Well, today didn't suck. W/B received half a meter of snow in the past 48 hours, and a few of us went up the mountain to do some serious quality testing. You know, to make sure Whistler Blackcomb is still the top ski resort in North America. Results are in: it still is.

Nadia Samer, Kasie Stroshin and Jen Ashton made the brave decision to take me snowmobiling and skiing up the Rutherford. We had fun inhaling the wonderful 2-stroke fumes and got a little powder skiing in while we were up there. Read more for the shenanigans!

Here are results, photos and video from the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships at Kirkwood. Winners were Janina Kuzma and Dylan Crossman.

This week I had the privilege to check out a new heli-assisted ski touring program from Selkirk Tangiers in Revelstoke, BC. The idea is that a helicopter takes you in and out of a zone where you are left to ski tour all day with a guide. There's a few reasons why it's worth considering this as an option for a good day touring.

Austin Ross is one of the lucky guys who grew up in Whistler, the offspring of two ski bum parents. He skis with the likes of Callum Petit, Sean Petit, and Kye Petersen. His smile is big enough to light Blackcomb mountain on a storm day, and his positive attitude is infectious. By the way, he's also an incredibly talented skier. Read more.

Well, as avalanche forecasters warn that a high slide risk is coming to much of BC's interior, the stability in Alberta's Kananaskis Country, Banff National Park and Icefields Parkway has been ridiculously good.

The 3rd annual Photo Shootout at Island Lake Lodge Catskiing is an exciting opportunity for up and coming pro photographers, skiers and boarders to break onto the scene during a 3-day contest. The dramatic Lizard Range of the B.C. Rocky Mountains and plentiful March snow, make Island Lake the ultimate location for an event like this. Last year's event was a great success with over 300 people attending the awards party.

The Olympics are actually pretty fun. There are lots of free concerts, and all the crowds are in the village and not up the mountain. We took advantage of all this and had a pretty sweet time skiing. Check it out.

In April 2009 I had the privilege to join Dave and Daryl Treadway on a sled ski mission in the Stewart BC, Hyder AK area. When I tagged up with them in the zone (I came in a few days after them), the boys had already laid down some impressive lines and they continued to push it while I was there. I ended up being more of a spectator/documenter on this trip than a participant because the level of skiing was so out there. The mind set of the boys was very focused on slaying big lines and they were making remarkable progress. It was a special trip, the kind that only happens a few times in a lifetime. It was the kind of trip where everything went right, well, almost everything.

“Aaaaahhhhhh! The ‘Lympix are coming!” proclaimed a sign at the base of Excelerator Chair on Blackcomb last week. That “Aaaaahhhhhhh” of fear is now a cry of excitement that although the village has been overtaken by the masses, we have our precious mountain all to ourselves for the next two weeks. Read more for story and pics.