Whistler Magazine Summer 2023

DO A LOT, OR A LOT OF NOTHING

Tyax Lodge is conveniently close but a world away, resting on the shores of Tyaughton Lake in the heart of the southern Chilcotin Mountains. The area showcases rugged mountain peaks, pristine lakes, stunning glaciers and a diverse ecosystem of wildflowers and wildlife.

Choose from world-class mountain biking, horseback riding, paddling, fishing or spectacular hiking, or simply relax lakeside at the lodge. Book online now at tyax.com

ARTS SCENE: Nature as Muse 19

BY ALISON TAYLOR

WHISTLER OUTDOORS: Wild at Heart 23

BY ALISON TAYLOR

GOLF WHISTLER: Making the Turn 28

BY ALISON TAYLOR

FACES OF WHISTLER: Keeping Culture Alive 35

BY MEGAN LALONDE

WHISTLER HOMES: Natural Wonder 38

BY LISE BOULLARD

FINE DINING: New Kids on the Block 44

BY BRANDON BARRETT

CASUAL DINING: Trad Fare/New Flare 53

BY CLARE OGILVIE

CONTRIBUTORS

BRANDON BARRETT is features editor for Pique Newsmagazine. He is the 2018 recipient of the John Collison Investigative Journalism Award. In his free time, he is a theatre producer, performer and playwright.

LISE BOULLARD is a journalist with bylines in Reader’s Digest, The Vancouver Sun and The North Shore News. When not glued to her laptop, Lise can be found cooking, travelling and volunteering with service dogs.

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 The Squamish Chief.

MEGAN LALONDE graduated with a degree from Carleton University's School of Journalism. She is a reporter and social media editor for Pique Newsmagazine.

CLARE OGILVIE: There aren’t a lot of stories about Whistler that Clare hasn’t written about in her 25 years of living here, raising a family, and working as editor for Pique Newsmagazine. Go ahead ask her anything!

COVER PHOTO OF THE WHISTLER GOLF CLUB BY MIKE CRANE

SUMMER/FALL 2023

What is your favourite golf course?

GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERTISING/OPERATIONS

Every local golf course has spectacular views but Big Sky in Pemberton, with Mount Currie as backdrop, is unbelievable. The course can be a little forgiving too (even though I still lose lots of balls every round!)

Nicklaus North, even though I was politely asked to leave the premises one time some years ago for drunkenly driving a cart directly into the rock wall holding up the Table 19 patio – in full view of the entire clubhouse.

Catherine Power-Chartrand

EDITOR

Alison Taylor

ART DIRECTOR

Shelley Ackerman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Brandon Barrett

Lise Boullard

Megan Lalonde

Clare Ogilvie

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

David Buzzard

Jason Coleman

Mike Crane

Ben Girardi

Justa Jeskova

Shane Reside

Getty Images

Tourism Whistler

PRESIDENT, WHISTLER PUBLISHING LP

Sarah Strother

ACCOUNTING

Heidi Rode

CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION

Denise Conway

The Fairmont course has a special place in my heart. A bear took over a booth at a tournament, a fantastic ladies day with friends and family day at the driving range with my kids.

The Whistler Golf Course saved my sanity during Covid, as I walked the Valley Trail around it every day, enjoying the change of seasons, the bears that grazed the gentle greens and the sense of peace it shared.

“I learned to golf with my kids at Nic North, so it will always be my favourite.” I love Hole 17. I’ve lost a lot of golf balls there, but what a view of Green Lake!

Whistler Magazine (ISSN-0835-5460) is published twice annually by WHISTLER PUBLISHING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a division of GLACIER MEDIA GROUP 202-1390 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C., Canada, V8E 0H9 Phone 604-938-0202 | Fax 604-938-0201

Email: cpower@whistlermagazine.com

Also publishers of Pique Newsmagazine, weekly on Fridays, piquenewsmagazine.com

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FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

Whistler is going to feel busier than usual this summer as a few key upgrading projects get underway, but there are ways of getting around it!

To be fair, there is simply no good time to do construction projects in a popular fourseason resort. Whistler, however, is committed to staying at the top of its game, offering topnotch amenities and services to rival the best in the world.

So take note: One of the main lifts into the bike park, Fitzsimmons Express, will be closed to make way for a new eight-seater chairlift. This area is already a hotspot every summer, with lines snaking through the Village maze as hungry riders swelter in their protective armour, counting down the minutes for their next A-Line lap or Dirt Merchant jumps. The Whistler gondola will be the sole access to the bike park from the main Village, so it will be pretty busy there. Your better bet might be the Creekside gondola access, south of the Village.

On the other side of the valley, Rainbow Park is set to close during construction as the

ALISON TAYLOR Editor

municipality works to upgrade that destination park. The closures will displace swimmers, sun bathers, paddleboarders, volleyball players and picnickers.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret: there’s still plenty of room in Whistler, far away from the crowds, for all to enjoy. You just have to be a little creative and willing to explore.

