving on to bigger and better things, and others (Josh & Katie) who generously put us up on quite possibly the comfiest couch-bed we have slept on.

And secondly, who wouldn’t want to spend their first North American Halloween surrounded by friends?

Unlike Couch Surfing, where you don’t know the person who will put up with you for the weekend, Josh is a good friend of my brother’s, and it was great to see a familiar face. And although we hadn’t met Katie before, she had no hesitation in making us part of her Banff family! And as usual with family- like catch ups, we shared a few froths over the week we were in town.

Halloween was no exception. I am actually surprised a few of us made it out, and even more surprised that all of us made it home. A few of the local crew came over for pre-drinks, and like all Halloween parties should be, everyone made the effort in the way of costumes, and the festive atmosphere was there from the get-go.

Halloween Crew

Katie revealed her hidden talent as a make-up artist, and Josh creeped most of us out for the entire night without too much fuss. A few lads made last minute alterations to their attires, be it planned or forced, and before long there wasn’t too many beers left in the fridge. So the executive decision was made to head out.

The majority of the night was a blur but we did manage to lose Josh and Katie, catch up with some old friends Matt and Hailey, and even make it past the bouncer to get into the second club. Some of the costumes getting around were ‘next level’. The pick of the bunch was a paramedic who had hand crafted his own zombie outfit, complete with exposed rib cage and heart – some people just love Halloween.

Just your standard Friday night get-up

Not a whole heap was achieved on the Saturday, but we did manage to leave the house for a few more froths at one of the local establishments, and then come home to some slow cooked ribs Katie had slaved over for hours with the slow cooker. Cheers Walmart!

Sunday Josh graciously took the day off work so we could take advantage of the sunshine and he and Katie took us on the Banff Highlights Tour. With Banff being the central hub for the surrounding ski mountains, the area is filled with must-see attractions.

To appease the Bazil’s son in me, Josh took us to Banff Springs Golf Course, one of Canada’s signature courses on offer. And to make the whole experience fully Canadian, there in lieu of the kangaroos of Melville Glades was a bull elk, just chewing his cud and soaking up the…shade.

Banff Springs Golf Course

To capture the quintessential ‘Banff’ photo, the tour would not have been complete without a stop at Vermilion Lakes. But like all clichéd things, they usually deliver. With the sun out, and wisps of cloud above Mt. Rundle, even Josh got out his camera, usually only reserved for more professional shoots.

Vermilion Lakes with Mt. Rundle in the background

The best view of Banff itself (accessible by car as I’m sure hiking some of the nearby mountains give far better ones) was from the Norquay patch, a spot I’m told was covered in snow for some early riding back in September!

Banff and the Bow River nestled in between Mt. Rundle & Mt. Sulphur

The tour was rounded out with stops at Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka, both spots where it is very hard to take a shite photo. Hopefully I didn’t fall into that category.

Two Jack Lake & Mt. Rundle

We were lucky to get such a good day, and even luckier that our hosts woke up a little dusty and decided to ditch work and study for the day! It always is better seeing the area with a local’s insight.

That night we managed to catch up with Matt and Hailey in a little more sober conditions. Like all friends you meet travelling, you usually forget how much you get along until you hang out again. Even though you often meet folks for only small amounts of time, it always seems like the clock stops in between your catch ups and you take up where you left off! We wish you both all the best on your future travels – don’t work too hard and no doubt we will catch up again somewhere along the way!

Banff was like a home away from home. Mainly for the company and hospitality we had, but it’s hard not to smile when you are surrounded by such natural beauty!

Lake Minnewanka & Mt. Girouard

Denver: More Than Just a Stop Over

City Park, Denver skyline and the Rockies, all in glorious sunshine 

Making our way north from Texas was always going to take us through Colorado, so we thought we would have at least a few days in Denver to get a taste of it, and see if it was worth coming back to again in our future travels.

We will definitely be coming back!

Again we Couch Surfed in Denver, and again it delivered. This time we were put up by Josh and his roommate Tyler. If you think you have travelled before, or met people who have travelled, well you haven’t… Until you meet Josh. He has done some of the most incredible, crazy, mind blowing and outright must-do-things that can probably no longer be done! 5 weeks in the Peruvian Amazon by himself with nothing but a machete and a dugout canoe is one of my favourite ones. But sneaking across the Iranian border with another nutter (I say ‘nutter’ in the most sincere and complimentary way possible) he met in Armenia is something few people in this world would be insane enough to contemplate, let alone actually do.

All this from a mild mannered Librarian…

Josh was great and really made us feel at home. He cooked two incredible meals with us just sitting back and watching the World Series, sampling a few of the plethora of craft beers on offer in Denver. You really could have been in an extremely comfortable restaurant with the quality Josh was serving up, we even had to ask if he was planning on changing career paths and becoming a chef.

