British Columbia's winter flavors

British Columbia is a fantastic place for mountain bike lovers, but also a paradise for powder fanatics during the winter! Olympics Games in 2010, mountains along the ocean, city close from the resorts, winter sports are also a kind of religion in the BC culture. Winter climate is pretty unique; because of the wind from the Pacific Ocean, temperature remains pleasant in the city while it’s dumping in the mountains. And when I say dumping, I speak about tons of powder, for example the cumulative snowfall of Whistler since the beginning of the winter is 4,15meters!! The elevation of Whistler’s peak is only 2,200m, if you compare with a resort in the same elevation in the Alps; I think it's a very different...

Figures are figures, now let’s speak about the action, about the shred!

I have the chance to have my roommate, and also a banch of Canadian friends working in the local familial resort: Grouse Mountain (aka the peak of Vancouver). Thanks to those guys I begian my first snowboarding adventures in a nice environment with a fantastic view of the city, boat and ferry in the ocean, big mountains all around, wooow. Everything is super easy for me, bus stop for the mountains in my patio, resort closing at 10pm, a very convenient way to have fun all the time.

My first ride was in the middle of November, and the snow quality was incredibly good: super fresh and light!! Since this time I had more than 10 sessions with friends, collegues, or by myself. Expect once a time, snow was always powder quality, that I enjoyed as much as I can: jumping cliffs, spining in the park, shreding in the backcountry or simply carving on the runs. 

 

I also went in Whistler with a hitch hiking rideshare in a hippie van! If you forget the price of the lift ticket ($100/day) Whistler is a beautiful paradise for backcountry riding. Pillows and large powdy runs are the local specialities. I had chance to have awesome conditions, the day was one of the best ever. So much snow, I was feeling like a surfer on the wave in every corner!

The best distance/price/quality I found is Cypress Mountain. The biggest ski resort of the North Shore, is a perfect place for your weekly riding, the view is awesome, the size is enough for to diversify your ride all the day. Ski resorts of the North Shore are illuminated at night; it means you can enjoy your riding between 8am and 10pm, perfect for people who prefer staying at bed the morning...

 

 

 I just switched my mountain bike for my snowboard in the middle of November, but people are still riding the bike trails around the city, life is hard in BC, there is no break in your athletic schedule, tons of powder during the winter and best mountain bike trails of the world all the year...

Come back in France should be difficult

 

Happy BChristmas!

Julien