Last summer I hiked up the Ascent Trails on Blackcomb Mountain a few times, only ever bumping into a handful of other hikers along the way. It’s an amazing feeling, that sense of being far from civilization, of being alone in the forest, when in reality you’re hiking on one of the most popular mountains on the West Coast.

You can get even further away from the crowds on your bike, if you’re willing to work

for it. There are hundreds of kilometres of mountain-bike trails from one end of Whistler to the other. Find them on the Trailforks app and build your own adventure.

The lakes are always very busy in the height of the summer. There are five main lakes in the valley—Lost Lake, Alta Lake, Nita Lake, Alpha Lake and Green Lake— serving as everyone’s summertime playground.

But these aren’t Whistler’s only lakes. Find a local and ask around. They might just share a secret or two.

So take the challenge and discover some new things to enjoy in Whistler beyond the obvious. All of the things that brought us here remain the same, whether you’re a longtime local, a weekend warrior or a day-tripper— the mountains, fresh air, forests, clean water and endless adventures.

Take this summer to get off the beaten track. And take it from me: there is so much more to Whistler than first meets the eye.

TOURISM WHISTLER/MARK MACKAY

BY ALISON TAYLOR

THINGS TO DO & SEE [ IN & AROUND WHISTLER ]

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Once called London Mountain because of the rain and fog, Whistler Mountain was rebranded in 1965 in homage to the hoary marmots who call the alpine home. The name comes from the distinct whistling sound made by the chubby rodents. They’re easy to spot among the rocks on the hiking trails in the alpine of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

SAVE THE DATE –CRANKWORX IN JULY

The world’s biggest mountain bike festival, Crankworx Whistler, is set to come to town a little sooner than usual. Typically reserved for 10 days in August, the world’s best mountain bikers will descend on Whistler July 21-30. This is the birthplace of Crankworx, the Mecca of mountain biking. This is also where the Crankworx World Tour wraps up after stops throughout the year in New Zealand, Australia and Austria. The line-up remains as epic as ever with the Red Bull Joyride, Air DH and the Whip-Off World Champs, and this is where the King and Queen of Crankworx will be crowned again. The Canadian Enduro is a signature event this year and will be held on the last day. If you don’t know what any of that means, head to Whistler July 21-30. It’s a sight to behold.

APRÈS ADVANTAGE

Long-steeped in the time-honoured tradition of après ski, Whistlerites are primed to celebrate after any day in the mountains. There’s après hike, après bike, après swim. You name it. And there’s no better place to après than at one of Whistler’s patios. Strategically placed in the Village and around town, patios are the perfect summertime spot to spend a few hours as the alpenglow warms the late afternoon sky in pinks, yellows and purples. Insider Note: it’s hard to beat the Umbrella Bar patio on Whistler Mountain at 1,850 metres (6,069 feet) as the snowcapped Coast Mountains stretch out forever before you. Or, for a different feel, check out the lakeside patio at the Nita Lake Lodge, overlooking the quiet waters.

JUSTA JESKOVA

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS

The free summer concert series is back again this summer, one of the best ways to enjoy live music in the mountains. The 2023 series kicks off on the Canada Day long weekend, beginning Thursday July 29 with the always popular Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. So, grab your blankets, a folding chair, a picnic perhaps, and settle in at Whistler Olympic Plaza in the heart of the Village. From classical to rock, indie pop to R&B, there will be shows for all musical tastes throughout the summer. Stay tuned to Pique Newsmagazine, on stands every Friday or online at piquenewsmagazine.com, for details on upcoming shows and events.

FARM FRESH

Support local vendors and artisans with a stroll through the Whistler Farmers’ Market. You’ll find artists and food and drink vendors, as well as the requisite farm-fresh fruit and vegetables. The outdoor market stretches from the base of Blackcomb Mountain to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler along the Upper Village Stroll. It takes place every Sunday throughout the summer with select Saturdays on long weekends. Kids will find hours of entertainment there too at the Blackcomb Adventure Zone with bouncy castle, rope courses, and more.

HIGH FLYING!

Wanna get high? Whistler can give you several opportunities to get your feet off the ground and into the sky!

WHISTLER BUNGEE JUMPING

Jump from the bridge and fall 50 metres over the rushing Cheakamus River before the bungee cord does its thing!

CLOUDRAKER SUSPENSION BRIDGE

ZIPTREK ZIPLINING

Walk, if you dare, across the Cloudraker Suspension Bridge which spans 130 metres from Whistler Peak to West Ridge. >>

Fly over the rainforest on Whistler’s ziplines for an adrenalinefuelled adventure.

