Two weeks after the world’s elite cross-country skiers compete for gold during the World Cup at Whistler Olympic Park, my friends and I decide to go for “green” in Callaghan country.

Southwest of Whistler Village, the Callaghan Valley is blanketed in snow when we arrive. I take one look at the trail routes and think: my classic skis are way too skinny. So I rub on some kick wax—soft and sticky because it’s a balmy day—and we warm up on the green trails (easiest). We’re not looking for Olympic calibre, yet. The last time some of us were on skis, snowshoes resembled tennis rackets.

Skis firmly set in groomed tracks, we get into a lovely rhythm as the subalpine forest opens out before us. We glide alongside trickling creeks, over bridges flanked by hemlock and fir. Graceful skate-skiers speed past us in the ample-room-to-pass lanes. Even the moms, who tow their tots in sleek, domed sleds, blow by us. Everyone’s waving and smiling. We do a short, herringbone climb uphill followed by a wheeeeee!-inducing downhill on a blue run. It’s hard not to love it here.

Callaghan Country is nestled just over the summit of Rainbow Mountain. This is where the ski jumps, cross-country trails and biathlon course have been carved out for the 2010 Winter Games in February, now less than a year away.

They’ve built 14 km (8.7 mi) of competition trails and another 35 km (22 mi) of recreational trails. We haven’t covered anywhere near that distance before my friend shouts out, chili time! We park our skis at the balsam-fir day lodge and spoon out hot bowls of veggie chili paired with a requisite hot chocolate. We wrap our hands around our steaming cups, agreeing that life is sweeter among the treetops.

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