Whistler

Arriving in Whistler I was absolutely dumbfounded by all the snow and the freezing alpine landscape speckled by cosy timber chalets. As soon as I had put my bags down - I had hooked up a days work, shovelling snow in replacement of Willy. It was almost enjoyable as i made snowballs, ate the snow, broke off icicles and putting the shovel down to absorb the alien scenery.

shovelling snow and ice

view from the window

Coming from 5 months on the road surfing, it was a real trip being blasted into the middle of surfings cousin - the snowboarding scene. It's way more of a process and requires a lot more money and clothing - though the rewards are epik. Refusing to pay for a $100 a day for a pass, a fellow explorer and I managed to board for free hiking to the second lift and enjoying the wealthy ski resorts complex infrastructure, stretching to all extremes of the mountain. When the chairlift penetrates the cloud-line, you are overwhelmed by a 360 degree view of distant rugged mountain ranges blanketed by powder. It really feels like you are on the outskirts of human existence...