TRAVEL Whistier’s quad chairs spread happiness around WHISTLER — Eleven o’clock on a Sunday morning, the skiing’s great, the sun is breaking through, and after an exhilarating ride down Upper Franz’s we fire retro-rockets going into the chute leading to Mid-Station. David Wishart Ahead is the Orange chair, long a favorite and as a result the scene of legendary line-ups. Today, however, not a soul is waiting. “Room for two more?’’ we redundantly ask the lift attendant. “Step this way, mytes,’’ is the welcoming reply. In a matter of seconds we have a taste of changing Whistler. One is that cheerful, young Australians are everywhere, and secondly, the lift map has been redrawn. The main difference is that two, new high-speed quad chaits have replaced the old gondola and Olive chair. - The lower chair, called Quicksiiver, carries 2,650 skiers every hour to Mid-Station, almost double the load to the old gon- dola. It also does it a lot faster, in just 6.5 minutes. Redline, which goes from Mid-Station to the main Alpine area, has increased capacity from ’ 720 skiers an hour to an astoun- ding 2,800 an hour. Ride time is just 8.5 minutes. There didn’t seem to be line- ups at either of the new lifts, nor, surprisingly, was there congestion at the Whistler Express high-speed gondola in the village. Business is not down; December was a record month for Whistler Mountain. oo. . What appears to have happened _ is that the Creekside lifts have taken traffic from the new gon- dola and at the same time diverted skiers from the Orange chair just as the opening of the Whistler Express took trade from the Black chair. TRAVEL TIPS Result: equal amounts of hap- piness far skiers wherever they start the day. And a cosmopolitan bunch they are, too. Lots of Japanese, of course. One big tour company brought in 200 Japanese skiers in 1985, 9,000 last season and will handle 22,000 this winter. They wear the most beautiful ski clothes, even if some of the active-word jargon prin‘.< 1 on it is hard to fathom. One skier’s pack said on it R’BISH, then in smailer letters “for a positive young star.’’ We met lots of Americans, in- cluding families from the Midwest. But it can be expensive, al- though as a Chez Joel customer said, people who complain about the cost may not have noticed two mountains instead of one, the new Catch the total eclipse _CRUISE HOLIDAYS of Ker- - risdale has announced a speciai cruise package from Malaga, Spain to. the Canary Islands aboard the Cunard Princess to view a total eclipse of the moon (es. 9, 1992), the Geminid Me- teor Shower (Dec. 12-13) and the possibility of sighting Comet Swift-Tuttle, which is projected to return in early winter. . British Columbia participants will receive a unique additional land benefit for the coming year as part of their cruise package — gift memberships to the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium, Science World, and the Vancouver Aquarium. , Joe Rao, meteorologist and author, will be the principal lec- turer on-board for participants. Rao is principal meteorologist for Compu-Weather Services in New York, lectures at the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in New York City and has authored articles on astronomical events for Omni - Magazine, Astronomy magazine, Sky & Telescope, and Weather- wise. This special astronomical cruise is priced from $2,225 per person, US dollars, including airfare from 100 cities in Canada and the Unit- ed States. For reservations and informa- tion call Ann or Ron at Cruise Holidays, 1-800-665-5566 or 1- 604-266-0008. FANTASTIC DEAL! 1 time offer AUSTRALIA § | $898 con. retum S MARINE RESORT | 634 Campbell St TOFINO, BC. Accommodation & Breakfast for Two $49.00 & up (including tax) BLUE HERON WATERFRONT RESTAURANT March 1 - April 30, 1992 .“CATCH THE OCEAN SPIRIT” Reservations recommended Box 553, Tofina VOR 220 restaurants and upcoming golf course at Blackcomb, the new lifts, and so on. The Japanese come by air ar- mada and stay in Whistler Sunday to Friday, freeing up hotel rooms for the peak, weekend trade. Friday nights the Japanese stay in Vancouver hotels, never a busy night anyway, do their shopping, and fly home Saturday. This, believe me, is stick packaging. But there are deals for locals too. Mountainside Lodge and Blackcomb Lodge have two- and three-night packages, some _ in- cluding lift. passes and dinner at the Trattoria restaurant, starting ‘| at about $80 per person per day. Want te go to Whistler Creek for dinner, Menghi has yet another restau- rant? Take the new shuttle bus. Yes, the bus. Have you been to Whistler, lately? where Umberto § Sunday, April 19, 1992 - North Shore News - 33 ROSEWAY TRAVEL Grand Autumn New Engiand on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. Canyon House 3590 Capilano Road, North Vancouver featuring a special FALL FOLIAGE TOUR by America’s #1 Tour Operator (est. 1925). Departing Oct. 2 for 14 days of fine dining, superb service and specially selected hotels in the New England states. OPTIONAL: at 6:00 p.m. join us for a typical New England dinner at the Bridge House Restaurant (next door to Canyon House) at a special price of only $22.00. Spring skiing. Winter snow. Picture this. Spring at Whistler Resort. Bathing suits, sunglasses, simmering outdoor patios and sizzling nightlife. Now picture this. Skiing at Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. A mile-high vertical; 6,900 acres of terrain, more than 30 feet of snow already this year, and the best high- alpine bowl and glacier skiing in North America. The best of both seasons. [7 nil 00 per person plus taxes it’s the perfect spring getaway. While the sun is shining and temperatures are soaring, Whistler Resort still has great winter skiing conditions. And now, until May 18th, Whistler Resort is more affordable than ever. Enjoy a one-night stay and a @™@ two-day dual mountain lift | = pass from only $99 per person, or one of many a special spring skiing CG, packages. All that’s 1s" missing from this Y picture is you. Call to book your vacation today. Call 685-3650 to book. Alta Vista Chalet $95 Blackcomb Hotels $107 $97 $96 $96 $108 Delta Mountain Listel Whistler Inn Mountainside Lodge Durlacher Hof Edelweiss Fairways Hotel Fireplace Inns Tronwood Lake Placid Lodge ge Whistler Chalets & Accommodations Whistler Village Inns Packages include 1 night accommodation and a 2-day dual mountain lift pass. Rates based on double occupancy. Limited number of rooms available. Offer begins March 23, 1992. 2. WHISTLER RESORT