Get your skis on, it’s great out there!

The sun is shining, the snow is great and more than 90 per cent of Whistler Blackcomb terrain is open. It’s still more terrain than any other ski resort in North America.

The only closed runs are in the area of the race course on Whistler Mountain along with the training runs on both mountains. With immaculate grooming and plenty of room on the slopes, now is the time to make the most of the Olympic mountains in your backyard. Everything from ski lessons to on-mountain restaurants are also open.

If you’re glued to your TV watching Olympic events, don’t worry, you won’t miss a thing on the mountains. With Whistler Blackcomb’s special viewing pods located alongside the Men’s and Ladies’ race courses on Whistler Mountain, you can catch Olympic action. You can literally feel the wind from the racers.

For the women’s courses, skiers have been enjoying viewing pods along Wild Card and Franz’s Run. Pods along Orange Peel and Express Way offer a glimpse of the men’s courses. For a detailed map of these locations, please check out whistlerblackcomb.com/olympics.

With the Ladies Super G scheduled for today and the Men’s Super Combined for Sunday, there is plenty of action.
A reminder that the Creekside Gondola is closed to the public during the month of February but residents and guests can access the lifts in Whistler Village or the Blackcomb Base with the enhanced BC Transit system.

The popular Peak to Creek run remains open throughout the Games as a ski-out to Creekside. Please note: Peak to Creek is only a ski out during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games time as there is no upload from Creekside base when the Creekside Gondola is closed ( February 1 to March 1, 2010.)

So grab your gear and get out and enjoy the beautiful blue skies and slopes. Take our word for it, you won’t regret it.

Janyk grew up skiing Whistler Mountain

When Britt Janyk competed in the ladies downhill event in Whistler on Wednesday, the crowd went wild because Janyk is one of their own.

Britt Janyk has been skiing Whistler Mountain since she learned to walk. Now a World Cup ski racer - Janyk came sixth on the mountain of her youth.

Janyk is Whistler’s sweetheart and she’s been flirting with World Cup domination for years. With World Cup podiums under her belt, she’s been called Whistler’s “Homecoming Queen.” 

Janyk started her ski racing career in the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom but later switched to speed events and has enjoyed her greatest successes including a third overall rank in the World Cup downhill standings in the 2007/08 season.

“If you had told me that my first podium would have been a downhill, I wouldn’t have guessed it,” said Janyk. “When I think back, I attribute my downhill success to chasing the boys down the Dave Murray Downhill when I was 12 or 13 years old.”

For Janyk, competing in Whistler at the 2010 Winter Games was a peak moment in her career.

“I owe a lot to my family,” Janyk said. “For their positive attitude. For their energy. For everything. Ski racing isn’t a cheap sport. My parents made huge sacrifices to get me where I am now.”

Entertaining Sustainability by Dawn Lasby 

If you are walking around taking in a band on Whistler Village Stage, have a closer look. The folks at Whistler Live! have taken sustainability to a whole new level.

To reduce usage of plastic bottles of water, all performers been given stainless steel water bottles for their hydration needs.

The decision to use stainless steel was made in support of Whistler2020’s Materials and Solid Waste Strategy.

According to Festival Director Kristen Robinson, the water bottles provided are a hit, especially with sustainably-minded bands like the Barenaked Ladies, Misteur Valaire and Kuba Oms.

The team at Whistler Live! also decided to provide Whistler’s fine tap water (instead of dispensed water) to fill the bottles when performers take hydration breaks.

Other items not usually seen in green rooms include re-used furniture, local art and compost bins. The production crew at Whistler Live! also decided to take out fireworks from the nightly Fire and Ice Remix to reduce air pollutants.

“Emissions of metal oxides associated with the gunpowder reactions in the air are given off by fireworks,” said Ted Battiston, RMOW Manager of Sustainability Initiatives.

The potential negative impact on air quality not to mention the harmful effects on wildlife, has been reduced. Whistler Live! also chose to promote their jammed-packed schedule of events through whistler2010.com, a nearly paperless route.

Get out on Whistler’s Valley Trail for some active transportation

Whistler is the perfect place to leave your car at home because the transportation options are endless. Whether it’s the bus, bikes or skis, there are plenty of ways to get around.

Transportation accounts for over one third of greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia. One way you can do your part to reduce emissions is to change your daily commute and there’s no better time to do it than during the Games.

It’s easy to get creative with the daily commute in Whistler thanks to the Valley Trail. It is one of the most extensive non-motorized trail networks in B.C. This 35-kilometre multi-use trail connects all of Whistler’s neighbourhoods and parks. It’s well used by Whistler locals commuting to work or play.

Did you know Whistler’s Mayor Ken Melamed often cross-country skis to work? During the 2010 Winter Games, both residents and guests are strapping on skis to get around.

The Lost Lake Cross-Country trail system offers more than 32-kilometers of groomed and track-set trails that meander through Lost Lake Park and through the Chateau Whistler and Nicklaus North golf courses. It also connects a variety of neighbourhoods making a cross-country ski commute possible.

The trails are open during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. With a commuter pass priced at $12.50, you can take advantage of the new commuter route from Meadow Park Sports Centre into Whistler Village.

Also check out the “end of trip facility” next to Cross Country Connection, to store your gear at the end of your ski commute.

“The conditions on the trails are fantastic. We still have 30 kilometres of trails open and it’s well worth the trips out,” said Chris Waller, co-owner of Cross Country Connection.

If skiing isn’t your style, try out a bike, consider walking or take advantage of the enhanced transit system in Whistler.