VC09 - Whistler, British Columbia

Whistler boasts some of the word’s best bowl skiing and snowboard pipes (which convert into killer mountain-bike trails in summer). But in the run-up to 2010, the village is showing a more nuanced, diversified character and now offers plenty of off-slope activity.

Seen at right: Whistler, British Columbia.
Photography courtesy Tourism Whistler

Getting There

By Car - 2 Hours
Follow Route 99 along the dramatic Sea-to-Sky Highway. Road improvements (gearing up for 2010) may cause delays. Traffic reports at Drivebc.ca

By Train - 3 Hours
The Whistler Mountaineer departs from North Vancouver (a shuttle provides pickup service from downtown) and meanders its way northward. Whistlermountaineer.com

Out & About

Neoalpine Yoga
A respite from the village bustle, Neoalpine hosts yoga and meditation classes — including power and Ashtanga yoga — in a spare, modern studio. 9a–1005 Alpha Lake Rd., Function Junction, 604-935-9642. $12-$18 drop-in fee.

ZipTrek Ecotours
Guided zipline tours race through the canyon that divides Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Cable heights reach as high as 200 feet above ancient rainforests and spans are up to 2,200 feet long; acrophobics need not apply. Access via Carleton Lodge, across from the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas, 866-935-0001. $79-$119 per person.

Whistler Village Art Gallery
Bold contemporary sculptures and paintings by such artists as Hamilton Aguiar and Scott Steele are featured in Whistler’s oldest — and finest — contemporary gallery. Two locations: Hilton Whistler Resort and the Four Seasons Resort, 604-938-3001.

Solarice
If your idea of a spa is petals and potpourri, this spot is not for you. The focus here is on wellness, the mood decidedly unisex and contemporary. May we suggest the 90-minute ultimate moor mud wrap? Price tag: $215. Two village locations: 202–4230 Gateway Dr., 604-935-1222, and 4–4308 Main St., 604-966-0888.

Peak to Creek
Burn out your quads on the Peak to Creek, a seven-kilometre intermediate ski run that takes you 1,530 metres from the Peak chair down to the legendary Dusty’s patio. No precious food here: order a messy barbecue beef sandwich and an après pitcher (to share, or not) on the heated patio.

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
Visit the stunning Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre with its exhibits about the Squamish and Lil’wat nations. The $19 adult entry fee gets you a film and make-your-own cedar-bark bracelet. 4584 Blackcomb Way, 866-441-7522.

Mountain Bike Park
As famous as Whistler is for its winter sports, it’s also world-renowned for its Mountain Bike Park ($49 for a day pass).

Dining

The Beet Root Cafe
129-4340 Lorimer Rd., Whistler, BC, 604-932-1163
Auntie Em’s is now the Beet Root Café, where hearty, vegetarian-friendly breakfasts are served until 1 p.m. Entrées are inexpensive (under $11) so there is no reason that you shouldn’t finish with a lemon-and-raisin muffin dusted with icing sugar.

Araxi
4222 Village Sq., Whistler, BC, 604-932-4540
Executive chef James Walt’s take on local fare is simple and fresh — arctic char steamed in white wine with fingerling potatoes and asparagus, or one of half a dozen B.C. oyster varieties — and boldly reinvented; think green pea soup with smoked garlic oil and crispy frog leg. The wine list is deep and broad, having been carefully nurtured since 1981 — take some time to explore it.

Bearfoot Bistro
4121 Village Green, Whistler, BC, 604-932- 3433
Twenty-something executive chef Melissa Craig turns out decadent, locally inspired dishes like buffalo shortrib with wild mushroom and foie gras pasta. We suggest creating your own prix fixe menu (three courses, $39; five-courses, $79).

Rimrock Café
2117 Whistler Rd., Whistler, BC, 877-932-5589
Easily the most romantic room in Whistler, the woodsy Rimrock Café should be on every foodie’s list. Start with Taittinger Brut Reserve and a half-dozen fresh oysters, and move on to the seafood trio: grilled prawns, rare ahi tuna, and macadamia-encrusted sablefish. Finish with a glass of port by the wood-burning fire.

