Blogs Results

Day 1
I was pretty nervous when I left home and took a flight to Vancouver BC. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to snowboard as good as the others, but when I went, you're organized into groups depending on your level. It was silly of me to worry, but when i did go, the campers were pretty chill so it didn't even matter anyways. Well anyways, when I landed in Vancouver, I met so many people at the airport going to Whistler Summer Snowboard Camp. When we all boarded the camp bus/shuttle I met even MORE people. During the evening, we were to meet at the mountain room (a huge room with a big screen tv). There we were introduced to all the coaches and info about the camp, like camp rules, schedual, and activites. When i got to my room, there I met my 2 roomates! They were the same level as me at snowboarding and same age too! They were also in my group which was cool. I made friends really quick.

Day 2-6

The park is siiiiiiiick. They have their own terrain on Blackcomb Mountain, with jumps, rails, boxes, and a tent that you can just chill at if you're tired or hungry. The weather felt like it was 20 degrees, it was so hot! I think that's really cool, the weather being really warm and being able to snowboard. I know what you're thinking, but no! The snow isn't all slush! There's plenty of snow and the groomers of their camp groom it everyday so it's all good. I got a pretty sick goggle tan.

Activites

Out of all the activites, I've got to say that bungee jumping was my favourite! You're there with all your friends going bungee jumping! There's other activities like wakeboarding, paintball, mountain biking, driving range/miniputt, skateboarding, indoor rockclimbing, games room/movie lounge, pool/hot tub at the hotel, tennis/volleyball/dodgeball, or just chilling at Whistler Village!

 Add/View Comments (0)

-Alex

 Add/View Comments (0)

Every day we are faced with a myriad of decisions: paper or plastic, beer or whiskey, left or right hand, cracker or toast; life certainly is complicated. Even in snowboarding, an activity pursued as a means to escape daily life, we are constantly making decisions: frontside or backside, groomers or glades, powder or ice (some decisions are much easier than others). How often, however, are you faced with a decision that will impact your future ability to ride? You might just be surprised at just how often we are faced with just such a choice and by some accounts make the wrong decision. When it comes to making choices about the environment, as snowboarders we should probably tend to those that won't make the planet warmer. We like snow, so global warming should be a severe pain in our collective asses. Although when faced with certain choices, that decision isn't quite so easy. The answer might not be obvious, so how do you come to a decision?

Recently a colleague sent me an article explaining how, by reducing our consumption of meat by 10%, we could reduce our CO₂ footprint by up to 25%. The premise being that factory farming practices are responsible for the creation of massive amounts greenhouse trapping gasses via the release of methane from bovine bungholes. Who knew our ability to shred could be so affected by flatulence (fart jokes: they're not just for the juvenile anymore). This idea of reducing one's carbon footprint by eating less meat is by no means a new idea, vegetarians have been arguing this fact for years. There is a gaping hole in this argument, however, which is often overlooked, namely the point of origin of our food.

I have much respect for people who choose to be vegetarians. In fact, for a period in my life, I myself was vegetarian although it caused me to become under weight and sickly (I'm too lazy to want to spend two hours a day cooking good vegetarian meals that will keep me from losing weight). If being vegetarian works for you, that's great, there are many advantages to a non-meat diet. A smaller carbon footprint, however, is not necessarily one of them. The reality is, that pretty much anywhere where you snowboard there's winter. This means that for a good part of the year, the basic elements of a vegetarian diet are not available locally and must be imported. This usually involves trucks which are heavy emitters of greenhouse gases thus negating the reduction in cow farts.

For more significant reductions in your personal carbon footprint than cutting meet out of your diet, you should look to buying locally grown food whenever possible. I'm pretty sure this would have a much greater impact on the environment in general as well as bolster the local economy. Besides the real culprit is not diet but mass consumerism and the lengths industry goes to in order to support it. By eliminating factory farming, Adam Smith's invisible hand of the market would do what it should and give beef it's proper natural price (which ought to be much higher than it is now). Increases in the cost of beef would be a significant step toward reducing our daily intake of it (in developed countries, people typically eat about 224 grams of beef per day whereas in Africa most people consume only about 31 grams per day), not to mention a decrease in cow farts thus ensuring a continued state of winter.

I realise that this is straying somewhat from the topic of snowboarding, however, this relates back to the old adage of thinking globally and acting locally. This can be interpereted as meaning that the global impact of your daily decisions should be taken into account. For example:

• Left or right hand? Try the stranger, it feels like someone else is doing it.
• Cracker or toast? Here's an idea, avoid the circle jerk in the first place.
• Frontside or backside? Surprise me.
• Powder or ice? Jeeze is there really a decision to make here?

What's important is that these are things that should be kept in mind when faced with choices, namely the more global impact of even the smallest decision. I'd like to be able to keep snowboarding for many years to come, so I'd hate to feel even partly responsible for the disapearance of winter thus negating my ability to...

Keep Shreddin' the GNAR!

