Whistler Magazine Winter 2019

WINTER/ SPRING 2019

WHISTLER’S PREMIER P U B L I C AT I O N S I N C E 1980

M AG A Z I N E LUXURY PENTHOUSE VIEWS CELEBRATING THE RESORT’S LIFT HISTORY AMERICAN FRIENDS OF WHISTLER STYLE | ARTS DINING | PEOPLE

WHISTLER WONDERS COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE

Please Take One

Adventures by helicopter reveal the majesty of the Sea to Sky region

MOUNTAIN GALLERIES PRESENTS EXHIBITION & SALE OF NEW WORK BY TOP CANADIAN ARTISTS

Kenneth Harrison, ‘Black Tusk,’ 36” x 48“

VISIT US IN THE UPPER VILLAGE Fairmont Chateau Whistler | Open Daily | 604.935.1862 Worldwide Shipping

Mountain @MntGalleries

Galleries at the Fairmont

W W W . M O U N T A I N G A L L E R I E S . C O M

Jasper Park Lodge | Banff Springs | Chateau Whistler

CHAMPAGNE SHOWERS

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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contents Fashion & Fine Art 26 The latest styles and Whistler’s culture scene

BY MIKE CRANE

Whistler Wonders 36 Adventures by helicopter reveal the majesty of the Sea to Sky

BY ALISON TAYLOR

Perfecting the Journey to the Alpine 49 Whistler Blackcomb continues its decades-long history of lift building

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

A Cut Above 64

Whistler offers its take on the modern steakhouse

BY BRANDON BARRETT

CONTRIBUTORS

JUSTA JESKOVA

JOEL BARDE is a writer for Pique Newsmagazine.

A graduate of the UBC Graduate School of Journalism, his work has appeared in CIM Magazine and The Walrus.

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BRANDON BARRETT is a reporter and features editor with Pique Newsmagazine. Originally from Ontario, he arrived from Medellin in 2012 where he was reporting South American news for Colombia Reports.

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

DAVID BUZZARD is a commercial, architectural, and food photographer based in Whistler and Vancouver. He has won nine press awards for photojournalism for the Whistler Question and Squamish Chief.

MIKE CRANE is a freelance photographer living the dream in Whistler and beyond, wandering this incredible landscape by hike, bike, paddle, snowboard and skis. Explore, travel, create and repeat.

BRADEN DUPUIS is a transplanted Saskatchewan flatlander lost in the Whistler mountains. He spends his days working as a reporter for Pique Newsmagazine.

His mom thinks he is brilliant.

Your adventure awaits Ziptrek Ecotours hosts a selection of breathtaking zipline tours.

Our wilderness adventure area is located directly above Whistler Village, in the spectacular temperate rainforest valley between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

Discover eco-exhilarationÂŽ

ziptrek.com 604.935.0001 WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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contents ARTS SCENE: Snowy Inspirations 21

BY ALYSSA NOEL

WHISTLER HOMES: The View from the Top 55

BY ALISON TAYLOR

FACES OF WHISTLER: Home Away from Home 61

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

PERFECT PAIRING: Great Wines for Great Steaks 74

DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Greeting 8 Fresh Tracks 12 Bits and bites of information about winter in Whistler

Events Calendar 18 Unwind Adventure Guide 45

BY SAMANTHA RAHN

Shopping Whistler 88

CASUAL DINING: Dip In! 77

Services Directory 97

BY MEGAN LALONDE

VILLAGE VIBE: Covering the Bases 85

BY JOEL BARDE

SOCIAL PAGE: Scene in Whistler 98

COVER PHOTO: Geoff and Virginia explore the enchanted ice cave hidden deep within the largest southern-most ice cap in Canada, just 15 minutes north of Whistler by helicopter through Head-Line Mountain Holidays.

By Logan Swayze

CONTRIBUTORS

MIKECRANEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

MEGAN LALONDE is a transplant from Ottawa and a graduate of Carlton University. She writes for Pique Newsmagazine.

You can find her on the mountain or cruising Instagram for the next great hiking spot.

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BRIGITTE MAH is a writer living the dream in Squamish, B.C. When she isn't pecking at her keyboard, she can be found climbing rock somewhere high.

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

Originally from Alberta, ALYSSA NOEL is Pique Newsmagazine’s assistant editor.

She has an M.A. in arts and culture reporting, and her work has appeared in SPIN magazine, The Province and OnEarth.

LOGAN SWAYZE is a Whistler-based photographer born and raised in the Kootenays.

When not shooting, Logan is either on his bike or board, or off travelling the world.

Freelance writer EMMA TAYLOR hails from the Yorkshire Pennines, U.K. Her love of the outdoors brought her to Whistler's mountains in 1998, where she thrives on the creative and sporting opportunities Whistler has to offer.

WWW.DAVIDMCCOLM.COM

editor’s message

WHISTLER’S UNIVERSAL APPEAL NORTH AMERICA’S NO. 1 SKI TOWN SPEAKS TO ALL

F

ROM R OYALTY TO SKI BUM S, Whistler’s appeal remains universal.

Whether it’s Prince Charles taking his boys for a fondue dinner at the Crystal Hut (read our story Dip In!) or ski bums eking out just enough of a living, Whistler resonates with all equally. This is, perhaps, its greatest charm, and something that both locals and tourists hold dear. We are all the same here, united in a passion for our mountain playground.

Celebrities come and go and Whistler barely raises an eye. Millionaires rub shoulders with the rest of us. Original ski cabins sit next to multi-million-dollar mansions and instead of dragging the neighbourhood down, they offer a little history, a little old-school appeal of simpler, wilder times.

So, what is it that beguiles us all? What is it about Whistler, for example, that draws Americans here and entices them to contribute to the community? The American

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

ALISON TAYLOR Editor

Friends of Whistler have contributed $1.1 million to the Whistler community—their second home—as you’ll read about in our profile story, Home Away from Home.

It’s because they have fallen in love with this community.

And let’s not forget about the thousands of Aussies and Brits and Japanese and Europeans and Mexicans who come every year, swelling this little town just shy of 12,000 permanent people (according to the 2016 census) to thousands more. Once the seasonal workers get a taste of Whistler, the real Whistler, they do everything they can to stay and make a life here.

Arguably, it’s the world-class amenities

like the five-star restaurants that hold some appeal. Or, it may be the endless and aweinspiring recreational adventures on our doorstep such as spending time in frozen ice caves (read our Whistler Wonders Unveiled story) or heli-skiing in virgin powder or skiing in North America’s No. 1 ski resort.

But that’s all just scratching the surface.

At its heart, Whistler is everything a laidback West Coast ski and bike town should be—vibrant, passionate, always pushing boundaries, shrugging our shoulders at the chance of more conventional lives.

Here, we live and breathe by the mountains—the early-morning avalanche bombs, the late-afternoon alpenglow, the après celebrations. And, perhaps most of all, the enduring sense of being a part of something bigger than all of us, princes and paupers alike.

Alison

p: Logan Swayze

SNOW SCHOOL

HERE TO HELP. Improve your skills and build your confidence.

Enjoy priority loading on all lifts, discover hidden runs, powder stashes, and the mountain’s best kept secrets. Available to all ages and abilities, in group or private packages.

VISIT ANY SNOW SCHOOL SALES DESK, OR CALL 1.800.766.0449 TO LEARN MORE. whistlerblackcomb.com

/

WINTER/SPRING 2019

“What’s on your bucket list this winter?”

GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERTISING/OPERATIONS

Catherine Power-Chartrand EDITOR

Alison Taylor

Now that I've taken my first helicopter ride (to an enchanted ice cave no less), I'm hooked.

Top of my bucket list this winter is: heli-anything!

Can’t -miss events on my calendar include the always-indulgent Cornucopia festival, featuring a smorgasbord of delectable eats and top-shelf wines, as well as the Whistler Film Festival, which includes such a diverse set of films from around the globe that it is sure to satisfy every cinephiles’ needs.

ART DIRECTOR

Shelley Ackerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Joel Barde Brandon Barrett Braden Dupuis Brigitte Mah Megan Lalonde Alyssa Noel Samantha Rahn Emma Taylor

So fortunate to have checked some amazing ones off my list: • Head-Line Ice Cave • Whistler Bungee • Ziptrek Sasquatch To do this winter: • Journeyman Lodge • Yukon Breakfast at Canadian Wilderness

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

David Buzzard Mike Crane Justa Jeskova David McColm Claire Ryan Logan Swayze PRESIDENT, WHISTLER PUBLISHING LP

Sarah Strother ACCOUNTING

Heidi Rode

CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION

Denise Conway

After writing about all the great places to try fondue in Whistler, Canadian Wilderness’ evening snowmobile tour up to the Crystal Hut has definitely been added to my list.

Learn to ski properly.

I can still barely make it down a green run after 20 years in Whistler!

Whistler Magazine (ISSN-0835-5460) is published twice annually by WHISTLER PUBLISHING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a division of GLACIER MEDIA GROUP 103-1390 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C., Canada, V0N 1B1 Phone 604-938-0202 | Fax 604-938-0201 | Toll-Free 1-877-419-8866 Email: cpower@whistlermagazine.com Also publishers of Pique Newsmagazine, weekly on Thursdays, and FAQ, published twice yearly. piquenewsmagazine.com | faqwhistler.com

PRINTED IN CANADA One-year (2 issues) subscription: $20 within Canada, $30 to the USA, $45 overseas.

Call to charge to VISA, MasterCard or American Express.

Copyright © 2019, by Glacier Media Group.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the publisher.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

GEAR FOR THE OUTER LIMITS AVAILABLE AT:

THE NORTH FACE STORE OWNED AND OPERATED BY WHISTLER BLACKCOMB

Deer Lodge, Across from the Brewhouse, Whistler Village 604-938-7432 PHOTO / THOMAS BEKKER

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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FRESH TRACKS

A NAME FOR THE AGES

MIKECRANEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

W

ith so many adrenalinejunkie, heart-racing activities to choose from in Whistler from cat-skiing to snowmobiling, you could be forgiven for overlooking the modest snowshoe; the pace, after all, is a little slower than most Whistler adventures. But don’t dismiss snowshoes so quickly. This is an amazing way to get a feel for the world beyond the Village and the serenity of the snow-laden, lifeaffirming coastal rainforest. You can rent snowshoes and explore on your own or go with a guide.

c Anyone who has stared down the entrance to the SAUDAN COULOIR on Blackcomb Mountain—rated one of the top 10 steepest in-bound runs in the world by Skiing Magazine—quickly understands its name. Sylvain Saudan was a legendary extreme skier throughout the seventies and eighties, with 23 first descents to his credit—the steeper, the better. Blackcomb not only named its epic double-black run after the Swiss skier, it also created the infamous Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme in the late eighties, a race that took skiers to the limit. Both names were used without permission and Saudan took exception. Unable to reach an agreement, the run was renamed the more generic Couloir Extreme and the race, which dropped 2,500 vertical feet, ultimately ran its course. Until now.

Last year Sylvain Saudan returned to Whistler and struck a deal. The Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme was revived as part of the 2018 Ski and Snowboard Festival and the Saudan Couloir is now officially back on the map. Both remain as daunting as ever.

LIGHT IT UP!

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

STEP BACK IN TIME

BY ALISON TAYLOR

c W H I ST L E R D O E S N ’ T typically do things by half measures—even its holiday light display. Beginning in October, municipal crews start unravelling thousands of strings of lights in preparation for the holiday season. The lights— bright bolds, multi-coloured pastels and twinkling whites— are all strung on Village trees.

Close to 350,000 bulbs or 5,000 strings of lights go up every year. It makes for the ultimate winter fairytale land, sprinkling a little magic in the winter sky.

MAKING TRACKS passage for some—being one of the first up Whistler Mountain for a Fresh Tracks breakfast at the Roundhouse Lodge. But Fresh Tracks isn’t just about breakfast. It’s also about being the first to hit the fresh snow.

With a Fresh Tracks ticket, the gondola loads an hour before official opening and guests can tuck in to a buffet breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes, pastries, yoghurt and fruit before hitting the slopes. The trick is in making sure you don’t eat too much—there’s a full day of skiing ahead. As soon as you hear the ringing of the bell and the shout, “Runs are open,” you’re good to go and lay down freshies before everyone else.

JUSTA JESKOVA

JUSTA JESKOVA

I

T’S AN ANNUAL WINTER rite of

ENJOYING CANADA’S GAME

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OT MANY people can say they’ve had the chance to fly by helicopter to a frozen alpine lake for a game of pick-up hockey. In Whistler,

depending on the time of year, this is entirely possible. If the timing and budget don’t allow for hockey at 7,000 feet above sea level, however, there’s plenty of choice in

the valley below. Whether it’s for a simple skate or a competitive game, check out Whistler’s lakes when frozen—there are five in the valley—or enjoy twirling around the ice at

the free outdoor rink at Whistler Olympic Plaza or the indoor rink at Meadow Park Sports Centre. The outdoor rink is scheduled to open Dec.8.

LOCAL LEGENDS OF APRÈS

THE HAIRFARMERS Guitar Doug and Grateful Greg put Whistler’s après scene on the map.

RED CHAIR This four-piece rock band is a hometown favourite with their high-energy performances.

SUSAN HOLDEN A songstress with guitar, Holden can hold an après audience captive with her soulful sound.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE HAIRFARMERS, RED CHAIR & SUSAN HOLDEN

THERE’S A REASON why Whistler is consistently ranked No. 1 when it comes to its après scene. And a big part of that reason is the local music that keeps those ski boots tapping from early afternoon long into the night.

For the full Whistler après experience don’t miss an after-ski session with these three legendary Whistler acts.

c WHISTLER is an endless lineup of summertime fun from May to September every year. It begins with the Great Outdoors Festival (GO Fest) when Whistler officially welcomes the start of summer with open arms.

June and July bring Tough Mudder and the Whistler Half Marathon events followed by music in the mountains when the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra takes the mainstage at Whistler Olympic Plaza. During the height of the summer the action never stops with the Whistler Children’s Festival, Ironman, Wanderlust and Crankworx. And once sleepy September is now action-packed with GranFondo and the Whistler Village Beer Festival. There’s always something happening in Whistler.

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

CLAIRE RYAN

SUNNY SUMMER DAYS

JOURNEY TO JOURNEYMAN

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HE MAJESTIC bald eagles come to Squamish every winter, drawn “home” by the spawning salmon in

the Squamish and Cheakamus Rivers. This is North America’s largest gathering of bald eagles and it’s a sight to behold. The eagles can arrive as early as November and some stay until March with the population peaking in December and January. This is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Check out Eagle Run Park, just north of Squamish in JUSTA JESKOVA

Brackendale for some of the best views.

