Blog

Conservation and climate action go together

We live on a changing planet. Unnaturally rapid global warming is altering everything, including lands and waters.…

Whistler Chamber welcomes new directors, chair to board

Chamber CEO also discusses organization’s new three-year strategic plan

The Whistler Chamber of Commerce has welcomed its new board chair and directors, who will now set their sights on implementation of the business advocacy organization’s long-term strategic plan. Sworn in at a ceremony last week, the newly elected board members are Claire Ruddy, head of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE); entrepreneur Heather Odendaal, co-founder of the women’s leadership conference, WNORTH; and Wendy Hargreaves, sales and marketing director for the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.…

Happy camper: Four Seasons pours a cup of Canadiana at its outdoor après spot

Luxury hotel gives staff long leash to concoct creative culinary concepts

For the average Canadian, the concept of s’mores is pretty straightforward. But for those uninitiated in this most ooey-gooey of camping traditions, s’mores are a novel pleasure that can require some basic instructions.…

Kids across Canada more at risk of hospitalization from flu this season: doctor

Canada’s chief public health officer says more children are being hospitalized this flu season because of an early spike in a strain of influenza B, which hits young people hard and is circulating across the country while a strain that typically targets the elderly also makes the rounds. Dr. Theresa Tam said influenza B does not usually peak until February or later and the “double dose” of both influenza A and B strains has not been seen in Canada since 2015.…

Vail Resorts lift ticket revenue stays flat, while skier visits down 7.8% across its roster of resorts

Challenging start to season at Whistler Blackcomb factor in season-to-date metrics

Vail Resorts is reporting relatively steady revenue across its North American resorts for the ski season to date, although skier visits are down, at least in part to a challenging start to the winter at Whistler Blackcomb (WB) and Stevens Pass. In a Jan. 17 release, the resort behemoth released ski season metrics for the comparative periods from the beginning of the ski season through Jan. 5, 2020, and for the prior year period through Jan. 6, 2019.…

Nash fourth at Youth Olympics

Luger to compete in doubles on Saturday

Whistler luger Caitlin Nash opened the Youth Olympic Games with a fourth-place finish at St. Moritz, Switzerland on Friday, Jan. 17. Nash finished 0.871 seconds back of champion Merle Fraebel of Germany, while Jessica Degenhardt, also of Germany, was second and Diana Loginova of Russia took third.…

On the fly…

Contending with our—and the ski industry’s—reliance on flying

In early December, a friend from Denver and I both travelled to Las Vegas for a conference. I flew, he drove.…

Winterstoke celebrates the backcountry

Annual festival returns from Jan. 23 to 26 with art, film, conversation and clinics

Ross Berg is no stranger to guiding groups of backcountry skiers. As the founder, director, and one of the head guides at Altus Mountain Guides, he’s led plenty of newbies on winter adventures.…

IOC policy out of step with Olympic values

Whether it’s readily apparent on the field of play or not, there are and always have been politics working in the sports world. In the case of the Olympics, requiring massive public investments to host the Games and cozying up to cooperate with governments in Russia and China a total of three times over the past decade-and-a-half tops the list.…

Riverside Resort, Scandinave Spa remain closed following water-main valve break

Rupture occurred on Riverside’s property Saturday night, halting water flow to both businesses

Whistler’s Scandinave Spa and Riverside Café are approaching day six of an unexpected closure after a water-main valve ruptured on Riverside Resort’s property Saturday night, Jan. 11, cutting off municipal water flow to the properties. “We are working towards a full resolution of the issue—where all of [Riverside Resort] will have water,” wrote Carolyn Sharples, the Camping & RV Resort’s senior manager.…

UPDATED: Quest University granted financial protection

The Squamish institution has $47.5 million in liabilities

While facing $47.5 million in liabilities, Quest University asked for and has been granted financial protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, according to court documents. A petition filed in the Vancouver courts on Jan. 16 asked for a stay against all “all proceedings, enforcement processes and remedies taken or might be taken against” the school.…

Matthews Southwest denies it owes $15.25 million to developer Michael Hutchison

The latest in an ongoing court battle between two prominent Squamish developers

Developer Matthews Southwest is denying it owes $15.25 million to another prominent real estate builder, Michael Hutchison. This is the latest in an ongoing court battle between two major Squamish developers.…

Pemberton by-election for school trustee to be held this weekend

Erica Osburn and David Walden running for election as trustee

The Sea to Sky School District 48 (SD 48) is holding a by-election for the Pemberton school trustee role this Saturday, Jan. 18. There are two candidates running in the election: writer and editor Erica Osburn and retired, longtime Signal Hill Elementary School teacher David Walden.…

BREAKING: Quest University files for financial protection

The Squamish institution has $47.5 million in liabilities

While facing $47.5 million in liabilities, Quest University is asking the courts to grant it financial protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, according to court documents. A petition filed to the court on Jan. 16 is asking for a stay against all “all proceedings enforcement processes and remedies taken or might be taken against” the school.…

Blizzard warning in effect for Sea to Sky

13 WB lifts open early Thursday morning

Frustratingly for skiers and snowboarders, this week has seemed to only provide the drawbacks of winter and none of the benefits of being in a top ski resort. With minimal new snow overnight and chilly temperatures of -16 Celsius, snowsliders need to dress and be prepared for the conditions.…