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

TOURISM

WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE, TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA, ZIPTREK/MITCH WINTON

AUDAIN ACQUISITION

If there weren’t enough reasons to visit the Audain Art Museum, a new Emily Carr acquisition offers one more. In March, museum founders Michael Audain and wife Yoshiko

Karasawa bought an aptly-named painting titled Survival

The piece, which Carr painted in 1940, features a standalone tree, reaching into the sky, above what appears to be a surrounding clear cut. Audain purchased Survival, which has only been exhibited three times until now, most notably at Canada’s debut in the 1952 Venice Biennale, from a private collection in Quebec. This will be the first time in 60 years that members of the public will be able to view it.

With Survival, there are now 33 Carrs in the Audain collection. In an interview after the acquisition, Audain told Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine: “I wanted the museum to have one of the best Carr collections in the country. I value her. I love her work so much.

“I think it represents so much of what British Columbia is all about, given her concern about the environment, the condition of our forests, and land. And, of course, her connections with the…Indigenous people of our coasts. I felt it would be wonderful to have that collection.”

The Audain Art Museum is located in the Village. Check out audainartmuseum.com.

SEA TO SKY TRAIL

Throughout Whistler there are all manner of trails from fast-flowing downhill bike trails and rooty and technical cross-country trails to remote backcountry hiking trails and dirt bike trails. But there is nothing quite like the Sea to Sky Trail. The 180-kilometre trail spans from the Squamish waterfront in the south to D’Arcy in the north. Not all parts of the trail are complete as it is still a work in progress, but there are continuous sections of trail winding through stunning forests and rushing rivers, waterfalls and more. The nonmotorized, multi-use trail is open yearround for walking, hiking or biking in the summer, and cross-country skiing in winter. Check out slrd.bc.ca for maps and details.

FLOAT THE RIVER

Take a guided tour or navigate it yourself, but don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience Whistler’s River of Golden Dreams. Set off from the shores of Alta Lake before heading to the mouth of the river at the north end of the lake. The River of Golden Dreams is a five-kilometre meandering river linking Alta Lake to Green Lake, snaking through wetlands and forest with the ever-present mountains as backdrop. Go by canoe, kayak, paddleboard. Check out backroadswhistler.com for boat rentals and tours.

COURTESY AUDAIN ART MUSEUM

JUSTA JESKOVA

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

SIMPLE SELF-CARE

It can be as easy as a visit to one of Whistler’s spas for a treatment. Or, you can block off a period of time to soak in the delights, and the silence, of Scandinave Spa, with a thermal journey alternating between hot and cold. Or, you can even take a walk in the forest and practice the Japanese art of “forest bathing.” There are so many options in Whistler for some simple self-care. Take the time to rejuvenate in the mountains.

FITZSIMMONS FACELIFT

The Fitzsimmons Express chairlift, which ferries skiers and bikers up Whistler Mountain from the heart of the Village, is getting an upgrade this summer. The old four-seater lift will be replaced with a faster eight-seater chair. Mountain bike trails around the Fitzsimmons chair may be impacted throughout the summer with rolling trail closures due to the ongoing construction. Riders can still access the bike park from the Whistler Village Gondola as well as the Creekside Gondola. It’s short-term pain for long-term gain as the new chair is designed to reduce line ups and wait times, ultimately offering more uphill capacity from the Village both in summer and winter.

TOURISM WHISTLER/CHAD CHOMLACK

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

CHASING WATERFALLS

Spend the day chasing easy-to-access waterfalls from one end of the Sea to Sky corridor to the other. First, there’s Shannon Falls just south of the Squamish Chief, visible from Highway 99 but more impressive the closer you get. Then there’s Brandywine Falls just south of Whistler, a 70-metre powerful freefall with great views from the observation deck. It takes about 10 minutes to hike to the falls from the parking lot. Alexander Falls is located in the Callaghan Valley, a beautiful 43-metre tiered waterfall on Madeley Creek. North of Whistler, closer to Pemberton, is Nairn Falls. Just follow the Green River along a trail for roughly one kilometre to see the waterfall.

JOIN THE CLUB

It’s no mean feat maintaining more than 350 kilometres of cross-country mountain bike trails. In Whistler, the heavy-lifting for that rests with WORCA, the long-standing Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association. Its purpose, among other things, is to build and maintain trails as well as advocate for the interests of the mountain biking community to governments, business and industry. If you ride Whistler’s trails, even if you’re just visiting for a period of time, consider joining the club—$60 for adults, $25 for youth, $15 for kids. Check out worca.com. Once you get on the trails, you’ll realize just what your membership gets you.

