Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains

Whistler is without doubt one of the finest year-round resorts there is. It is most well known as a world class ski centre, but it is equally attractive as a summer destination with a wide range of activities. If you want you can actually still ski in summer as some runs, on the glaciers high in the mountains are still open. Whistler has continually received awards and accolades in a variety of classes including the "Number One Ski Resort in North America," "One of the best golf resorts in the world" and "Best overall resort design."

Whistler is situated 120 km (75 mi) north of Vancouver in the Coast Mountains of western British Columbia. The resort town of Whistler (known as the village) is located between the two peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb. These two mountains produce a year-round selection of leisure opportunities that would be hard to surpass anywhere. Summer activities include great hiking, swimming on lakeside beaches, cycling or just taking a gondola or chair lift up the mountains to admire the magnificent view.

HISTORY

Originally named London Mountain, Whistler became the more popular name from the early 1900s and was officially adopted in 1965. The first visitors' lodge opened was Rainbow Lodge, built as a fishing lodge in 1914, the same year that the railway arrived. In the 1920s this was the most popular fishing resort west of Banff and Jasper, and Whistler, or the town of Alta Lake as it was then known, was in fact, a popular summer destination for 50 years before it became a winter resort. Skiing on the mountain began in 1965 and the first ski lift opened in 1966. The road to Whistler was completed in 1965.

In 1975 the first resort municipality in Canada was established when Alta Lake was renamed Whistler. Skiing on Blackcomb Mountain commenced in the winter of 1980-81. In 1978 construction began on the Whistler Town Centre that is now the present-day town site or village, with all the incredible facilities it is famous for.

CLIMATE

	Skier at Whistler

In winter Whistler has much milder temperatures than the average ski resort. Its location in the Coastal Mountains assures a steady supply of snow - an average of 914 cm (30 ft) per annum - supplemented by sophisticated snowmaking equipment. The daytime average temperature on the ski hills is -5ºC (22ºF) and it is even warmer down in the valley in the centre of town. This combination of high snowfall and relatively mild temperatures help make Whistler the ideal ski resort. In the summer, despite the fact that skiing and snowboarding are available until the end of July, days are warm and sunny. In July and August the average daily high is 25ºC (80ºF). The mountains are truly beautiful at this time, as well as the clear lakes with great beaches, and the alpine meadows flooded with the bright colours of flower blossoms.

TRANSPORTATION

Whistler is linked to Vancouver and the rest of North America by Highway 99 - the Sea to Sky Highway. Frequent bus services connect from downtown Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport and from Vancouver Island via ferry service to Horseshoe Bay and Tsawwassen to Whistler. There is also regular train service. With such good land connections available from Vancouver airport, Whistler is easily reached by air for travellers from any corner of the globe. There is also a local floatplane service from Whistler to Vancouver. (For more transportation information click here.)

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Snowboarder near Whistler

There are numerous reasons that Whistler is the number one ski resort in North America. It should also be noted that with the ever-increasing popularity of snow boarding, Whistler has fantastic facilities for this sport and is widely considered to be the ultimate destination for the dedicated boarder. For both the skier and snowboarder the Whistler area has 12 bowls, three glaciers and over 200 marked trails. There are powder chutes, excellent moguls, well-groomed cruising runs and secluded tree skiing. Whistler has 7,071 acres of terrain that is available for skiers and boarders, making it the largest ski area on the continent. Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain are the two greatest vertical rise ski mountains in North America. Blackcomb Mountain rises one vertical mile (1,609 m/5,280 ft) to an elevation of 2,284 m (7,494 ft) and Whistler Mountain nearly as much - 1530 m (5,020 ft) to an elevation of 2,182 m (7,160 ft).

The resort has five separate mountain bases from which to start trips up to the ski runs. These bases are all within five minutes of each other and all have a variety of high-speed lifts to enable easy and fast access to the ski areas with a minimum of lift line-ups. There are a total of 32 lifts in the area. Whistler has a fantastic selection of accommodations in the villages and with many of these you can ski in and out. The ski season here runs from November through to June, with summer skiing available on Hortsman Glacier until August. As well as downhill skiing and snowboarding there is great cross country skiing, snowmobiling, ice-skating and snowshoeing.

Whistler Village is a year-round attraction. The village has everything, and after a day's recreational activities, visitors can stroll through the pedestrian-only streets to browse or buy at the wide variety of shops, specialty stores and fine galleries. There is a strict building code: the large hotels are built in the chateau style and all buildings are built in quarried stone. This gives the overall impression that Whistler Village was established long ago, and lends to a European ambiance. The overall mood here is very relaxed and carefree, with people apparently enjoying themselves. There are all sorts of wonderful opportunities for eating, from burgers to rack-of-lamb, with restaurants of all kinds. There are dance clubs, lounges, and brewpubs. If you want, as well as the many wonderful restaurants in the village, there is a great variety of excellent eating facilities up on the mountains. Summer or winter these establishments provide a great place to relax enjoy a good meal and admire the view.

Golfing at Whistler is legendary. In the immediate vicinity there are four championship designer courses and three more are within one hour's drive. Robert Cupp designed Big Sky Golf and Country Club. It is totally surrounded by mountains, and is great for all levels of player. Big Sky's Golf Academy provides excellent instruction. Big Sky is 25 minutes north of Whistler. Jack Nicklaus has designed over 150 golf courses but only one bears his name. This is Nicklaus North Golf Course located only five minutes from Whistler Village, by Green Lake. This level, very walkable par 71 course was designed very much with an awareness of impact to the natural habitat of the area. There is a beautiful 1,393.5 sq m (15,000 sq ft) clubhouse with a pro shop and a lounge and restaurant, that overlooks Green Lake. Nicklaus North also has an 1,022 sq m (11,000 sq ft) putting green and grass tees.

	Mountain Golf Course

Whistler Golf Club is a par 72 course and features nine lakes and two creeks. Like all the courses in Whistler it offers incredible views which add immensely to the experience of playing golf in this fantastiarea. Arnold Palmer designed this course and it is suitable for every level of player. It is located close to Whistler Village. The golf school here provides video analysis of each participant's game. The Chateau Whistler Golf Club is also very close to the centre of the resort. The course is rated a par 72 and has an elevation gain of over 122 m (400 ft). It has been designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. to make the mostof the magnificent country that it encompasses. It passes through a variety of terrain including ponds, creeks and bare granite rock faces. The point of the design is to allow nature to dictate the path the course takes rather then commercial restraints. This club recently received certification from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System in recognition of its commitment to the environment.

For a perspective of the Whistler area that is different, there are several interesting ways of sampling the beauty of the surrounding mountains and countryside. For the ultimate experience try helicopter or floatplane sightseeing. Trips can range from a twenty-minute loop to an all-day adventure on a glacier. You can heli-hike, where you are flown to the top of a mountain and then make your way down at your own pace. There is even heli-biking - fly in, mountain bike out. Another unique way to see the country off the beaten track is on an off road 4X4 tour. The driver-guides are familiar with an almost infinite number of interesting places in the mountains that few people have experienced.