I have just left India and already it seems we weren’t there for long. The truth is, we weren’t. The goal: to ski at Gulmarg, a small ski resort, the only of it’s kind in the entire Himalaya. Equiped with the highest gondola in the world, we were set to ski some stunning terrain and magical snow, and capture the experience (both photography and video). Upon arrival however, we learned quickly they are having the worst season anyone can remember, and to make matters worse the snow stability was beyond bad. With our safety caps on, we poked around and gathered enough footage we could for the web episode I’m doing for Arcteryx/Goretex. Deciding to leave before schedule, it seems we made the right call. We jumped ship prior to a big forecasted snowfall, and we’ve seen all over the news 17 soldiers died tragically in an avalanche in Gulmarg – tragic because this could have been prevented 100% with some reasonable snow safety knowledge.

It was incredible to go to India and experience such a completely different world, warm people, and the stunning beauty of the Himalaya, however we’ll have to wait until another year to experience safe and powdery skiing.

What a start! Normally we wouldn’t even be skiing by now, but the last week was one of the deepest weeks on memory for me skiing in Whistler. Here is a video of us enjoying it!

Goodbye CBC news, we will miss you.

Captain Mansbridge in his new skin: give the veteran his old chair and desk back, and let him do good journalism again. Photo: CBC

Two days ago CBC rolled out it’s brand new news programming, the biggest change in its history. Out with simple, strong, straightforward and substantial journalism, and in with quick, breaking, gimmicky infotainment. A bastion of reliable news gathering and dissemination is gone. The new sets leave Peter Mansbridge and co. standing awkwardly wondering where their normal desks equipped with chairs have gone. Viewers feel uncomfortable watching them stand. Tickers, popping bright colour and razzle dazzle graphics make it beyond distracting. I turned it off, and so have others. Blogs and forums alike are teaming with unhappiness over the make-over.

I have been watching cbc news, well, for my entire life. Thank you CBC for treating us all like 12yr olds video gamers who can’t sit still for 2 seconds. We came to see good journalism in action but instead we find shortened news items, more conversational/less in-depth journalism. The new pizazz is fake – Canadian’s don’t tune in to see a jovial and funny Peter Mansbridge, we just want good journalism from him and his team.

My (humble) advice to the CBC:

Leave the flash to CNN and Wolf Blitzer.

Stop treating us like adolescent idiots, you’ve ignored your core audience.

Remember there is strength in simplicity.

Bring the old (trustworthy, diligent, integral) CBC back.