UPHILL CLIMB

CLOSED FOR UPGRADES

There is little doubt that Whistler’s top parks— Rainbow, Lost Lake, Lakeside and Alpha Lake—are popular summertime haunts. In 2021, those parks were visited 176,000 times— that’s 77 per cent more than in 2019. All the more reason, then, for the upcoming Rainbow Park upgrades. While the other parks are operating as usual, during the summer of 2023 Rainbow Park will be closed during construction. The park upgrades include: a larger beach area with log and rock seating; more trees for shade on the lawn; an additional dock with a hammock and accessible lift; a food truck plaza; and, more gathering spaces and picnic areas, among other things. Check out whistler.ca for details.

When it comes to hiking in Whistler, just as when it comes to biking in Whistler, there’s no getting around the fact that the uphill climb is a grind—we sit at the foot of the mountains after all. The Ascent Trails on Blackcomb Mountain exemplify this. The trails are divided into three sections — first Little Burn followed by Big Burn capped off with Heart Burn. You get the idea! The beauty of this climb? There’s the Blackcomb Gondola waiting at the top to take you back down to the Village. But first, enjoy a well-earned snack at the Rendezvous, soak up the view, and celebrate the achievement. Insider Note: You don’t have to go all the way to the top if you’re not feeling the full grind. The mid-station of the gondola is after Big Burn.

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE JUSTA JESKOVA

TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

A LOOK BACK: THE CROWD GOES WILD

Twenty years ago Whistlerites gathered in Village Square, packed in tightly, holding a collective bated breath. It was early morning, before 9 a.m., on July 2, 2003. They gathered to hear International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge announce the winner of the 2010 Olympic Bid from Prague. Three cities were vying for the 2010 Games—Vancouver, Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Salzburg, Austria. Vancouver won, setting the wheels in motion for an unforgettable Olympic Games. In the ensuing six and a half years from that fateful morning in 2003, Whistler transformed. There were multi-million on-mountain upgrades including a new snowmaking system in order to host the downhill events; a brand new sliding track on Whistler Mountain, the fastest track in the world; a state-of-the-art Nordic facility in the Callaghan Valley; and hundreds of new homes to house the athletes first, which then became resident housing for the community post-Games. And, a brand new highway, making the journey from Vancouver to Whistler faster and safer. July 2, 2003 goes down in the history books as a day that changed Whistler forever.

STOCKSTUDIOX/GETTY IMAGES TOURISM WHISTLER/MIKE CRANE

MOUNTAIN ROOTS

BUY LOCAL, BUILD COMMUNITY

Mountain

—Alison Taylor

GET NAKED

for just over a year, marie-Christine “mc” boulet has been at the helm of the Naked Sprout, the plant-based vegan and vegetarian café in a prime Village location. Since taking over, Boulet has focused on the fresh-pressed juices and organic smoothies that put the Naked Sprout on the map. But she’s also putting her own stamp on the business. This is a great spot to fuel up for the day with a tofu scramble english muffin topped with vegan mayo and kale and parsley pesto. Or try the grilled Dynamite Wrap with its pulled oyster mushrooms, BBQ lentil and brown rice, crispy chickpeas and more. There’s a mouthwatering option for everyone. Check out nakedsprout.ca.

BASKETS OF GOODIES

FOREST FINDS

local jewelry-maker victoria

Saddleman calls her business Sziktsut Creations (Zik-Shoot). It means Fallen Tree in the Lil’wat Nation, of which she is a member. Saddleman’s pieces are made from wood which she has foraged from the local forests. Her unique pieces, depicting hummingbirds, flowers and mountains, are handmade from stainless steel and wood. The wood is hand sanded, painted with acrylic paint and then finished with ecopoxy natural resin. “I think it’s good carrying a piece of the land everywhere you go,” she says. Sziktsut Creations are available at local markets as well as the Arthentic boutique inside the Maury Young Arts Centre, which showcases a curated collection of handcrafted products from the Sea to Sky corridor. The boutique features jewelry, wood carving, pottery and more. Saddleman was the Arts Whistler Artist of the Month in February 2023. Check out her Instagram at sziktsut.creations.

for more than a decade, Whistler Baskets has been brightening people’s days with their custom curated gifts baskets and boxes. The baskets are chock full of goodies for any occasion, as well as any budget. Recently, long-time local Dorothy Harwood has taken over ownership and has renewed focus on creating gifts that feature Canadian products and local vendors such as treats like Whistler Chocolate’s delicious organic chocolate bars, and Nonna Pia’s Balsamic Reduction, a balsamic sauce that can liven up any dinner plate and is made right here in Whistler. Check out whistlerbaskets.ca for more info.

ROCKIT TAKING OFF

there’s a new coffee hotspot in Creekside, fuelling mountain bikers and everyone else who stops by for the delicious coffee and treats. It’s called Rockit Coffee, close to the Creekside base on Whistler Mountain. Rockit has a decidedly funky feel to it with its rockstar décor. There’s a seventies vibe with vintage speakers, electronics, colourful furniture and lots of space to hang out while you soak up the trendy vibe. Check out rockitcoffee.ca or stop by when you’re passing through Creekside.

