| "body"> | | | | powder, which he can effortlessly modulate to stay |
| The snow is falling furiously outside my window when | | | | just ahead of me, are almost as good a guide as |
| I am woken by telephone ringing at 0710. I | | | | bright sunshine and some nearby trees for definition. |
| remember that I asked to be called early if it was | | | | Needless to say, my thighs are burning and my |
| snowing, and Stefan, my hunky Austrian instructor is | | | | goggles (c. 1991) are fogged up from the sweat of |
| at the other end of the line. "I'll see you at the | | | | my brow. Naturally, Stefan's Oakley goggles (c. 2005) |
| bottom of the Creekside gondola in 20 minutes", he | | | | are crystal clear, since this is not even a mild workout |
| says. "Can you really make it that quickly?". He | | | | for him. |
| doesn't realize that I am staying at one of Holiday | | | | We are among the first onto the Peak Chair, whence |
| Whistler's ski-in, ski-out homes in Taluswood, a | | | | originate some of Whistler's best and least know |
| spectacular development of ski lodge homes on the | | | | powder runs. Our first run is Christmas Trees, which |
| lower slopes of Whistler Mountain. All I have to do is | | | | starts parallel to the Peak Chair but then angles off |
| pull my ski clothes on, ease into my boots, grab my | | | | to the left down a ridge of trees more or less parallel |
| skis and poles, press the button that opens the | | | | to Big Red. There are many routes through these |
| garage door and walk the 10 yards to the ski-out | | | | trees but you have to know them as there are also |
| trail. A minute later I am at the bottom of the | | | | many traps for the unwary. Luckily Stefan can ski his |
| gondola. In fact - and to his astonishment - I am here | | | | way through these trees blindfold. We do this run a |
| before Stefan. It is only 7.24. We have agreed to | | | | couple of times and try some of the double black |
| meet early to take advantage of the conditions. We | | | | diamond runs off the Harmony Ridge - so much |
| have our 'Fresh Tracks' tickets, which entitle us to | | | | snow has fallen that even though I fall down after |
| catch the first lift up and breakfast at the | | | | every jump my landing is soft as, well as Whistler |
| Roundhouse. Whistler skiers know that when the | | | | powder. |
| snow is falling heavily in the Village it is really falling at | | | | After a full day with Stefan I ski back to my front |
| the top - after all, it's over a vertical mile higher - and | | | | door - literally - peel off my clothes and sink into the |
| that if they want to find some untracked snow | | | | hot tub, which is nestled in the woods at the back of |
| without a hour's hike they'd better be first up the | | | | the townhome. I have taken the precaution of |
| mountain, which means 'Fresh Tracks'. | | | | booking a masseuse; after the powerful jets have |
| Stefan has moved to Whistler from Kitzbuhel. He has | | | | done their work she starts hers An hour later her |
| transferred from the legendary Rote Teufel - the | | | | powerful fingers have done the trick and I am feeling |
| Red Devils of the Kitzbuhel Skischool - to the equally | | | | immensely relaxed and deeply somnolent. I worry - |
| legendary Whistler-Blackcomb Ski School. After we | | | | well I worry a little - about whether a stiff cocktail |
| have eaten our fill at the Roundhouse (which is not | | | | will knock me out or revive me for the evening's |
| round at all, but apparently it once was) the all clear is | | | | activities, but as the ice-cold Martini is absorbed into |
| sounded and we rush out onto the slopes. It is still | | | | my blood stream I find myself quite ready for an |
| snowing like hell, but following Stefan makes this | | | | evening's dining at one of Whistler's legendary |
| somewhat easier: he knows every mogul on the | | | | restaurants. Another great day in Whistler. |
| mountain and his smooth rhythms through the | | | | |