Grouse Turns a Cool 80

More than 100cm of snow fell leading to the weekend's historic opening and locals are excited about the season ahead. "It was pretty damn good," says snowboarder Jerry Smithers of the opening day. "Much better than I expected. I just thought I'd get out and make one or two runs, but conditions made me stay. At this rate I'm gonna make this season's pass worth every penny!" Grouse has a summit elevation of 1250m and a degree or two can mean the difference between powder and a washout. "I'm always a little worried about the local mountains and Global Warming," says Smithers. "Hopefully it won't be like Arizona here in 20 years and we can ride the hill on its 100th."