Our winter has just started and already we've been blessed all around this country with some remarkable snow storms. There is snow just about everywhere there's a ski resort and skiing everywhere there's snow, lifts or no lifts, and never forget - It's snowing somewhere.

Again:

This holiday season I wish for you:

That your fires be bright and warm,

That you be as happy as you were when you first ran through a snow storm with your mouth open,

That you find your snow angel again,

And no matter where you are I wish your snows be gentle and deep.

Mike

_{Image Copyright Mike Doyle}

Today, Christmas Eve 2009, marks 50 days until the Opening Ceremonies at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. I was fortunate enough to have recently made a pre-Olympic trip to Vancouver and Whistler Blackcomb Resort and got the opportunity I was hoping for - to ski and photo the  Olympic Alpine skiing venues.

Truth be told there is a lot more to Whistler Blackcomb than the the Olympic courses but I enjoy seeing and skiing where history will be made. I've always thought that one of the best services a ski resort can offer is the free tour that is hosted by a resort ambassador. Whistler Blackcomb Resort provides 2 tours daily, one on Blackcomb Mountain and a tour of Whistler Mountain. 

If you can put a trip to  Whistler Blackcomb in your skiing plans this season you will find great ski and stay packages available for now or for a trip after the Olympics.  Of course, if you get to Whistler Blackcomb, whether you ski or not you have to ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola.

There are great eateries on and off the mountain with plenty of stores to fit all budgets and Whistler is a great place for just walking - especially Walking Whistler in the early morn. 

One of the easiest rides I've ever made to a world class ski resort was driving from Vancouver International Airport to Whistler Blackcomb Resort. I don't think I made more than 5 or 6 turns from the airport to the Sea to Sky Highway in West Vancouver. In fact, if it weren't for a slight detour in downtown due to the Santa Claus parade it would have been even fewer turns - but who argues with Santa.

About the 2010 Winter Olympics - read everthing you need to know about Alpine, Cross Country, Freestyle, and Nordic events.

One more thing - today is the last day to vote for Lindsey Vonn as Female Athlete of the Year.

_{Photo Copyright Mike Doyle}

Double Black - A Ski Diva Mystery by Wendy Clinch, TheSkiDiva.com, tells the tale of post grad Boston girl, Stacey Curtis, who's dreams of wedded bliss on Beacon Hill are turned upside down when she finds her fiance in bed with a mutual friend. This life shattering event sends Stacey rebounding into the bosom of her first love - the mountains of Vermont ski country.

However, once in the mountains Stacy has another traumatic encounter with a man. This time it is in the bedroom of a condo she is illegally borrowing and this time the man is dead. Not just dead but very obviously murdered in a quirky mountain fashion - strangled with the chain of a chainsaw.

Wendy Clinch gives us the personality of a small ski town and all the personalities that live there and that the mountains draw there. The subtle animosity of ski town locals to the flatlanders they can't make a living without. It's all here plus you'll never guess until Stacy tells you, - I didn't - who did in the poor guy she found with the chain off a chainsaw for a necklace.

You don't have to be from Vermont to like this ski town murder mystery. You don't even have to be from the mountains to like it. But you'll love Double Black if you ever ski bummed awhile, you'll love it more if you only wished you did.

Clinch presents neat crispy skiing times on bluebird powder days and - sshh - full moon nights. Read my review of Double Black - A Ski Diva Mystery, advance ordering is available at Wendy Clinch.com.

_{Cover Photo Copyright Thomas Dunne Books}

To rap up a long weekend of Audi FIS Alpine World Cup in Alta Badia, Italy Reinfried Herbst of Austria won the Slalom event with Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland, second and Austrian racer Manfred Pranger  finishing 3rd.

The U.S. Ski Team's Jimmy Cochran of Keene, NH, continued to show his slalom strength by upgrading a 16th place finish in the first run to finish ninth. Cochran managed to stay in as 22 men went out in the first run and three others were disqualified.

"I felt really comfortable today, and confident. Top 10 is awesome for me and I'll take it. This course suited me. It's a lot tighter and a lot more rhythmic and I think I just capitalized on it," Cochran said. "It's a solid result. We have a lot of slaloms in January so hopefully we can build and keep improving. I feel like I have more speed in me."

Cochran hails from a long lineage of alpine racers starting with his grandfather, who was U.S. head coach in 1974. His dad and three aunts were Olympians, and he's got three relatives on the Ski Team. For the athlete, being among their ranks is an honor.

_{Photo Jimmy Cochran in Monday's Slalom Copyright Getty Images}