Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Staggeringly beautiful view of a bright and sparkly harbour from my room as I open the curtains.
This is the life.
Pick the hire car up from the airport and given a free upgrade. Yep. There’s upgrades and then there’s upgrades. Given a 5.7 litre Dodge Ram 1500. Again. Except this is a higher spec than the one I had in Alaska. This has a panoramic sliding roof. And all the gadgets. It’s a beast of a car. Which I shall enjoy driving very much.
Still don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing over the next few days. Busking it a bit. What I do know is that I’m going to Whistler. The site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Stunning scenery yet again as I drive merrily along the Sea to Sky Highway. Like Toad of Toad Hall, in my big, bright blue, beast of a car. Horses aren’t spared.
Last went to Whistler whilst whiling away a few days with Miss Vancouver in 1999, 20 years ago. Much more developed now, especially with the Olympics taking place. Having not booked a hotel yet, sit in a public car park upon arrival in Whistler, choosing a suitable hotel on my phone app and then go and check in at the Crystal Lodge (https://www.crystal-lodge.com/). There’s last minute and then there’s last minute. The wonders of modern technology. When I first started travelling in the late 1980s, one had to write to the hotel and enquire about availability. Not now.
Told to take the cable car up to Whistler, cross the valley on a 4.5km cable car to the other mountain, Blackcomb, then return down on the Blackcomb cable car. Very windy at the cable car station, at about 6,000ft altitude, enough to make the cable car swing a bit too close for comfort towards the support pylons.
Given how windy it is, surprised that the Peak to Peak cable car running between the two mountains is still running. Two queues form. One for a normal car and one for what is advertised as a ‘glass bottomed’ car. Having a head for heights, wait about 30 minutes for one of the two ‘glass bottomed’ cars to appear. Somewhat disappointed to discover that the ‘glass bottom’ is actually a small piece of glass that is cordoned off by a barrier so you can’t actually stand on the ‘glass bottomed’ floor or actually see much through it as it’s covered in cack.
Not much to see at either Whistler or Blackcomb as snow has still closed many of the trails and, unlike Mount Titlis in Switzerland, there’s not a great deal of activities to do other than ski or hike. Soon on the cable car going car down.
Told to be on the look out for bears on Blackcomb mountain.
Didn’t see one bear.
Nope.
Saw two.
Both just off a hiking trail and a reminder that you could come across a bear on your hike. Not only do you have to be beware of the bear.
Also warned of cougars.
The animal.
Not an ageing woman.
One response to “179. Whistling in Whistler”
I have really enjoyed your amazing photos Ian and your varied experiences. What about a new job as a travel writer?