SPA TRADITIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COURTESY ARTS ADVENTURES CANADA

c WHEN IT COMES TO SOOTHING those mountain-weary muscles, Whistler has something for everyone. Here are a few of the options. The Four Seasons Spa offers the ever-popular Sea to Sky Massage, the long flowing strokes reminiscent of the winding scenic Sea to Sky Highway. At the Taman Sari Spa—touted as the only authentic Javanese spa in North America— guests can experience a traditional Javanese massage, inspired from centuries-old traditions among Javanese royalty. And don’t forget the traditional Finnish experience of hydrotherapy at the Scandinave Spa—heat up in the sauna, commit to a cold plunge in an outdoor pool.

Relax and repeat.

BRING THE WILD INSIDE!

JUSTA JESKOVA

I

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

F YOUR SKI-WEARY legs need a welldeserved rest from the slopes, now you can bring the outdoors inside with Arts Adventures Canada (AAC).

Launched in 2018 to provide high-quality private art programs for individuals and groups, AAC matches local artists to guests. And the results speak for themselves!

Take the Rainbow Bear portrait. More than 300 unique bears have come to life on canvas as a local artist guides guests

through the brush strokes, teaching them to channel their inner Picasso.

AAC is mobile and brings everything to your doorstep, designing custom classes for each group whether it’s large conferences and retreats or more intimate settings such as wedding parties or private family events.

Along with the popular painting workshops, AAC also offers First Nations drum making, mosaics, photowalks and more.

Check out arts adventurescanada.com.

c WHEN THE JOURNEY begins at the end of a road, you know you’re in for an adventure! The journey to the Journeyman Lodge is unlike any other, cross-country skiing deep in the spectacular Callaghan Valley.

It begins at the Alexander Falls Touring Centre, where you can rent skis and buy tickets.

There, you trade in your car for skis and hit the snow, slowly shedding civilization as you glide up into the heart of one of Whistler’s prettiest and wildest backcountry spots.

After 13.5 kilometres of trail you arrive at the aptly-named Journeyman Lodge, built for overnight guests looking to spend more time exploring the valley by skis or snowshoes.

Beyond the lodge lies 3,500 hectares of alpine terrain and with an annual average snowpack of 365 centimetres (12 feet), there is so much here to explore.

Reservations must be made in advance for the lodge. Your cross-country ticket also offers access to a 90-km trail network including the nearby world-class Olympic Nordic facility— Whistler Olympic Park—built for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visit callaghancountry.com.

DESTINATION CANADA

FRESH TRACKS THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED

I

F YOU DON’T GET your fill of Whistler this winter, there’s another reason to come back in the summer for something new and exciting and never seen here before.

It’s called Vallea Lumina and it’s a multimedia night-walk through the coastal rainforest at Cougar Mountain.

When the sun goes down, the forest comes alive and the adventure begins. Vallea Lumina takes you on an enchanted journey through an ancient forest of talking trees,

JUSTA JESKOVA

TALKING TREES & STARDUST

luminescent fish, twinkling stardust and hidden forest delights, all while telling a story along the way. It runs every night after dusk throughout the spring, summer and fall.

And at $29 per ticket and suitable for families, this is an experience for everyone to enjoy.

The walk is roughly 1.5 kilometres winding up and down through the forest and the experience takes between 50 to 80 minutes.

Visit vallealumina.com for tickets and times.

Follow, like or read us online!

W whistlermagazine.com WhistlerMagazine @whistlersmag whistlermag

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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FRESH TRACKS MOUNTAIN ROOTS BUY LOCAL, BUILD COMMUNITY

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HISTLER OOZES WITH A

COURTESY ZERO CEILING

unique charm and youthful vibrancy unparalleled elsewhere.

Eclectic entrepreneurial spirit abounds.

Passion for the mountains seamlessly transfers into passion for creative projects.

This is what makes our little mountain town so special. — Emma Taylor

SEA TO SKY’S THE LIMIT SINCE 1997, WHISTLER-BASED CHARITY Zero Ceiling has empowered at-risk and homeless youth to live healthy and independent lives, providing them with adventurebased learning, employment, housing and professional support. The Work 2 Live residency program assists eight youth per year from Metro Vancouver and the Sea to Sky corridor— transforming lives and fostering hope. Its graduates often choose to work in the tourism industry. Many young people first attend a one-day Adventure Session to get a taste of mountain life. For more information or to donate check out zeroceiling.org

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T H E I R R E S I ST I B L E H O N E Y B E A R

Blonde Chocolate, made with the Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s rooftop honey, tastes just as good as it sounds. It’s the latest offering in Executive Pastry Chef Anup Chaubal’s signature chocolate line, which includes sister chocolate bars the Black Bear Dark Chocolate and the Brown Bear Milk Chocolate. The Honeybear Blonde combines subtle sweet white chocolate with salty caramel, almonds toasted in rooftop honey, bee pollen and delectable B.C. blueberries. Purchase all three 100 gram bars at Portobello Deli and Market, located in the lower lobby of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Check out Portobello’s recent multimillion-dollar renovation while you’re there, boasting a gourmet barista bar to complement its made-to-order sandwiches and divine pastries, a full-service bar featuring craft beers on tap, and an animated open kitchen with extended dining hours.

Don’t miss the open-flame rotisserie chicken, pork ribs, and smoked brisket.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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F E D U P W I T H S C R AT C H E D

goggle lenses every winter? Founding trio Josh Gray, Andy Taylor and Rich Adrian-Smith offer the answer. It’s called gogglesoc. This innovative product stylishly replaces that pesky goggle bag with a sleek, stretchy microfibre cover made from recycled plastic bottles. Available in over 50 eye-catching designs, these funky and ethical socs make a great souvenir—check out the aurora, trail map and Whistler resort soc designs. Purchase from Village stores including McCoo’s, McCoo’s Too/Ripcurl, Whistler Village Sports, Comor, Fanatyk Co, Mountain Kids Outfitters, Summit Sport, Coastal Culture in Creekside, Whistler Blackcomb retail stores and online at gogglesoc.com

KATE ZESSEL

ABUZZ OVER CHOCOLATE

WHISTLER-STYLE VISION

WILDERNESS INSPIRED ART c

COURTESY GOGGLESOC

COURTESY FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER

c

A R T I S T K AT E Z E S S E L S H A R E S

these words to live and work by: “Surround yourself with places and people who inspire you and do what you love!” A graduate of the the Art Institute of Vancouver’s graphic design program, Zessel’s striking illustrations commonly depict West Coast wild animals such as wolves, bears and deer. Discover her work on everything from mugs and growlers to snowboards and yoga mats. Available in Whistler Blackcomb retail stores, Mount Currie Coffee Co, Cheeky Cafe in Cheakamus Crossing and her studio/store The Dire Wolf Collective in Function Junction.

Worldwide shipping and custom/commission pieces available at zesseldesigns.com

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! WINTER IN WHISTLER IS PACKED FULL OF FUN AND ACTION. THESE ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS.

FESTIVALS

SPORTS & RECREATION

NOV. 28–DEC. 2

SUNDAY NIGHTS

FEB. 25-MAR. 10

“Canada’s Coolest Film Festival” is back for its 18th year with more than 90 films, industry events and red carpet premières. whistlerfilmfestival.com

The perfect way to start the week as skiers and snowboarders jump through blazing rings of fire at the base of Whistler Mountain.

Sunday evenings from mid-Dec. to late March. whistlerblackcomb.com

Bobsleigh and skeleton racers take centre stage at the Whistler Sliding Centre. whistlersportlegacies.com

MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS

People from around the world come to Whistler for this long-running festival full of parties and group ski days. This is Canada’s biggest LGBTQ ski and snowboard week. whistlerpride.com FEB. 9-10

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR

For the first time, Whistler welcomes the Hometown Hockey Tour and temporarily trades in its skis for skates. This hockey celebration features two days of live entertainment, NHL alumni and an outdoor viewing party of the Toronto Maple Leafs/New York Rangers game. hometownhockey.com APR. 9-14

WORLD SKI AND SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL

Whistler always caps off the ski season with a party to end all parties in the mountains. The WSSF brings together sport, arts and culture, and music for the ultimate send-off. whistler.com

Join in as Whistler takes part in one of its biggest fundraising weekends of the year. The Classic includes the annual ski race and the always-epic party at the Roundhouse. whistlerblackcombfoundation.com

TO JAN. 28

ANCESTRAL MODERN: AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL ART

THURSDAYS

KOKANEE VALLEY RACE SERIES

Recreational race series open to all—skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders. whistlerblackcomb.com NOV. 22

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB OPENING DAY

whistlerblackcomb.com NOV. 30-DEC. 1

VIESSMANN LUGE WORLD CUP

More than 100 of the world’s fastest luge athletes will be hurtling down one of the fastest sliding tracks at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Cheer on these competitors from around the world as they reach speeds of more than 130 kilometres per hour. whistlerslidingcentre.com FEB. 22-23

PEAK TO VALLEY RACE

For 25 years, amateur racers have been taking on one of the longest and most legendary races in the world.

It starts at the peak of Whistler Mountain and ends at the bottom, with roughly 80 leg-burning gates in between. Anyone can enter a team of four to test their mettle against some of the best…if you dare. whistlerblackcomb.com

APR. 11-14

WHISTLER CUP

Cheer on the next generation of ski racers as athletes ages 12 to 15 suit up and put their skills to the test. The Whistler Cup is the biggest race of its kind in North America. whistlercup.com

This temporary exhibit at the Audain Art Museum features a collection of indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islands artists from the Kaplan & Levi Collection. audainartmuseum.com MAR. 10

AD MARE WIND QUINTET

The Ad Mare Wind Quintet offers a diverse performance covering the Classical and Romantic periods, World Music and modern works. At Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. whistlerchambermusic.ca

APR. 22

BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN CLOSING DAY

COURTESY JOE TRIO

WHISTLER PRIDE AND SKI FESTIVAL

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB FOUNDATION TELUS WINTER CLASSIC

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

JAN. 20-27

Family-friendly fun après at Whistler Olympic Plaza from 3 to 6 pm. Family après kicks off on Dec. 17 and runs twice weekly until March 27. whistler.com

MAR. 1-2

whistlerblackcomb.com MAY 27

WHISTLER MOUNTAIN CLOSING DAY

APR. 14

JOE TRIO

whistlerblackcomb.com

The Whistler Chamber Music Society presents Joe Trio, a classically trained violin-piano-cello threesome. At Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. whistlerchambermusic.ca

WORLD SKI AND SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

FAMILY APRÈS

BMW IBSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COURTESY AUDAIN ART MUSEUM

FIRE & ICE SHOW

WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL

ARTS & MUSIC

APR. 27

SING IN THE SPRING

Celebrate the season with the Whistler Singers at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church.

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATIONS

FESTIVE NOV. 24-25

ARTS WHISTLER HOLIDAY MARKET

Get all your holiday presents and goodies at this annual artisan market that takes place over two days at the Whistler Conference Centre. Find everything from cards and art to food and jewelry and everything else in between. artswhistler.com NOV. 24-25

BRATZ BIZ

Celebrating Whistler’s youngest artists in conjunction with established artisans, Bratz Biz is the perfect complement to the Holiday Market, also at the Conference Centre. artswhistler.com DEC. 16

SWEET SCARLET SINGERS

Get in the holiday spirit with the Sweet Scarlet Singers as the group sings their way through a mix of choral seasonal music, including classics and contemporary favourites.

At Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. whistlerchambermusic.ca

DEC. 22-JAN.6

WHISTLER HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE

Explore Whistler 365 days a year

A large indoor family zone that keeps kids entertained for hours with bouncy castles, a mini putt, table games and more. Adults can chill in the lounge while the kids have a ball. At the Whistler Conference Centre. whistler.com

Enjoy the Village or venture further. Take transit and experience Whistler your way.

DEC. 24

CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL SERVICE

Join the community at the Westin Resort & Spa for this interdenominational celebration which includes music by the Whistler Children’s Chorus and Whistler Singers as well as readings about the birth of Christ. whistler.com

Leave the driving to us.

DEC. 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATIONS

Join in the festivities throughout the Village in this family-friendly outdoor party.

The evening includes alcoholfree youth activities and funfilled events throughout the Village Stroll. whistler.com

For up-to-date event listings and information, visit piquenewsmagazine.com or whistler.com

7133

Transit Info 604·932·4020 www.bctransit.com

@WhistlerTransit

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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Ski. Board. Art. Step inside and see the rest of BC.

Dick Nguleingulei Murrumurra, Nadulmi the Kangaroo, ca. 1970, Natural pigments on eucalyptus bark, 22 13/16 x 33 7/16 in.

Promised gift of Margaret Levi and Robert, Kaplan to the Seattle Art Museum © 2017 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VISCOPY, Australia, Courtesy American Federation of Arts

October 6, 2018 – January 28, 2019

Find out more at audainartmuseum.com

audainartmuseum.com

Upcoming Exhibitions 4350

Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art from the Kaplan & Levi Collection Blackcomb Way, Whistler 604.962.0413 October 6, 2018 – January 28, 2019

Bill Reid, Killer Whale, 1984, Audain Art Museum Collection, Gift of Michael Audain and Yoshiko Karasawa, 2015.012

Outstanding contemporary art by Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander artists.

Joseph Tisiga: Tales of an Empty Cabin February 16 – April 29, 2019

Installations, photography and paintings by Canadian First Nations artist Joseph Tisiga exploring narratives of colonial erasure.

Permanent Collection: The Art of B.C. Ongoing

The art of our province from late 18th century First Nations masks to a diverse collection of contempory painting, sculpture and photography.

Hours Open Daily Open Friday Closed Tuesday

10am – 5pm 10am – 9pm

Location 4350 Blackcomb Way, Whistler T: 604.962.0413 Photo: RAEF.ca

arts scene

FROM THE SKI HILL TO WHISTLER VILLAGE, ARTISTS PUT BRUSH TO CANVAS TO CAPTURE WINTER FUN ABOVE: THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF WHISTLER WONDERLAND,

BY CORI ROSS.

SNOWY INSPIRATIONS

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H E N C O R I R O S S S E T O U T to become an artist, she had no idea that the first piece she would sell would still be one of her most popular paintings nearly 20 years later.

Whistler Wonderland has been updated three times to reflect the ever-changing Whistler Village—and Ross’ evolving aesthetic—but its essence has remained the same. It features ski runs on a mountain, idyllic ski town buildings and her signature white-dotted snowflakes.

“I change the flags, the trees get a little bigger, sometimes the sky is different, but it’s still that iconic Village scene,” Ross says from her home studio in Whistler’s Barnfield neighbourhood.

That original painting has long sold, but with a little bit of foresight and business savvy, Ross realized she could sell giclee prints—which use a highly specialized inkjet printer that makes colour pop—to “hit every price point” for art fans interested in her work.

She’s captured several other ski town-inspired images over the years as well. From rows of skis to an old Whistler gondola, an inukshuk at sunset or snow-caked trees, Ross’s work shows the true heart of a local.

You can find Ross’s art at Skitch in the Village or online at crossdesigns.bc.ca >>

STO RY BY ALYS SA NO E L WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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LEFT: FIGHT OR FLIGHT, BY ANGELA MORGAN, FROM ADELE CAMPBELL GALLERY. ABOVE: NIGHT RIPPING, BY PETER WYSE, FROM ADELE CAMPBELL GALLERY.

