Imagine skiing down seven mile runs, careening and carving through mountainous terrain at the largest ski resort in North America, then holing up with a cup of steaming hot chocolate, watching fresh snow fall among the cedars, followed by an exciting night out complete with signature cocktails, live music and plenty of dancing. Welcome to a typical day at Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada. Five years after hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler and Blackcomb, two mountains standing side by side but operating as one, continue to enchant and gather legions of new fans from around the world. And it’s easy to see why. Whistler (as the entire resort is generally called) is renowned for heart-stopping runs, stateof the-art gondolas and high-speed lifts that thrill even the most experienced skiers and boarders, but its picturesque alpine village with an urban center and views of gigantic, snow-topped mountains is what draws repeat visits even from nonwinter sports enthusiasts. With a lively nightlife and a variety of off-mountain activities, the resort’s village delivers a fresh backdrop whether you’re looking for a leisure family vacation with plenty of downtime and sleigh rides or a highspeed adventure starring mountain peaks and your adrenaline-junkie pals. Success did not come to these mountains overnight. It took Whistler/Blackcomb about 20 years to achieve this rarefied status. The Young and Barker families started lift operations on the two mountains in 1965. Then in 1986, Intrawest, a Vancouver real estate development firm, built a European-style village to attract more visitors. Shortly after, Intrawest designed villages at California’s Mammoth Mountain and at the base of Squaw Valley. A new world opened for skiers. Visitors arrived not only to ski and snowboard but also to party, ride snowmobiles, go dog sledding, dine in fine restaurants and indulge in spa treatments. Despite being in another country, Whistler is surprisingly easy to reach, one reason why it is fast becoming a preferred winter destination for many South Bay skiers, particularly when snow conditions aren’t optimal in Tahoe. United Airlines and Air Canada fly nonstop from San Francisco to Vancouver, and flights from San Jose make one stop. Once in Vancouver, you can take a Perimeter Bus to the resort, located 75 miles north on the Sea to Sky Highway. Since automobiles are not permitted in the village, there’s no need to rent a car. Everything is reachable by foot or by local shuttles. And once you’ve arrived, prepare to be amazed. The 8,100 acres of skiable terrain offers challenges October/November 2015 73
South Bay Accent - Oct/Nov 2015
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