SILVER STAR

We spent the night in the town of Vernon with friends a highlight of which was soaking in an outdoor hot tub in the snow and interesting experience indeed.

Mid-morning Sunday saw us making a short 22 kilometre trip to the Silver Star Resort, which lies in the hills on the fringe of Vernon. On the way there snow continued to fall though it wasn't that cold at 0c. I had never been to a ski resort before so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

My first impression was how white and pristine everything was. The pine trees that cover most of the mountain were laden with snow which hung to the branches like dollops of whipped cream. Every now and again a branch could take no more and a tiny explosion of white fluff would ripple through the tree and onto the ground.

There was activity everywhere, people were coming and going, usually with ski's or a snowboard tucked under their arm. All of them were dressed for the cold outdoors with outfits and equipment that no doubt cost an awful lot of money, something that made me appreciate the sport of sunbathing on the beach where the only cost is usually factor 30+ suntan lotion.

Ski lifts made their way up the mountainside unconcerned whether they were occupied or not, parents pulled children along on ski's as groups of warmly wapped people stopped and regaled each other with their exploits on the slopes. A dog on a leash sniffed here a snow plough chugged past there. There was a lot going on. 

I felt somewhat as an imposter as I wasn't there to ski, I didn't have all the right gear and my two bug knee's won't permit such foolishness.  As a compromise I decided to try my hand at snow tubing. Sixteen bucks for two hours seems a far price to pay for some fun.

It is a simple sport. You select a tyre tube that has had a cover placed over it and proceed to the hook up point, you sit on your tube and a cable that's attached to the tube is hooked to a pulley system and you are serenely transported up the icy slope. Once at the top you pull your tube to the edge of one of three runs and prepare for lift off.

You are asked by one of the attendants whether you want to join your tube with that of your partner. You look into your partners eye's to determine if she is worthy and can you trust her? You make a decision that she can be trusted for now so you sit on your tube link legs and are asked by the attendant whether you want to be pushed or not and if so do you want a twist?

Never let it be said that I don't live on the edge, a twist it was. So with a push, shove and twist we are launched down the slope like an exocet missile.

What was it like? Well it was fun, no doubt about it but I suspected that the Silver Star tubing slopes weren't the most frightening in Canada. Actually it was a little sedate. I am told that there are some real doozies that are akin to riding a bucking bronc and I will have to seek those elsewhere at another time.

Nevertheless I really enjoyed it and I think I completed 7-8 runs.

Now I must tell you the thing that really stands out here at Silver Star is the number of young Aussie's who work here. Wherever I turned I bumped into an Australian or heard the Aussie twang. The three receptionists at the hotel were all Australian. The women who sold me the tube tickets were Australian as were every tube attendant bar one. I asked many of them how they liked it and each and every oe of them replied with a smile that they were having a real blast. What a great experience for a young person from the other side of the world to come and work in the Canadian ski fields. All I have to do now is to try and convince my kids to give it a go!

My first ski resort experience has been a good and positive one and somehow I don't think it will be my last such visit as there is a certain person with whom I have a few snowball scores to settle!

akmacca08@live.com.au