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Quintessential Whistler

Your must-do guide

Let's suppose you find yourself in Whistler. Seems like a safe supposition, eh? After all, you're reading Pique. If you've picked it up, odds are you're here. If you're reading it online, odds are you have a connection and are likely to be here sooner or later. Either way I think we can move on.

Without limiting the universe of possibilities, let's suppose you're a visitor to Whistler. First time? Great. Repeat offender? Even better. After all, one good turn deserves another.

"You didn't really say that, did you?"

Well, yes. Stop interrupting.

Finally, let's suppose you're a bona fide Whistleratic. A local. Instant local? Good enough, no discrimination here. Long-time, long-in-the-tooth local? Congratulations, but keep reading anyway, this is for you too.

If it's March — and it is — chances are pretty good you're here to enjoy the mountains and feed your passion for skiing or snowboarding. Can't imagine a better place to do that, personally; I like your style. But as you yo-yo up and down Whistler and Blackcomb, maybe, just maybe you're wondering to yourself, "Is that all there is?"

"OMG, now you've put a Peggy Lee earworm in my head. I'll get you for this."

Whatever. Live with it.

And if you're a local, sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the whole crazy dance that is livin' in Whistler. Admittedly, the ruts we get into here are better ruts than the ones we might find ourselves in if we lived in, say, Toronto, but ruts are ruts. Sometimes we have to break our make-a-living/go-skiing pattern and remind ourselves about our own town — Whistler, what a wonderful world.

"Thank you. Satchmo's a welcome improvement. I see trees of green..."

You're welcome. But please just hum to yourself; I'm working here.

So being the kind of civic-minded guy I am, I've compiled a very incomplete, very subjective list of things for you to do. Some are places for you to go, experiences for you to have, sights for you to see. All attempt to distill the essence of this place and channel the quintessential spirit of Whistler. Some involve nothing more strenuous than sitting. Others are simply out of the physical abilities of all but the fittest. Not wanting to lead anyone astray, I've borrowed a rating mechanism you're all familiar with: green circles, blue squares and black diamonds. Some activities span multiple categories; it all depends on how you choose to experience them.

Enjoy as many — or as few — as you have time and inclination for. But whatever you do, don't call them a bucket list.

"You said you wouldn't call it that."

I didn't. And I told everyone else not to call it that. Pay attention.

Easy does itBEGINNER

Whatever you do, don't call these beginner activities. They don't deserve the association with basic runs on the mountain frequently inhabited by unskilled, semi-coordinated people. They're green circles because everyone can enjoy them. Some are so enjoyable you could even say they're profound.

The Valley Trail is a perfect example. If you can walk, you can enjoy the Valley Trail. Heck, if your wheelchair has snow tires on it you can too. I think it was Thoreau who said, "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking."

"Actually, it was Friedrich Nietzsche."

Whatever. The point is, walking can be a profound experience. Of course, it can also be a group activity resembling more closely a travelling gabfest. But if setting has anything to do with profundity, the Valley Trail is likely to knock your "sox" off. From one end to the other, it offers stunning views for those who remember to look up. It passes through deep forests, along tranquil waters, teeming wetlands and clear mountain lakes.

"Isn't much of it built atop the sewer right of way?"

Yes. But I think you're just trying to be provocative. Now, where was I? Oh yeah.

No matter where you are, from one end of Whistler to the other, the Valley Trail is nearby. It's an easy stroll from the village and offers visitors scenic loops or longer walks. If you just like to wander and enjoy beautiful scenery, go south to Creekside or north to Meadow Park; you can hop on a bus or grab a cab back to the village if you don't feel like walking all the way back. Or walk to Rainbow Park — maybe right across the ice on Alta Lake if it's strong enough — and contemplate Whistler, Blackcomb and Wedge mountains as Myrtle and Alec Philip did from their lodge, long before skiers even knew the place existed.

