With the best Spring skiing conditions in years, it was time to hit the slopes. The vacation-planning company Enjoy Whistler has local experts who craft itineraries that can save you time and money, plus experience more of the mountains. We put ourselves in their capable hands:

Valley Girl
Off to the Callaghan Valley for an epic day in the Whistler Olympic Park, where the cross-country tracks ($22) are for all levels. But weilding a rifle in the marksmanship portion of the Olympic biathalon course had us shooting sharp ($10/round).  www.whistlerolympicpark.com

Suite Sleep
Our junior suite at the Westin Resort and Spa had an amazing view of the Blackcomb gondola and managed to feel as cozy as a cabin while offering the amenities of a world-class hotel (like its own daycare). It’s home to Whistler’s most lovely lobby, an oasis of fireplaces, couches, and fragrant bouquets of sweet peas. Westin Resort and Spa, 4090 Whistler Way, 604-905-5000, www.westinwhistler.com 

Moving Mountains
Nothing beats heading up Blackcomb in the sun when there are five feet of fresh powder. And when the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival arrives (April 13-22) there will be even more to love.

Giddyup!
Kids will love a apres-ski sleigh ride at Nicklaus North golf course complete with hot chocolate, warm blankets, and a pair of horses called Tom and Jerry. www.blackcombsleighrides.com

Best Bistro
The set menus at Alta Bistro open up the local larder with a rutabagga soup from Pemberton’s North Arm Farm, and charcuterie made by nearby Nita Lake Lodge. Owned by seasoned locals, it’s the toughest reservation to get in town. Alta Bistro, 4319 Main St., Whistler. BC, 604-932-2582, www.altabistro.com —Sarah Bancroft

To book and view Whistler experiences, visit www.enjoywhistler.com

An Ayurvedic experience in Whistler.

Ayurveda, meaning "the complete knowledge for long life," uses the system of doshas to determine one’s “type,” which then guides one’s lifestyle. I headed over to Whistler’s luxurious Nita Lake Lodge for "A Taste of Ayurveda", a one-day initiative, to discover mine. It began with a 90-minute Shirodhara treatment where, following a traditional Abhyangam massage, a continuous stream of warm oil flows over the forehead, or the “third eye,” leaving one in a state of complete relaxation. A healthy three-course meal follows at the acclaimed Aura restaurant, designed specifically for my dosha. Turns out my dosha, Pitta, has an exceptional culinary taste. —Anya Georgijevic

“A Taste of Ayurveda” ($345) until December 15, Ashram Spa, Nita Lake Lodge, 2131 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler, 1-888-755-6482, www.nitalakelodge.com

If your girlfriend getaways are like mine, conversations range from stock tips to sex tips and activities include both trail runs and booze runs.

You'll appeal to to all the whims in your diverse group (Bridesmaids, anyone?) with the Pan Pacific Whistler's new Sporty & Spa Girlfriend Getaway. Propose a toast in your luxurious suite right in the middle of the Village, then fill up on comfort food at the Irish pub while the night is young (there's plenty of time to burn it off on the dance floor). Moving on to day two, we highly recommend biking the Valley Trail to the Scandinave Spa near Lost Lake where hot and cold Nordic bath experiences and steams will shake off any vestiges of the night before.

But your high school mishaps, dating disasters and brutal student jobs—those stories are still sticking, apparently. —Sarah Bancroft

The Sporty & Spa Girlfriend Getaway at the Pan Pacific Whistler package for two ($699) includes two nights accommodation in a two bedroom suite, daily breakfast, one day's bike rental, a Scandinave Spa Bath experience, dinner at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub and complimentary valet parking. Until October 10, 2011, www.panpacificwhistler.com

The word “retreat” usually triggers a picturesque image of a beach somewhere, cocktail in hand. But with the word “fitness” attached, it caused a bit of fear.

Although the name may be inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, there is no gorging on pizza Napolitana to “find” ourselves. Instead, while staying in Whistler’s luxury First Tracks Lodge, self-awareness is achieved through playful six hour adventures like hiking, yoga and an excruciating boot camp that made us learn the true meaning of camaraderie: When in pain together, stick together. There might not be pizza, but a personal chef and nutritionist are on site creating the most delectable, yet healthy, meals.


We get it: A fitness retreat is a luxury retreat.
—Anya Georgijevic



Rates from $1069, Eat Play Love, 604-721-7464, www.eatplaylovefitness.com

Read more about out Eat Play Love adventures in our Editors’ Diary.