The chef and his apprentice

Sunday Josh showed his hand at breakfast and we had to remind him that we were simple backpackers, and our palettes aren’t used to fine dining more than once a month. After the gourmet brunch, we settled back to sample a few more brews and watch a bit of NFL before heading out for an afternoon tour of the city.

In the words of Josh, ‘My city is just better than yours!’

Josh seems to know half the population of Denver and with that comes perks. And by perks I mean free shite! After a roam around City Park, we were treated to free entry into the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Not only does this house some incredible wildlife panoramas, but it also has one of the best views of the picturesque city skyline outlined against the striking Rocky Mountains in the background. Throw in City Park in the foreground, and it makes Denver one of the most beautiful cities of the trip.

Taking in the view from Denver’s Museum of Nature & Science

The museum took both Nic and I back to our childhood days, although I don’t think we ever went to as good a museum back in country WA. The interactive Space Odyssey could have amused us for hours, and the Gems and Minerals section had Nic requesting me buy or steal her a pretty rock, but the Wildlife Exhibition blew us away. These 3D displays had us back in Africa and Australia momentarily, and wanting to explore more of North America as quickly as we could. Both life-like and scarily detailed, these displays were like none I had ever seen before, in terms of quality and quantity.

 

Some of the 3D panoramas on display in the Wildlife Exhibition

After all this learning, Josh took us down to Tyler’s bar where he (and Nic for that matter) gave me a rather harsh schooling in pool. Luckily it was happy hour, and 2-for-1 beers helped eased the pain of such an arse whooping.

Getting a quick lesson in pool

Monday had everyone else back at work, but Josh gave us some great ideas on how to while away the hours. Colorado is known for its nature activities and numerous scenic hikes. The problem is trying to decide which one to do. Luckily Josh recommended his favourite one in the area and it did not disappoint.

The Chicago Lakes Hike in the Idaho Springs area took us back to Patagonia, just without the heavy packs, but the biting cold was still there. Starting off at Echo Lake, you descend into the valley for about 45 minutes before making the ascent up towards Chicago Lake and if you’re game (or stupid) enough, towards Summit Lake. You are surrounded by fir trees all throughout the valley, and they only start to thin out as you approach the summit. The sights and sounds of the forest really are remarkable.

Echo Lake

About half way into the hike we passed a fully kitted out hiker on his way down. Curiously taking in our appearance he remarked that we were braver than he was. I don’t think brave is the right word. Perhaps stupid and cheap would better suit us.

Next to him we must have looked homeless, or just ridiculously unprepared. He had on something similar to what we had down in Patagonia: hiking shoes, wind and water proof jacket and pants, possibly a number of layers beneath, and hiking poles. I was decked out in Adidas high tops, board shorts and my Hawks hoodie. Nic wasn’t much better, although she did have the foresight to wear her snow jacket as well.

Still we made it to the top, braved the ice cold wind for the reward of the views back down the valley and Chicago Lake, and that of Summit Lake. Summit Lake reminded the both of us of Torres del Paine, although not quite as spectacular. Nestled at the bottom of the cliffs that stretch towards the peak of Mount Evans, Summit Lake seems both peaceful and menacing at the same time. The water looks inviting but I’m sure you would suffer from hypothermia if you dipped even your pinkie toe in it. In-between the freezing gusts of wind, the lake is calm and tranquil, only to be whipped into a frenzy as the wind comes howling off the mountain. Still, the views were worth it.

The view back down the valley to Chicago Lake

Summit Lake

Throw in some of our favourite creatures, chipmunks and squirrels, and a light sprinkling of snow throughout the trek, and Chicago Lakes hike was a great way to sample a little of what Denver and Colorado has to offer.

The return hike was as eventful as the outward journey, albeit a little more painful. After navigating our way safely down the ice covered rocks of the summit, I stumbled across a variety of chipmunk we hadn’t seen before. Knowing Nic’s penchant for all things small and furry I called her back. She had just made it to the top of a section of rocks that on the way through had needed a little more caution than the rest of the path.

After watching our little friend merrily go about his business I finally dragged Nic back to reality and we headed off again. Climbing these rocks again, Nic may have still been thinking of ways to end up with a pet squirrel and lost her footing. She landed rather heavily and took the brunt of the force on her shoulder and her ear. Her first words were ‘Do I have cauliflower ear?’ to which I had to restrain myself and let her know that it usually takes a while to get the desired result, but she may well be on her way to looking like an elf. Luckily she was fine, seemingly more upset that she had dirtied her jacket after just cleaning it, than the fact that she had just fallen on her head! Country folk!

Denver offered a great place to stop off at on our way north, a small slice of the delicious cake that Colorado promises to be. Throw in some home-cooked chef-quality meals, good beers and even better company, and Denver is undeniably more than just a stop along the way. And if we only tasted a slice, we will definitely be back for the whole thing!

Downtown Denver