PETER WYSE MIGHT LIVE DOWN the Sea to Sky Highway in Clayburn,

B.C., but his passion for skiing prompts the same emotions—and artistic inspiration.

“I’m 48 now and when I ski, I feel like a kid,” he says. “It’s the most amazing feeling ever. You’re so present.”

His paintings—which you’ll find in Whistler at the Adele Campbell Gallery—exude that playfulness and movement, particularly the images that feature ski scenes. They primarily depict colourful characters in the midst of careening downhill with arms jubilantly raised, mid-flip over a mountain, or peacefully gliding across snow.

“What I love about my ski paintings personally is they’re active,” Wyse says. “My hockey paintings are like a hockey card almost, but ski paintings, they’re more involved.”

In fact, Wyse has gleaned plenty of inspiration over the last 12 years from skiing with his now-15-year-old son. “My son is really interested in skiing,” he says. “He was three when he started ski lessons. I switched from snowboarding to skiing at the time and fell in love with it…There’s that amazing energy and that makes it easy to translate and find the story.”

SIMILARLY, FERNIE, BC-BASED ARTIST Angela Morgan—who is also represented in Whistler by the Adele Campbell Gallery—turns to her kids, the slopes and the winter season for inspiration.

Where Wyse employs the use of precise lines and a few solid colours, Morgan jam-packs her paintings with many colours, patterns and a looser vibe. “My art is fun, playful and it’s a lot of movement (having watched) all those kids for so many years,” Morgan says, referring to her time on the ski hill.

While Fernie might be a smaller ski town almost 1,000 kilometres southeast of Whistler, Morgan still taps into the joie de vivre that comes from living where other people vacation—a common thread between both locations.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

“I’m drawn to people, not so much landscape,” she adds.

Nowadays, her four children also provide plenty of fodder for her canvas. “Being with them on the mountain for so many years, on the ski lifts that I love painting (has been inspiring),” she says. “(Skiing) is like riding a bike; everyone can do it from the wee little ones to 80 year olds. It’s that experience that’s universally shared.”

Although she’s been an artist for 18 years, Morgan still enjoys releasing a new round of winter-inspired art every year. Her work will be featured as part of the gallery’s 25th anniversary show starting on Nov. 24. And then, on Feb. 16, 2019, the space will exhibit her winter collection in a solo show.

“I (don’t paint) a specific Whistler scene, per se, but the paintings capture a memory or time,” Morgan says. “When people are on vacation, they have time to go to the gallery and enjoy it and take their kids and look around and find a piece that resonates with them. It might represent what they’ve enjoyed— everyone walking with their skis, losing their toques, finding their mitts. Hopefully it makes people smile too.” >>

whistler galleries AUDAIN ART MUSEUM Open Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Tuesday.

4350 Blackcomb Way, 604-962-0413 ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY Open daily from 11 a.m. in the Westin Resort, 604-938-0887 ART JUNCTION GALLERY & FRAME STUDIO Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m.

1068 Millar Creek Road, Function Junction, 604-938-9000 BLACK TUSK GALLERY Open daily from 11 a.m. in the Hilton Resort, 1-877-905-5540 FATHOM STONE ART GALLERY & STUDIO In the Westin Resort, 604-962-7722 MARK RICHARDS GALLERY Open daily from noon in the Hilton Resort, 604-932-1911

A AD DE EL LE E C CA AM MP PB BE EL LL L F F II N NE E A A RT, RT, W WH H II SS T TL LE ER R

25TH ART OF WINTER GROUP EXHIBITION November 24, 2018 MIKE SVOB & CAMERON BIRD January 26, 2019 LAURA HARRIS February 9, 2019 ANGELA MORGAN February 16, 2019 JENNIFER SPARACINO March 23, 2019

MOUNTAIN GALLERIES AT THE FAIRMONT Open weekdays at 9 a.m. and weekends at 8 a.m., in the Fairmont Chateau, 604-935-1862 THE PLAZA GALLERIES Open daily from 10 a.m., 22 – 4314 Main Street, 604-938-6233 THE GALLERY AT MAURY YOUNG ARTS CENTRE Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m., Sunday from 4 p.m. at 4335 Blackcomb Way, 604-935-8410 SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4584 Blackcomb Way, 1 866 441 SLCC (7522) SUZANNE JOHNSTON STUDIO GALLERY In the Westin Resort, 604 -935 -3444 VINCENT MASSEY STUDIO 8605 Forest Ridge Drive, 604-932-6455 WHISTLER CONTEMPORARY GALLERY Hilton Resort, 604-938-3001 (main) Four Seasons Resort, 604-935-3999

Celebrating 25 Years PAINTINGS

SCULPTURE

JEWELLERY

ADELECAMPBELL.COM WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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THOUGH HE CALLS EDMONTON, Alberta home, Randy Hayashi still

BLACK TUSK BOARDERS, BY RANDY HAYASHI, FROM MOUNTAIN GALLERIES AT THE FAIRMONT.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

gleans inspiration from the mountains. The painter grew up travelling to Jasper and Banff for camping trips and to hike—and in the winter, he took part in an age-old Edmonton tradition.

“My high school buddy and I would wake up at 4 a.m., drive five hours to Lake Louise (Ski Resort) to get a day of snowboarding in and head back home that night,” Hayashi says. “As an adult, I’ve continued to spend time in the mountains with my wife and sons and the occasional trips to canoe, camp and take photos as reference for my paintings.”

There’s also a reason why many of his paintings capture the essence of Whistler. “My brothers live in the greater Vancouver area and so we’d travel there every summer to get cousins together and take the opportunity to experience the West Coast in a variety of ways,” he explains.

Longhorn Sundown perfectly embodies the après hubbub outside the Whistler haunt, The Longhorn Saloon. The piece features snowboards piled in snow banks and crowds gathered around tables still in their gear. Black Tusk Boarders, meanwhile, captures the namesake volcanic rock that serves as a local towering landmark complete with snowboarders in the foreground.

It’s no surprise that Hayashi has been represented by Mountain Galleries at the Fairmont in Whistler for the last nine years.

“Access to these wild places is a great privilege and I would guess that those who experience this understand the awe, wonder, adrenaline, excitement and aliveness,” he says. “It’s my hope that I can capture a small piece of that to serve as a tangible reminder of these mountain experiences.” W

PATAGONIA STORE Whistler’s Marketplace 4350 Lorimer Rd #119 Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, Canada 604.932.2526

COLIN WISEMAN © 2018 Patagonia, Inc.

PAT_F18_WhistlerTheMagazine_Whistler_Marketplace.indd 1

9/19/18 11:51 AM

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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style

ARTIST JESSA GILBERT DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM EXPLORING THE BACKCOUNTRY IN BC’S RUGGED MOUNTAINS AND CREATES PIECES THAT CELEBRATE ADVENTURE AND DISCOVERY. SHE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER TO CREATE THIS MURAL IN THE CREEKSIDE UNDERPASS. JESSA WEARS A VOLCOM HELLOOO SWEATER IN HEATHER GREY, A MAVI KARLINA MID-RISE SKINNY JEAN IN MOONLESS NIGHT TWILL AND A NIXON X AMUSE SOCIETY KENSINGTON WATCH IN GOLD, ALL FROM SHOWCASE. HER RUNNING IN CIRCLES MINI NECKLACE WAS DESIGNED BY ADRIENNE DEEKS OF RUBY TUESDAY, THE MOUNTAIN HOOK EARRINGS WERE DESIGNED

BY TREELINE COLLECTIVE AND THE WOLF RING WAS DESIGNED

BY NANCY DAWSON. ALL ARE AVAILABLE AT RUBY TUESDAY.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

Fashion & Fine Art WITH SO MANY FABULOUS SHOPS throughout the Village,

Whistler is a shopper’s dream for fashion and fine art.

This winter we focus on Whistler’s vibrant arts and culture scene, highlighting a few of the many people whose passion shapes Whistler’s evolution as a cultural destination. Let our boutiques and shops help you look your best as you take in galleries and cultural venues.

PHOTOS & TEXT BY M I K E C R A N E

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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style

SUTIKEM BIKADI IS AN AMBASSADOR AT THE SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE, WHO WORKS TO SHARE THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE SQUAMISH AND LIL’WAT NATIONS. SUTIKEM WEARS A LUXURIOUS ZODIE SWEATER KNIT FROM YAK WOOL FROM DENMARK, AVAILABLE AT AMOS AND ANDES (WHISTLER’S SWEATER SHOP).

HER DRESS IS FROM FIG, AN ETHICAL CANADIAN COMPANY SUPPORTING CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS, ALSO AVAILABLE AT AMOS AND ANDES. HER BOS & CO MANTEL BOOTS ARE LINED WITH 100 PER CENT WOOL, AVAILABLE FROM SOLES. THE BAHIA POST EARRING ARE DESIGNED BY AYALA BAR, AND HANDCRAFTED IN ISRAEL. HER ETERNAL LOVE NECKLACE WAS DESIGNED BY PYRRHA, THE HAMMERED THREE-SPINNER RING WAS DESIGNED BY ADRIENNE DEEKS. ALL ARE AVAILABLE AT RUBY TUESDAY.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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style

BENJAMIN MCLAUGHLIN IS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND A CONTRIBUTING ARTIST AT MOUNTAIN GALLERIES AT THE FAIRMONT. HE CREATES UNIQUE WOODEN PIECES AND SPECIALIZES IN SOUND RESONATING FURNITURE. BEN WEARS 34 HERITAGE PANTS IN WINE TWILL AND A BUGATCHI CLASSIC FIT LONG SLEEVE POP FLORAL PRINTED COTTON SHIRT FROM OPEN COUNTRY. HIS WATCH IS A KORITE "RENAISSANCE" WITH A CERAMIC/ROSE STAINLESS STEEL CASE, AMMOLITE/ MOTHER OF PEARL DIAL, CHOCOLATE CERAMIC BEZEL, SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL AND BROWN LEATHER STRAP, AVAILABLE AT KEIR FINE JEWELLERY.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

SOFTEN YOUR LINES NOT YOUR EDGE

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style

LIZ HARRIS IS THE OWNER AND DIRECTOR AT ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CLIENTELE AND PROVIDING HER EXPERTISE TO MAKE EACH ART EXPERIENCE UNIQUE. LIZ IS WEARING A SOYA CONCEPT MAIJA 3 BLOUSE FROM OC2, AND A LUXURIOUS AND VERSATILE “BEYOND SOFT” 100% CASHMERE RUFFLE SHAWL FROM SNOWFLAKE. THE HILLBERG & BERK WHITE SPARKLE BALL SWAROVSKI AND STERLING SILVER CRYSTAL EARRINGS, CLARK BRACELET WITH MIXED-METAL DETAILS AND ROUGH-CUT PYRITE AND LASERCOATED HEMATITE, AND LIMITED EDITION SEMI-PRECIOUS STONE NECKLACE ARE ALL AVAILABLE THROUGH ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

Fashion + Footwear WHISTLER CANADA

Visit us for all your Whistler essentials

Open Country

Fairmont Chateau Whistler 604.938.9268

OC 2

Mountain Square Whistler 604.938.9266

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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style

WHISTLER’S AUDAIN ART MUSEUM SHOWCASES THE ART OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE LATE 18TH CENTURY TO PRESENT, AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF FIRST NATIONS MASKS AND WORKS BY SOME OF CANADA’S MOST CELEBRATED ARTISTS. JESSA GILBERT VISITS THE MUSEUM IN A SOYA CONCEPT SHIRT, MAVI JEANS AND MOS MOSH BLAZER, ALL FROM OC2.

HER SHOES ARE COBB HILL RASHEL BUCKLE BY ROCKPORT, IN STONE, FROM SOLES. HER 14K WHITE GOLD DIAMOND HUGGIE EARRINGS, 14K WHITEGOLD WITH CANADIAN DIAMOND SNOWFLAKE PENDANT, 14K WHITE GOLD FOUR-ROW DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY BAND, AND 14K WHITE, YELLOW AND ROSE-GOLD DIAMOND BANGLES ARE ALL AVAILABLE AT KEIR FINE JEWELLERY. W

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

CAN-SKI BLACKCOMB GLACIER LODGE BLACKCOMB BASE 604.938.7744

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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cover story

WHISTLER WONDERS

UNVEILED ADVENTURES BY HELICOPTER REVEAL MAJESTY OF SEA TO SKY

STANDING IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTHERNMOST ICE CAP IN CANADA. IT’S EASY TO SEE WHY HEAD-LINE FUNNELS A PORTION OF ITS ICE CAVE REVENUES TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

STORY BY AL IS O N TAY LO R

I

P H OTO S BY LO GA N SWAY Z E

T’S SAID THAT THE FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE OF THE NORTH HAVE DOZENS OF WORDS for snow and ice, much like diehard skiers in Whistler; snow that is falling softly or “aqilokoq,” for example, has a different name than snow that is good for driving a sled or “piegnartoq.”

That makes you wonder: Could there ever be a word that adequately describes the ethereal blue of the walls of an ancient ice cave, shimmering deep under the banner of a frozen earth?

If so, it doesn’t exist yet. The word would have to encompass a blue so beautiful you want to reach out and touch it, a blue so mesmerizing it pulls you deeper and deeper underground, lighting the way as you go with promises of undiscovered wonders, a make-believe blue of frozen castles and supernatural powers.

Hard to believe this hidden wonderland is just 15 minutes, as the crow flies, from the biggest ski resort in North America, stretching deep underneath the largest southern-most ice cap in Canada. The ice cap is a huge mass of ice, yawning for hundreds of kilometres in the northern end of the Sea to Sky corridor. This particular ice cave, however, feels like some secret remote corner of Earth. And therein lies part of its beauty, and the beauty of heli-adventures in Whistler.

“In 15 minutes you are on an ice cap,” says Doug Washer, CEO of Head-Line Mountain Holidays, a premier holiday event management company. “In 30 minutes (you are in) the desert. In 20 minutes, the ocean.

(Helicopters) create tremendous access for people.”

Not to mention the fact, nothing beats it as one of the most exciting ways to travel. >>

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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“IN 15 MINUTES YOU ARE ON AN ICE CAP. IN 30 MINUTES (YOU ARE IN) THE DESERT. IN 20 MINUTES, THE OCEAN. (HELICOPTERS) CREATE TREMENDOUS ACCESS FOR PEOPLE.” —Doug Washer

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE…AND BELOW

F

THE 15 MINUTE HELICOPTER RIDE FROM WHISTLER TO THE ICE CAVE IS ALL PART OF THE ADVENTURE. 38

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

O R T H E U N I N I T I AT E D A N D WA RY

adventurer, all it takes is one helicopter ride to whet your appetite. After that, you’re hooked.

Any serious apprehensions are immediately put to rest as soon as you arrive at the Whistler Heliport north of the Village.

