Good news: my cheap flip video camera can double as reverse helmet cam

Bad news: The last day of Whistler for 2008 was cold, icy and uneventful.

Gotta get your fix somehow. So amidst a not very powdery week in the Whistler area and a few days at the day job, we took advantage of the full moon and went for a stroll up to Paul Ridge in Garibaldi Provincial Park. Aiming for anything better than bullet proof, we actually scored some quality ankle deep pow. Not to mention the epic moonlight views and a scrumptious dinner on the Ridge.

Just when I thought it would never come, my first weekend 6 months after shoulder delivered a cold sunny day with my best friends and light powder.

Jamie telling Calvin and Hobbes how it's going to be.

Of course there was some ice, some rocks and not all the lifts were running. Now my calves, quads and back are screaming. But I can't wipe the grin off my face with steel wool! It's on now, the alpine is open the base is settled and it's all cold smoke from here.

Just a super dumb, quick vid of Andre & I heading out to Fissile last weekend. some dudes beat us to the Summit Chute unfortunately, but we still had some good turns. 

TENILLE BONOGUORE

Globe and Mail Update

Backcountry skiing and extreme winter sports are stressing out native animals in the Alps, European scientists say.

In a study of European black grouse, the researchers first put captive birds under stress to measure the levels of stress hormone corticosterone that emerged in their feces.

Photo cred:  Julie Weinberger 

If you like to go out of bounds with a board or two and a camera, it’s time to bring your images in-bounds to Whistler Arts Council’s 3rd Annual Out of Bounds: Tales from the Backcountry exhibition!

 John Armstrong tearing up Baker's Back-Country. Photo: Pat Mulrooney

Found this onYouTube from the WeKnowSnow.com guys.

I thought we were hard core...this is too much!