By the time this paper hits the stands, lifts on both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains will be spinning to what is hopefully a grand opening. The long-range forecast looks promising, too. Remember, what we need for a home-run season isn’t necessarily the gargantuan dumps (which can come with the added risk of a freezing spike), it’s cold-weather consistency. Zero degrees in the Whistler Valley shouldn’t feel like a cold snap, it should feel like winter. And—if the current forecast holds—the next two weeks should definitely feel like winter in Whistler.
I don’t hit the early bird opening day lineups like I used to—I let the local high-school kids (whose parents are gracious enough to give them the day off) carry that torch now. But I do still have some opening day rituals I still carry after all the Whistler winters I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.
The vibes in the lineup. Whether you’re in the overnight tent camp crowd, a bleary-eyed 4 a.m. early bird or a casual 7 a.m. latecomer, the opening day lineup has an electric atmosphere unlike any day of the year. You see familiar faces, new faces, excited faces and—if the conditions are good—pow-covered faces. If there’s any day where it’s hard to hate lineups to go skiing, it’s opening day. Remember your etiquette, too. Strolling up at 8 a.m. and walking past hundreds of people (who’ve been shivering in the lineup since the predawn hours) and cutting the line is not cool. It doesn’t matter if your friends are up there near the front. If you sleep in, find someone to line up with who’s on the same schedule. Sticking it to your fellow riders and trying to sneak into the line is one way to kill the jubilant opening day atmosphere.
Schussing the groomers. Pow gets a lot of the fanfare in skiing, and for good reason. But opening it up and laying the edges over on a deserted groomer? That’s a whole reason to ski in itself. The high-speed carve is one of the most exhilarating feelings you can get on skis or a snowboard, and hitting the mountain early to get the fresh corduroy has a special place in the heart of every skier. On the day, good groomer conditions last longer than powder, so prioritize your runs as you will. But don’t go home without your carving fix. And don’t forget to ski at the appropriate speed for other people on the run. People are unpredictable. Take that into account before skipping a turn and blasting down the run at 75 km/h.
Terrain reconnoitring. If you haven’t learned by now, opening day is not the day to push into complex terrain. Different people have different ideas of what complex terrain is, but we can all agree it’s advanced terrain that requires a certain minimum level of snow coverage to make it safely skiable. Boundary ropes are everywhere on opening day. These are your first signal that ski patrol and mountain operations have deemed the area not appropriate for all skiers, so duck at your own risk (if you see a closed sign, definitely do not duck the rope). What I do like to do is ski past some of my favourite lines and zones for a closer look. This typically ends with a “nope, not ready” assessment, but it’s always good to know how the snow base is progressing. Some areas might be a “needs another storm or two to fill out” assessment. Early season awareness is key when the bigger storms hit.
The rope drop. On some opening days, after assessing that alpine terrain is safe enough, ski patrol will grant access to certain alpine areas behind a temporary boundary rope. Access is normally via hiking only and everyone going out beyond that rope should have all the normal backcountry tools, skills and training. It’s only on certain opening days this will happen, but when it does, you want to be ready. It’s a perfect opportunity to ski a conservative alpine run and reconnoitre terrain for future pow days.
The après. Smashing an IPA (or two) after your first day back on your local ski mountain doesn’t get much better, and the bars are counting on it. Nearly every venue has a party of some sort with live music and a whole lot of drink specials to ring in the season. Just like the mountain, you don’t want to overdo it on your first day.
The season is here. Get some turns, stay safe, and everything will be right in the world.
Vince Shuley hopes you had an excellent opening day. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email [email protected] or Instagram @whis_vince.
