Whistler
The marmots whistle from the alpine meadows, their high-pitched calls echoing across the peaks that now bear their name. Before the skiers came, this was London Mountain and the logging town below was called Alta Lake. But investors dreaming of Olympics saw something more: deep winter snow that measured in meters, not inches, and terrain that could challenge the world's best athletes. They built the first lift in 1966, a second mountain opened in 1980, and the dream finally came true in 2010 when Whistler hosted the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Today, 37 lifts service over 200 runs across two mountains with a vertical drop exceeding 5,000 feet - the largest ski area in North America.
The Merger on the Mountain
For years, Whistler and Blackcomb operated as rivals, two ski resorts sharing a valley but competing for visitors. Whistler Mountain opened first in 1966, its terrain more varied but its access more challenging. Blackcomb followed in 1980, reaching higher elevations and boasting a glacier where skiing continued into summer.
The rivalry ended in 1997 when Intrawest merged the two operations. Today the Peak 2 Peak Gondola - an engineering marvel spanning 4.4 kilometers between mountains with no supporting towers in between - links the peaks, creating seamless access to both. Skiers and snowboarders can traverse from the groomed cruisers of Whistler's lower slopes to the chutes and bowls of Blackcomb's alpine terrain without ever returning to the valley floor.
Village Life
The pedestrian village at the base of the gondolas feels more European than Canadian. Car-free walkways wind between timber-and-stone buildings, their shops and restaurants spilling onto patios warmed by propane heaters. The architecture is deliberate - planners studied alpine villages in Austria and Switzerland, then adapted the style for Pacific Northwest sensibilities.
Most of what matters in Whistler happens within walking distance of the gondola base. Whistler Village and Upper Village hold the bulk of hotels, restaurants, and bars. Village North (once Blackcomb Village) offers a quieter alternative. The apres-ski scene is legendary - after a long day on the mountain, skiers crowd the bars, still in their boots, telling stories of powder stashes and near-misses. In summer, the same crowds gather after mountain biking, hiking, or golf.
The Sea to Sky
Getting to Whistler is half the adventure. Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway, winds north from Vancouver through some of British Columbia's most dramatic scenery. The road hugs Howe Sound, a glacier-carved fjord where mountains plunge directly into the sea. Waterfalls cascade from cliffs. The Chief, a massive granite dome sacred to the Squamish people, rises above Squamish town.
The highway earned a dangerous reputation in earlier decades - narrow, winding, prone to rockslides. Major upgrades before the 2010 Olympics widened and straightened the worst sections, adding concrete barriers and improved drainage. The drive now takes about two hours from Vancouver, though the scenery still tempts drivers to stop at every pullout. In winter, snow tires are mandatory, and conditions can deteriorate rapidly in mountain weather.
Beyond the Lifts
Whistler's summer rivals its winter. When the snow melts, the ski runs become one of the world's premier mountain biking destinations, with lift-accessed trails ranging from flowy berms to technical rock gardens. The valley trail network connects parks, beaches on the glacial lakes, and golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Hikers find options at every level. The Whistler Train Wreck trail leads to boxcars from a 1956 derailment, now covered in graffiti art. Brandywine Meadows demands six hours and rewards with wildflower-strewn alpine bowls. The Helm Creek trail penetrates Garibaldi Provincial Park, reaching the turquoise waters of Garibaldi Lake and the Black Tusk, a volcanic spire visible from the highway. Golf, ziplining, whitewater rafting, rock climbing - Whistler reinvents itself each season.
Olympic Legacy
The 2010 Winter Olympics left more than medals and memories. The Whistler Sliding Centre, built for bobsled, luge, and skeleton, now offers public runs. Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley hosts cross-country skiing, biathlon, and ski jumping facilities. The athletes' village became housing. The infrastructure improvements - the upgraded highway, the expanded facilities - raised Whistler from excellent to world-class.
But the Olympics also brought tragedy. Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training run, a reminder of the speeds and risks inherent in these sports. The sliding centre was modified and remains one of the fastest tracks in the world. Today, visitors can experience bobsled runs at controlled speeds, a taste of what athletes face at the limits of human capability.
From the Air
Located at 50.12N, 122.96W in British Columbia's Coast Mountains, about 120km north of Vancouver. The resort is visible in a narrow valley between Whistler Mountain to the south and Blackcomb Mountain to the north - look for extensive ski run clearings on both peaks. The Peak 2 Peak Gondola cable is visible spanning between the mountains. Highway 99 snakes through the valley. Howe Sound and the Squamish area are visible to the south along the Sea to Sky corridor. Nearest airports: Whistler has a heliport; Vancouver International (CYVR) is the main access point 120km south. Mountain weather can change rapidly; afternoon thunderstorms common in summer, heavy snow possible November through April.