Ok, so it's 30 degrees outside and your brain (if not your whole body) is probably on the beach. The sun's sucking your energy from you like a vaccuum and every inch you move creates a new bead of sweat.

Snap out of it!

Think cool thoughts of gliding down a powdery white mountainside. The air is crisp and when you exhale, your breath forms a cloud before you. The wind is at your goggles and a light snowspray against your face.

Cooled off a little?

Now let's get down to business - the business of how you're going to make your ski vacation dreams a reality this winter.

Saving on a ski vacation is not for the spontaneous. Planning ahead gets you the best deal on lift tickets, gear rentals and usually accommodation.

We've just posted our best deals of the season (we promise they won't get better) on Whistler lift tickets and Whistler ski and snowboard rentals.

Book by November 15, 2010 to snag these specials:

Lift Tickets - Save up to 43% and kids ski free*

Ski & Snowboard Rentals - Save up to 38% and kids rent free**

*Receive a free date-matching child lift ticket for each adult 3+ day ticket purchased (sorry, Christmas season excluded).

**Receive a free date-matching child ski or snowboard set rental for each adult 3+ day ski or snowboard set or high performance ski/snowboard rental (sorry, Christmas season excluded).

You'll need accommodation too. Search Whistler vacation rentals now and book a great place from the biggest selection.

I grew up in Vancouver and enjoy living in the city so much that I wouldn't plan on moving so a smaller town. There are just so many things to do in a city this size that you can't get bored. Also, Vancouver's not too big that you get lost in the collective monotony of everyday life; here, we remember to stop and smell the flowers.

However, sometimes simply stopping for the moment is not enough. Sometimes we need to get away from the city completely to regroup, reconnect, and relax. For me, this means getting out into British Columbia's backyard and enjoying nature at it's finest.

One of the best things anyone can do to relax and refresh their mind is go hiking. I know that some people don't think they would like hiking and it's "not their thing" but most of these skeptics have the idea in their mind that hiking means climbing up mountains with sweat poring out of you, bears everywhere, and mosquitos up the whazoo; but hiking doesn't have to be like that!

I am someone who does enjoy trekking up mountains in remote areas of BC, sometimes hiking solo, and sometimes with friends, and I have never encountered a bear on a trail. Sure they are around but they are not everywhere! If you enter a trail with friends just keep up the chatter and the wild animals will want to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them.

Okay I will admit, I have had some pretty horrific mosquito moments while hiking. Once I camped next to a tarn in an alpine meadow and around dusk we were attacked by an endless onslaught of hungry skeets. After a half hour mosquito massacre, and haunted by the collective drone of thousands of buzzing bugs, we gave up and retreated to out tent to hide for the night. But that was our own fault, we camped next to a lake of shallow stagnant water in the middle of a remote alpine meadow in the heart of summer, that's just asking for mosquito trouble! So, if you'r smart and stay away from mosquito hotspots you should be fine.

Finally, the most popular and daunting reason many city folk think that hiking isn't for them: the physical effort and exhaustion from hiking up the side of a mountain! Well don't worry because it doesn't have to be like that! If you live near any ski mountain the chances are they are running the lifts in the summer for hikers. This means that anyone can casually hike along a beautiful alpine meadow, filled with wildflowers, and look out over grand vistas of lakes, rivers, valleys, mountains, and even cities, without the exhaustion of trekking up a steep ominous forest trail filled with scary bears and pesky mosquitos.

Whistler's brand new 'Peak 2 Peak' Gondola is open for the summer giving you the opportunity to do some relaxing alpine hiking on two different peaks in the same day without breaking a sweat. Check out whistlerblackcomb.com for more information.

Sun Peaks is opening their popular 'Sunburst Express' chairlift June 26th to offer casual day hikers the opportunity to explore their gorgeous mountain as well. Check out sunpeaksresort.com for more information.

-Trevor

Booking a vacation rental instead of a traditional hotel room means more space, personal touches and often a better price. Unfortunately, for some, it can also mean the uneasiness of sending money to a stranger - a stranger who may or may not accurately represent their home, or own it at all!

Renting owner-direct doesn't have to equate to sleepless nights of wonder and worry. Booking a vacation rental home from the Owner can actually be a pleasant and seamless experience when the right checks and balances are performed.