This is Blackcomb Helicopter’s base. The A-Star helicopter, gleaming in its distinctive cherry red, is polished to perfection and stands guard outside waiting for its next adventure. Five people clamber in, buckle up, put on headsets and wait in anticipation as pilot Steve Gray prepares for flight, the whirring blades cutting through the air. It’s as familiar a sound in Whistler as the distant boom of the early morning avalanche bombs throughout the winter season. It’s a gentle, easy take off and Gray sets a course north of Whistler.

And so, the day’s adventure begins. It feels effortless, soaring high in the sky with glaciers and alpine lakes and snow-laden trees stretching for miles. This is spectacular British Columbia laid out below us in all its glory.

It’s not long before the “tuya top” comes into view on the left, a flat-topped mountain that’s oddly out of place, begging the question: Why does it look like that? HeadLine guide Geoff Kyle explains this majestic top, caused by an erupting volcano that didn’t break through the ice, has been the site of weddings and proposals. Less romantic groups of people have also flown up to whack eco-friendly golf balls from the peak in the summer, others to watch the wildlife go by— mountain goats scaling near-vertical pitches, bears, moose, deer and cougars. This flight path is a pinch-point for Sea to Sky wildlife as they travel to and fro. >>

ADVENTURES POWERED BY

A Whistler MUST-DO!!

What an amazing experience. I would safely say that this should be on every persons bucket list when visiting whistler!

- Evan T, North Vancouver

1.800.330.HELI blackcombhelicopters.com Carbon Neutral tourism flights since 2017

/blackcombhelicopters

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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SNOWSHOE THE MEDICINE TRAIL

THE ICE IN THIS CAVE IS APPROXIMATELY 20 METRES THICK OVERHEAD.

604-938-1616 CANADIANWILDERNESS.COM CARLETON LODGE, MOUNTAIN SQUARE

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

F U RT H E R A LO N G , G L I N T I N G I N T H E S U N L I G H T, a flat expanse of white comes into view: the ice cap, or at least one small section of the 325 square kilometres of snow and ice. Gray glides into an easy landing, dropping us off on the massive white canvas, with circular moulins (holes in the glacier carrying water from the surface to the bottom) dotting the snow and towering peaks surrounding. He takes flight again, the helicopter disappearing behind the mountains...and all is oddly still and quiet, peacefulness descends over us.

We’re reminded of how to be safe out here, to respect this extraordinary environment, to keep in mind that this is no ordinary adventure.

“There are not a lot of people that get to walk inside of a glacier,” says Kyle.

Especially an ice cave like this. It’s hidden at first, the mouth of the cave facing east, but following Kyle, the careful descent into the heart of the glacier begins and the yawning mouth of the cave comes into sight. Stepping inside, cool air replaces the heat of the sun and the light starts to fade away. Running water underfoot drives home the sense that this is a moving and ever-changing landscape. Eventually all sunlight is replaced by icy blue walls as you move about 200 metres or more inside and the cave seems almost alive—a living, breathing cocoon.

“This particular (ice cave) because of its positioning and its depth and its length—all the right ingredients have come together so that it becomes extremely translucent,” says Kyle. “The sun can make its way through and just brighten the whole place up. I’ve never seen colours like that in my life.” >>

START YOUR JOURNEY

Can Ski Whistler Village 604.938.7755 Can Ski Blackcomb Base 604.938.7744 WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019 41

CLASSIC CANADIAN HELI-SKIING

T H E R E ’ S AT L E A S T 2 0 M E T R E S O F I C E A B O V E our heads and yet this is too mystical and magical to feel at all oppressive. A massive icy column stretches from the ceiling to the floor, standing guard over the scene.

It wasn’t that long ago, says Kyle, that they could crawl on their bellies for about 40 metres into another cave beyond dubbed the Chamber of Secrets. It opened into a dark glacial lake. This environment, however, is ever changing, creating a dynamic evolving experience that can change from season to season, year to year and even flight to flight.

It’s easy to see why these ice caves, and there are several, have become near and dear to Head-Line’s business.

“We want people to learn about safety and how to manage themselves (out there),” says Washer of what he hopes people take away from the experience. “(We want them to learn) how ice caves are formed, evolve, and how they change. And the rate that we are losing them.”

The ice has been melting for 15,000 years, when the glaciers began to retreat. The key is in understanding how much human impact is affecting the melt, among other things.

To that end, the company uses a portion of the ice cave revenues to an environmental stewardship program, in partnership with Simon Fraser University, called the White is Green Ice Cap Research Initiative.

P: Paul Morrison

THE ICE CAVE ADVENTURE IS TOPPED OFF WITH A FIVE-STAR PICNIC ON THE GLACIER.

N EXCLUSIVE TERRAIN. Proudly operating on 432,000 acres and 173 glaciers, the most exclusive glacial terrain in the region.

N PACKAGE VARIETY. Day heliskiing packages, utilizing 5 and 10 passenger helicopters.

N RIGHT IN WHISTLER. Conveniently located in Whistler’s vibrant village.

604.905.DEEP (3337) whistlerheliskiing.com

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

MORE ADVENTURES CALLING

VISIT WHISTLER HELI-SKIING AT THE CARLETON LODGE IN WHISTLER VILLAGE

T

HIS FEELS LIKE THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. Standing in the heart of the ice cave makes you want to explore more, go further into the backcountry, push the limits of human adventure and exploration.

Back on the frozen surface, sipping glacier-chilled bubbly and eating a five-star picnic on the glacier, the unmistakable sounds of the ride home hang in the air. It’s a signal that this unforgettable heli adventure is almost at its end…but there’s still the ride home.

The helicopter rises out of the ice cap, cresting up and over the mountains, and Earth falls away.

“Whatever you can dream up, it’s yours out here,” says Kyle.

“And if you can’t dream it up, all you have to do is say: ‘I want to do something spectacular.’”

And…it can be done. W

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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The most fun you'll have off the mountain.

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Coast down the world’s fastest sliding track in a 4-person bobsled, steered by a trained pilot, reaching speeds of up to 125 km/hr, or launch yourself head-first down the track and slide through six corners with speeds of up to 100km/hr! The Whistler Sliding Centre is a non-profit organization, all proceeds go directly towards growing sport and supporting bobsleigh, skeleton and luge athletes.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

info@whistlerslidingcentre.com whistlerslidingcentre.com /whistlerslidingcentre

604-964-0040

unwind

HELICOPTERS— WHISTLER’S CHOICEST RIDE

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Follow the paths of our ancestors

E L I C O P T E R S H AV E LO N G P L AY E D A R O L E in the evolution of Whistler from small ski town to international resort. Not only agile workhorses to carry equipment for mountain infrastructure like chairlifts and restaurants and backcountry huts, helicopters are also the tool of choice for mountain play too—heli-skiing, helisightseeing, heli-picnicking, heli-you-name it.

This season marks Blackcomb Helicopters 30th year in business, ferrying sightseers, skiers, film crews, fire crews, search and rescue crews, and more, in Sea to Sky country and beyond. With 20 machines in its fleet, its workload is vast: one day used to film a Hollywood blockbuster on a glacier, the next day medivacking an injured skier or snowboarder from the mountains, the next shuttling excited skiers into pristine Cross Country Connection Advertisement backcountry powder for the ultimate ski experience.

Winter 2018-2019 Helicopters can go almost anywhere.

Ad # 1298-CXC-W2019-Ad-4 Take the remote backcountry Haberl Hut, says Jordy Publication: Whistler Magazine, Recreation Guide Norris, sales and marketing manager of Blackcomb Heli. ad size: (3.5 W x 2.75 H) The hut is located high and deep within the mighty Date: October, 2018 Tantalus Range south of Whistler. It’s no mean feat to access the hut over land. With a helicopter however, the world is, quite literally, at your feet…within minutes.

Or your skis.

Heli-skiing remains top of the bucket list for skiers around the world—floating over virgin powder miles from civilization, no lift lines, no crowds, no hurry to get to the fresh snow.

Pre-winter season, helicopters have also ferried skaters to frozen alpine lakes to play a game of shinny—as Canadians like to call a game of pick-up hockey.

In other words, the backyard playground is limitless when it comes to heli-adventures.

Adds Norris: “Helicopters allow you to play with what the mountains have instead of looking up at it from down below.” W

Experience Whistler’sgreyscale or CMY Files in PDF format, immersive cultural experience at: confirmation: 604.905.0071

technical concerns: Brian Hydesmith design@hydesmith.com or call 204.487

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To advertise in Whistler Magazine, call Catherine Power-Chartrand at 604-932-1672

“A lovely little gem.”

– TRI PA DVI SO R R E VI E W

UNDERGROUND TOURS MINERAL GALLERY INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS The Coca-Cola® Tube Park offers tons of snow sliding fun! With multiple lanes ranging from snow and steady, to fast and furious, we’ve got an adventure that’s just your speed.

Sliders must be minimum 3 years old and 36in / 91cm tall.

Visit whistlerblackcomb.com for up to date operations

LOCATED AT BASE II ON BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK BritanniaMineMuseum.ca

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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P L AY ANY LINE SALOMON STORE PAN PACIFIC, WHISTLER MOUNTAINSIDE 604.905.2295

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

history

PERFECTING THE JOURNEY TO THE ALPINE

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB CONTINUES ITS DECADES-LONG HISTORY OF LIFT BUILDING

I

N JUST OVER 50 YEARS, more than 50 lifts have been installed on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

This season a new 10-person gondola will open on Blackcomb, shuttling guests seamlessly from the base to the alpine. On Whistler, a new six-passenger chairlift will replace the popular Emerald Express, and that quad chair will move to Blackcomb and replace the original Catskinner Chair. This is part of a $66 million on-mountain investment, marking Whistler Blackcomb’s latest chapter in a long and storied history of lift building.

ABOVE: LYNN MATHEWS AND HER FELLOW PASSENGERS TAKE IN THE VIEW AS THEY HEAD UP FOR A DAY OF SKIING, c. LATE 1960s.

LEFT: CABLES ARE ADDED TO THE RED CHAIR TOWERS AS CREWS WORK TO READY THE MOUNTAIN'S FIRST LIFTS, c. 1965.

BELOW: EAGER SKIERS IN THE GONDOLA BARN ARE READY TO LOAD THE LIFT. c. LATE 1960s.

IN THE BEGINNING T H E F I R ST F O U R S K I L I F T S were installed on Whistler Mountain in 1965 providing access to six runs. Blackcomb Mountain remained wild and undeveloped. At the time, the town had little more to recommend it than a newly-paved road from Vancouver, a new day lodge at Creekside, and a smattering of ski chalets and condos in the valley.

On the mountain however, where the powder was plentiful, a silver four-person gondola, the first in North America, carried eager skiers from the Creekside base to the two-person Red Chair, located at the mid-station. The gondola kept skiers protected from the elements and its small size meant it was almost impossible to ignore fellow passengers, creating many friendships over the years. >>

STORY BY ALLYN P RINGL E H ISTO R ICA L P H OTO S C O U RTE SY W H I ST LER M U S EU M & A R C H I V ES WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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T-BARS T H E T - B A R S B R O U G H T the first sightseer to the mountains in the late 1960s—a woman dressed in snow boots and a fur coat. She boarded the gondola at Creekside and, to the bewilderment of lift operators, proceeded up the Red Chair on Whistler Mountain. There she asked to be shown “the T-bar.”

When the lift operator pointed towards the lift, she replied: “No, I mean the tea bar, I was told there was a tea bar up here and I would like a nice cup of tea!”

Those alpine T-bars remain the only original lifts still operating on Whistler today.

ADVENTUROUS SKIERS COULD RIDE THE T-BARS TO 1970m, AT THE TIME THE HIGHEST LIFT ACCESSED POINT ON WHISTLER MOUNTAIN, c. 1971.

VILLAGE ACCESS— THE FIRST TRIPLES T H E TO W N U S H E R E D in the eighties with new three-

person chairs when Blackcomb opened for business: Fitzsimmons, Cruiser, Stoker and Catskinner. Unlike the nearby Whistler Gondola, the 37-minute journey up Blackcomb was entirely exposed, meaning a potentially cold and wet commute to work for staff, not to mention the guests. At the same time, three new lifts were installed on Whistler to provide access from the new Whistler Village. This was the beginning of an era of competition between the two separatelyowned mountains.

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ROGER MCCARTHY, PROJECT MANAGER, LORNE BORGAL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WHISTLER SKI CORP AND DAVE MURRAY, DIRECTOR OF SKIING, BREAK GROUND FOR THE SQUAREHOUSE EXPANSION PROJECT ELEVATION ON WHISTLER MOUNTAIN, c. 1984.

T H R O U G H T H E 1 9 7 0 S Whistler Mountain expanded,

opening new terrain by adding colourfully-named chairs, such as the Black Chair, Orange Chair, Blue Chair and Olive Chair. The pace of lift building increased dramatically when Blackcomb Mountain opened in 1980, owned and operated by another company, entirely separate from Whistler Mountain.

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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7TH HEAVEN— THE MILE HIGH MOUNTAIN B L AC KC O M B E X PA N D E D its terrain in 1982 with the Jersey Cream Chair but still needed something new and memorable to compete with Whistler.

The idea for a lift on the south-facing slope, on what would ultimately be named 7th Heaven, came from Peter Xhignesse. An avalanche forecaster, Xhignesse was familiar with Blackcomb’s terrain and believed this area could be skiable and provide access to the Horstman Glacier.

In 1985 Blackcomb sent a team to Fortress Mountain in Alberta to quietly dismantle and bring back a disused T-bar. It took only a day and a half to make it disappear but took three months to install in its new home due to unexpectedly harsh weather (-20°C in October). The opening came as a surprise to most: Lorne Borgal, then president of Whistler Mountain, described Blackcomb’s actions as “sneaking the T-bar up to the glacier.” The new T-bar provided access to the peak and a new moniker for Blackcomb: The Mile High Mountain.

WORKERS WIRE AND GROUT A TOWER AT THE PEAK'S EDGE DURING THE LIFT CONSTRUCTION, c. 1986.

PEAK CHAIR— WHISTLER ANSWERS Photos: TaraOGradyPhoto.com

I N 1 9 8 6 , W H I ST L E R responded by opening its own high alpine lift: the Peak Chair. The chair originally featured two unload stations.

The first, at Billy Goat Rock, let intermediate skiers try out the lower portion of Glacier Bowl. The top station was open only to advanced skiers, many of whom had been hiking the area for years.

According to Borgal, construction of the lift required helicopters to anchor a tower into a boulder and bombs to blast through rock.

Just before the opening, Borgal decided he and fellow Whistler Mountain employees Bob Dufour and Roger McCarthy should ride up the triple-chair and check the top before the provincial premier cut the ribbon. As the three neared the top, the chair stopped. Hanging in a blizzard above a big cliff with no bar down, Borgal recalls: “Within a few minutes, each of us had found a way to put their arm quietly around something, because it was terrifying.”

Over the next decade, Blackcomb expanded its terrain with two T-bars and the Crystal Chair while Whistler upgraded its lifts and installed a 10-person Village Gondola. >>

Fall in love with winter high above howe Sound.

