USA Today mentions Whistler/Blackcomb...

There's flashy advertising and snob appeal, and then there's snow conditions - and the truth is, we have more snow right here on the edge of West Vancouver at Cypress Mountain, where I've worn out at least three pairs of skis over the years, and become personally acquainted with some of the trees along the runs.
The nice part is, it's only 20 minutes from here to the hill, and there's plenty of parking. Here's the latest snow reports. Check them for yourself....

Whistler/Blackcomb

 

Cypress Mountain

 

In the Whistler screenshot, they mention something called 'Packed powder'.....

and let's face it, Kiddies - there ain't no such thing! It's either Powder or it ain't.

Period. If it's packed, it isn't powder. Powder is soft fluffy snow  that you sink into up to your knees, or up to your bum, and you can totally disappear in it sometimes. Packed snow means groomed by machines, and it can easily become 'boilerplate' where you might need razor-sharp edges to hang onto it.

So be careful with the terminology.  Cypress doesn't use tricky descriptions, because they're the guys who teach the vast majority of our youngsters to ski and board on their twin peaks, and they just tell it like it is. I skied Cypress for about thirty years, until I just got bored with racing the hotshots downhill. There's "looking good", and then there's "getting there first". Style don't mean much if you're behind somebody where they can't see you.