Roots: Whistler is a place where anything is possible, where risks are encouraged and creativity is embraced. Here are a few local businesses that are making their mark in this part of the world and beyond.

COURTESY WHISTLER BASKETS

RIVER OF GOLDEN DREAMS

NATURE AS MUSE

ARTISTS TURN TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR CREATIVE INSPIRATION

STORY BY ALISON TAYLOR

In one of whistler’s choicest hotels, a vertical garden takes over one of the main lobby walls, a deep green sea of plants literally breathing life into the hotel.

The vertical garden was installed in 2018 during hotel renovations. It is made up of three floor-to-ceiling panels filled with plants and in between a plaque reads: “Your well-being is our priority. Breathe easy with our signature vertical garden, designed to not only beautify your environment but also help relieve stress and purify the air we share.”

There’s no doubt, says Westin Resort & Spa Whistler’s Director of Rooms Andrew Misquitta, that the wall has been a great success.

“It has been a big hit among our guests,” he says. “It has been a nice added feature for the Westin lobby.” >>

BACKCOUNTRY VIEW

DIPTYCH BY SAMANTHA WILLIAMS-CHAPELSKY, 120 CMS X 120 CMS, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, AT ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY.

WHISTLER GALLERIES

AUDAIN ART MUSEUM

4350 Blackcomb Way

604-962-0413

audainartmuseum.com

ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY

In the Westin Resort & Spa 604-938-0887 adelecampbell.com

ART JUNCTION GALLERY & FRAME STUDIO

1068 Millar Creek Road, Function Junction

604-938-9000 artjunction.ca

MOUNTAIN GALLERIES AT THE FAIRMONT

In the Fairmont Chateau Whistler 604-935-1862 www.mountaingalleries.com

THE PLAZA GALLERIES

22-4314 Main Street 604-938-6233 plazagalleries.com

THE GALLERY AT MAURY YOUNG

ARTS CENTRE

4335 Blackcomb Way 604-935-8410 artswhistler.com

SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE

4584 Blackcomb Way 1-866-441-SLCC (7522) slcc.ca

WHISTLER CONTEMPORARY GALLERY

In the Hilton Resort 604-938-3001 (main)

In the Four Seasons Resort 604-935-3999 whistlerart.com

the vertical garden serves several purposes: it livens up a hotel wall with vibrant colour and depth, as well as bringing nature, and all of its many benefits, into the building.

Of course, nature and the surrounding environment have long been many artists’ muse.

At the Adele Campbell Fine Art, the long-established Whistler art gallery also located in the Westin, nature is a large part of the inspiration for work.

“The general theme of the gallery… is Canadian art,” says owner and director Elizabeth Harris. “But (art that is) largely inspired by that connection to our natural surroundings.”

Take artist Samantha Williams-Chapelsky, an abstract landscape artist who has a solo exhibit with Adele Campbell this summer, featuring more than a dozen pieces. The work is inspired by a recent road trip to B.C., nature translated into big and bold abstract impressionist pieces, done in thick acrylic in a very distinctive texture. She calls it “extreme” with some parts of the canvas deep and thick with paint. Williams-Chapelsky begins with birch panels and uses brooms, trowels, palette knives and… lots of paint.

“I really try to get that expressive quality of the landscape into the artwork,” she explains.

A stunning diptych piece (two side-by-side panels) will be a part of the Whistler exhibition at Adele Campbell. Called Backcountry View, the large panels (measuring 120 cms x 120 cms) detail an alpine lake with dark mountains in the background. Above, a blue sky is defined with a swirl of white cloud.

Another piece, also part of the Whistler exhibition, is called Skyline Searching, not as large as the diptych but just as dramatic, with vivid blues and whites, channeling an idea of endless sky and water amid the mountains.

As with all her art, Williams-Chapelsky’s idea is to transport people into that place of nature, capture the

emotions and the feelings it evokes. She calls it a “return to base.”

“When we return back to nature, we find this inner peace,” she says. “It’s a way of reconnecting to ourselves, reconnecting to the earth.”

Artist Ben McLaughlin, who is represented by Mountain Galleries in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, uses nature in a different way. With a background in industrial design, McLaughlin has been creating furniture pieces that capture the rugged West Coast vibe.

Honing a style through “The Coastal Series,” McLaughlin uses a three-layer technique in his resin with the effect of creating the sense of ocean waves crashing into the wooden coastline.

TOP: SKYLINE SEARCHING BY SAMANTHA WILLIAMS-CHAPELSKY, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, AT ADELE CAMPBELL FINE ART GALLERY.

ABOVE: THE VERTICAL GARDEN WALL AT THE WESTIN RESORT AND SPA.

ALISON TAYLOR

“It makes it feel very much like a coastal landscape,” he says, of the dramatic depth created by the layering process in the resin.