Forest walks surrounded by snow-covered peaks that graze the sky. The giggle fest of tubing, the serenity of snowshoeing. Mugs of cocoa with views that leave you spellbound and hearty fare by the fire.

CHERYL MORNINGSTAR, ERIC AND PAT GRIFFITH, AND DEAN STONE TAKE A SUMMER RIDE UP BLACKCOMB WITH A COUPLE BIKES ON THE BACK, c. LATE ’80s.

Ride to the Summit of the Sea to Sky Gondola, halfway between Vancouver & Whistler.

Open daily

seatOskygOndOla.cOm

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

THE PEAK 2 PEAK GONDOLA OPENED IN 2008,

PEAK 2 PEAK—BREAKING RECORDS

LINKING WHISTLER

I N 1 9 9 7 W H I ST L E R and Blackcomb Mountains merged, ending

MOUNTAIN'S

years of competition. Roughly a decade later, the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola was unveiled, physically linking the two mountains for the first time. When first proposed, the gondola sounded like a crazy idea but so had many of the lifts that came before it. Today the PEAK 2 PEAK holds the records for the longest free span between lift towers at 3.024 kilometres and the highest lift of its kind at 436 metres. Passengers travelling high in the sky between the two mountains experience spectacular views of the valley as they pass over Fitzsimmons Creek a jaw-dropping distance below.

ROUNDHOUSE LODGE WITH BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN'S RENDEZVOUS LODGE.

T H I S S E AS O N M A R KS the end of

the last original Blackcomb chair as the Catskinner Chair is dismantled and replaced with a faster quad chair from Whistler Mountain. Guests will, however, no longer brave the elements on the journey from the base of Blackcomb Mountain; rather, they’ll find themselves protected from the weather all the way to the alpine in the new 10-person Blackcomb Gondola. W

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ANOTHER BEST DAY photo © Blake Jorgenson

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

whistler homes

THE VIEW FROM THE TOP

A PEAK AT WHISTLER’ S PENTHOUSES STO RY BY A L I S O N TAY LO R

D

THE LUXURIOUS PENTHOUSE AT THE FAIRMONT COULD BE AT HOME IN LONDON OR NEW YORK. THE VIEWS FROM THE FLOOR-TOCEILING WINDOWS GIVE AWAY THIS LOCALE.

PHOTO COURTESY FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER

uring the holiday season last year, a hotel guest from Europe who was travelling with his family arrived late in Whistler with a problem.

He had no stockings for his children to hang above the fireplace, he explained to Sabrina Offers, the director of residences at the Four Seasons Private Residences.

He continued with a long list of requests with everything from caviar to a Christmas tree. It was 6 p.m. on December 24. >>

PHOTOS COURTESY FOUR SEASONS PRIVATE RESIDENCES

O

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

FFERS AND HER TEAM SPRANG TO action. Three hours later the stockings, stuffed with presents, were in place above the roaring fireplace in the suite, the Christmas tree (fresh from Pemberton) was decorated and twinkling in the living room, and the guest was happy. It would appear there’s more to high-end hotel living in Whistler than just upscale room service and private ski concierges.

Come with us as we open the doors and pull back the curtains at some of the swankiest hotel pads in Whistler. This is where international expectations meet outstanding service and sophisticated style, not to mention the splashes of local ski town charm that truly set Whistler apart.

ABOVE AND LEFT: THE FOUR SEASONS PRIVATE RESIDENCES TAKE HOTEL LIVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL. SOME SUITES HAVE TWO MASTER BEDROOMS AND KITCHENS FIT FOR ANY MASTER CHEF. RIGHT: TUCKED AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE VILLAGE, THE NITA LAKE LODGE IS A TRUE BOUTIQUE CANADIAN LODGE.

THIS WINTER, ENJOY

PHOTO COURTESY NITA LAKE LODGE

The Champagne Lounge

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME It begins where it must…the Four Seasons Private Residences.

There is no penthouse suite here; there doesn’t need to be. There are 37 units in this building nestled out of the way in the Upper Village. Just 17 units are available for rent, the rest privately held with some owners living here year-round. These residences come with all the perks of hotel living—in-room dining, concierge service, valet parking. But what sets these places apart from a hotel suite in the neighbouring five-star Four Seasons hotel is simple—privacy and space. Lots of space.

Take the sprawling four-bedroom unit, a 3,700-square-foot residence with a full kitchen fit for any master chef (some guests travel with their chef, others hire locally), two master bedrooms, a heated patio, mountain views, laundry facilities with the requisite Whistler boot dryers. These private residences give new meaning to hotel living. This truly is a home within a hotel.

And back to that concept of privacy. Confidentiality and privacy are at the heart of this property.

“A lot of guests arrive by private planes or transfer in by helicopters or arrive by float planes in the summer,” says Offers.

No matter what celebrity rumours abound, Offers isn’t revealing anything, past or present. >>

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And while the size, sophistication and seclusion all play a role at the private residences, it’s the exceptional service that sets it apart—even, for example, individual Secret Santa gifts for a party of eight, handpicked and gift-wrapped by staff.

“Usually we do not say ‘no’ to anything,” says Offers.

“I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK TO NITA AS THEIR

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

GETAWAY AND

R

THEIR ESCAPE

oom 1242—the Whistler Suite. This is one of two penthouses perched on the top two floors of the 12-storey Fairmont Chateau Whistler, which is nestled in prime ski in/ski out location at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. This is Whistler’s largest hotel, a landmark building established 29 years ago when it helped set the standard and solidified Whistler’s world-class reputation.

At the height of the winter season, 1,500 guests can be sleeping at this property with up to 800 staff at the ready. There are five restaurants, two pools and the Fairmont’s exceptional service. And yet, despite its size and grandeur, there is something decidedly “Whistler” about the Fairmont, even amid the refined elegance of the penthouse suite with space to entertain on the first floor and the master bedroom on the floor above.

Take the local touches on the walls—old-school ski

FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE VILLAGE.” — Elise Tomalty

art from the Whistler Museum. And then there’s the quintessential ski-town view from the floor-to-ceiling windows—steam rising from the hot tubs below— skiers schussing down the slopes, just one click out of their skis into après in full swing at the Mallard Lounge.

“We see people dancing at 11 o’clock at night in their ski boots,” says Lynn Gervais, the hotel’s director of public relations. “I don’t know if that’s a testament to the amazing cocktails that we have or they just have very different ski boots than I do! Either way, it’s remarkable.

“There’s just a different energy at the Fairmont.

That’s something that our guests remark on all the time.”

The penthouse is part of the celebrated Fairmont Gold product that comes with private check-in, a dedicated concierge and a separate lounge, among other perks. In other words, an elevated five-star level of service with all the charm of a laid-back West Coast ski town.

THE LODGE ON THE LAKE

W

hile the Four Seasons and the Fairmont come with name-brand appeal and expectations, the Nita Lake Lodge is a name unto itself.

Whistler’s Premier Shopping Centre

Grocery Store

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EXPERIENCE WHISTLER’S PREMIER SHOPPING CENTRE. OFFERING A VARIETY OF SPECIALTY BOUTIQUES, RESTAURANTS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. Owned and Managed by 58

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

www.headwaterprojects.ca

One of the newest hotels in Whistler at just 10 years old, the Nita Lake Lodge has been steadily making its mark, winning accolades and awards as one of the top Whistler properties. That’s no mean feat in a town known for its luxury properties. It’s easy to see why the lodge is gaining ground, standing in the two-bedroom penthouse suite, which spans two floors at 1,950 square feet.

Little touches of Nita’s signature boutique lodge feel are incorporated throughout—the antler motif on the throw cushions, the leather-wrapped four-poster kingsize bed and the rustic wooden décor. This boutique 78-room property, located in Creekside, overlooks the frozen expanse of Nita Lake on one side with a view of the legendary Dave Murray Downhill run on Whistler Mountain on the other side. There is nothing quite like it in Whistler.

“I think a lot of people look to Nita as their getaway and their escape from the hustle and bustle of the Village,” says Elise Tomalty, marketing and communications manager at the lodge.

The lodge offers guests complimentary fat bikes as well as snowshoes and there is always a car service at the ready to shuttle guests back and forth to the mountains.

If you close your eyes and conjure up quintessential Canada—the frozen lakes, the snowy mountain peaks, the rosy cheeks, the roaring fireplaces—you can find yourself nestled and cosy at the Nita Lake Lodge, and never want to leave. W

cabinfeverinteriors.com

DOGSLED ADVENTURES IN THE CALLAGHAN VALLEY

604-938-1616 CANADIANWILDERNESS.COM CARLETON LODGE, MOUNTAIN SQUARE WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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faces of whistler

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‘AMERICAN FRIENDS’ CREATE A LASTING LEGACY IN WHISTLER

HOME AWAY FROM HOME RUSSELL MCDUFF SPENT HIS LIFE STUDYING THE WORLD’S OCEANS. NOW HE’S FOUND HIS SECOND HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS.

W

HEN HUGH O’REILLY LEFT WHISTLER FOR

Hawaii in 2005, he had been serving as Whistler’s mayor for nine years, and for 17 straight years as a local elected official. It was a difficult decision to leave the town he had worked for and loved for so long but the opportunity to sell resort real estate in Hawaii was too good to pass up.

“It’s not that different than Whistler.

Obviously the climate is different, but the energy and the type of people that tend to gravitate to resorts like this are very, very similar,” O’Reilly says from his home on the big island, where he now works as director of sales for Luana Garden Villas at Honua Kai Resort and Spa. That gravitational effect, whether in Whistler or further abroad, means that the

people who come to these places quickly become attached, and eventually, they take ownership. That sentiment was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the American Friends of Whistler (AFOW), which O’Reilly co-founded in 2002. Born in the US of Canadian parents, O’Reilly grew up in California and moved to Canada when he was 14 years old, so the idea of a charitable organization for Americans in Whistler hit close to home.

“It’s really interesting that we have a lot of Americans who own real estate (in Whistler), they pay taxes, they have the same love affair as the people from Vancouver that drive up every weekend,” O’Reilly says. “They don’t have a right to vote, but it doesn’t mean they’re not passionate about what’s going on.” >>

LOGAN SWAYZE

s l g es ts e er elt

STORY BY BRADEN DUP UIS WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

61

COURTESY RENEE HARBERS

ABOVE: RENEE HARBERS, FAR RIGHT, STARTED A NEW WHISTLER TRADITION WITH HER FAMILY—SKIING IN MATCHING CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS. “WE’VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE

Through the American non-profit AFOW, members can make tax-deductible charitable contributions to the community. To date, the organization has granted more than $1.1 million.

“People have given generously, and they’re interested, because they feel the same way about Whistler that so many people do,” says O’Reilly.

CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS ARE MORE THAN JUST SLEEPWEAR. THEY ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD THAT WE (YOUNG OR OLD; AMERICAN, CANADIAN, OR KIWI; BLOOD KIN, FRIEND OR STEP RELATION) ARE NOW SOLIDLY FAMILY. FOR MY HUSBAND AND ME, THAT’S A DREAM COME TRUE.” PICTURED OUTSIDE THE CRYSTAL HUT ON BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN, CHRISTMAS 2015.

RIGHT: FORMER MAYOR HUGH O’REILLY, WHO SERVED AS WHISTLER’S MAYOR FOR NINE YEARS, HELPED THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF WHISTLER GET OFF THE GROUND. THE ORGANIZATION HAS RAISED MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AMERICANS WHO CALL WHISTLER HOME.

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‘A PLACE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH’ IN 1988, RENEE HARBERS WAS WORKING FOR A small company in Seattle called Microsoft when she heard rumblings of some world-class skiing five hours to the north.

“It was a very different place back then,” Harbers says from her home in Washington, D.C., reflecting on what it was that drew her to Whistler. “It’s a place you fall in love with. It’s world-class skiing with a laid-back attitude,” she says. “Canadians are delightful, and you sprinkle in some Aussies and Kiwis, and the whole ambience is friendly and upbeat, and not at all pretentious, which I think you get at some ski resorts.

“We totally fell in love with the attitude and the scenery and the people. I’ve been going to Whistler since 1988, we have a home there, and it’s where my children have grown up.”

Harbers got involved with the AFOW through her late husband Jeff, who co-founded the group with O’Reilly. It fit with the Harbers family mantra: “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

“We have a responsibility to give back to the communities that we live in, the communities that nurture us,” she adds. Second homeowners pay

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

taxes in the community, but that doesn’t cover all of the need, Harbers notes.

“The Whistler Food Bank has need, and cultural institutions have need, and the library has need,” says Harbers, who sits on the AFOW board. “We felt like we could really have an impact, and hopefully enhance the lives of the people that we ski with, who bring us our beers at the Longhorn … the people who are there in the community.”

These days, she heads the Renee and Jeff Harbers Family Foundation, which highlights the important work of non-profits by connecting them with good storytellers, ultimately raising awareness in the general public.

WORTHY CAUSES AFTER DECADES SPENT DEVOTING HIS LIFE TO the study of oceanography, retired University of Washington professor RUSSELL MCDUFF is now more of a mountain man.

“It might seem ironic, but I think of myself more as a mountain person than an ocean person. I’m not very keen on the beach,” McDuff jokes from his home in Snohomish, Washington.

A late bloomer, McDuff didn’t start skiing until he was 40 years old, and after first testing out some ski areas in Montana, eventually discovered Whistler with his wife.

The couple bought a home in the community in 1999, first using it for long weekends and a couple of weeks a year. Since the Olympic year of 2010, the McDuffs have been finding themselves spending more time in Whistler than in Washington State.

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“It’s a beautiful place. Friendly people. It’s a very international resort compared to places we’ve visited in the United States, and you see people from all over the world,” McDuff says.

Though not a founding member, McDuff got involved with the AFOW the year it was formed, after seeing a blurb in Pique Newsmagazine. A few years later he was asked to join the board, and has served the last several years as treasurer.

“I’ve met a lot of great people through the organization,” says McDuff. And not just fellow Americans but local community members too. “So we feel very connected to Whistler. It really is our second home, and we love it there.”

The AFOW boasts a broad profile of charitable giving, whether that be in arts and culture, health and human services, recreation or the environment, McDuff says.

“All of these are worthy causes, and if you’re going to spend several months in Whistler a year, your charitable giving ought to reflect that,” he says. “It’s easy to think of Whistler as kind of being like Disneyland.

Visitors are charmed by the great hospitality and all the opportunities for recreation there, but it kind of hides that it’s a real place with real issues for people.”

Though every AFOW board member has certain grants they take pride in, McDuff says one cause that really stands out to him is contributing to Whistler Search and Rescue.

“Those are incredible people that put their life on the line for others, and the situation is exactly the same in the United States, as Canada, that search and rescue is almost entirely privately supported,” McDuff says. “That’s a place where we make a really profound difference.”

