Whistler BC Canada
Whistler is one of Canada's premier, year-round destinations.
Ranked the number one resort in North America, Whistler features two spectacular mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb with epic skiing conditions, four championship golf courses, Whistler has everything you could possibly need for the time of your life - and so much more.
Home to approximately 10,000 residents Whistler is located 115km (72miles) north of Vancouver, it has the most spectacular scenery you can imagine, sometimes it is so hard keep your eyes on the road. On July 2nd 2003 Whistler/Vancouver were chosen to co-host the 2010 winter Olympic games.
History of Whistler
It was fishing that drew the first tourists to Whistler. To Rainbow Lodge on Alta Lake to cast for trout with legendary guides Alex and Myrtle Philip. By the early 1920's, Rainbow Lodge was the most popular summer destination west of the Rocky Mountains.
Winter came in 1960 and a group of Vancouver businessmen, led by Franz Wilhelmsen, formed Garibaldi Lifts Limited with the aim of developing an alpine ski area on London Mountain (just across the lake from Rainbow Lodge). Their dream was to host the 1968 Olympic Games
London Mountain was soon renamed Whistler Mountain (in honour of a local alpine marmot, who "whistles" when it communicates) and officially opened to the public in February 1966. Boasting the biggest vertical drop in North America and a ski season that stretched from early November until late May, Whistler Mountain virtually re-invented the modern ski experience.
But there was still more to come. When neighbouring Blackcomb Mountain opened for business on December 6, 1980, it featured 5 triple chairs and an additional 1,240 vertical metres (4067ft) of skiing. Whistler responded by developing a whole new network of runs on its north flank. Meanwhile, a modern, new community, Whistler Village, had sprung up on the bench between the two areas.
In 1991, Whistler Resort became the first mountain resort outside of the USA to be named #1 by a major American ski magazine. Five years later, in 1996, it became the only resort in history to be simultaneously named #1 by Snow Country, SKI and Skiing Magazines.
But the biggest news was yet to come. In March 1997 Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation (which owned Whistler) merged with Intrawest Corporation (which owned Blackcomb) to create one of the biggest and most exciting mountain resort complexes in the world.
Whistler Blackcomb is appreciated as much for its cosmopolitan charm as for its alpine pleasures. But it's certainly not resting on its laurels. A whole new village at Whistler Creekside, the original base area, began in the spring of 2000.
By the way- the fishing here is still great!