Whistler is an epic mountain with one of the longest runs in North America. I think it's about 6 miles and took us about 45 minutes to ride down. The Blackcomb Glacier is defintely worth the hike and there's an awesome bowl on the backside.

This was our family's first ever winter vacation to a cold weather destination for something longer than a 3-day weekend. We had a great time and can't wait to go back. In fact, we've already booked our next trip to Whistler for 2008.

Having never skied any place other than on the East Coast, we immediately fell in love with the size of the mountains. We quickly learned that greens and blues on Whistler are much harder than the greens and blues back east but were up to the challenge of skiing on such a big mountain.

We also loved having a village to walk through when we were not skiing to window shop and people-watch. We found there were plenty of restaurants and cafés to choose from.

We stayed in the Club Intrawest resort and found the accommodations to be very comfortable. While the room and the appliances were a bit dated, it actually added to the charm of the resort. It had a true ski lodge feel to it.

The conditions in Whistler are very different. It does not snow there... it ices. The trails are VERY fast, which I do not recommend for a beginner. Definitely, practice in the Olympic Village to build the confidence. You will not want to be one of those people on the Ski Patrol gondola. Definitely study the trails (provided trail maps available) and know your limitations. The green trails are more like blue trails in Colorado. These mountains are both exhilarating and scary, but it's worth the trip and money. Do some research on the www.whistlerblackcomb.com website to gain more knowledge about the trails.

Whistler/Blackcomb offers the big mountain experience for skiers and riders of all levels. With the twin mountain offering the largest skiable terrain in North America, they have remarkable diversity in beginner, intermediate, and expert slopes, as well as leading terrain parks and pipes. It is Canada's foremost four-season resort, and its reputation is supported by repeated #1 rankings in international ski and snowboard magazines. Whistler Blackcomb is nestled in the heart of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, 120km (75 miles) north of Vancouver and 354km (218 miles) from Seattle.

So where to ski? BLACKCOMB terrain has more steep slopes and tends to attract the better skiers. WHISTLER is huge, even bigger than Blackcomb, with seven bowls, 3,657 acres, and more above-tree line terrain. Because Whistler is 14 years older than Blackcomb, its skiing reflects a bit more old-school flavor than its neighbor's brisk, efficient, tourist-friendly offer. A lot of people love one and don't like the other. Ski both, then decide which you like better.

BLACKCOMB
Take the Wizard up to the Solar Coaster Express and warm up on a few of the magnificent wide-open blue runs like Gandy Dancer, Springboard, and Cruiser. Then take Wishbone to the Jersey Cream Express and do Jersey Cream. Now take the Glacier Express and the Horstman T-Bar and try the Blue line. Then maybe explore the parallel options of the runs from the top of the Seventh Heaven Express.

WHISTLER Mountain
You just have to start the day with a cruise down Jolly Green Giant--it just flatters your skiing. Then perhaps go to the Harmony Express. From here take the Harmony Ridge, which gives you a good feel for the lay of the land. If you are so inclined and in the most extreme adventurous side, try the area called Doom and Gloom/VD chutes, which is very challenging from what I have heard. And people have died in these places, so latch onto a local guide for the safe lines and routes.

In general the runs are well-marked and well-patrolled, and between the two mountains there's a huge variety for all standards. On either mountain watch out for snowboarders, as they are fearless and all over the slopes.

Tickets are posted at the tickets windows. Full day for an adult is $71 and children under 12 are $37. Equipment rentals are available through many rental shops, among them Can-Ski and Affinity. Also, for children, Whistler Kids offer all-day programs where learning is inspired through encouragement, accomplishment, and friendship.

Some of the best skiing on the planet. Amazingly, the slopes were still fully open in mid-May, except for a few runs down on the bottom of the mountain.