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The 6-week drought finally relented allowing winter to roar back to life for a strong March finish. Desperate to make up for lost time; our modus operandi was to catch as many chair-zero’s and untracked lines as possible. For a time it seemed as if Thursday/Friday had become the new Saturday/Sunday. Worries that we wouldn’t be able to ride-out our Crystal and WB pre-paids this season were quickly put to rest. Hats off to Lupo and the Crystal crew for taking a couple young padwans under your wing and teaching us the ways of the snow-samurai! As I’m sure Agata can attest, those were some all-time best chuting, slashing, dropping and yes, poaching days on the hill…period. And rest assured, your ‘secrets’ are safe with us. Conditions up in BC fared notably worse this season – it seems the storm track this winter has been focused primarily on Vancouver and southward. I found many of Whistler’s chute entrances considerably bonier than I recall them being in years past, with the unexpected and propitious consequence of scaring many away (never before seen so many back away from the relatively tame West Cirque…LOL!). Nevertheless, the 45cm day on Peak was nuts…but, holy hell I’ve never seen such crowds before either! The secret’s out folks. Stay home or go somewhere else please. Like junkies desperate for the next fix, we decided on a whim to up the ante and reserved our seats on Whistler Heli’s new Bell 407. What can I say; the habit certainly isn’t cheap, but 11 runs ranging from 2.5k – 4k(?) ft under ideal snow and weather conditions will leave you wondering why you bother riding lifts at all. Not a bad way to wrap up this mixed-bag of a winter we’ve endured I say. Not bad at all. |
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Click thumbnails below to enlarge photos
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Someone's REALLY stoked right now.
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Some gnar as seen from the air.
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One of the early runs of the day. There would be a lot more like this to come.
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Agata (bottom) and Shawn cruising.
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View to northwest over headwaters of Callaghan Valley with portion of Pemberton Icefield in distance.
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With our guide Atsu sufficiently out of the way, I drop in.
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Our guide Atsu. A 20 year Whistler heli veteran!
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Wide open cruising terrain.
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Looking south-ish towards Mt. Fee (prominent spires left of center - I think).
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Animated GIF sequence of Agata shredding.
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Animated GIF sequence of Agata descending one of the day's best pitches.
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Agata sings a powder aria (animated GIF sequence).
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Shawn and Agata descending wide, lower angled slopes to the next heli pick up zone.
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Endless turns - this never gets old!
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Oh yeah!.
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Pemberton Icefields northwest panorama.
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Wide angle Pemberton Icefields panorama - notice the sled tracks!
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Shawn descends low angle slopes on Powder Mountain.
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Obligatory family photo.
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Agata (bottom) and Troy make the most of the endless terrain.
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View south from flanks of Powder Mountain towards a peak who's slopes have been shredded by both sledders and the 12-man heli.
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Animated GIF time again - Agata schralping!
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One of the last runs of the day - animated GIF of Troy and Agata decending a nice pitch on Rainbow Mountain.
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Animated GIF of Troy signing his name in the snow.
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A bit blurry, but you get the idea.
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This was a really, really long run, and no stops either. I think the area here's called Cow Pow or something similar??
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Wait for it...wait for it...waaaait! Atsu and a german we picked up towards the end of the day make first tracks down to who knows where.
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Upper slopes on Powder Mountain - probably the least exciting run of the day thanks to the lower slope angle.
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Slaaaaash!
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Nice Troy...VERY nice!
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Looking south towards Ashlu Mountain. Yes, definitely on the list.
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Troy spots his line as Agata disappears behind a cloud of smoke.
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Extra style points for Shawn - well done!
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High on Rainbow Mountain overlooking our final descent with Wedge Mountain rising prominently from across the valley.
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Round two with Whistler Heli, this time in the Rutherford Creek zone/area a bit north of Whistler Village. High winds in the alpine and snowpack stability concerns forced a more conservative slope selection than we were hoping for. Great lines were had, but we cut it short after the 6 runs included in the package. Of note was the DHS-style security screening at the Whistler heli-port – yet another ‘enhancement’ courtesy of the Olympics no doubt. |
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Click thumbnails below to enlarge photos
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First few turns of the day.
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Lobe of Pemberton Icefields with sno-mo tracks everywhere.
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Good snow albeit on low-angled slopes.
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Agata enjoys a nice pitch sheltered from the annoying wind.
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A good heli-boarder keeps his/her tracks confined to a relatively narrow swath. Agata is being a good heli-boarder here.
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Good behavior is rewarded with a nice long descent.
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Spotting our line with "The Wave" just beyond.
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Oh how nice - such well-behaved heli-skiers!
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Sorry - I'm not so well behaved.
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Take as much room as you need. Don't worry about the other party.
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Agata make a scenic slash.
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Hmm...which way down?
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I can't remember if the straight line in background at right was Agata or me, or that bunny I saw hopping uphill?
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Obligatory shot from inside the brand-spanking new Astar.
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Did I mention it was windy up in the alpine? Ashlu in distance.
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Vlad leads us down the final run of the day.
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Panorama with what may be Overseer in distance at left.
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Typical scenery in Rutherford zone. Final run was made starting from highpoint at left.
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Last Updated: Mar. 7, 2010 | ©2002 - 2010 sverdina.com
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