while i do live in whistler and do agree with what your saying, no place will make you learn to appreciate skiing for the terrain, not just the snow as places in france like cham. The conditions over there are just so ridiculously variable. Ice, windpack, corn, cream cheese, heavy snow, light snow, you name it. When i was in la grave once our guide pointed out some snow that was tinted an almost light brown colour. He said it was from sand being picked up in the sahara desert and being carried by the clouds and then snowed down on to the mountains.