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You can't out-guess Nature

In the past week there have been two fatal avalanche accidents outside the current operating boundaries of Whistler and Blackcomb.

In the past week there have been two fatal avalanche accidents outside the current operating boundaries of Whistler and Blackcomb. These and other recent avalanches in the Whistler area occurred because of an unusual deep instability at the base of the snowpack. This base condition combines crust and facet (loose sugary snow) layers which resulted from the late snowfall and cold weather of this early winter.

After the winter of 1979 I left the snow safety program at Whistler Mountain to work as a snow avalanche consultant. That work has taken me to many different mountain ranges in the world including the Canadian Rockies where I now live. Our snowpack here in the Rockies is typically shallow and weak relative to the deep snows of Whistler. Many a good skier and boarder have left the Rockies to go to Whistler and enjoy the deep snow and steep lines.

About once every 10 years an unusual snowpack with a deep persistent instability comes to the Coast Mountains. The conditions this year are even more unusual. I don't think the conditions have been this tricky in the Whistler area since the low snow winter of 1979 when we saw widespread avalanches at the base of the snowpack through much of the winter.

Whistler has a tremendous number of very good and very aggressive skiers. These skiers and boarders are used to seeing lots of snow and avalanches in the backcountry. Those avalanches typically happen on the surface and are more predictable than the avalanches Whistler is currently seeing with this deep-seated instability.

No matter who you are, you are never that good that you can out-guess Nature. When avalanches happen in these deep-seated instabilities the whole slope will go down very quickly and it can happen in areas that typically don't see avalanche activity. Remote triggering (an avalanche on a distant slope triggered from somewhere else in the terrain) is also common. Cornices and snow mushrooms that you might have stood on in past years while you were scoping out a line or looking for a place to jump off will crumble this year because they just don't have any strength where they are anchored to the rock.

The teams working on the mountains will get through this. They will move slowly and test things again and again. Terrain will be opened slowly once the avalanche hazard is reduced.

There is still the potential for 2009 to turn into a good old fashioned Whistler winter. If Whistler gets a lot of snow conditions will improve over time. Avalanches will clean out the instabilities, and the pressure and weight of the snow combined with a warmer snowpack will start to strengthen the layers below.

The bottom line is we have to take what nature gives us and travel accordingly. Always ski with a friend and respect the closures. Talk to the professional skiers and boarders in the valley and they will tell you that sometimes you have to wait. This is not the year to push the limits. If you do choose to venture out of bounds, make sure you've read the most recent backcountry avalanche advisory and go with the skill, equipment and people required for safe backcountry travel and self rescue. Or head out with a certified guide.

Have a great winter and stay safe.

Chris Stethem

Canmore, Alberta

Council listens

Looks like common sense is taking control. Our Olympic opportunity is about showcasing our town. I am proud of our councillors who spoke up expressing our community's concerns regarding the proposed TCUP bylaw.

A council meeting was called quickly Dec. 23 rd , on the eve of the public announcement of the review of our Celebration Plaza's Olympic role. Why was such an important meeting called with so little notice? We are to be co-hosting the Olympic Winter Games. Without the medal ceremonies in the village and the live entertainment most guests will never experience our town.

Our country has an opportunity to host the world in one of its top tourism destinations. This is exactly what Whistler and our tourism industry needs and was promised. We cannot allow this Olympic opportunity to be missed by short-term thinking.

This town is about skiing, sport and tourism. It was born of an Olympic dream. It's time for us to stand our ground!

Scott Carrell

Whistler

Silly tempest in a TCUP?

Why the deep mistrust with VANOC, asks Bill Barratt? Let's see. The bid that won the COC and then the IOC's nod for 2010 Games was the Whistler bid. It's now the Vancouver Olympics. An incredible giveaway that has cost Whistler an inestimable amount of publicity.

A legacy for hosting the Games was to be an arena in Whistler. The conference centre was originally designed as an arena that energized core restaurants, salons, boutiques and galleries. An arena would have corrected the change in plan. We razed a forest to do this and lost the arena anyway.

Compensation for the arena was to be a dubious Celebration Plaza legacy. VANOC is now considering not presenting medals there. Whistler will get some employee accommodation after the Games.