 Add/View Comments (1)

Dave Murphy

With 7 years under his belt & coming from grooming the Blackcomb park, Dave was the natural choice to be our Whistler Park grooming lead hand. Dave also diversifies his skills by working in the Bike Park in the summer and volunteering his time for the Whistler Skateboard Association by assisting in the ramp construction in Creekside. Dave is an avid skateboarder & rides what he builds in the parks. “I like to be creative & try to make everyone happy with what I build. I ride what I build. I contribute my skate experience to the park grooming & shaping.”  

Anto Orts

First season operating a snow cat full time but Anto has been in snow cats for several years via summer glacier operations & helping out the Park drivers last season. Anto was the lead hand for the Whistler Park for 5 years & knows what it takes to make a great park. Now on the other side of the wheel, so to say, Anto brings realism to the park product & ensures what we dream up is achievable to build & maintain via the snow cat. Anto is also responsible for most of the rail creations in the Whistler Park & assisted for the artwork on them. “I like to keep the park fun to ride & creative”. 

Chris Lamb

Second season driving and previously a Park host & lead hand. Chris “Chops” Lamb got his first go @ driving a snow cat for summer glacier operations. Chops also works in the Whistler Bike Park during the summer months. “I really enjoy building jumps & riding them the next day unless it’s a pow day then I’m off to tear up the deep stuff. I’m really happy with the park set up over here as it’s all connected. I find this park is a bit more human as it offers features for never evers up to the seasoned shredders”.   

KC Anderson

Second season running the rig & comes from a snowboard retail background. KC used to work for Showcase Snowboard Shop in the village and has been involved in front line sales in snowboard shops since 1997. “I ride & relate my work to snowboarding. I get to drive the best machines out there & be part of one of the largest grooming fleets in North America. I get top use my creativity in shaping & creating the hits. Go ride the Park!”

 

 Add/View Comments (2)

 

The Park staff take care of the hits during the day & the lead hands, Fred Lepage & Eric Gendron, pass on the maintenance & new build requests to Marty & Olex @ the start of their grooming shift. Our Groomers use Pisten Bully snow cats & specifically the Park Bully model. Specialized combing teeth have been added to the Park cat blades for even better ramp shaping when back blading. The Park groomers also use forks which attach to the snow cat blade to move & install the rails. We all owe a huge thank you to our Park groomers on Blackcomb for all their hard work & dedication in bringing you the best Parks & Pipe experience. Here’s a little back ground on our drivers:

Marty Guatrey – Lead hand & grooming the B Park since 1990. Marty started in Lake Louise, made the move to Whistler & has been working in the Parks in winter & Bike Park in the summer. Marty likes working with the younger crew & enjoys skiing what he builds. “I love building jumps. It’s challenging to build & progress with the skiers & snowboarders needs. It’s great to watch people having fun & enjoying my work & I do have a beautiful work environment”.

Oleksander Iskat – Works opposite shifts to Marty & leads the team on Marty’s days off. Olex has been grooming in the Park for 5 years & also has been a key member of the Bike Park in the summer. “I get to build what I want to ride & have the freedom to build an idea. I try to make everything I build as safe as possible. I may not ride the biggest hits but I’m happy to see people progress on our features”.

Jason Josling – 2^nd year in the park grooming. J was mostly in the Terrain Garden last season and now grooms the main Nintendo Park & helps out in the Highest Level when needed. “I’m still learning but feel I’m 100% better than last season. My job takes precision, a skilled eye & attention to detail. I try to make everything safe, rideable & fun”.

 
 left to right: Oleksander, Lucas, Kirby, Marty & Jason

Lucas Ouellette – 1^st season grooming & worked on the Parks day crew last season. Lucas is mostly in the Terrain Garden but is also working on the secret jib & jump section in the Highest Level Park “I like building stuff & hitting it the next day. It can be lonely @ times yet peaceful inside the snow cat. I crank up the punk rock tunes & build the jumps.”

Kirby Litzenberger – 6 seasons @ Whistler & specifically grooming the super pipe. Kirby took a couple of seasons off but we are stoked that he is back on our pipe team once again. Top riders know when Kirby has cut the pipe, it rides perfect. Kirby built his first pipe in 1988. “It takes vigilance to build the best pipe possible. I want to build & maintain the best pipe. Being rated #2 for pipe is not good enough. Southern Cali is all hype”.

Tim Austin – 2^nd year Grooming the Parks & also came from Park day crew. Tim rides what he builds & rides hard. Tim started grooming the Terrain Garden his first season & is now involved in the main Nintendo Park grooming team.

Andy Morrison – Our longest serving groomer with over 16 years of grooming experience, Andy works on the winter & summer Glacier half pipes. Andy has been pipe shaping for over 5 years & has used the Pipe Dragon & the Zaugg Pipe shapers.

left to right back row: Lucas, Oleksander, Marty. Front row = Kirby & Jason

 Add/View Comments (0)