Wherever and however you book your vacation rental, do it safely by following the steps below:

1. Start by finding an Owner-direct vacation rental you are interested in booking. There are many vacation rental directory websites to choose from. To find a vacation rental in a specific destination, just run a search for "(destination) vacation rentals" (eg. Whistler vacation rentals). Search results on the first page are a good starting point and will usually represent directory websites with numerous vacation rental options.

2. For each vacation rental directory website, look for information on guarantees, policies or standards. You may also want to look for an Owner agreement so you know what vacation rental Owners have agreed to in order to be listed on the website. Reputable directories will offer some sort of consumer-protection. Riskier directories will post disclaimers about their responsibilities in regards to their vacation rental inventory. The least risky owner-direct vacation rental websites will field complaints from renters or offer to help mediate any disputes that may occur between an Owner and a Guest.

3. Once you have found a specific vacation rental property you are interested in booking, be sure that all of your questions about the property are answered within their listing (or on a website they may link to from the listing). It should be clear:

• exactly where the property is located
• what amenities it features (both private and shared)
• how many people the property sleeps and what the bedding configuration is
• how large the property is, how it is layed out and number of separate bedrooms
• if the property is newly-renovated or more dated (there should be a good selection of photos to make this judgement)

Print out or save all pages of the listing or website that answer these questions. This will be vital evidence in the case that the property is not as advertised and you want to register a complaint or seek compensation. Going back to a listing or website after the fact is unreliable as the content may have changed.

4. Get the FINAL cost from the Owner in writing (email or an online reservation system that provides these details to you via email is also fine). This will limit the surprise of additional cleaning fees or surcharges for additional occupants.

5. Make sure important rental policies are clearly posted on the vacation rental Owner's website or listing (again, print it out or save it) or have them send them to you in writing if they are not available online. The most important policies to be clear on are:

• cancellation - What are the penalties for cancelling?
• pets permitted or not
• reservation guarantee - What if the Owner sells the property before your rental? What if the property becomes inhabitable for the dates of your rental (eg. flood, fire, etc)?
• what time you can check-in/out

6. Make sure that if the Owner is not in-destination, that they have someone in-destination to deal with emergencies (such as lock-outs or maintenance problems).

7. Pay for the vacation rental by credit card or PayPal. Both credit card companies and PayPal offer fraud protection. In the unfortunate event that besides your best screening efforts, you do become a victim of vacation rental fraud, you will not be out-of-pocket. If you send a cheque, money order, wire transfer or cash, it will be almost impossible to get your money back.

8. Make sure that you have received property check-in instructions and contact phone numbers before you depart for your vacation. If you are flying to your vacation destination, pack this information in your carry-on luggage in case your checked luggage goes missing.

9. Enjoy your vacation, stretching out in more space than a hotel room and paying a lot less for the pleasure!

Posted by Adrienne

Winter is on its way. Have you planned your first trip to the Mountains yet? All forecasts point to a blustery Canadian winter so our resorts should find themselves at the top of your list.

Wallet feeling a little limp with the holidays on their way? We've scoured the web and the many newsletters we receive from our favourite resorts to help make your winter holiday happen for less. We present to you, our list of lift ticket deals and savings from our favourite Canadian Resorts:

Whistler

Book discount Whistler lift tickets on alluraDirect.com at least 4 days in advance of your arrival and get up to 18% off window rates (excludes December 20 - January 2).

If you're planning a visit over the holidays and you're from anywhere in Canada or Washington State, consider purchasing an Edge Card by November 21. Early Bird Edge Cards can be purchased for 1, 5 or 10 days and save you $20-30/day over the holidays.

Kicking Horse & Panorama

Live in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba? Lucky you! Both Kicking Horse and Panorama resort have teamed up to offer Western Canadians the Snowmax Card. The card gives you four days of skiing at either resort for only $134 ($124 for youth and seniors). Want to ski more? Add additional days on the card at $15 off the regular rate. Blackout days include December 26 - January 1 and February 13 - 16. Snowmax cards are only available until December 26.