The Valley Trail is the perfect antidote for anyone who believes the glitzy — read, expensive — side of Whistler is the only side. It's free, it's life-affirming, it's inspiring, it's therapeutic and, yes, it can be profound. Especially at dusk during a snowstorm. If you live here and it's your commute, you know what I'm talking about. If you live here and haven't been in a while, give your head a shake and get walking.

Whether you ski or not, chances are you're going to ride the Peak2Peak Gondola. It's Whistler's 800 pound (354kg) gorilla. And while there are still people in town who have nothing good to say about it, ignore them.

"Then why do you mention them?"

Just to be annoying.

Looking surprisingly dinky from the ground, up close the P2P is a marvel of engineering. I think it was Thoreau who said, "If you pee standing up, you'll be impressed by it."

"I think you said that."

So I did. And I do. And I am. Let's face it, if you're a visitor, especially a visitor from somewhere without mountains — you poor, deprived thing — the P2P will blow your mind. On a sunny day, you'll be surrounded 360° by snowy mountains. But don't be deceived by those who say you have to see it on a sunny day. On a day when the clouds fill up the valley, that's when the real magic happens. Start in the clear and then dip down into the soup and watch the gondola ahead of you fade, fade, fade... and finally disappear. It may be vertiginous but it'll all be over soon and you'll slowly reappear into a three-dimensional world. So cool.

If you ski, even badly, there are two things you shouldn't miss. The first is riding a chairlift. While this may seem prosaic, possibly idiotic, there's more to it than that. Don't just sit there drinking in the scenery. Talk to the people on the chairlift with you.

A chairlift ride spent in silence — or worse yet, plugged into a phone or music player — is a grossly wasted opportunity. You have no idea who's sitting beside you and you're unlikely to find out until you look over and say, "How's your day going." If it's too early to get a meaningful answer to that question, you might ask, "Have you been here before? What's good?"

Really, any question is likely to spark a conversation and once it's started, there's no telling where it's likely to wind up. And if you just can't seem to get a rise out of your chairmate, mumble to yourself about the time you snapped and pushed someone off a chairlift. If nothing else, you can enjoy the rest of the ride knowing you've made them nervous.

"People aren't going to know you're kidding."

Who's kidding?

While you're up there, stop by the Crystal Hut on Blackcomb. Most of the restaurants on the mountains are pretty much what you'd expect. But Crystal Hut offers views none of the others can touch — from the patio, of course — and the only aerial view of Whistler village you can get without hours of hiking.

Known for waffles, what you get isn't as important as getting enough. Yes, the mountain air does sharpen your appetite, but that's not why you need more than you may think. Whatever you have to eat, you'll be mugged by Whiskey Jacks — Gray Jays — who will seem to materialize out of nowhere, first one, then a flock, demanding a handout. Hold still and they'll steal whatever you have out of your hand.

"Or your plate, your table, even your mouth. They're pests."

Are not.

If you are skiing or boarding, take a lesson. No matter how good you are, you can get better, faster, with a little instruction. Even if you're already good, I'll bet the best instructors know places you've never been and can find something about your technique to nitpick.

When you get back to the village, it's time for après. Whistler didn't invent après, but we've gone a long way toward raising it to an art form. More than the fabled meal Homer Simpson longed for between lunch and dinner, après is a full-immersion cultural experience. Part food, part party, part people watching and, if you play your cards right, part live music, après boosts your spirits and gives you renewed energy to carry on into the evening.

Where are the best après spots? Wherever you are. Follow the vibe. Sometimes it doesn't take you past the base of the mountains. Sometimes it takes you deep into the village. Sometimes it takes you to a quiet table in a swish hotel or a lively hot tub. Whatever you do, don't skip it. It's an intrinsic part of the Whistler Experience.

"Après, you près, we all près..."

Don't even think of carrying that any further.

