Turns out so many do at British Columbia’s Whistler-Blackcomb that summer numbers now rival winter ones.
One reason is that turnover is much quicker. The average summer stay is two nights, compared with seven to 10 when the snow flies. Another is the deals on accommodations — standard rooms starting from $99 per night, and luxury ones from $139.
This summer there’s a third, a chance to see the ski jumps and other facilities in Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park, which is scheduled to open in August.
I got a feel for what summer is like on the slopes when I visited in mid-September. The weather was superb — blue skies every day and temperatures in the low to mid-20s.
People were lining up to ride the Peak 2 Peak gondola, the new one that connects Whistler and Blackcomb, to use the mountain bike park, zip-line, or play one of four golf courses.
Some of the activities struck me as pricey — $189 for a bear-viewing tour, for example. But at least one is free — a guided hiking tour offered daily until early September. (Visit whistler.com and click on activities.)
I’d make time to visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which opened last year. Both the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations claimed the property it sits on, so they agreed to share it.
There are demonstrations — I chatted with a young carver using hand tools to fashion a corner post for a traditional long house — and stunning examples of crafts, such as blankets woven from mountain goat wool. Admission is $18, but you can enter the gift shop and cafe without paying that. Tasting tours of some of Whistlers better restaurants are offered by Joe Facciolo and Skai Dalziel, Western grads and longtime buddies from Barrie.
I nibbled my way through bruschetta at Monk’s Grill, Blackcomb, pan-seared salmon at Elements, seared ahi tuna at Hy’s, pistachio-crusted sable fish at Quattro, and something delicious I neglected to write down at Bearfoot Bistro, whose chef, Melissa Craig, won the Canadian Culinary Championship in 2008.
Playing cards are distributed at each stop and the best poker hands win prizes. Participants also receive a perks card entitling them to discounts on meals, spa treatments and other activities, another nice touch. Evening tours start at $79.99 per person. Lunch ones are priced from $69.99, but require a minimum of five persons to run. Visit whistlertastingtours.com.
Getting to Whistler can be almost as pleasurable as being there. You could drive the scenic Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver in less than two hours, but Whistler village is only accessible to pedestrians so there’s little need for a car.
Greyhound has a scheduled service from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station. Pacific Coach Lines operates between Vancouver International and Whistler, and Whistler Direct Shuttle picks up passengers at downtown Vancouver hotels.
I rode the Whistler Mountaineer, a sightseeing train that takes three hours to travel 118 km from Vancouver, thanks to a leisurely pace and occasional stops for photo-taking.
First up are panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast — Horseshoe Bay, Bowen Island, and the little BC Ferries.
At Squamish, the elevation increases as the train heads inland. The most dramatic views are in Cheakamus Canyon. Alerted in advance by on-board attendants, camera-toting passengers crowded into an open-air observation car — built in 1914 by Canadian Pacific Railway — or leaned out from between-coach platforms for a shot.
There are two classes of service: Glacier Dome Experience, with either breakfast or afternoon tea served in custom-built coaches with huge windows, $199 one way, $299 round trip; and Coast Classic, in 1950s-style coaches, $119 one-way, $199 round trip. Visit whistlermountaineer.com.
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