Find more on the American Friends of Whistler at afow.org. W

-32o C -25o F

SAMPLE A GLOBAL SELECTION OF VODKAS OPEN DAILY FROM 3 PM * NO RESERVATION REQUIRED 4121 VILLAGE GREEN | ADJACENT TO LISTEL HOTEL 604 932 3433 | BEARFOOTBISTRO.COM

* winter season

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

63

fine dining

A CUT ABOVE

WHISTLER OFFERS ITS TAKE ON THE MODERN STEAKHOUSE STORY BY B RAND O N B ARRE T T

F

OR ALL THE LIGHT-SPEED CHANGES THE RESTAURANT WORLD HAS undergone over the years, the steakhouse has endured and thrived.

Conjuring up images of a throwback era marked by three-piece suits, business lunches, and stiff martinis that wouldn’t seem out of place in an episode of Mad Men, the steakhouse maintains its hold on the diner that cares just as much about the experience of eating out as the cut of beef on their plate.

And yet, for all its nostalgic underpinnings, the modern steakhouse has had to evolve, with menus reflecting the increasingly diverse tastes and dietary needs of its customer base while still holding true to the principles that made it a staple of mid-century culinary elegance.

Whistler and its world-class dining scene offers no shortage of options for the consummate steak lover. >>

EXECUTIVE CHEF BRADLEY CUMMING WITH A SELECTION VINE’S STEAK ENTREES.

DAVID BUZZARD

OF THE GRILL &

THE HY’S PORTERHOUSE IS BIG, BOLD AND SHOWY AND BEGS OF BIG RED TO ACCOMPANY IT.

“WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 1955 AND IT’S TRIED AND TRUE IN HOW WE DO THE STEAKHOUSE EXPERIENCE.” —Michael Kyle

HY’S STEAKHOUSE AND COCKTAIL BAR

H

Y’S STEAKHOUSE HAS BEEN Canada’s No. 1 name in steak for decades. Its menu has changed since the doors first opened on its original Calgary location 63 years ago, but the essence of what makes Hy’s so special has remained.

“We’ve been doing this since 1955 and it’s tried and true in how we do the steakhouse experience,” says general manager Michael Kyle.

Hy’s ensures each meal is customized

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exactly to the diner’s specifications; servers can guide guests to the cut and cook of beef that aligns with their tastes.

“One of the things we like to do is make sure that when we do our menu presentation, we go through the beef and our expectation of what the temperature is, and that way (we are all) on the same level when it comes to what the guest is looking for,” Kyle says.

Hy’s offers three kinds of beef. Canadian prime is sourced from Alberta and is among the top two per cent in quality from across the country. Then there’s certified Angus beef, which is raised without hormones, antibiotics or steroids and tends to be a

little leaner and a little firmer than Canadian prime without sacrificing flavour. Hy’s also recently added a 60-day, dry-aged beef in a rib cut.

“The people who love the old-fashioned steakhouse experience, the dry-aged steak is what they tend to defer to,” says Kyle.

A favourite of Kyle’s is the steak Neptune, which can be ordered as a New York strip or as a filet mignon. It is topped with fresh asparagus and Dungeness crab and finished with a rich hollandaise sauce.

“Walking into Hy’s, it’s the same experience you’re going to get in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s,” says Kyle. >>

COURTESY HY’S

FOR A GLASS

Araxi: Roots to Shoots, Farm Fresh Recipes

Cookbook Authored by Executive Chef James Walt

Best Whistler Fine Dining ‘18 Where Magazine Apres from 3pm-5pm | Bar 3pm-late Dinner from 5pm

110 - 4222 Village Square

604 932 4540 | araxi.com

Spanish-influenced tapas, craft cocktails Lunch from 11:30am | Dinner from 5pm 150 - 4222 Village Square

604 962 4540 | baroso.ca

arttrue hospıtality the

of

Private events for 50+ guests 150 - 4222 Village Square 604 932 4540 | thecellarbyaraxi.com

THE VARIETY OF GRILL & WINE TENDERLOIN AND RIBEYE.

“IT’S SALT, PEPPER AND GOOD-QUALITY BEEF— WE LET THE BEEF DO THE TALKING.” —Bradley Cumming

GRILL & VINE WHISTLER IN THE WESTIN RESORT & SPA

T

HE MANTRA UNDERPINNING the award-winning Grill & Vine steakhouse is “Simply Grilled”— the restaurant even has an entire section of its menu dedicated to the idea.

For executive chef Bradley Cumming, the quality of the Grill & Vine’s beef speaks for itself.

“You’ve gone out and purchased yourself a high quality piece of meat; the last thing you want is to disguise that,” he says. “It’s salt, pepper and good-quality beef—we let the beef do the talking.”

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Working with a coterie of farms from around the region, Grill & Vine serves certified Angus beef in a variety of cuts, including a succulent six-ounce tenderloin (“everyone’s favourite,” Cumming notes), a 12-ounce ribeye, and the earthy, 30-day, dry-aged New York steak, all served with roasted Pemberton vegetables and fingerling potatoes.

The restaurant also hosts a popular prime rib dinner every Monday that comes with buttery Yorkshire pudding and all the fixings, topped with a delectable beef au jus.

“The prime rib is amazing,” says Cumming.

“Medium rare, slow roasted all through

it, and there’s this melt-in-your-mouth consistency to it.”

While Grill & Vine will, of course, customize any meal to a diner’s liking, Cumming recommends guests let the dedicated service staff curate their experience.

“The guest should come in and just enjoy…It’s about plating it, keeping it clean and not dousing things in sauce or butter or béchamel. Don’t get me wrong, there are sides and sauces people can order: We do a peppercorn sauce, you can get truffle mac and cheese on the side, we have green beans and almonds. I think it’s how it gets presented to a guest, with a modern spin.” >>

DAVID BUZZARD

CUTS: NEW YORK,

8:16

Elevate your dining experience tonight. Showcasing signature seasonings, a masterful use of flame, and the finest quality, locally-sourced Canadian beef, game and seafood, The Grill Room promises evening fine dining beyond the traditional Whistler steak house. Intimate.

Personal. Absolutely unforgettable. Your table is waiting.

AT FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER

FOR DINNER RESERVATIONS, DIAL ‘0’ FOR ROYAL SERVICE BOOK ONLINE WITH OPENTABLE.COM

Proudly awarded Gold Medal for Best Whistler restaurant by Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards 2018.

Visit fairmont.com/whistler/dining

WHIS TLER’S I CONI C I TA L IA N R E S TAU R A N T - R E IMAG IN E D

~ dinner nightly from 5pm ~

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4242 VILLAGE STROLL | 604 932 4442 | ILCAMINETTO.CA

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

DINERS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY VISIT THE KEG, A RESTAURANT THAT’S BEEN A PART OF WHISTLER’S HISTORY FROM ALMOST THE BEGINNING.

COURTESY THE KEG

A fork, a glass, a drop of magic...

THE KEG STEAKHOUSE + BAR

F

OR SO MANY CANADIANS, THE KEG STEAKHOUSE + BAR represents good times. It’s where you go to celebrate life’s momentous occasions with a mouth-watering steak that tastes sumptuous, but won’t break the bank.

That legacy rings true in Whistler as well, as the restaurant holds a unique place in the ski resort’s history. In 1974, The Keg opened in Whistler and it quickly became the social epicentre of the then-sleepy mountain town. During the day, it would serve prime rib, New York steaks and lobster—as it still does today—and at night, it transformed into a makeshift nightclub, equipped with DJ booth and a dancefloor. Long-time residents might even recognize Whistler’s current municipal hall as the building that used to house the original Keg. Today, The Keg continues to serve as a meeting point for both locals and visitors alike, and it’s the restaurant’s consistency that keeps diners coming back, says Craig Davies, VP of corporate services.

“What I hear that people like the most about us is that it’s good value—great quality at a decent price—but consistent.

Whether they go to a Keg in Whistler, Halifax or Toronto, the offerings are consistent,” says Davies. “They like the fact they can count on that meal each and every time.”

The Keg offers Alberta beef in a myriad of cuts and preparations: there’s the standard sirloin, striploin, filet and bone-in rib steak, which you can customize to your liking with different sauces—the whisky peppercorn is a classic—and a number of seafood options such as Atlantic lobster, King crab legs, and Cajun shrimp, ensuring the “turf” part of the surf-andturf equation is amply covered. >>

MODERN CANADIAN CUISINE OPEN DAILY FROM 3 PM * | DINNER FROM 5:30 PM * COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING 4121 VILLAGE GREEN | ADJACENT TO LISTEL HOTEL 604 932 3433 | BEARFOOTBISTRO.COM

* winter season

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

71

SIDECUT MODERN STEAK + BAR IN THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT

L

FOUR SEASONS EXECUTIVE CHEF EREN GURYEL PLATES THE A5-CERTIFIED WAGYU BEEF SHIPPED IN FROM SERVED ON A HIMALYAN SALT BLOCK.

DAVID BUZZARD

KOGOSHIMA, JAPAN,

IKE THE OTHER STEAKHOUSES, SIDECUT’S FIRST PRIORITY IS THE quality of its beef. But beyond that, the award-winning restaurant is not afraid to venture abroad in order to satisfy its cosmopolitan clientele’s wide-ranging appetites.

“The high-quality steaks form the base of our restaurant,” explains chef de cuisine David Baarschers. “From there, to keep it modern, we interpret different cuisines. We could have a Peruvian dish, an Indian dish, or an Italian dish on our menu. Nothing’s dictating that it has to be an American steakhouse. People are so open and diverse and want to try many different things nowadays, so we keep pushing the limits of what’s fashionable in food.”

Sidecut sources the highest quality cuts from around the globe, be it Canadian prime, Angus reserve, or one of the world’s most coveted steaks, the A5-certified Wagyu beef shipped in from Kogoshima, Japan. It’s served on a Himalayan salt block alongside the ubiquitous Korean sidedish, kimchi.

“Pushing those limits is what keeps us modern,” Baarschers says.

The diversity of Sidecut’s menu, reflecting the ever-evolving cravings of a public that grew up on the Food Network, is what sets the restaurant apart from the classic steakhouse of yore. The culinary team doesn’t shy away from offering rubs or sauces on its steaks, just like it isn’t afraid to take a risk here and there.

Baarschers highlights “beef carpaccio on the bone” as another distinctly modern addition to the Sidecut menu.

For the full steakhouse experience, he suggests diners take the family-style approach. “If one person really wants a New York and the other person wants a ribeye or a flat-iron, we’ll put it all on a cutting board and slice it all so everyone gets a little taste of everything. I think that’s the best way to enjoy,” he says.

“It’s not something we advertise on our menu.” W

WHY NOT

TONIGHT?

4429 Sundial Place | 604.932.5151 | kegsteakhouse.com

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

A RA fresh. modern. lakeside.

Combining traditional French cooking techniques with a love of west coast ingredients, Executive Chef James Olberg creates approachable local flavours with a modern, innovative twist.

Whistler’s best lakeside dining weekly meatless mondays 3 course menu from $39 pp breakfast: 6:30 -11:00 am dinner: 5:30 - 9:30 pm

complimentary village shuttle and underground parking available nita lake lodge, 2131 lake placid rd, whistler creekside | 604 966 5700

STEAK NIGHT

BY SNOWMOBILE SPROATT CABIN, CALLAGHAN VALLEY

604-938-1616 CANADIANWILDERNESS.COM CARLETON LODGE, MOUNTAIN SQUARE WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

73

RETHINKING THE SAME OLD CABERNET

BONNY MAKAREWICZ

GREAT WINES FOR GREAT STEAKS PERFECT PAIRING

BY SAMANTHA RAHN

T

Addictive Italian cuisine since 1996 Inviting service Two private dining rooms Dinner nightly 4319 Main Street at the Whistler Pinnacle Hotel 604.905.4844 Reservations recommended quattrorestaurants.com

The Nijjar family is pleased to introduce you to the Royal Taste of India. Our chefs provide the essence of traditional Indian Cuisine with a modern touch, preparing each dish to your specifications. Our sister company Kismet Estate Winery, located in Oliver BC, produces VQA quality red & white wine to pair with our exotic menu.

Fine Dining & Take Out WHISTLER MARKETPLACE

604-932-2010 Open ALL DAY from 11am to late

WWW.THEROYALTASTEOFINDIA.COM 74

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

HIS WINTER, AS YOU HEAD OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE steakhouse or dig out the barbecue from mountains of snow, go beyond the same old “cab sav.” This is the perfect season to revisit an old, maybe forgotten bold red, or even try something entirely new.

As the daughter of a Saskatchewan cattle rancher who cut her wine teeth in beef-land Alberta in the ’90s and early 2000s, steak pairing for me started with Aussie shiraz. Those shirazes then got trampled on by a parade of sweet, “critter label” versions (think penguins and kangaroos on the bottle). It’s now time to try Australian shiraz again, those made with passion and care. Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz from the Barossa Valley ($43.99, B.C. Liquor Stores) comes from 35 to 120-yearold vines, boasting juicy black and blue fruits and hints of baking spice, with density and concentration to stand up to a thick-cut New York striploin.

Or, while in Whistler, do as the locals do with their penchant for carménère; Whistlerites have a love affair with this dark red grape variety. Originally from Bordeaux, and once thought extinct, it is now almost exclusively found in Chile. Think pepper, inky black fruit, tangy acidity, and just enough tannin to make magic with the fatty richness of a ribeye. The tannin disappears as it melds with the fat, letting the fruit of the wine and pure beef flavour sing. Los Vascos, owned

by Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite) Grande Reserve Carménère, is an amazing value (under $30, private wine stores). It comes exclusively from their estate in Colchagua, a premier region in Chile for reds.

If you must have Cabernet Sauvignon, but don’t want to overwhelm leaner, more delicate flavours of beef tenderloin, adventure beyond the usual (however delicious) American Cabernets. Torres Mas la Plana ($67.99, BC Liquor Stores), flagship of the vast Torres portfolio, is a singular wine in its category, ideal for special occasions or to lay down in the cellar. From Penedes, Spain, nestled between Barcelona and the Pyrenees, the Mas la Plana has been made for over 40 vintages. Powerful, but less extracted, elegant and complex, it is a wine to make you think and appreciate its nuances as well as everything wonderful about life.

—Samantha Rahn is the Fine Wine Ambassador for Select Wines, 2013 VIWF Sommelier of the Year, and longtime Whistler/Pemberton local.

Experience a casual dining atmosphere inspired with fresh, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

FOR RESERVATIONS

CALL 604.935.4344 OR GRILLANDVINEWHISTLER.COM

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

75

8:24 PM

The moment you discovered how enchanting an evening can be.

THE CHALET - EVERYTHING AN ENCHANTED EVENING SHOULD BE

Twinkling lights and a crackling fire set the stage for a magical winter dining experience at The Chalet. Featuring European-inspired alpine cuisine, The Chalet’s menu offers the perfect collection of warm and welcoming dishes you’d expect in North America’s favourite mountain resort. Indulge in savoury fondues, house-made pâté, schnitzel, rösti and artisan charcuterie platters. Be sure to save room for the chocolate fondue dessert and an after-dinner selection from the schnapps wagon. Complimentary shuttle available from Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

VISIT FAIRMONT.COM/WHISTLER/DINING FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 604 938 8000 OR BOOK ONLINE WITH OPENTABLE.COM

casual dining

DIP IN!