In the meantime an alarming number of long serving professionals who invested their lives in Whistler's success are packing up and saying goodbye to friends who aren't being blatantly evicted. A very sad time that will get worse and worse.

And now, after the previous council turned down the idea of a big box store in the village area, Mayor Ken once again couldn't persuade council to see things his way. His was the sole vote for possibly allowing the use of the driving range as a site for temporary commercial use. A necessary show of solidarity with his political masters who need money at the expense of Whistler's business interests.

All this because temporary commercial use is bundled with accommodation for Games workers and security. How convenient. Retail operators have been paying impossibly high rents and taxes for years in advance of the Olympics and employ workers year-round who also pay high rent and income taxes. So how silly is it that the public's elected officials finally act on their behalf? Whose interests are Jim Godfrey, Bill Barratt and Mayor Ken serving?

Sketchy unpublicized council meetings right before Christmas to deal specifically with this one issue do not inspire confidence. Publicly calling the group of people that you are charged with marshalling the resources of "silly"? is completely silly itself because one can never take back the words.

Why the deep mistrust with VANOC? Because it at least appears that they have the mayor, Chief Municipal Administrator and Municipal Executive Director for the Olympic Games in their pocket. In politics, perception is everything and very much a reality. And there is nothing silly about that.

Brian Walker

Whistler

Upgrades worthy of Village Square

I would like to clarify a couple of points in your report about Citta' Bistro published on Dec. 31.

The report gave the impression that Citta' manager, Scott Gadsby, was unaware of our plans to upgrade the Citta' premises until contacted by the Pique. I'm sure that's not what Mr. Gadsby intended to convey because he was at the Design Panel meeting last month at which the proposal was discussed. In addition, we have previously notified Citta' owner, Ms. Sonia Bozzi, of our intention to upgrade the building. We even shared an earlier version of our plan with her and incorporated some of her suggestions into a revised plan.

As we move forward, whatever negotiations we may have with Citta' on the upgrade of the premises or on a new lease will be with Ms. Bozzi, the owner of the business.

While it's correct that Citta' will have to close during the renovations, Mr. Gadsby is well aware that the bistro cannot continue to operate in its current form as a full service restaurant beyond the end of February, which is when a temporary permit from the RMOW to use a non-conforming space in the building for the purpose of food and beverage storage expires.

Without the upgrade, the premises would be suitable for little more than a bar or a coffee shop with minimal food service, which we believe the residents of Whistler would regard as a waste of this valuable Village Square asset.

As stated in our news release, it is possible that Citta' will return to the upgraded premises after the renovation, but we can't start negotiating a new lease with anyone until we know the outcome of our proposal.

Bryan Pilbeam

General Manager,

Crystal Lodge & Suites (landlord of the Citta' premises)

In memory of a 'Whistler' person

What is that makes Whistler? The beauty, the nightlife, the world renowned runs? For some it is the people. Many greatly under appreciated and unrecognized. It is the people behind the scenes that are truly responsible for what makes Whistler "Whistler."

I am writing you today to pay homage and respect to the late Jon Chambers. Many of you know him as the Hoz's beer and wine guy. Jon was what Whistler truly represents. A good time. You could always count on a smile when you dawned the doors of the overpriced liquor store as he would lend an ear to those who needed it. Over the past decade Jon faithfully served the town he loved so well.

On Wednesday, Dec. 31 Jon went home early and went to sleep. He never woke. He was 28.

Jon was my best friend and a great friend to many other Whistler residents. He was always positive and gave all that he could. Jon will be sadly missed by many. His loyalty to Whistler deserves a mention in Pique .

Mark Mcglynn

Waterton Park, Alta.

A message for angels

This is a letter to the two gentlemen from Whistler who recently saved my friend, Jamie Martin, from Mount Seymour. I wanted to find some way of thanking you other than the websites and news releases. I hope this finds you.

The job you were called in to do — the body you were told to find, the man you did find — means so much to so many people. There aren't enough words to thank people in your line of work. You are angels, even to those who never knew such things existed.