His Ocean Resin coffee table, where the varying shades of blue in the resin make it look like moving water, is the perfect example of this technique. The resin rests against the natural whorls in the wood like the ocean against the coastline. There is a topographical feel to the piece.

Light is also a factor, transferring to all three layers. “It has a lot of luminosity to it,” he adds.

There is a hyper local element to his work. All trees are sourced in the Lower Mainland.

“I spend a lot of emphasis on selecting the right slab of wood,” he explains of this critical part of the artistic process before he begins transforming it into furniture.

McLaughlin is now shipping pieces—coffee tables, dining tables, end tables, and chairs— throughout Canada and the United States.

“They’re going to places that aren’t necessarily on the Coast,” he says, adding that this speaks to how people have a deep connection to this place, whether they live here or not. W

OCEAN RESIN COFFEE TABLE BY BEN MCLAUGHLIN, AT MOUNTAIN GALLERIES IN THE FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER.

COURTESY BEN MCLAUGHLIN

ADVENTURES POWERED BY Best experience ever!

Booked this last minute and couldn’t be happier, such an amazing experience and well priced. Flying high above the Whistler/ Blackcomb mountain peaks and landing on rainbow glacier was absolutely amazing. The whole experience was so easy with a free shuttle service from whistler village.

Carbon Neutral tourism ights since 2018

- Amie Q, Peterborough, United Kingdom

WILD AT HEART

LIVING AND RECREATING IN WHISTLER MEANS CO-EXISTING WITH THE BEARS WHO LIVE HERE TOO

For three summers, scarface ruled an idyllic corner of the Callaghan Valley, hard to miss with his distinctive battle marks across his eyes and nose. True to his name, Scarface was tough, with a mean streak. And, even though he was smaller than most adult bears, he loved to fight, typically coming out the victor.

Jason Coleman photographs and studies the black bears in an area of the Callaghan Valley where he conducts his Whistler Safari Tours. He admits he didn’t start out naming the bears, not wanting to anthropomorphize them, which makes them seem more human and less dangerous.

STORY BY ALISON TAYLOR

PHOTOS BY JASON COLEMAN

CUBS USUALLY STAY WITH THEIR MOTHERS FOR ROUGHLY 16 MONTHS BEFORE THEY ARE PUSHED AWAY, READY TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

TOP TIPS

The Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) has created easy-to-follow tips for being an EcoCitizen, among them ways for keeping bears wild and people safe.

Check out awarewhistler.org for more info. In the meantime, take these tips to heart when you’re visiting, living and recreating in bear country.

“A fed bear is way more likely to be a dead bear if they come in contact with humans multiple times,” says Ruddy.

REMEMBER:

• Don’t leave garbage or recycling (no matter how clean), outside.

• When you see a bear, keep your distance and give it space.

• Keep BBQs clean. Bears can climb decks.

• Carry bear spray. And know how to use it!

the names, however, are a way of following the unique behaviours and character traits. Elvis, for example, like Scarface, was king of Whistler Olympic Park for a while. The first bear he mated with was naturally Priscilla. Ruby, Priscilla’s sister, had a heart-shape white patch on her chest which made her easy to spot. And so on.

Quite simply, bears are a fascinating study; it’s why we continue to be enthralled by them…even in Whistler, where black bears nonchalantly wandering through neighbourhoods is an everyday occurrence.

And so, it begs the question: What is it about black bears that captivates us so much?

“You’re constantly amazed at the power they have and the choice not to exercise it,” he says.

Despite this palpable power, it’s easy to feel a kinship with bears—they are intelligent; they are great problem-solvers, able to figure out a simple handle on a garbage bin or a door knob; and, the mother/cub relationship is particularly protective. In those contexts, humans relate to bears.

It also helps that they’re really cute. “They look like something you should cuddle,” admits Coleman. But don’t.

Coleman, who studied behavioural science at Harvard University, points to several factors. These animals are powerful, wild creatures, capable of great destruction. And yet, they often don’t engage like this.

• Keep dogs on leash in the backcountry. More than half the bear attacks on people in B.C. are caused by off-leash dogs. >>

Scarface was a dominant male black bear who killed a lot of cubs. Known as ‘infanticide,’ it’s not uncommon behaviour. That’s just one more fascinating behavioural trait of these amazing animals that call Whistler home. Just as Coleman has seen Scarface kill cubs, he has also seen mothers go to great lengths to protect their young.

SCARFACE WAS EASY TO SPOT WITH HIS BATTLE SCARS.

GRIZZLIES LIVE HERE TOO

Whistler is also home to grizzly bears, who are less tolerant of human behaviour and tend to avoid human conflict. In 2021, the Resort Municipality of Whistler closed several trails in the Rainbow Lake and Mount Sproatt network due to grizzly sightings. Located on the west side of the Valley, the closure aligned with Whistler’s Human-Grizzly Bear Conflict Mitigation Strategy. Johnny Mikes, with the Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative, encourages everyone to respect those trail closures when they happen. He is encouraged to see the grizzly population rebounding in that particular area.