And if you're lucky enough to be in town in April — and maybe you should change your plans to make sure you are — you can't miss being swept up in the town's annual best party and best cultural event: The World Ski and Snowboard Festival.

What began a decade and a half ago as the World Technical Skiing Championship has morphed into 10 days of nonstop music, art, photography, filmmaking, fashion and, oh yeah, on-hill competition. As writer and filmmaker, Jules Older put it, "The World Ski and Snowboard Festival made Whistler the first place in North America to make skiing in April something to dream about rather than a nightmare experience."

IntermediateINTERMEDIATE

These are the kind of blues you want to have, not the my-dog-up-and-died kind of blues. Some may find them too taxing, even beyond their ability, but most will find them, well, wonderful.

You can't go there every day but at least once, on a sunny day, you should climb the hundred steps to heaven and drop into Blackcomb Glacier. As the name suggests, it's on Blackcomb, a short walk — OK, uphill — from the top of Showcase T-Bar.

There is a blue run through the middle of the glacier and a road out that's also bluish. And there are countless off-piste lines that'll challenge expert skiers and push an intermediate's envelope. But that's not really the point.

"There's a point?"

I'm getting to it. The point is, you've probably never seen anything like this. On a clear day, Blackcomb Glacier looks like what I imagine a crater on the moon looks like... except covered in snow and with plenty of oxygen to breathe. It is simply mind boggling. Take a lunch, or at least a beverage.

As local ski and travel writer, Susan Reifer, enthuses, "There is nothing else like it in the North American, lift-accessed experience. It is so big and, because there are no lifts in it, still so raw feeling."

Not to have Whistler mountain feel left out, head over there, take the Peak Chair — preferably on that same great visibility day — and have a long, long, long cruise on one of the best intermediate runs on any mountain anywhere: Peak to Creek. This is everybody's favourite run... except for those people who can't ski it. On a day it's been groomed, it's a Mittyesque World Cup experience. On a powder day? Heaven.

And it you think you've tamed it, try skiing it non-stop.

While there's a lot of terrain on Whistler and Blackcomb, it's a drop in the bucket compared to what's on the other side of the ropes. If you're reasonably fit and can ski off-piste, try way off-piste and earn your turns backcountry skiing. There are several guided options — take a guide or don't go — all of which will outfit you with the requisite safety gear and, more importantly, guide you safely through an experience you will never forget and one that'll change the whole way you think about skiing.

"I seldom think about skiing."

That's why you're a disembodied voice. The rest of us think about it quite often.

In which case, while we're still on skis, let's try something different. Skinny skis. If you don't Nordic, you should give it a try. Specifically, you should cross-country ski around Lost Lake... at night... when it's snowing. Don't panic, there are just enough lights along the trail to see where you're going but not so many that they ruin the nighttime experience. Classic or skate, a nighttime ski with falling snow will etch a memory in the part of your brain that hangs onto happy visions forever.

Somewhere between a blue and black experience, if you're a keen skinny skier, head to the Callaghan. Start at Whistler Olympic Park but point your skis up valley and aim for the Callaghan Country backcountry lodge. Whether you make it or not, stay overnight or come back the same day, you'll notch a wilderness experience unlike any you've probably had before.

"I'm tired of skiing."

Good. Let's walk instead. Whistler is spiderwebbed with hiking trails. At the end of almost every street there's a trail that leads to another and another and another. But there's one almost everyone can manage, winter or summer — the Riverside Loop down at Cheakamus, just south of town and east of Function Junction. If you're visiting, take a taxi; it's easiest.

Well-worn trails meander up both sides of the Cheakamus River for about 3.5km, through stands of Douglas Fir and Cedar, eventually leading to the Don MacLaurin suspension bridge. If you suffer vertigo, close your eyes. Otherwise, enjoy the view of the raging river below your feet. The trail on the other side takes you back to where you started, more or less. That's why we call it a loop. Some take snowshoes but they're only really needed after a big snowfall.