This man was the centre stone of so many lives; loving, constant, and far more deserving of this miracle than you could ever know.

A thousand times, thank you and happy New Year to all, and a special thank you to anyone that has ever volunteered in a rescue operation.

Hilary Copp

100 Mile House

Generosity overwhelming

To our community:

On behalf of the Blackcomb/Whistler Patrol, I would like to thank you for the donations and help provided to us for the Winn family fundraiser held Dec. 18.

The generosity, assistance and kindness that we as a group received were overwhelming. Our peers in the ski industry, our local small business people, restaurateurs, outdoor retailers, friends and members of the community stepped up and assisted us in our endeavour. Your efforts were exemplary, heart-warming and thoughtful. Your actions are profound. Your kindness will allow a young family some breathing room during a very difficult time. The Blackcomb/Whistler Patrol are proud to be part of a compassionate, caring community.

Thanks to all of you.

Scott Hepworth

Blackcomb Patrol

Thank you community!

Over the holiday period Playground Builders received wonderful support from our community and visitors. Spring Creek school raised over $600. Bands Against Hunger raised $500. These funds along with personal cheques, promises and Paypal contributions will help us facilitate the construction of playground equipment and a soccer field for the largest school in Afghanistan. Over 14,000 students rotate in three different shifts to attend this school and thanks to the support of the Whistler community, these children will soon have the opportunity to forget about the war around them and engage in play and sport in a safe environment!

Our biggest thanks to Sue Eckersley and team of the Whistler Holiday Experience for soliciting donations from the Allison Crowe concert and the family fun and games area at the Telus Centre. This was attended by hundreds of children. The community donated over $5,200. We will eventually meet our goal of $16,377 to build our 28 th and largest playground to date.

Again a big thanks to all for giving children in war zones a childhood!

Keith Reynolds

Playground Builders Foundation

www.PlaygroundBuilders.org

PWA membership non-renewal

The Pemberton Wildlife Association is an important and vibrant group that ensure the well-being of fisheries and wildlife habitat. Pending new information or a fresh strategy, however, I will not be renewing my membership this year.

I believe that IPPs have a potentially negative impact on wildlife and fisheries. This has been well-documented by scientists and biologists. If our local wildlife associations don't do everything possible to ensure the protection of our fisheries and wildlife, then who will?

The PWA's comments on the Ryan River environmental assessment states that the Ryan River area is critical to grizzly bear recovery and there is a serious threat that construction of an IPP would be very detrimental to grizzly bear recovery. In the next paragraph, the PWA asks for more public access (non-motorized) into this critical grizzly bear area. The two seem in conflict. Further, there is nobody to regularly enforce non-motorized vs. motorized travel in the backcountry.

I appreciate how much the PWA has done for our valley, but I encourage a firmer position with regards to the wildlife and fisheries impacts of IPPs in general and specifically the Ryan IPP.

Jennie Helmer

Pemberton

Kudos from Kids

Huge kudos to Watermark Communications, Tourism Whistler and the Resort Municipality of Whistler for putting on another fantastic Holiday Experience at the Telus Conference Centre.

What a great opportunity for tourists and locals to get some free, indoor family fun over the holiday break. With the frigid pre-Christmas temperatures, it was an especially welcoming place for the kids to blow off some steam. Not a day went by that my six-year-old didn't request a visit to bounce around with his pals, and not a great hardship for us parents as it seemed the social hub of the village.

It was especially nice this year to be able to grab a snack at the cafe and have the extra seating for chatting with friends.

Thanks again for giving us parents some alternative options to keep the kids entertained — we hope to see you again next year!

Janet Pashleigh

www.whistler4kids.com

Rules not same for all

I find it very ironic and in fact very tragic for Israel that descendants of the heroic Jewish Warsaw ghetto uprising against Nazis are now attacking another ghetto with even larger force and devastation. As the result of this there will probably be several thousands of new al-Qaida recruits. And we are supposed to win the war on terror.

I don't suppose that USA and Canada will now bomb Israel the way they did Yugoslavia to stop incursion into Kosovo. Geopolitical rules are obviously not the same for all players.

Drago Arh

Whistler