“The numbers are coming back, which is great to see,” says Mikes.

Grizzly populations south and east of Whistler aren’t faring as well. Grizzlies now occupy just two per cent of their historical range in the continental United States. Where once they roamed as far south as central Mexico, now southwest B.C. is their southernmost habitat.

Check out coasttocascades.org for more info on protecting grizzly bears in B.C.

and, just as he has seen bears get “painfully underweight” when food is scarce, he has also seen them remarkably adapt to their changing environment such as the recent summer heat domes.

He knows what they do when they’re stressed and he can tell you what it means when a female bear continually looks back one way into a forest. (She is a mother and there’s a cub in there). And that’s just in this small area around Whistler Olympic Park, home to roughly 50 to 60 resident bears on any given year.

“(The count) is by no means exhaustive or official but no one is in there like we are,” says Coleman.

Coleman’s tours are typically in the Callaghan Valley five days a week, with several tours per day. One of the reasons why Coleman started his bearviewing tours was to teach people about black bears and how to co-exist with them.

“If you come on our tour,” says

Coleman, “you will know a whole different set of skills (when it’s over) and have confidence for how to behave in the wilderness.”

For Whistler’s environmental organization, AWARE, bear tours are the preferred way for guests to view and learn about the animals, hopefully cutting down on the number of amateur bear viewers who stop along the highway at any given time. This isn’t good for bears, nor is it safe for humans.

“If people are going to bear view, we want them to be on a tour,” says AWARE’s executive director Claire Ruddy.

“There’s some kind of accountability there.”

Now, more than ever, as Whistler’s summer visitors are making the most of the surrounding backcountry and venturing further afield, it’s becoming more and more crucial to co-exist with bears, knowing how to behave for both the bears’ and humans’ safety.

THE CALLAGHAN VALLEY IS PRIME BEAR COUNTRY WITH PLENTY OF FOREST SHADE FOR BEARS TO SNOOZE DURING THE DAY.

MAKING THE TURN

GOLF IN WHISTLER GAINS NEW GROUND IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC

STORY BY ALISON TAYLOR

Any golfer will tell you, as you “make the turn,” moving from the front nine holes to face the back nine, the pressure often mounts. This is the halfway mark. Nine holes down, nine holes still to go. It’s still anyone’s game. This is your opportunity to regroup, stay focused, to keep your eye on the ball. (And maybe grab a sandwich and a beer at the halfway hut.) It could be argued that “making the turn” is as much a mental state as it is physical.

As the golf industry now faces a new reality with a resurgence in numbers in the wake of the global pandemic, is it primed to “make the turn” as it looks to its long game? For years, the pundits have been talking about the slow death of golf. Is it time to prove them wrong?

Whistler, for one, is primed to capitalize on the swing in golf’s fortunes as it looks to the summer ahead.

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE

Anyone who has tried to book a tee time in Whistler in the last three years can tell you: it’s busy. There’s a lot of demand for a finite number of rounds.

In the summer of 2019, for example, before the world had heard of COVID, Nicklaus North hosted 20,000 rounds of golf; by that measure, it was a successful summer.

Two years later, the pandemic hangover still with us, that number had jumped to 26,000 rounds, an increase of a staggering 30 per cent.

In fact, since the outset of the pandemic, Nicklaus North has posted its two best summers on record in its almost 30-year history, riding the wave of the COVID boom.

“It’s massive for us,” admits General Manager Gavin Eckford.

Nicklaus North is not an anomaly. In fact, it’s not lost on the local golf industry insiders that COVID was a boon for business when it was so challenging for so many other industries, like tourism, food and beverage, and entertainment.

“The golf industry understands how lucky we were,” says Ro Davies, long-time sales manager with the Whistler Golf Club. “We were really blessed to be allowed to work and offer this kind of thing.

“2020 took us to a level of basically selling out every single day, regardless of weather.”

It was unprecedented in Whistler.

THE WHISTLER MICROCOSM

In the last decade or so, as golf faced mounting pressure—too expensive, too staid, too time-consuming, not accessible enough—Whistler was building a name for itself as a golf Mecca.

Davies isn’t shy when it comes to where Whistler ranks among the great golf destinations of the world. He puts Whistler in the same class as Ireland, Hawaii and Pebble Beach.

“We are a golf destination that is desirable,” he says.

Don’t believe him? In the 2022 Top 125 Courses in Canada, ranked by SCOREGolf Magazine, Whistler’s four championship courses all make the cut—Big Sky is No. 42, Nicklaus North is No. 80, Fairmont Chateau Whistler is No. 86, and the Whistler Golf Club is No. 125. Not bad having four top-notch championship courses within a half-hour drive, three of them within a five-minute drive.