While not specifically an activity — and definitely not for everyone — we have a special challenge for all you Type A folks. It's called Sportfest. It consists of trying to cram as many sports and/or events into a single day as you can. The summer record is something like 23; shorter days cut that number down in winter. But then, it's not really a competition, is it?

"Of course it is, you ninny."

Whether you're up to that challenge or not, you can add one more late night activity to the mix and go clubbing. No specific recommendations; just follow the beat. As DJ Ace once said, dancin's the best way to shake out the kinks after a day's skiing.

AdvancedAdvanced

No challenge too big; no slope too steep? Alright tough guy, here's your list. Hint: they get harder as we go along

Peak to Creek redux. Still the best run on either mountain. Too easy. Try the non-stop thing. Still too easy. Go switch... with your eyes closed... on one ski.

Take it up a notch? OK, any double black diamond will do. For a warm-up, you might give West Cirque on Whistler a go. From the high entrance, of course. Too tame? The Couloir in Glacier Bowl has a nice drop-off-the-cornice entrance these days, good long run-out underneath. Exhilaration and excitation on the other side of the bowl look inviting... and most of the rocks are covered now.

The Couloir Extreme, Diamond Bowl and the Blow Hole over on Blackcomb will test the spring in your legs. All have pucker power, and I'm not talking about your lips.

Really though, if you want to challenge yourself in-bounds, pick up a copy of Brian Finestone and Kevin Hodder's Ski & Snowboard Guide to Whistler Blackcomb: Expert Edition. They'll not just give you a rundown on the bragging-rights terrain on both mountains, they'll tell you how to get there, which isn't always intuitive and rarely made easier by looking at the official mountain map. Such big mountains, so little paper.

And while we're on the subject of getting there, let's talk about some walk-to/hike-to thrills. We'll start easy and take you up the Chimney to ski the Gray Zone on Blackcomb. There's a good reason more people head up Spanky's; you'll figure out what it is about half way up.

When asked his take on quintessential Whistler experiences, writer, editor, filmmaker, herpetologist, oh hell, Renaissance man, Leslie Anthony, said, "Your experience isn't complete without, "skiing a walk-to couloir like Husume, DOA or Johnny's Jam. All can be accessed in under an hour, yielding silence and spectacular views that put Whistler Blackcomb's location into context." That would be a much larger, much more spectacular context.

"I think I'll pass."

Of course you will, you delicate flower. And you'll definitely pass on what's coming next.

Sometimes to really experience a place, you have to leave it, if only slightly. Adventurer and municipal councillor, Jayson Faulkner's got just the ticket. "Climb Wedge, all the way to the top." That would be the notable, wedge-shaped mountain just north of town.

"It is the tallest mountain in Garibaldi Park and it dominates our horizon. Who wouldn't want to get on top of that? But do the North arête, not the west ridge which is a rubble scree sufferfest. Take a guide and if you want to make it even more special, do it in winter." Good advice since it's winter we're exploring here.

Finally, while not specifically a quintessential Whistler experience, I'd feel remiss if I didn't toss out an ultimate Canadian Challenge. Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, better known as Pierre Berton, a notable Canadian author, prone to writing the kind of rip roaring history books that leave your imagination running wild and your wrists aching, once said, "A Canadian is someone who knows how to have sex in a canoe."

I'm not suggesting everyone can be Canadian but....

"What's so challenging about sex in a canoe? This is the double diamond section. Remember?"

Yes, I remember. But it's winter. Remember? Sex in a canoe is challenging enough. Sex in a canoe in winter is doubly challenging because (a) you have to find a canoe, and (b) the only open water is moving water.

"Oh."

Indeed. Oh.

So no matter how you experience Whistler, there's always another experience out there waiting. Enjoy them all.

GD Maxwell has written a comprehensive list of the activities offered throughout Whistler in FAQ: The insider's Guide to Whistler, which is available at various locations throughout the resort.



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