Museum Musings

Looking back on past summers (even ones that haven't quite ended yet), it's easy to remember the good parts: days at the lake, hiking around the valley and camping under clear skies.

Summertime in Canada, especially for children, is often portrayed as a series of long, carefree days spent exploring the outdoors, playing in and on the water and spending time with friends and family.

When Bob Williamson first arrived at Alta Lake (now Whistler) in February of 1930, he found himself in a valley bearing little resemblance to the bustling resort town of today. Even getting there was a completely different experience.

Whistler's Western toad migration is almost done! If you've been up at Lost Lake recently, you may have seen these tiny toads behind the black barriers in the wetlands or crossing the paths around you.

With all the bands, concerts and events going on in Whistler in the summer, it's easy to forget about the Boot Pub and all its past glory in laying the groundwork for the entertainment scene we know today.

The Whistler Museum houses a permanent exhibition chronicling the growth of Whistler, the journey to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Games, and the history of the ski resort.

When going through accounts of life at Parkhurst one name that keeps coming up is Denis DeBeck. The eldest of six siblings, he worked alongside two of his younger brothers, Ward and Keary, for a few summers at Parkhurst.

Whistler's steep, mountainous terrain is part of what makes it so attractive as a tourist destination. It's perfect for skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking.

A season working in Whistler can mean many different things. For some, a season means spending as much time as possible on the mountains; for others, it can mean settling for the next few decades of your life.

Parkhurst may now be known primarily as a ghost town, but it was once the site of the first large and more-permanent mill operations in the valley. Mr. and Mrs.