April is here and that means time to shed the heavy snow gear and put on the t-shirt and sun glasses for some glacier snowboarding and skiing at Whistler Blackcomb BC, Canada. While most luxury ski resorts shut down around mid April, Whistler offers excellent spring skiing conditions. And while recently getting a bit more snow in late March, will make for some fresh new snow to carve up on the glaciers.

Whistler mountain, nestled away only 2.5 hours from Vancouver, home of the Whistler / Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, will remain open for spring skiing and snowboarding until late April, while Blackcomb mountain typically stays open till around early June. Though be sure to check the latest snow report and conditions before heading up. If you plan on taking a vacation to Whistler and stay at one of the many luxury Whistler accommodations and lodging, don’t worry if you miss the spring skiing. Whistler has numerous spring activities taken in by the locals and travelers and tourists.

From Vancouver International Airport, you can rent a car for the 2-hour, 15-minute drive to Whistler, or take the Perimeter Whistler Express bus (U.S. $33-58) 8:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. during peak snow season). If you are flying between the U.S. and Canada, you must have a passport. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is a 4 1/2-hour drive from the south. (more…)

Here we are again on the eve of Valentine’s Day – the day most of us either love or hate. We love it when we have a special someone to shower with love, affection, and chocolate. And we hate it when we are forced to spend the most romantic day of the year alone with a microwave TV dinner, a remote control, and a TV line-up consisting of famous romance flicks and sitcom repeats. If we’re single and lucky, we have a dog to snuggle up with or a cat to try not to irritate. If we’re luckier still, red hearts or advertisements for over-priced long-stem roses and diamonds won’t surround us. I’ve spent many Valentine’s Days by myself, wishing I could be somewhere having fun and caring little about whether or not I had someone to give me flowers. Few places can set the stage for Valentine’s Day for everyone. Whistler Blackcomb is one of them. (more…)

It’s coming. The first international competition on trails designed for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler. TELUS presents the 2008 Whistler World Cup Alpine Ski Races from February 18 - February 24. Scheduled events include feature Men’s Super G, Women’s Downhill, Men’s Slalom, and Women’s Super Combined events. Whistler Mountain’s Wild Card, Jimmy’s Joker, and Lower Franz’s will provide the terrain for the women’s events. Men’s events will showcase on the mountain’s Upper and Lower Dave Murray runs. Hosting such an important international competition brings Whistler Blackcomb in Whistler Canada one step closer to the ultimate goal of being a leader in alpine ski-racing prior to the 2010 Olympics. Whistler Canada is already ranked the best ski resort for vacations. Now it’s proving to be at the top of the list for serious international athletic competitions. (more…)

When I was a kid, my family took two vacations every year: one in the summer and one in the winter. Usually, our winter vacations were almost always to a favorite ski resort, like Whistler Blackcomb in Whistler BC Canada. And we always stayed at Whistler hotels rather than a vacation rental or other available Whistler accommodation. My parents believed that since our family of four was going to be enjoying the snow on the mountains all day every day, no one was going to want to worry about cooking anything for anybody. And since my parents did the bulk of the cooking and cleaning at home, they wanted a week off to relax too. So we stayed in Whistler hotels and did lots of dining out. (more…)

There’s a reason skiing in Whistler is consistently ranked the number one place to ski in the world: the conditions and amenities are truly the best North America has to offer. And with an average annual snowfall of 1,022 cm (33.5 feet), it’s a safe bet that when you ski in Whistler, you ski on fresh powder delivered by Mother Nature. Already this year, Whistler Blackcomb has joyfully welcomed 631 cm (20.7 feet) of heavenly whiteness to its slopes. That’s more than half of the average annual snowfall in Whistler. And with a ski season lasting through early June, travelers can expect to experience prime conditions for the next several months. (more…)