Whistler

Whistler, reached from Vancouver on the scenic Sea to Sky Highway, is the largest ski resort in North America, spread across the linked mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb, and it hosted events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In winter it draws skiers and snowboarders to a huge network of runs; in summer the same slopes turn to hiking and one of the world's most famous lift-served mountain-bike parks, with alpine trails, wildflower meadows and glacier views up top. The two peaks are joined by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, whose unsupported span between towers is among the longest in the world and which gives non-skiers an easy way to the high country. Below, a pedestrian village of lodges, restaurants and bars ties it together, and lakes for swimming and paddling ring the valley floor.

History

The Lil'wat and Squamish nations both used the valley, camping there in the warmer months to hunt and trap, and shared a village south of today's Whistler that was a hub of trade. Royal Navy surveyors in the 1860s named the mountain London Mountain for its fog, while the name Whistler came from the call of the hoary marmot; the Lillooet Cattle Trail was cut through the valley by 1877, Myrtle and Alex Philip bought land on Alta Lake in 1914 and opened the Rainbow Lodge, and the valley's lodges became British Columbia's first resort municipality in 1975 (Wikipedia, Whistler, British Columbia).

The landscape

• The Peak 2 Peak Gondola - the record-spanning cable car between Whistler and Blackcomb.
• Alpine hiking and views - high trails and glaciers reached by lift in summer.
• The bike park - the lift-served downhill trails that draw riders worldwide.
• The valley lakes - Lost Lake and Alta Lake for swimming and paddling in summer.

When to go

December to April for skiing and snowboarding; June to September for hiking, biking and lake days. Late spring and late autumn are quiet shoulder seasons with some lifts closed. Weekends and holidays are busiest and priciest.

Practical notes

It is a large, commercial resort and prices, from lift tickets to lodging to food, are high, especially in peak winter and summer. Weekend traffic on the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver can be heavy, and the road has sections that demand care in winter. Mountain weather changes fast, and the village, while attractive, is unmistakably a purpose-built resort rather than an old town.

Nearby

Vancouver is two hours south; Garibaldi Provincial Park and its turquoise lake lie just off the highway.