The Mountain Club
40-4314 Main St., Whistler, BC, 604-932-6009
The Mountain Club took Whistler’s classic (if somewhat Disneyfied) chalet look and gave it a modern flip: white leather banquets against rustic references like antler chandeliers and “planted” birch logs. The food is modern too: shortrib sliders with fresh horseradish or burger bumps with bacon, Brie, and caramelized onions from the bar, or crab risotto with sweet peas for dinner. Finish with a Thomas Haas pistachio and sour cherry tart.

BBQ Bob’s
2129 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler, BC, 604-932-4424
Tucked into Roland’s Pub (the watering hole handily located next to the Whistler Mountaineer station and Nita Lake Lodge) you’ll find BBQ Bob’s, the authentic southernstyle joint run by barbecue champion Bob Haselbach. More than 60 trophies, ribbons, and medals cover the wood-panelled walls and dark, sweet ’cue sauce will cover your face and hands as you devour glossy, succulent pork ribs and maybe the best brisket sandwich (sliced beef, mayo, more of that sauce, and crispy fried onions on a toothsome filone loaf) this side of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Bed Check

The Adara
4122 Village Green, Whistler, BC, 866-502-3272
{PRICE} Superior rooms from $129 up to $599 per night during the holiday season.
{DESIGN} Contemporary decor a welcome departure from the rustic-lodge motif found elsewhere in the village.
{AMENITIES} Outdoor pool in the summer, year-round hot tub, bath products from Fresh (bonus points for the ample-sized soy shampoo), Internet, iPod dock, and business and babysitting services.

Four Seasons
4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, 604-935-3400
{PRICE} Standard rates from $255, with residences starting at $2,330.
{DESIGN} The most luxurious rooms in town — bar none — complemented by a stellar collection of West Coast art (look for the massive Gordon Smith painting above the stairwell in the lobby).
{AMENITIES} Internet, 24-hour business services, restaurant, lounge, fitness facilities, pool, top-notch spa, and slopeside ski concierge service (no ski-in/ski-out access).

Nita Lake Lodge
2131 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler, BC, 888-755-6482
{PRICE} Studios from $139, two-bedroom suites from $239.
{DESIGN} A modern take on resort living featuring clean design with all the creature comforts: deep soaker tubs, heated stone floors, Frette linens.
{AMENITIES} Sexy spa, 24-hour concierge, private shuttle service, ski lockers at the base of Whistler Mountain.

Olympic Venues

Here’s where to catch all the action:

Blackcomb Mountain
Perched on Blackcomb Mountain, you’ll find the track that Olympians are calling the steepest and fastest in the world. It was broken in this past February when Whistler hosted World Cup sliding events.
{SPORTS/EVENT} Bobsleigh, luge, skeleton.
{CAPACITY} 12,000.
{B.C. ATHLETES TO WATCH FOR} Justin Kripps, bobsleigh (Summerland); Michelle Kelly, skeleton (Fort St. John).

Whistler Olympic Celebration Plaza
{SPORTS/EVENT} Nightly medal presentations (free admission).
{CAPACITY} 8,000.

Creekside Village - Just south of Whistler Village
Long before Whistler Village and Intrawest and multimilliondollar chalets, there was Creekside — a ramshackle hamlet on the south side of Whistler mountain. The development of Blackcomb Mountain and the buildout of Whistler’s north side permanently changed the spatial layout of the resort municipality, but the Games have shifted some of the momentum back to where it all began. Some $27 million has been spent recontouring Creekside runs for the lightning-fast alpine events.
{SPORTS/EVENT} Skiing: alpine, downhill, giant slalom, slalom, Super-G, super-combined.
{CAPACITY} 7,600.
{B.C. ATHLETES TO WATCH FOR} Manuel Osborne-Paradis, alpine skiing (North Vancouver); Emily Brydon, alpine skiing (Fernie); Britt Janyk, alpine skiing (Whistler).

Whistler Olympic Park - Callaghan Valley
The remote Callaghan Valley, found about 15 kilometres southwest of Whistler Village, is the place for serious spectators. No fancy facilities here, just postcard-worthy Canadian wilderness, killer cross-country skiing, and two just-completed ski jumps.
{SPORTS/EVENT} Biathlon, cross-country skiing, nordic combined, ski jumping.
{CAPACITY} 12,000 in each of three stadiums.
{B.C. ATHLETES TO WATCH FOR} Megan Tandy, women’s biathlon (Prince George).