BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN
will open for skiing Nov. 11,
two weeks ahead of schedule.

By David Wishart
Contributing Writer

Snow is more than six fect deep
in alpine areas and mid-level slopes
are well covered. Long-range fore-
casts say more snow is on the way.
Whistler Mountain will open as
scheduied Nov. 23. It has just as
much snow but has to remain closed
for equipment checks following its
longer summer operation.

Winter usually means something
new at Whistler and this year
Blackcomb will be unveiling its new
$14 million lift system taking off
from Whistler village.

It will be in two paris, an eight-
passenger gondoia called Excalibur
and a quad chair called Excelerator, a
high-speed system that will link with
the Glacier Express and transport
skiers one mile high to Blackcomb’s
celebrated glaciers in less than 23
minutes

The upper terminal of Excelerator

will be located at the top of the
Barber Chair run, just above Glacier
Creek, Blackcomb’s $5.6-million
log-cabin-style restaurant. A
spokesperson said this second high-
speed lift system would virtually
eliminate lineups during busy peri-
ods.

Another $2 million is being spent
on trail improvements. snowmaking
expansion, new snow cats and snow-
making guns.

Blackcomb has increased its
hourly lift capacity from 11.400 to
26,300 in seven years. Excelerator
brings every area of the mountain
within reach of the high-speed lift
system and reduces congestion at
Solar Coaster.

Removal of the Stoker chair wil]
open up Cruiser, which is the conti-
nent’s longest pure fall line nun.

John Birrell, Blackcomb general
manager, said the mountain now has
the greatest high-speed lift capacity
per skier visit of any resort in the
world, “It's a skier’s dream,” he
added.

There was a contest that resulted
in the name Excelerator being cho-
sen, and it was won by Jocelyn

PM HAUMONY Bans

season opens early

Scobie of North Vancouver, who
receives it Blackcomb season piss
worth $900,

The two new tifts will be in full
operation by Noy. 24, which was the
scheduled opening date for the
mountain,

Whistler Mountain Ski Corp. has
not been idle.

For a start there's a new presi-
dent, Doug Forseth, who made a big
name for himself as general manager
of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in
Vancouver.

He was then promoted to open
and manage the new Hyatt in San
Diego, and that was the last we
thought we had seen of him. But
now he’s back, so Blackcomb look
out!

Whistler’s new hardware is a new
quad chair that sturts where the blue
chair used to be. That's the Harmony
Express, stretching for more than a
mile to the top of Little Whistler
peak, a climb of 1,713 feet.

In fact, Harmony is just one of
four bowls mide available from the
top of the new chair. 3t boosts
Whistler’s high-alpine capacity by
250% and gives access to acreage

Photo submitted

WHISTLER’S NEW quad chair, the Harmony Express, stretches for more than a mile to the top of
Little Whistler peak, a climb of 1,713 ft.

Whale-watch |
down in Baja |

FROM JANUARY to March,
Adventure Spirit is offering guided
sea kayaking expeditions to the
whale breeding cand calving
lagoons of Baja.

During this period Gray whales
are abundant as thousands journey
from the Bering Sea to congregate
in the warm shallow nurseries.

Sea kayaking provides an excel-
lent opportunity to experience
these incredible sea mammals in
their natural setting. Travelting in
small groups with stable double
kayaks provides photographic
opportunities without intimidating
the whales and abundant shore
birds feeding in the tidal flats,

Plenty of time is available to
explore the desert environment and
relax after meals supplemented
with harvest seafood. Ongoing
instruction is avatlable throughout
the trip to novice paddlers.

The seven day all-inclusive
package from La Paz. Mexico is
$995 per person. For more infor-
mation, contact Adventure Spirit
Travel Co. at 130 West 15th St.
North Vancouver, B.C. V7M_ IRS.
Or phone 987-9934; fax 980-3145.

W LW

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almost twice the size of Aspen
Mountain.

The other bowls are Symphony
and Ghicier, which will appeal to
intermediate skiers, and Sun Bowl,
once accessible only by hikers and
awaiting discovery by more
advanced skiers.

Daily rate for both mountains is
$46, or $49.22 with tax. A new wrin-
kle is that dual-mountain tickets will
be available for just a dullar more,
$47.

World Cup skiing comes to
Whistler Feb, 22-26, featuring men’s
downhill, Super G, and special
events including music.

The village’s new $10 million
Meadow Park Sports Centre is open.
housing ice arena and indoor pool,

complete with wading pool,
whirlpool, sauna and steam room.

Meanwhile, Radisson Hotels
International becomes the largest
hotelier in the resort with 450 suites
at the base of Blackcomb Mountain.

The suites in Glacier Lodge, the
Aspens, Woodrun, the Marquise and
Greystone Lodge will be known as
Radisson Suites at Whistler Resort,
and linked to Radisson's worldwide
reservations system. Radisson will
also provide marketing, sales and
training.

The properties, as well as Le
Chamois, will continue to be man-
aged by Blackcomb Hotels &
Resorts, which has been sold by
Blackcomb Skiing Enterprises to
Rob and John O'Neill of Vancouver.

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Yorkville Travel

Surrey 581-4798
Vancouver 681-3410

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