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Delve into local lore on Ep. 2 of Mountain Mythic

Pique podcast explores enduring Whistler myths
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explore the lore Mountain Mythic is recorded in part at WMN Studio in Function Junction. photo by braden dupuis

Dusty the Horse. The village dump. The First Nation origin stories of Charlie Mack.

Whistler is a town built on tall tales befitting its namesake peaks. It makes sense a town with such distinct geography, which has attracted generation after generation of adventurers and risk takers, would inspire a rich history of folklore.

"Myths tap into a deeper current of a place and try to find some meaning of what it is to live in that place and what connects us to it. It's almost like the stories themselves are searching out some kind of truth," said local author, musician and patron of the arts, Stephen Vogler. "Every town has its crazy stories, but this one has a good lot of them."

Reporters Brandon Barrett and Braden Dupuis dove deep into some of those iconic tales on Episode 2 of Pique podcast Mountain Mythic, exploring the mythmaking machine of Whistler.

First up, Barrett met with sasquatch "experiencer" Scott Green, a longtime local who went from hardened skeptic to full-fledged believer after an apparent encounter with the elusive beast several years ago on a mountain bike trail bordering Garibaldi Park. He also spoke with folklorist Lynn McNeill of Utah State University about the Bigfoot's continued appeal to legions of amateur researchers and online enthusiasts. Is it simply the thrill of the chase or something personal, more profound that keeps bringing these armchair cryptozoologists back to the forest?

Following that, Dupuis sat down with Only in Whistler: Tales of a Mountain Town author Vogler, who shed some light on some of his favourite local myths. Hear about the many lives of Dusty the Horse, Whistler's place in the rich oral history of the Lil'wat, and how a ragtag group of Alta Lake drinkers helped build the landfill that would eventually become the village.

The second episode of Mountain Mythic is available to stream or download on your desktop or mobile device at www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/mountain-mythic/Category?oid=2797729.