by You’re finishing the last dregs of mulled wine and looking ahead to 2024 in search of something, anything! — look forward to when you realize that, once again, you’ve left it too late to book that ski trip you promised yourself.
This time not to the Alps or the Pyrenees, but to the snow-capped peaks of British Columbia, Canada, that you have always dreamed of. Now don’t worry, why not make this the year to think off the slopes and try all things summer in the city of Whistler, British Columbia? After all, the mountain resort can now boast more visitors during the spectacularly warm and sunny months than when the snow flies in winter.
For me, a British Canadian transplanted from the North Woods of Vancouver to London more than a dozen years ago, skiing was never something that required much thought or effort. Or money, unlike the UK. It had been more than seven years since he had returned to the slopes of Whistler-Blackcomb, 2,000 feet up in the glacier-covered Coast Mountains, and even longer since he had appeared in summer, and never during the larger mountain. world bicycle festival, Crankworx.
I couldn’t believe the difference a few years have made in transforming this Winter Olympics host resort into a sun-drenched, outdoor nirvana, packed with thousands of mountain bikers and more than 300,000 visitors to date. end of July.
In fact, Whistler, about 90 minutes north across rugged countryside from Canada’s Pacific jewel of Vancouver, can pride itself on being what PR people love to call an all-season resort, and I I was here to experience all that summer had to offer, both in and out of the mountains.
At the foot of two-mile-high peaks, both connected by a vast network of lifts (which as of December includes Western Canada’s first eight-passenger chairlift, the Fitzimmons Express), this picture-postcard pedestrian village is the center of all the fun. . All of this shares space within the traditional territories of the SkwxwuÌ 7mesh (Squamish) Nation and LilÌ“wat7úl (Lil’wat) peoples, and Whistler-Blackcomb (as the mountain operations are called) is ranked as the number one mountain resort one in the North. America year after year.
It’s no secret that Whistler also shares space with bears when they wake up from their winter slumber, and if you’re like me, you’ll be determined to see a few for yourself.
So, put away the stale meat pies and join me in rethinking that ski trip, and consider joining the more than 1.5 million visitors who make Whistler their adventure hub each summer.
What to do: in the mountains
Let’s start with what brought us back here: Whistler’s status as a mountain bike mecca. While the season runs roughly from May to October, it’s in late July when things really heat up for the 10-day Crankworx festival, which has been celebrating all things mountain bike for 20 years in Whistler.
Imagine over 1,000 top athletes gliding down Whistler Mountain, launching 30-foot jumps, making it all look easy until the *thuds* of bursting inner tubes are a reminder that these riders aren’t so invincible. as they seem. I even heard it called the “Super Bowl of mountain biking.” We had to try the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and didn’t hesitate when they asked us to don head-to-toe ‘armor’, complete with back and chest plate. , before meeting our instructor for the day, who even came with a Devon accent.
After learning some basics (gears, brakes… loading a full-size mountain bike on its rear wheel into a moving eight-passenger gondola), we headed into alpine meadows and down to the entrance to the first green trail. Now I’m sure most of you have ridden a bike, but with gravity constantly pulling you down on every hairpin turn, this is a completely different experience, and one that quickly equaled the thrill of skiing for me. It’s riding a bicycle, but through virgin alpine forests on shock absorbers and barely touching the pedals.
As I was getting my biking legs back after my first ride on the trails and was pumped for a second round, my partner Fabio thought he’d try some Canadian craft beers on tap on a sun-drenched terrace overlooking the action at the bar. and Garibaldi Lift Co grill was a better option. Let’s be honest: this type of cycling won’t be for everyone. But in a place like this, you’re spoiled for choice for other outdoor activities – if après ski is half the fun, imagine after the summer sun.
After biking and drinking beer, we walked back along scenic forest trails to the Four Seasons Resort, where we were lucky enough to stay two nights and pick up our feast for a trip to Whistler Peak: an embarrassingly large box of goodies from The Store Local deli Picnic Whistler was packed with more than we could handle. Local cheeses, spicy deli meats, fresh berries, crackers and dips will keep us going. They even asked us where the party was.
