Garibaldi Whistler Mountain

Since I was a child, I always dreamed about America; not just the United States, but Canada as well. In the late sixties, my friend Michel Duret was passing along to me, issues of the U.S. Ski and Skiing magazines after he had read them, and as an aspiring ski instructor, I always thought that teaching skiing might the key to ushering me into North America.

From the ads and articles that I found in these publications, I wrote to a bunch of “ski school directors” at some of the resorts that impressed me the most; that was in 1968. As best as I can remember, only got two responses.

One, from Curt Chase, from Aspen, was negative, while the other was more hopeful. It came from Jim McConkey, father of the late ski-movie hero Shane McConkey, and newly appointed director of the ski school at “Garibaldi Whistler Mountain”.

Back in these days that was the name of what would become Whistler Blackcomb. Prior to 1965, it was called London Mountain but was changed to Garibaldi Whistler Mountain because of the whistling sound marmots made in the summer.

In his letter, McConkey was letting me know that there indeed was an opening for an aspiring ski instructor like me, as long as was proficient in “crud”. I thought I'd qualify, skiing crud has always been my forte. Too bad I've lost that wonderful letter!

The problem was that I still was in the midst of my military service and couldn't show any ski instructing certification. Short of deserting the French Army and without proper credentials, I had little choice, but let this ground-floor opportunity go by. I only hoped there would be another chance.

I was right.