DAVID BUZZARD

THE ULTIMATE APRÈS-SKI SNACK OR A ONE-OF-A-KIND DINING EXPERIENCE, WHEN IT COMES TO FONDUE WHISTLER HAS IT ALL

ABOVE:

AS UNIQUE

KNAPTON

AS W HIST LER I S, THERE ARE A FEW EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE transcended location to become a quintessential part of any ski trip. From relaxing by a crackling fireplace to warming up with an après-ski cocktail, enjoying a pot of fondue has rightfully earned its spot on the list. Arguably, there’s no better cure for ski-weary legs, cold noses and grumbling stomachs than a mouthwatering bowl of melted cheese.

With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that several Whistler eateries have embraced the traditional Swiss dish to offer their own hearty fondue experiences during the colder months.

Anyone experienced in the art of dipping bread into a gooey pot of cheese knows fondue is more than just a meal. As Isabel Chung, executive chef for the Fairmont Chateau Whistler explains, it serves up a far more interactive dining experience than a typical sit-down dinner. And that means…you might want to choose your dining companions carefully. >>

LOCALS NANCY AND RICH DEN DUYF ENJOY THE CHEESE FONDUE AT THE BEARFOOT BISTRO.

STORY BY MEGAN L ALO ND E WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

77

IT’S HARD TO RESIST THE KEVIN CLARK STUDIOS

CHALET’S RICH CHEESE FONDUE WHICH KICKS OFF THE FULL FONDUE EXPERIENCE.

“THERE’S

THIS OLD TRADITION WHERE IF YOU LOSE SOMETHING IN THE FONDUE POT, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO, I THINK, KISS THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT.” —Isabel Chung

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

“I

T CAN BE FUNNY WHEN YOU GO WITH STRANGERS, BECAUSE there’s this old tradition where if you lose something in the fondue pot, you’re supposed to, I think, kiss the person to your left,” she says. “Maybe don’t go with your ex. It could get very strange.”

Whether comprised of strangers, colleagues, friends, or family, groups can reserve their Fairmont fondue experience from the first Friday in December— when the summertime home of the CHATEAU WHISTLER GOLF CLUB dons a blanket of snow and strings of twinkle lights to transform into “THE CHALET”— until Easter weekend.

The Chalet’s full fondue experience includes a starter, followed by a cheese fondue and a chinoise (or broth-based) fondue, before finishing with a rich melted pot of chocolate for dessert. The menu also offers four add-on flavourings to the fondue pots, such as herb and roasted garlic or mushroom and truffle.

Guests aren’t obligated to commit to the full fondue experience, Chung adds.

If some members of the group aren’t so keen for fondue—or copious amounts of dairy—The Chalet offers à-la-carte options for both dinner and dessert. Top off the evening experience with the always popular schnapps cart, wheeled right to your table. >>

LOCALS’ FAVOURITE SINCE 1982!

Join us for après at Whistler’s most iconic bar, just steps from the Whistler Village Gondola Crowd around the cozy fireplace, taking in the mountain views while enjoying Daily Happy Hour Specials to start your après off right!

Amazing Appetizers, Big Screen TVs & Pool Tables Breakfast, Lunch, Après & Dinner

HILTON WHISTLER RESORT & SPA t: 1 604 932 1982 4050 Whistler Way

hiltonwhistler.com

CRYSTAL HUT

FONDUE

ON BLACKCOMB MTN

604-938-1616 CANADIANWILDERNESS.COM CARLETON LODGE, MOUNTAIN SQUARE WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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PHOTOS COURTESY NICKLAUS NORTH

T

NICKLAUS NORTH TRANSFORMS FROM ELEGANT GOLF CLUB TO COZY SKI CHALET DURING THE WINTER WITH ITS TRADITIONAL SWISSSTYLE FONDUE ROOM.

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

HE FAIRMONT ISN’T THE ONLY GOLF COURSE IN TOWN CAPITALIZING on its off-season to offer a unique fondue dining experience. Located a few minutes north of the Village on the shores of Green Lake, TABLE NINETEEN LAKESIDE EATERY AT NICKLAUS NORTH ups the cozy-factor with their traditional Swiss-style fondue room—complete with snowshoes hanging on the wall.

“I just think fondue gives people that cozy kind of feeling when it’s snowing outside, or cold or wet, and you’ve got warm fondue,” says Nicklaus North general manager Jason Lowe. “It also happens to go quite well with wine.”

Table Nineteen offers both three-course and four-course fondue options.

Each starts with a salad and a traditional cheese fondue before ending with “the almighty” chocolate fondue. The four-course meal also includes a fondue chinoise, with steak and seafood and a variety of flavourful dips, with portions adjusted for every size of group.

“The cheese (fondue) is pretty traditional, but we go with really high-end cheese products to differentiate it,” says Lowe, adding that truffle oil is also available as an upgrade. “That hint of truffle sets it apart from a normal experience, in my opinion.”

If you prefer your fondue at a higher elevation, CANADIAN WILDERNESS ADVENTURES (CWA) has the answer. After the chairlifts shut down each day, CWA offers snowmobile and snowcat tours to Blackcomb Mountain’s Crystal Hut for a truly unique alpine dining experience. It’s the only place in town where your fondue—prepared by Whistler Blackcomb chefs—is accompanied by moonlit, panoramic mountain views. >>

Indian cuisine that uses a palette of flavours ~ you’ll feel as if you’re halfway around the world!

Open 7 days a week for Lunch & Dinner NEW IN THE HILTON WHISTLER RESORT Overlooking Mountain Square, Whistler Village | 604-932-9900

www.indianmasalabistro.com

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OPEN LATE

Mon. to Sat. till 3 a.m. Sun. till 2 a.m.

(604) 932-0410 4368 Main Street

10003 Whistler Mag AD 3.5 x 4.75.indd 1

“IT’S UNIQUE. THERE’S NOT MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD where you can drive a snowmobile up 4,000 vertical feet (1,220 metres) to a magnificent, true-Canadiana wooden hut,” says CWA general manager Craig Beattie.

The tour, which has been running since the mid-’90s, is designated as a “Canadian Signature Experience” by Destination Canada. It has even attracted the attention of some of Whistler’s highest-profile guests: As Beattie tells it, Prince Charles of Wales and “the boys”—their Royal Highnesses Prince William and Prince Harry—took the tour during a visit to Whistler in 1998.

The four-hour tour can accommodate 48 people per night, five nights a week. And for those who don’t want to snowmobile, a cozy snowcat is also at the ready to shuttle guests to the alpine.

From up high in the alpine to high-end in the heart of the Village, fondue is also on the menu at the tony BEARFOOT BISTRO—perfect for an après-ski snack or, any time of the night really.

The Bearfoot Bistro’s traditional mixture of Gruyère, appenzeller, emmental and parmesan cheeses—finished with kirsch and served alongside bread and gherkins—is offered on its bar menu all evening long.

“The parmesan is kind of an add-on, since André likes it that way,” says Bearfoot Bistro’s executive chef Melissa Craig, referencing the restaurant’s founder André Saint-Jacques. “He’s a big fan of cheese fondue…Getting off the mountain, what else would you want to do (but go for) some carbs and some heavy food after working out all day and being out in the cold?” W

14-04-02 9:37 AM

YUKON BREAKFAST

SNOWMOBILE ADVENTURE SPROATT CABIN, CALLAGHAN VALLEY

604-938-1616 CANADIANWILDERNESS.COM CARLETON LODGE, MOUNTAIN SQUARE 82

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

6:34 PM

The moment you discovered the true meaning of family style.

Everybody’s favourite Upper Village eatery has something (delicious) for everyone. An elevated casual dining experience delivered by an animated open kitchen, Portobello’s made-to-order sandwich selection and gourmet pastry and coffee operation have expanded to include openflame rotisserie chicken, pork ribs and delectable smoked brisket. From the rustic, modern alpine design and expanded full-service bar focusing on local craft beers, to the new marketstyle retail space, it’s always a good time to see what’s cooking at Portobello.

P O R T O B E L L O

VISIT FAIRMONT.COM/WHISTLER/DINING

BREAKFAST: 7:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. | LUNCH: 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. APRÉS: 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. | SMOKEHOUSE DINNER: 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. Open daily; times subject to change.

TO: __________________________ FROM:

Catherine Power-Chartrand ADVERTISING MANAGER, WHISTLER: THE MAGAZINE

IMPORTANT PROOF! PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS. Whistler: the Magazine Winter/Spring 2019 issue:

Please check this proof very carefully and indicate any corrections to be made.

Please sign, date, check appropriate box and return.

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DELICIOUS PUB FARE!

Burgers, sandwiches, fish & chips, nachos, chicken wings, pulled pork, tacos, salads, kids’ menu and more!

EP

RK IN

A

BOOK NOW | +1 604 962 9292 STONESEDGEWHISTLER.COM

the locals ’ hangout Ph: 604-932-5131, ext. 314 Fax: 604-932-2862 Cell: 604-932-1672

FRE

Brunch Dinner Late Night

Date

G + WIFI

SPORtS!!

9 Flatscreens, HD TV’s, Great Food & Great Service

BEER & WINE StORE 7 days a week, 11am-11pm

604-932-5940

rolandswhistler.com 2129 Lake Placid, Creekside ROLANDSWHISTLER.COM 604-932-5940 2129 LAKE PLACID, CREEKSIDE

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

village vibe

COVERING THE BASES THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPTIONS AT THE BOTTOM FOR BOOTS-ON, POST-SKI FUN

A

T THE END OF A GOOD SKI DAY, FEW

things are more satisfying than pointing your skis downhill and heading straight for après—cold beer, good music and likeminded friends all set the scene to relive your day in the mountains.

When it comes to this quintessential post-ski ritual, no one does it quite like Whistler, which consistently takes top spot in the annual ski rankings for best place to après. And with three ski bases, it’s easy to see why Whistler is No. 1.

Each base, whether the Village, the Upper Village or Creekside, has something unique to offer. Ski racks abound, ski boots are allowed and no one thinks twice about people dancing in the daylight. This is après.

This is Whistler. The regular rules don’t apply.

CREEKSIDE—WHISTLER’S ORIGINAL BASE

EVERY GOOD APRÈS HAS A

W H I L E A P R È S I S G E N E R A L LY R E S E R V E D

GOOD SHOT SKI.

for the end of the ski day (or when your legs give out), that’s not written in stone. So if you find yourself seeking a little pick-me-up at the start of your day, check out Dusty’s, which sits at the base of the Creekside Gondola.

The storied bar offers a “power hour” between and 11 a.m. and noon, where you can buy a “Voyager” for $10. A Voyager is a Labatt Blue beer with a Caesar cocktail and, according to assistant manager Harrison Dobrochodow, it’s the perfect thing “to get your day started.” And why not? You’re on vacation, after all.

Dusty’s is, in fact, known for its Caesars, with its classic version (Smirnoff vodka, house-made >>

SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT MERLIN’S WHEN THE SHOT SKI COMES OUT.

STORY BY JOEL B ARD E WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

85

HANDLEBAR OWNER JONNY LAW POURS A BEER AT THE LOCALLY OWNED WHISTLER BAR. THE HANDLES ON THE BAR TAPS ARE BIKE GRIPS.

margarita mix. And to top it all off, they tip a Corona on top.

The Western-themed bar—which boasts an impressive mural of a shootout, plenty of bullhorns, and the odd disco ball—is a great place to see and be seen. Over the years, it’s played host to numerous celebrities, including Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber.

With its extensive heated patio and international crowd, it’s not uncommon to see people jump on the table and dance.

“It’s simply got a great party vibe,” explains Sidney. “Get a Bulldog,or get a beer.

You're not going to be disappointed!”

THE BULLDOG LONGHORN BAR & GRILL.

THE VILLAGE T H E R E A R E S O M A N Y G R E AT A P R È S

spots to choose from when you’re skiing out to the Village. The GLC, Black’s, Dubh Linn Gate, to name a few. And of course, the Longhorn. If you’re in the mood for a party, the Longhorn has you covered. Located steps away from the Whistler Village Gondola, the party kicks off early and 86

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

UPPER VILLAGE—BLACKCOMB BASE

COCKTAIL AT THE

stretches late into the night.

"All through winter—it's crazy,” explains barman Taylor Sidney. “It can be hard to get a seat anywhere!"

The go-to drink? Easy. The famous Longhorn Bulldog, says Sidney.

Served in a giant margarita glass, it’s a mix of tequila, triple sec, lime syrup and

DAVID BUZZARD

spice mix, Clamato juice) coming with a thick piece of beef jerky on the side.

With live music playing most nights of the week, Dusty’s is a great place to relax, or chill out in the games section, which boasts a pool table, dartboard, and the video game Big Buck Hunter.

You might just find you like Dusty’s as much as Dobrochodow. Originally from Australia, he visited Dusty’s while on a ski vacation around a dozen years ago. Loving the vibe, he told the bartender he’d be back, and years later, he returned.

“I started working and never left,” says Dobrochodow with a smile. “I’ve been here for five years now!”

Keep in mind, further down the road, in the heart of Creekside, Roland’s Pub is another option for an après with a local feel.

I F YO U ’ R E M O R E I N T H E M O O D F O R

a classic ski-bar, drop by Merlin’s in the Upper Village. With the front end of a snowcat and a vintage Ski-Doo hanging from the ceiling, it’s not your typical pub.

As for drinks, “We’re known for our shot skis,” explains barman Hoolio Millan.

For the uninitiated, shot skis are skis fastened with an added feature—shooter glasses. And when a group of friends takes one down, Merlin’s staff hit a button that rings the horn and flashes the lights of

the hanging snowcat. It simply doesn’t get much more Whistler than that.

Owned by Whistler Blackcomb, Merlin’s offers a number of nights aimed at employees, making it a great place to mix it up with the good people who load chairs, clear parking lots, and make skiing at the resort possible.

ADD SOME SPIRIT TO YOUR NIGHT

Whether you join us for after-work drinks or a spontaneous date night, we’ll always make you feel celebrated at The Keg.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

DAVID BUZZARD

W H I L E YO U ’ R E I N T H E U P P E R V I L L A G E , B E

sure to check out HandleBar, a relatively new après spot located just a few doors down from Merlin’s.

Owned by locals Jonny Law and André Charland, HandleBar caters to the hard-core ski crowd. It’s an intimate place, unlike the big après hotspots, where you’ll find well-worn Gore-Tex outerwear, touring boots, and a mean selection of craft beer.

“My goal is to have the best beer line up in town,” says manager Nick Dobson.

With a solid, German-inspired menu (plenty of quality sausage) and sleek décor, HandleBar is a popular spot with a low-key feel. The goal, explains Dobson, is to create something a “little different than anywhere in town” but give the bar a “proper ski-bar feel.”

