Ski Canada Whistler : Whistler Air Airport Transfer New Service from Vancouver (YVR) to Whistler (YWS)

If you're planning a ski trip to Canada's Whistler this winter, there's a new faster, more luxurious limo and charter flight combo service from Whistler Air to transfer you and your group from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) via Pemberton B.C. (airport code CYPS) to the condos and ski hills at Whistler.

Less time on the road means more time on the slopes, is the idea: By shaving about 5 hours (based on round trip travel time only) off the time of a road trip, you can get in a lot more ski time.
Whistler Air already operates seasonal (summer) scheduled service from downtown Vancouver's Coal Harbour (airport code CHX) to Green Lake in Whistler (YWS). The 2009 dates for this existing non-ski-season service are early April 2009 to mid-October 2009.

Laura at Whistler Air sends these details of the new year round executive class airport transfer service:

"The new product that we are launching this year is a private service directly from the Vancouver (YVR) airport, with Whistler as the final destination. It will be offered year round. This service will remove up to 2.5 hours off your transfer time to or from Whistler.

"In winter, flights will land in either Pemberton or Squamish (airport code YSE), depending on the weather. In summer, flights will depart YVR South Terminal and arrive at our Green Lake terminal. We have a new Cessna Caravan with leather interior that will be used specifically for this flight.

"Executive limo service is included in the price (flight, transfers and limo -- $2,100 one way for up to 8 passengers). This is a full service package, and different from a regular charter. A driver will meet the group at the arrivals gate at YVR and assist with luggage to the plane at the South Terminal.

"Upon arrival in Whistler (or Pemberton / Squamish), another driver will be ready to take guests direct to their Whistler accommodation."

"Often times, a couple of families or a group will travel on a ski holiday together. This is ideal for those small groups as the cost of a car rentals and parking at a hotel for a week or 10 days can actually cost a small fortune!"

The Pemberton - Whistler - Squamish area is one of my favourite parts of British Columbia, sited inland from another one of my favorite spots in Canada: B.C.'s Sunshine Coast. I love this mountain country with its fresh, pine-scented air, and the handsome coastline and numerous islands.

By flying to Whistler, on clear days you'll get a priceless bonus: Fabulous views of Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast mountains and inlets, and the dramatic peaks of Mt. Garibaldi Park.

See Sunshine Coast pictures: (http://www.snapshotjourneys.com/sunshine-coast-bc.html)
and Sechelt BC pictures (http://www.snapshotjourneys.com/sechelt-bc.html)

See www.whistlerair.ca for the fine print on booking and baggage allowances, and for some amazing aerial photos of this part of Canada.

Fall Colors Port Credit : Leaves, Lake, Rainbow Lake Ontario

Port Credit (Mississauga, Ontario) is having a really good Fall season: Some days are hot and sunny, some are rainy and blustery, and this past week, most days have been alternating between the two, several times a day. Brilliant sunshine and glorious sunsets simply beg you to take their picture. Here are a few random pics I've taken over the past week.

Port Credit Village Trees behind LCBO on Lakeshore Road

The best way to see thr colors is first hand, in person, as my valiant little Canon Digital cannot do the reds justice. (LCBO is the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, where one may purchase wines, beers etc. Or so I am told :-)

Rhododendron Gardens Park Lakeshore Road Mississauga

One afternoon, just as I'd finished working in the new Rose Garden in Rhododendron Gardens (we need something to show off once the rhodos are done blooming in June), the clouds parted briefly to set the golds and reds ablaze. Just as quickly, they took away the light.

Blustery Winds Make Waves Lake Ontario :: View of Toronto

I took this picture from the beach in the part of Rhodo Gardens at the end of Godfrey's Lane. Until a few days ago, I hadn't known that this park are was part of the main Rhodo Gardens, as it's separated from the main park area by a private residence.

