SNOWBOARDING SEASON FINALLY UNDERWAY

WHISTLER SNOWFALL A WELCOMED SIGHT

By PETER THOMAS BUSCH

The Enchanted Forest finally opened to allow riders through to the Emerald Express.

I started the snowboard season on a 2008 Burton Royal 58 with 2018 Burton Mission Flex bindings. I also had a new helmet to replace a helmet that while appearing to be undamaged, was likely due to expire soon after protecting me for two seasons, especially the first season learning to snowboard, when I fell back and to the left multiple times the first two days. 

I had a slow start to the season mostly a result of the ski and boarding hills in the Pacific Northwest being all but bare until last week.

I have five days in on Whistler Blackcomb, three half days with little or no snow. On Saturday, I was able to have an excellent day on a 148 cm base after 91 cm of snow fell over 7 days. Many more runs were open and so the entire terrain was less crowded and much safer, while I also assume many people were still staying away due to the ‘no snow’ reports the week before.

An ambitious preseason conditioning program fell to the wayside after I caught a nasty sinus cold that lasted for two plus weeks and a bit more.

I will have to continue with the conditioning in catch-up mode on non-ski days. Since starting riding this winter, I have managed to find time two days a week, leaving a few days each week for deep conditioning.

One of the benefits of a mild winter are above average driving conditions since the snow that does happen falls in the alpine.

Nonetheless, winter tires are mandatory. I purchased a new set of winter tires that should get me through a difficult highway regardless of the conditions, although within reason since I avoid driving through snowstorms along the highway whenever they do happen.

The first three half-days of riding allowed my legs to get use to again the physical challenges of snowboarding.

On Saturday, I accumulated 22,769 vertical feet, about 5500 more than the previous riding day on Wednesday.

I did most of the vertical before lunch. I had the mountain burger at the Roundhouse and then took the Peak to Peak over to Blackcomb.

Everything below the Blackcomb Gondola mid-station was fogged in so after four runs to mid-station I headed back over to Whistler on the Peak to Peak. I had planned to ski down to the Village from Blackcomb and then to take the Whistler Gondola back to the top of Whistler.

I had parked at Creekside and I still had to download on the Creekside Gondola. But the fog was thick at Blackcomb, and so Plan A was aborted.

The trails toward the Big Red Chair are challenging. But riding out to Creekside and the Dave Murray Downhill will have to wait for a few more heavy snowfalls.