The work may define the man, but in western Canada you are defined by your sport. A quick tour of Whistler, regularly voted top ski resort of the Americas, will tell you why. It has the 'largest ski area, one of the greatest vertical drops, the longest season, 1,500 instructors, sumptuous on-slope accommodation, the mellowest apres-ski and nightlife - all within two hours of Vancouver, itself a superb vacation city'. Could any resort really be this good?
A 10-hour flight should be exhausting, but not if you stay at the just-opened Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. The luxurious Entrée Gold hotel within a hotel is 30 seconds from Arrivals. A massage, a light meal and a good night's sleep banished jet lag and we were ready for the road.
And what a road. We crossed the Lion Gate Bridge, Vancouver's Golden Gate, and headed up the stunning seal-dotted Howe Sound to Squamish (Indian for Big Wind). Here some 5,000 Bald Eagles spend the winter fishing for salmon. The last hour was a scenic mountain travel delight; Whistler almost came too soon.
Our hotel, Chateau Whistler, dominates the upper village, at the base of the Blackcomb slopes. The Whistler and Blackcomb massifs are two inter-linked ski areas that offer a possible 7,000 skiable acres. You would be pushed to ski each run once in three days, assuming you had the legs to do it.
Last summer the resort invested $2.3 millon on snowmaking, to some local scepticism, since they normally have 100 per cent coverage from November to May, with an average 12 metre annual snowfall. But this autumn was the driest for a decade. With a mere 3,000 acres on offer in early December, the snowmaking was put to good use.
One of the best ways to enjoy Whistler is to join the Ski Esprit instruction programme. Fresh-faced Phil Gordon soon had us enjoying Whisky Jack, the Dave Murray Downhill and Harmony Express. He boosted our confidence on Jersey Cream and Burnt Stew trails. Serious teaching was regularly interspersed with humour and inspiration.
The Horstman glacier provided exhilarating ski scenery. At 7,000ft, it is another of Whistler's bonuses - glaciers are usually at lung-crushing altitudes. We marvelled at the Black Tusk panorama and looked askance at the Couloir Extreme, a dou ble black-diamond shute that is the start of skiing's reputedly steepest GS race.
As to the après-ski, there are plenty of bars in which to rub shoulders with couloir extremists and restaurants with great ambience. Whistler Village is also a shopper's paradise - international names, quirky local outlets and mellow internet cafes - all affordable given the current exchange rate.
It would be easy for this blue-chip resort to rest on its laurels, but the expansion and aspiration continue. The Blackcomb snowboard Terrain Park is groomed with the latest 17ft radius-arm Super Pipe Dragon. New for 2001 is the rejuvenated Whistler Creek Village, with rapid access to the slopes.
Whistler facts
Until 21 Jan, World Freestyle Championships.
2-3 Feb, Peak to Valley Race.
4-11 Feb, Annual Gay Ski Week.
13-22 April, Ski and Snowboard Festival.
Weekly throughout the season, Kokanee Ski Races.
www.tourismwhistler.com
Crystal Holidays (0870 848 7000) offer seven nights at the five-star Chateau Whistler from £635 per person, based on four sharing a room, including return flights and transfers
Fairmont Chateau Whistler/Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel; www.fairmont.com
