Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Whistler Voices: Notes From All Over

Despite the litany of criticism I’ve received in recent weeks for my “anti-Intrawest” stance — and I’ll re-iterate: I don’t “hate” Intrawest, I just don’t buy into its propaganda blindly — those who have read my stories over the last 25 years know th
1533alta
Party Like Its 1979 Ace Mackay-Smith still believes that fun should come ahead of sponsorships and prize money

Despite the litany of criticism I’ve received in recent weeks for my “anti-Intrawest” stance — and I’ll re-iterate: I don’t “hate” Intrawest, I just don’t buy into its propaganda blindly — those who have read my stories over the last 25 years know that I’ve always celebrated the magical confluence of geography and humanity that makes this Coast Mountain valley such a unique place in which to live and work.

But it’s only when I take the time to review some of the past Alta States stories that the wisdom of Whistlerites really jumps out at me. Here are a few samples from the last few months to get you thinking:

Ace McKay Smith on local event production: “Everything is getting so serious. You put on a ski event these days and it’s all about sponsors and prize money and photo ops and professional athletes. There’s no slush cups or restaurant races anymore, stuff that’s just for fun… After all, it wasn’t that long ago that organizing a ski event was just an excuse for having a big party…”

David Brownlie on the hiring of Bill Jensen as the new boss of Intrawest. “It only confirms for me that the mountain resort business is back in the forefront (of Intrawest business) where it belongs. At least I don’t have to worry that we’re going to be transformed into a high-end spa or anything like that…”

Charlie Doyle on growth and development. “There seems to be a belief among certain Whistlerites that you can build yourself out of your problems. But that’s just not the case. Just look at us. We’ve created this ever-hungry monster that needs to be fed all the time — at the expense of a way of life that drew most of us here in the first place. I mean, does the machine feed us or are we doomed to keeping the machine fed?

“When is enough really enough? If we’re not careful, if we continue to put stuff in here at the rate we have, we’re going to paint ourselves into a corner. My guess is that someday, perhaps during our next inevitable downturn, we’ll be pressured into accepting gambling or whatever the saviour of the day happens to be. You know, gotta keep that machine fed…”

Jorge Alvarez on his reasons for loving Whistler: “I love the rain that gives us our powder snow in winter and our magical green forests and the amazing community of people who live here. I love the loonie races where 350 people come out to compete on locally-built trails and I love skiing Peak-to-Creek and backcountry touring and going up the Callaghan and having the longest ski season in North America. That’s what makes us famous. Not the Starbucks or the McDonald’s or any of that other urban crap. It’s all about the beauty of the local mountains, man. That’s what makes Whistler special and unique…”

Jack Turner on the “Disneyland” effect: “No one in our industry should ever say we need to model ourselves on Disneyland. Why? Because Disney is our mortal enemy — they want to capture the hearts and minds of kids for their fantasy. Every moment and every dollar spent on our mountains is one that doesn’t go to Disney’s theme parks, videos, and souvenirs.

“Think about it. Disney is all about ‘faked’ adventure. I mean, you don’t need any skills to ride the roller coaster. A dog can ride a roller coaster. You just sit there and it does all the work. So where’s the excitement in that? Where’s the sense of adventure and discovery and accomplishment? And most important, where is the risk?

“We, on the other hand, offer the real thing. With snowsports, you must get involved in your own destiny. Yes, it can be hard to learn (relatively). And yes, you will encounter bumps and bruises along the way. But that’s our charm. That’s our magic. We’re REAL! We must never apologize for that.”

Colin Pitt Taylor on living at Whistler: “I think I live in one of the greatest places on earth. Just look around you. The potential for playing outdoors and having fun is virtually limitless at Whistler. Why would you ever want to wear a frown around here?”

Cori Ross on skiing and personality: “I think the way you ski says a lot about the kind of person you are. You see, skiing to me is as much an art as it is a sport. I mean, if you can ski — really ski — then chances are good that you can dance and make love well too.”

Doti Neidermayer on becoming “world class”: “For years, I’ve listened to people (at Whistler) say ‘we want to be world class’. And that drives me nuts! Why? Because I find that those two words have become meaningless. World class doesn’t mean building more stuff. It’s about style and substance — creating a unique identity for yourself that distinguishes you from the commonplace.

“It all comes down to one thing: there’s a huge difference between ‘world class’ and ‘merely expensive’. For example, when I go to Paris, it’s not to visit the Eiffel Tower. It’s to bask in that distinctive culture that only Paris can offer. It’s the people, their culture, their art. Yes, some of the streets are dirty. And yes, some buildings stink of urine and garbage. But that’s Paris. It’s a living city with a heart and a soul. And that’s what makes the place so appealing!

“Aspiring to a healthy lifestyle - physically, psychologically, spiritually even - means giving certain things up. And that’s a reality our community really has to get its head around. You can’t have it all! You have to decide what’s important in life — and then you have to live with the consequences of your decisions.”

Willy Raine on the role of ski racing in youth development: “I see ski racing as a means, not an end. Ultimately, our aim at the club is to create ski champions. And I’m totally onboard with that. But I also see an opportunity here to create strong values — life skills that each of our kids (whether champions or not) can apply to their everyday lives. Discipline. Vision. Goal-setting. Knowing how to work with others. Learning how to win. Learning how to lose. These are skills that come in mighty handy when you enter your adult years.”

Jules Older on the modern “image” of skiing/riding: “We have this wonderful, magical, friendly, exciting, healthy family activity, and yet we limit ourselves to promoting what’s most dangerous about the sport. Do you really think pictures of young men and women risking their lives appeals to parents? Let’s be honest. Most people don’t use the word ‘huck’ in their everyday lives. In fact, were I not in the ski business myself, I wouldn’t know anyone who had ever ‘hucked’ a cliff on skis.” He sighs. “It’s pretty straightforward, really. If you want people to love mountains and sliding on snow, you can’t just sell death.”

Sarah Jane Hornes on Whistlerites: “You know — when you walk through Whistler, you recognize others who have the same spark, the same energy — the same perspective as you do. And you don’t have to explain it or anything. You just feel it. And it has nothing to do with age. Whether young or old, people share a common sense of energy and excitement here. And that’s really stimulating to me. I mean, there are as many Whistlers as there are characters in this valley. And everyone knows just how many characters live here.”

Helene Steiner on the joys of being a mountain guide: “At the end of the day you sit with your clients at the bar and they want to kiss you and hug you and they’re so excited…” She smiles. “They might be millionaires, they might be corporate chiefs with hundreds of employees, but when they’re with me on the mountain they’re all like little kids on Christmas day…”

Irene Whitney on the changing face of Whistler: “I moved here for the mountains, to be outdoors,” she says, “not for an urban lifestyle. You see, every time we build more stuff in this valley, we break one more link in our connection to the natural environment. And that scares me.

“Let’s remember where we thought we wanted to go. People originally moved to this place for a very specific lifestyle. We didn’t have a lot of structure. But we had a great community. Now, it seems, it’s getting to be more about financial gain that qualify of life.

Her suggestion. “We have to stay true to the original spirit of this place. Whistler isn’t about building more shopping malls. It’s about providing unforgettable mountain experiences. We have the opportunity here to really touch people (both residents and guests) — to really offer them life-changing moments. Let’s not squander that opportunity.”

And finally, me on the anniversary of Stuart Dickinson’s passing two decades ago: “A community, I believe, is only as good as the memories it keeps, not only of its heroes and champions, but also of its everyday ordinary citizens who do extraordinary things as a matter of course. Stuart Dickinson considered himself just another ordinary guy with just another ordinary big love for Whistler. May we be blessed with many like him in the future…”