Riding the Whistler Gondola again, this time we went all the way to the high mountains (with a picnic box in tow). This is where the mountain magic really takes effect: soaring peaks, melting glaciers and gem-like turquoise lakes provided the backdrop for a day of mountaintop hikes and some notable Insta posts from the top of the world. We continued up the dizzying Peak Express chairlift, as it climbed steep cliffs to the top, jagged rocks exposed beneath their winter blanket. Not many years ago this was the exclusive domain of skiers, snowboarders and a few hardy hikers, but with the opening of the Cloudraker Suspension Bridge a few years ago it has become a must-see at the top of the mountain. If you overlooked the adrenaline rush of the bike park below, this will get your heart racing, hanging over a rock-filled glacier at nearly 8,000 feet.
A word of warning: any unattended picnic box will quickly be claimed by a wild animal, whether it’s the grizzled groundhogs that ran past us on Whistler Mountain’s alpine terrace, hungry chipmunks, or the ever-curious blue jays that visited the balcony of our hotel among the treetops. the next morning to make quick work of the leftovers while we refilled the cafes inside.
What to do: outside the mountains
The town centre, a vibrant replica of the prettiest Alpine towns, has bustling pedestrian streets – a welcome respite from the North American tendency to drive, well, everywhere, for everything. Almost all hotels are within walking distance, so make the most of the long summer evenings by exploring the cafes, bars and restaurants.
Meal
There is no shortage of options for all budgets. To save a few ‘Loonies’ (Canadian dollars for you), be sure to stop by the Tim Hortons in town for a coffee and donut on home turf. But the streets of town are where the best people watching happens. Mountain bikers may not win many awards for their fashion, but Bar Oso is front and center of the action. Pull up a stool by the windows and sample the Spanish-inspired small plates and house-made charcuterie, perfect to savor with a glass or two of BC Pinot Noir.
For a morning (or afternoon) brew, there’s the stalwart Moguls Coffee House, central and overlooking the main square, with one of the city’s most caffeine-friendly services. And you can’t go wrong sitting on the terrace facing the canary-yellow cobbled town square in La Bocca with a bottle of wine before the sun sets.
Cycling
Whistler Valley is connected by the 25-mile Valley Trail, a paved, car-free ribbon of recreation that winds between the area’s five beautiful lakes. An e-bike is my best bet for seeing all the valley has to offer on two wheels, and Can-Ski Blackcomb in Upper Village has everything you need to get started (they even name their bikes after former members of one direction).
Pack a towel and take a surprisingly nice dip at Lost Lake Beach or watch the floatplanes land on sparkling, frigid (read: not warm) Green Lake further down the trail.
Where to stay
There’s no shortage of places to wink in Whistler: there’s room for around 30,000 visitors each night in the city, from five-star behemoths to boutiques and B&Bs. The Four Seasons Resort (from £330 per night), tucked away in the woods at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain, stands out from the rest – and that’s just the bedding.
If you’ve never dipped into the Four Seasons line of pillows and sheets, you haven’t quite lived. We could barely get out of the cloud-shaped cocoon, but once we did, we were able to enjoy a gym, a spa, a curved outdoor pool, and a Scandinavian-style wooden sauna. Even if you’re not one of your overnight guests, it’s worth visiting Sidecut Steakhouse just to enjoy the Epicurean Seafood Tower, along with what might be one of the best-presented cocktails you’ll ever order, like the Sunda Punch.
So what’s up with those bears? On our last day, stopping near the hotel on our e-bikes, came the icing on our mountain-sized cake: a large brown bear minding its own business. Warned by locals shouting from lowered car windows about the visiting neighbor in the bushes, we kept our distance and followed the lumbering beast as it crossed a parking lot, stood up on some logs, and slithered back into the woods. without being disturbed.
A perfect end to some fantastic summer days in the Canadian mountains, plus a tan, something we would never have experienced on a winter ski trip.