Sometimes one needs to go on a getaway to get away from old routines. If it's time to shake up your makeup, consider a wellness weekend at Whistler Creek's Nita Lake Lodge.

The brand new Ashram Spa specializes in traditional Indian Ayurvedic treatments, such as the "Udvartana" detoxification massage that had us feeling like a human chapati. A paste made from chickpea flour, barley flour and milk was the basis for the gentle exfoliation, and upward massage strokes sent blood flowing toward the heart so that internal organs are better able to excrete built up toxins.

A rainforest steam room and yoga studio complete the spa experience, while vegan meal options and an in-house Ayurvedic doctor take it to the next level.

—SB

Nita Lake Lodge, 2131 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler, 1-888-755-6482, www.nitalakelodge.com
To see photos of our Wellness Weekend, visit our Editors' Diary.

Grab the girls and head to the mountains for a weekend of spas, steaks and sun. 

dine
The brand new Sidecut steakhouse at the Four Seasons Hotel boasts an infrared grill that creates the perfect crispy char. Customize your steak with a choice of dipping sauces and rubs, like the spicy and smoky Edison’s Medicine. Sit on the pretty patio and marvel at the serene views. Is that a bear up there? www.fourseasons.com/whistler

drink
The Bearfoot Bistro’s new Miami-style poolside patio opened officially on July 1. If you can’t take the heat, duck into the restaurant’s new Belvedere Ice Room, don a Canada Goose-down parka, and taste specialty vodkas stored in a wall of ice. Now that’s cool. www.bearfootbistro.com

recover
The new Scandinave Spa off the Lost Lake Trail is a self-contained hydrotherapy haven. Detox in the Finnish sauna and steam room then refresh in the hot and cold plunge pools. Relaxation rooms stocked with contemporary magazines and a policy of silence will help with your head, as will a restorative bowl of lemongrass-miso soup in the bistro. From $55, www.scandinave.com

relax
Consider taking the Rocky Mountaineer train to Whistler and arrive already relaxed after a spectacular 3-hour journey through valleys, rivers and waterfalls not seen from the highway. A complimentary drinks cart (remember those?) is a welcome retro touch. Now that’s our idea of “personal training.” From $129, www.whistlermountaineer.com

If your mountain biking regimen includes a pre-ride prayer asking whoever’s up there to help you make it down in one piece, the Trek Dirt Series is your saviour.

Learn an entire season’s worth of skills (from basic climbing to riding down drops) and bond with fellow mountain bikers at the all-women two-day weekend camps ($315). Participants are split into groups according to experience so no need to fret if you’re still working on the basics. The camps also include bike maintenance clinics, fit workshops and social time to talk shop and show off your new skills.

The first Canadian camp runs May 15 and 16 in North Vancouver followed by May 29 and 30 in Whistler, July 10 and 11 in Calgary and August 21 and 22 in Canmore. For a complete schedule go to www.dirtseries.com

If your little ski-wee is already threatening to board out of bounds, you need to know about this.

The new line of kids' body armour from Sweden's PoCito includes these hot orange spine protectors, as well as helmets, gloves and goggles suitable for budding Ross Rebagliati's ages 4 to 10.

Just be glad they aren't "budding" anything else—yet!

Available at Advanced Kinetic Systems, 6-1212 Alpha Lake Rd., Fuction Junction, Whistler B.C., 604-905-1223, www.akswhistler.com

Or order online ($20 shipping to Canada) at Peak Ski Shop.

When the Vitamin V team needed a quick getaway to put colour in our cheeks and a bounce in our business plan, we chose the new Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler Creek.

Our girls were agog at the size of their rooms, the circular tubs, massive flatscreens and view balconies overlooking the Monet-like lake.

The boutique-sized lodge (77 rooms) offers a large lobby bar, a library, restaurant, plunge pool and forthcoming spa—and for now at least, plenty of peace and quiet.

Plus the Whistler Mountaineer train (from $199 round trip) pulls right up to the lodge, if your idea of mountain travel includes high tea and complimentary cocktails versus highway construction and cramped back seats.

Now that puts the treat back in company retreat.

Nita Lake Lodge (from $129/night), www.nitalakelodge.com.
View pictures of the Vitamin V team at Nita Lake on today’s Editors' Diary.