Mission accomplished. W

4429 Sundial Place | 604.932.5151 | kegsteakhouse.com

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shopping whistler

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE From new skis and the warmest layers to elegant jewelry and comforting home décor, we’ve rounded up what’s new and noteworthy in Whistler shops this season.

— Brigitte Mah

KEIR SNOWFLAKE BRACELET This 14k white-gold Canadian round, brilliant-cut diamond claw-set snowflake bracelet was designed in partnership with Keir Fine Jewellery and is set in certified Canadian gold. It comes with a certificate of origin and is a stunning way to remember your time in Whistler. $895 PATAGONIA MICRO PUFF STORM JACKET You can’t do a winter in a ski resort without an insulated layer, and the Micro Puff Storm Jacket from Patagonia blends their as-warmas-down synthetic insulation with a waterproof shell for an ideal jacket that provides lightweight warmth in a Whistler winter environment. You can drop the jacket into a river and it will dry quickly and still keep you warm. $589

DALE OF NORWAY CHRISTIANIA CARDIGAN Winter isn’t complete without the perfect sweater, and the Christiania zipped cardigan from Amos & Andes captures the spirit of the season along with the essence of Norway. Made of soft merino wool, this cardigan got its name from the former name of Oslo, the capital city of Norway. Wear it layered or on its own and embrace the feeling of winter. $469

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

SHOPPING AREAS

Nesters

UPPER VILLAGE

Village North

WHISTLER VILLAGE

SALOMON QST 106 SKI Sometimes on a mountain vacation, the only thing that satisfies the itch are new skis. The QST 106 from Salomon is an ideal ski for West Coast snow conditions, with a surfy feel that won’t pull you into a turn and the ability to respond in all conditions.

As the second widest in the QST series, it is perfect in soft snow but can still handle just about anything. $699

cou

ver

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE

FUNCTION JUNCTION

To Va n

DAVID MCCOLM WEATHER WONDERS STAMP A celebrated Whistler landscape and night-sky photographer, David McColm knows how to capture the vibrancy of nature in its raw form. His stunning photo of a rare moon halo is one of a package of 10 stamps available at Canada Post that is themed “Weather Wonders.” Moon halos are a natural phenomenon that occur when ice crystals in the cool night air refract the moonlight. $8.50 for the booklet of 10 stamps

Whistler Village is the hub of activity at the base of the mountains. A pedestrian-only paradise, it offers over 200 stores, galleries, restaurants and bars.

Village North is centred

around Whistler Marketplace, which offers a supermarket, liquor store and many fine shops and amenities.

Upper Village, situated at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, is another walking-only area with many wonderful stores, restaurants and galleries.

Nesters is just two minutes north of Whistler Village and offers a variety of shops and restaurants, with a liquor store, grocery store and restaurants.

DAVID MCCOLM PUZZLE This 1000-piece puzzle captures the glow of the late alpine light, when it isn’t quite dark enough to be night and Village lights transform the twilight sky. Nature and civilization are juxtaposed in a stunning image that illuminates untouched snow-capped trees. No two pieces are alike in this puzzle, called White Night, making for a unique challenge as you put it together.

Available at: Get The Goods, Whoola Toys, Armchair Books, Carlbergs Gift Shop, Whistler Foto Source, Arts Whistler, and the Upper Village Market. $40 >>

Rainbow Plaza is five minutes north of the Village. Brand new with grocery store, liquor store, coffee shop, gas station and more.

Whistler Creekside, just a

five-minute drive south of the Village, is a shopping area near the base of Whistler Mountain.

Function Junction is just 10 minutes south of Whistler Village and offers hardware, organic groceries, breweries, bakeries and many more shops and services.

Function Junction

shopping whistler

Discover the Locals’ Secret 8 minutes south of the Village The

Daily Planet Home Interiors Inc.

ANTIQUES ORIGINAL ART FURNITURE HOME DECOR COOL STUFF

Award-winning craft beers, ice-cold off-sales, complete keg sale packages, special events & beer-inspired food

Open 7 days, 11:30am – late 1-1030 Millar Creek Road

604.938.6336

TAPHOUSE HOURS: Sun–Wed, noon–8pm Thurs –Sat, 11am–10pm BREWERY TOURS: Tues–Sun, 2:30 or 4:00pm

dailyplanet whistler.com

1045 Millar Creek Road 604.962.8889 whistlerbeer.com

1

2

We are purebread, a nice little bakery in Function Junction.

Our aim is a simple one: to make really great bread and great tasty treats.

'Gently~used' & new clothing, footwear & accessories for guys & gals!

Open 7 days 8.30am - 5pm Also visit us at our Village location on Olympic Plaza, open 7 days 8am - 6pm

Come down and Deja Vogue with us.

We'd love to see YOU!

Follow us on Twitter @purebreadwhis

1-1040 Millar Creek Rd.

604-932-DEJA [3352] #104~1055 Millar Creek Road

1-604-938-3013 Function Junction

3

purebread.ca

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WOOL MOUNTAIN PILLOWS These unique, handmade wool pillows from Camp Lifestyle and Coffee Co. are a great way to bring the mountains right into your home. The snow-capped peaks and the grey colour echo the granite mountains that surround Whistler, and the robust stuffing provides ample comfort. Each pillow is playfully named after a local mountain: Garibaldi, Sproatt, Whistler and Blackcomb. Choose from one peak or get them all. $110-150

THE NORTH FACE 1996 RETRO NUPTSE VEST Revel in a throwback to the ’90s with this revival of a classic. One of the originals that started the puffy vest look, the Nuptse Vest from The North Face is waterresistant with 700 fill goose down, making it the perfect lightweight extra layer for a Whistler winter or a great outer layer for the spring and fall. $249.99 >>

WHISTLER'S OUTDOOR STORE FOR KIDS & TEENS

We've got

ING EVERYTnH eed for

your kids e an awesome tim in Whistler!

FIND US IN MOUNTAIN SQUARE, JUST STEPS FROM LULULEMON | WWW.MOUNTAINKIDS.CA | 604 932 2115

shopping whistler

Organic Smoothies Juice and Coffee Bar Fresh and Local Organic Produce Organic Grocery and Convenience Needs

Organic Salad Bar for All Diets Organic Soup of the Day and Sandwich Combos

House Made Salad Dressings and Dips Fresh Baked Goods Daily – GF and VE Available

Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt Bar

Specialty Desserts for all Diets

SPYDER BOYS’ LEADER SKI JACKET AND PROPULSION SKI PANTS Designed for the young skier who is focused on performance, this combination from Mountain Kids Outfitters Ltd. will keep the elements out while giving the skier the mobility to perform.

With special features like critically taped seams, watertight pocket zippers, removable and adjustable suspenders, a fixed powder skirt and a hem that extends an extra inch, this set was made to keep kids moving at top speed in any conditions. $239.99 jacket, $159.99 pants

Preservative-Free, Delicious Meats and Pepperonis

Catering Available

Function Junction rd ham Lyn Al

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Olives Community Market Vancouver

open every day from 8am to 7pm 101-1200 alpha lake road | 604.932.3484 info@olivesmarketwhistler.com www.olivesmarketwhistler.com

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

CANADA GOOSE DEEP COVE BOMBER When style and function meet, you get the Deep Cove Bomber by Canada Goose, available at Open Country. This down-filled jacket is stylish enough to wear out and about, yet warm enough to insulate you from the coldest days. The removable hood is also down-filled and the cuffs are ribbed, keeping the heat in when you need it most. $795 >>

Whistler’s only fashion footwear store LOCATED IN THE WESTIN

NEXT TO THE VISITOR INFO CENTRE & KEIR FINE JEWELLERY

604-932-7202 www.whistlersweatershop.com

110-4090 Whistler Way 604.905.0036

solesofwhistler.com

accessories ltd.

It’s not what you need...

It’s what you want.

Proudly supporting local designers.

Whistler Town Plaza 604.905.6290

1066 Millar Creek Rd. Function Junction

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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shopping whistler

SWHUGET ART & DESIGN PRINTED ART PILLOW COVER These bright and vibrant pillow covers, available at the Audain Art Museum, are designed by Canadian artist Sharon W. Huget —soft, cuddly and made from 100 per cent polyester. They are printed with designs from Canadian award-winning artist Paul Wong with vibrant fade-resistant solvent-free inks and are manufactured in Canada. $78 SOREL EMELIE LACE BURRO Fashion meets function in the Sorel Emelie Lace Burro boot. Its rubber outsole, rubber feet and seam-sealed construction guarantee dryness in the dampest of conditions, and the waterproof full-grain leather and suede will keep you stylish even when the snow is swirling. Your feet will love the comfort of the memory footbed, and the warm lining will keep your toes toasty for the whole season. Sorels are available at Soles, Open Country, OC2, and Whistler Blackcomb retail stores. $250 >>

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

Located at the base of the Whistler Village Gondola 604.932.4100 O P E N

L A T E

WHISTLER’S LARGEST

First Nations Gift Shop

A charming and unique selection of gifts and kitchenware for you to choose Mugs • Dinner Plates • Platters • Placemats Practical Kitchen Accessories and more Located steps from the base of the Blackcomb Gondola

ralKstoitrechforenkitchWenorwakre,s hioristte le W loc A fav ce 1994 gifts and home decor sin604-938-1110 ketplace

Located in Whistler’s Mar

WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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Fuel yourself and your family.

shopping whistler COOL AS A MOOSE GUARDSMAN LONG SLEEVE SHIRT This ever-popular shirt from Cool As A Moose is made from 100 per cent ringspun cotton.

Its relaxed fit makes it an all-resort shirt since it can be worn on the mountain or at après. With a range of sizes, this is a perfect gift for everyone on your list. $42.99

Whistler’s Largest Grocery Store

W

Marketplace, Whistler. Open 9am - 9pm daily.

604-938-2850 • www.marketplaceiga.com

annechocolates.com

TO: __________________________ FROM:

Over 1000 different kinds of candy!

Catherine Power-Chartrand ADVERTISING MANAGER, WHISTLER: THE MAGAZINE

IMPORTANT PROOF! PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS. Whistler: the Magazine Winter/Spring 2019 issue:

Giant Bulk Candy Selection Jelly Belly British Specialties Novelty Candy Helium Balloons Gourmet Popcorn Awesome Greeting Cards Too!

Please check this proof very carefully and indicate any corrections to be made.

Please sign, date, check appropriate box and return.

OK to print as per this proof.

OK to print with changes/ corrections as indicated.

Please submit revised proof.

Signed

102-4295 Blackcomb Way Date

Ph: 604-932-5131, ext. 314 Fax: 604-932-2862 Cell: 604-932-1672

Find us at Marketplace Lodge - Whistler Olympic Plaza (604) 935-1076

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

www.GreatGlassElevatorCandyShop.com

services Directory

To advertise in the Services Directory, call Catherine Power-Chartrand at 604-932-1672

2017

PROVEN RESULTS –

I’m with you every step of the way Specializing in Residential and Investment property in Whistler

Voted Best Dental Clinic

Carolyn Hill, ASSOCIATE BROKER

New Patients & Emergencies Welcome

PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

Delivering the Dream – Whistler cel: 604-907-0770

For appointments call: 604-938-1550 #317 – 2063 Lake Placid Rd., Whistler

email: chill@whistlerbuyer.com www.whistlerbuyer.com Voted Whistler’s Best Realtor

(next to Creekside Market)

WHISTLER RECEPTION SERVICES TM

STUDIOS

Providing a World Class Greeting in a World Class Resort

Yoga and wellness services in the heart of Whistler Village!

Now available - Luxury Home Management and Care

We offier many different styles to suit all levels of practice. Our class cap of 15 maintains personalized attention and a sense of community.

A unique central check-in – concierge and in-resort contact for guests, owners and managers of vacation rentals and properties

BOOKING ONLINE OR BY PHONE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WHISTLER VILLAGE IN DEER LODGE AND UPPER VILLAGE IN GLACIER LODGE

604-935-2020 info@whistleryogacara.com

Call 604-966-0999 to set up a free consultation!

www.whistleryogacara.com

www.whistlerreception.com / info@whistlerreception.com

Everything you need for your Health, Beauty and Convenience, right in the heart of Whistler Village Prestigious Beauty Boutique Full Service Pharmacy offering Travel Vaccinations & Medication Reviews Prescription Deliveries and much more Whistler Village (near The Keg & Movie Theatre)

604-905-5666 www.shoppersdrugmart.ca

massage clinic & spa

SERVING WHISTLER FOR OVER

25 YEARS

state-of-the-art gym. yoga. spin. hiit. boxfit. barre. fascial stretch therapy. bio electric massage. tanning. www.altitudecanada.com 604.962.2600

cross country connection

Rentals Skills Tours

CLINIC SERVICES OFFERED:

Deep Tissue Massage, Relaxation, Acupressure, Therapeutic Massge, Reflexology, Aromotherapy & Hot Stone Massage Registered Massage Therapy, Counselling, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Naturopathy & Medical Skin Care are available on request

www.bluehighways.ca • 604-938-0777 • #206 - 4368 Main St., Market Pavilion

whistler • 604.905.0071 • crosscountryconnection.ca WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

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SCENE in whistler

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WHISTLER MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2019

DEVIN MANKY DAN FALLOON

Nicholi Rogatkin (USA) dazzles a crowd of 35,000 and takes home the win at the Red Bull Joyride during Crankworx Whistler, the biggest mountain biking festival in the world.

Pride House founder Dean Nelson at the annual Whistler Pride Parade, Whistler Village.

AMY ALLEN

MIKECRANEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

(Left to Right) Julia Sarah Stone, Tiera Skovbye and Jessica Parker Kennedy hit the red carpet at the 17th annual Whistler Film Festival in the Conference Centre last December.

The Canucks hit the ice at Meadow Park Sports Centre for training camp and a few NHLer’s took the time to skate with some local hockey players.

MEGAN LALONDE

Montreal Canadiens hockey player Brendan Gallagher hangs with DJ Peacefrog at Buffalo Bills in May.

COURTESY G7

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Arlene Dickinson, philanthropist, venture capitalist and former Dragons Den star, was the keynote speaker at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities conference in September.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Arts Whistler Live presented local artist Vendulka at the Maury Young Arts Centre last December.

Canadian Minister of International Development, Marie Claude Bibeau, centre, with other members of the G7, at the G7 Finance & Development Ministerial conference in June.

COURTESY UBCM

JUSTA JESKOVA

Author Eden Robinson signs copies of her new book, Trickster Drift, at the Whistler Writers Festival in October.

Coast Mountain Trail Series race director Gary Robbins and his son pose for a photo with Daniel and Henrik Sedin after the former Canucks complete the 25K Whistler Alpine Meadows Race.

MIKECRANEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

ALISON TAYLOR

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN — YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU MIGHT SEE!

Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman, better known as Choir! Choir! Choir! transformed Whistler into a full-fledged choir with its own harmonized rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at Whistler Olympic Plaza.

A surprise retirement party was held for Olympian and crosscountry skier Devon Kershaw (centre) at the Firerock in September. W

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