Zip lines, steeps and a photographers' challenge is all part of what's on offer at Whistler

Now I know how a snowy owl feels, launching into the darkness from its lofty perch. We both get to soar at high speed on a winter's eve across the mountain valley and past the treetops of old growth forests in the backcountry alpine of Cougar Mountain near Whistler. Except I'm connected to a zip line in search of a nocturnal adrenalin rush, not my supper. One of Whistler's finest eateries has already taken care of that.

My high-flying evening sampling Whistler's newest winter adventure experience, Superfly Ziplines' Dinner Tour, starts with a sunset ride in a heated snowcat up an old logging road to a high altitude yurt that seats a maximum of 10 guests. Once there, a sprinkling of snowsuitclad diners tucks into a gourmet meal of tomato and basil soup, short ribs with wine jus and toffee pudding with maple syrup, courtesy of the legendary Bearfoot Bistro.

Well stuffed, we're then let loose to soar back to the valley below on four side-by side zip lines. One happens to be Canada's longest at nearly a mile from end to end and 600 feet above the valley floor. In the pitch dark I feel like Ray Charles falling into an elevator shaft.

Eerily lit platforms, bridges, walkways and trees line the spooky route, draped in winter inversion fog.

"It's a very Zen-like experience," says my zip-line partner, Kyleen Stanton, an air traffic controller from Vancouver. "The stars overhead, moon shining brightly, wind whipping past your face as you sail into the unknown."

I've journeyed to Whistler to take in the 8th annual Arc'teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, a popular professional snow sports photographer's showdown that pits six of the action sports industry's best against the mountains, the elements and the clock in a collective effort to best capture the visual essence of "deep winter."

The photographers are all given the same 72-hour window to shoot inbounds at Whistler Blackcomb, capturing athletes in their natural habitat of powder-filled bowls, glades, and aprs bars.

But somehow along the way to Deep Winter's Saturday evening finale at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, when slide shows of the best images from the three days are shown in front of a live audience and panel of industry professionals, the world's fanciest flying fox has sidetracked me.

Not to mention a crash course on conquering Whistler Blackcomb's steepest and gnarliest chutes and bowls.

While I'm waiting for the Deep Winter show to roll, I decide to face my deepest downhill fears by signing up for one of Extremely Canadian's two-day inbounds Steeps Clinics.

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Zip lines, steeps and a photographers' challenge is all part of what's on offer at Whistler