Sun Peaks

Consider the Value Card from Sun Peaks Resort. Adults can purchase the card for $89 which includes one day of skiing and then 5-25% off day rates after that (depending on the time of year). Get the most out of this card when you ski before December 13 or after March 22 when the daily discount is 25%. Sundays are always 25% off the day rate.

For those making a shorter visit, you may want to purchase a 2-day adult "Flexi Lift Ticket" from any BC lower mainland Costco for $112.99. Please note: you must have a Costco membership to shop in their stores.

Big White & Silver Star

Get your "Ticket to Ride" from any BC lower mainland Costco store. For $49.99 you get one day of skiing at either resort and save $10 on all additional adult ski days. You also receive 10% off private or group lessons, 10% off equipment rental and 15% off tubing and ice skating. Children under 13 get a free group lesson! Please note: you must have a Costco membership to shop in their stores.

Mont Tremblant

If you live in the "G, H, J or K" postal code area then you're in luck! Mont Tremblant Resort is offering the T pack which gets you two days of skiing or riding for only $75. You must purchase by December 1 to get the deal. December 22 - January 4 and February 23 - March 22 are blacked out from this promotion.

Know about another deal we haven't mentioned? Leave a comment and let your fellow snow lovers know about it!

British Columbia welcomes back glorious sunshine and warmth for the next two weeks. Temperatures will remain above average: Whistler will maintain highs of above 16 degrees Celsius until Tuesday, Sun Peaks will have highs above 20 degrees, and Kicking Horse will be at 21-28 degrees.

This is your last chance to head for the hills - er, mountains - and release any pent up summer energy left in your system. Take advantage of low summer accommodation rates still in effect, before resorts kick into high gear (and high prices) for the winter ski season.

Whistler, Sun Peaks, and Kicking Horse continue to offer a plethora of summer activities in September. Whether you like to keep your feet on its toes, on grass, in stirrups, or on pedals, these year-round resorts still have summer fun waiting to entice you:

Whistler

BC's legendary four-season resort is still kickin' it with the summer vibe, every day of the week. The hills are alive with the sound of mudd bunnies tearing it up at the Bike Park. Harvest Huckfest 2008 arrives Sept 20th-21st.

Select from zip lining, kayaking, ATV-ing, whitewater rafting, and more. Soak up the sun and inhale that fresh mountain air with un-frosted nostrils.

Sun Peaks

Friday to Sunday is mainly when you can play at this resort. Hit the hiking trails, bike park (highly recommended), or golf course. Oh, and they've also got a bungee trampoline. Fun!

Kicking Horse

Friday to Sunday is also the main summer playtime schedule for this resort. Go on a river safari, fly fishing, rock climbing, paragliding, or horseback riding. Dip in the hot springs for mineral relaxation.

2008-2009 Winter Weather Forecast

Yes, it'll be sunny & warm in BC for the next two weeks, but we can smell the snowflakes hanging high in the air from Vancouver. It won't be long before it's raining again and that means snow on the mountains.

Will this ski season be another wicked winter or better? We've got the scoop - subscribe to our Whistler newsletter and be the first to find out. You'll always receive Whistler updates, tips, & secrets. No tease.

Zoom airlines is facing the fate of what many low-cost airlines have before them. Operational costs have exceed revenue to a point where they can no longer carry on. Difficult trading conditions including the current state of the economy and high fuel prices have been cited as reasons for insolvency. All future flights have been cancelled.

Steps to Take if You've Booked with Zoom

Unfortunately, just like you can't get blood from a stone, you won't get a refund from Zoom. There are other ways however, that you may be able to recoup your payment:

1. Contact your credit or debit card company to apply for a refund.
2. Consult any travel insurance policies you may hold for your upcoming trip to determine if you can claim a refund.
3. Re-book your flight with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic who have kindly offered special fares to Zoom Airlines passengers whose travel plans have been affected.

Is this the beginning of the end of low-cost air travel? Are low-cost airlines a dying breed?

Canadian Westjet seems to be one of few airlines continuing to thrive. Did you know that employees of Westjet all hold stock in the company? This business model is reminiscent of another travel industry segment. Just look at direct vacation rentals and how they're building a following. Popularity in booking with the owner seems to be extending across the travel industry.