Sunset Lake Ontario Rhododendron Gardens

The setting sun turned the waters of the Lake salmon-colored. I took this picture just before 7 p.m. on the weekend just past. The days are noticeably shorter now, and as I write this, it is dark at 7 p.m. This weekend the time will change back to EST (Sunday, November 2), and so it will be dark at 6 p.m. or a bit sooner.

Rainbow Over Lake Ontario October 27, 2008

East views towards Toronto: This rainbow is mirrored in Lake Ontario. Tonight, there were dozens of birds bobbing on the almost-still waters. Various types of gulls, a few Canada geese, and a wading bird or two. I must get out my Bird Book to find their names. I counted about 6 dozen in all in this small bay at Rhododendron Gardens beach, and wonder if it's migration time again.

Mississauga Road South to Lake Ontario

For those not familiar with our part of Ontario, the north-south oriented Mississauga Road loosely parallels the Credit River that flows south from the Brampton - Mississauga border to Lake Ontario at Port Credit.

As I walked south from Lakeshore Road along Mississauga Road, with the mothballed Petro Canada lands to my right (west) and tidy houses to my left, I could see a band of dark blue across the lake.

Clouds Mimic Mountains -- Lake Ontario Mid Autumn

This band of blue colored clouds looked for all the world like steep land rising like a mountain on the far shore. Now I am a reasonable person and know that there are no mountains across Lake Ontario from Port Credit but it was a terrific optical illusion.

Cyclist On Waterfront Trail Mississauga

I picked up the path and walked west along the waterfront trail past the south side of the fenced off Petro Canada lands.

The clouds in this view still mimicked shoreline across the lake; on a clear day, you'd be seeing parts of Hamilton in the distance. The dark needle of land projecting into the lake (middle, right) is Clarkson.

Lake Ontario at Dusk, Looking West Towards Clarkson (Mississauga)

I had hoped that the on and off blustery winds had set up interesting waves, but they hadn't. This beach is part of Rhododendron Gardens, and until volunteers this year removed weeds and scrubby shrubbery, was largely unnoticed.

Now, most days, but especially on clement weekends, it's a magnet for visitors.

Late-blooming Rhododendron -- Fall Color in Mississauga

While all the rhodos are sporting next springs chubby buds, this little rhododendron just couldn't wait that long. Mississauga had had a few wonderfully warm summer-like days that must have coaxed him out.

Update: By the next day, someone had picked the rhodo. (Sigh). The gardens are now named Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens and I manage a new and separate blog dedicated to the BRG.

See how this part of the Waterfront Trail looked on Thanksgiving weekend, a few days earlier.

Fall Colors Thanksgiving Port Credit Ontario

Perfect weather -- more like summer than fall -- on this Thanksgiving weekend here in Port Credit (Mississauga) Ontario. And since we were dog-sitting Heinz the Rottweiler puppy for the day, we simply had to take him for a walk along the Waterfront Trail.

Fall color Rhododendron Gardens Park

The trees in the Gardens are just starting to take on their Fall colors, here along Lake Ontario. The color changes show best in bright sunshine, and just after noon, there was ample.

New views of Lake Ontario

Thanks to the weed-pulling and brush cutting efforts of Rhododendron Gardens volunteers, notably David the chief weed-whacker, new views of Lake Ontario have been opened up from the Waterfront Trail. Along the top of the bank, new daylily plantings promise a good show next summer.

Waterfront Trail Trees

One lone red orange tree commands attention among the lush greenery.

Fall's glory along Lake Ontario

In a few more days, barring any rain and wind storms, most of the trees should be wearing their fall colors. See how quickly the weather and leaves can change: Thursday's pictures Port Credit.

Heinz the Rottweiler gets his first look at Lake Ontario waves

While he loves the water, to the point of frolicking with his water dish, Heinz (named for the varieties he represents in the canine world) wasn't too sure what the noise and waves were all about. He managed to get his feet and nose wet, but then scampered off to explore the underbrush.

I shot a short (19 second) video of Heinz romping in the creek. (See YouTube if video not displaying below)