HELI-GOLF

Whistler golfers also have the option to tee off from the so-called 19th hole, located at the peak of the majestic Mount Currie (Ts’zil). Accessed via helicopter, this is a golf shot unlike any other, overlooking the bucolic Pemberton valley. From 2,000 metres, golfers can practice their swing, crushing wooden balls which are designed to be minimally invasive to the environment. Not a bad way to top off a round! For more info go to: blackcombhelicopters.com.

DISC GOLF

Whistler is home to a 27-hole disc golf course at Lost Lake Park. Open from dawn until dusk, it’s guaranteed fun for the whole family; all you need is your own disc (or full sets with everything from drivers to putt discs), and a few hours! And, it’s free. The first nine holes are considered the easiest, followed by the most difficult nine holes, winding over steep rock and forest. The final nine holes are moderately difficult. The aim of the game is to get your disc in the basket. Lost Lake Park is a popular place in the summer, so be aware of bikers, hikers and other park users while playing disc golf. The course can be accessed through Spruce Grove Park, behind the field house.

and when it comes to a golf holiday, there’s more to it than what’s out on the course. There’s the nightlife, the fine dining, the fresh mountain air, and the great bang for your American buck.

“On a global scale, we are very good value,” says Davies.

As Whistler’s reputation grew over the years, and the accolades mounted and summer visitation numbers began to rival then outpace winter numbers, Whistler’s golf scene was officially on the map and going strong.

But there was room for growth.

“It was definitely slowing down from the Tiger boom,” says Eckford, referring to the Tiger Woods heyday which began in the late nineties when the golf superstar breathed new life into the old sport, transforming it for his own generation and the ones that followed.

“Tiger changed everything,” says Eckford. “That was a massive shot in the arm for the industry.”

Popularity waned in the 2000s with the recession and other factors. But no one was prepared for what the pandemic would do to

golf, both locally and globally. Golf became the quintessential pandemic activity— outdoors, small group settings, a healthy thing to do—golf was tailor-made for the pandemic rules and restrictions.

Destination guests weren’t able to travel; group business was non-existent. The boom was from a predominantly local/Vancouver economy. “Our booking windows doubled,” says Davies.

Demand came from more than just regulars wanting to play more: an increased demand from juniors and women, as well as a return to the sport from people who had given it up due to time constraints and other interests.

“It was a real mixed bag,” says Eckford of the golfers who were filling the tee times.

He points to recently released stats from the National Golf Foundation showing the growth segments in the U.S. It shows youth, ages 6-17, are by far the largest gains at 36 per cent from 2019 to 2022 for a net gain of almost 1 million golfers. People of colour grew by 17 per cent, female by 15 per cent.

The key now is to keep them coming.

“2020 TOOK US TO A LEVEL OF BASICALLY SELLING OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER.” — Ro Davies

>>

TOP: BLACKCOMB HELICOPTERS FERRIES GOLFERS TO THE TOP OF MOUNT CURRIE.

NICKLAUS NORTH GOLF COURSE

COURTESY BLACKCOMB HELICOPTERS

TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA

AT V Tours

BLACKCOMB & CALLAGHAN VALLEY

BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM

With thousands of new rounds over the last few years, the trick is figuring out how to maintain that pace and build on momentum.

“For us it’s a function of making sure the product is good,” says Eckford.

Unlike the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North is a semiprivate course with about 350 members and a lengthy waitlist to get in. Part of making sure that the “product is good” is to “build a sense of community.” Nicklaus North is a gathering spot, pulling golfers and non-golfers to the ever popular Table Nineteen restaurant overlooking Green Lake.

The company has invested in staff housing,

doing everything it can to make sure it's fully staffed and operating at full capacity this summer. Conscious of the demands on rounds, the goal is to try to satisfy all golfers from the members to the last-minute bookers.

“We’re trying to keep some spots open for people who book last minute,” says Eckford.

The same is true at the Whistler Golf Club, with a focus on course conditions and retaining key staff to make the experience the best it can be.

“We put a lot of focus into pace of play,” says Davies, highlighting the extensive work that’s done on course to keep the game moving and prevent backlog.

And yet, as things settle back to normal,

travel resumes around the world, life’s demands make us busy again, and the pandemic becomes a sad and strange chapter in our collective history books, Nicklaus North is preparing for a slight dip in the numbers this year. But not by much. Those new golf round numbers might be the new reality with golfers here to stay. It’s an optimistic time in the industry.

Destination golfers are back, says Davies. Group business is rebounding. And new golfers are hooked.

“(The pandemic) set a new level that we are all operating as normal now,” he says. “It’s certainly a nice role to be in, selling a golf course these days.” W

Dramatic natural landscapes, stunning views and wildlife are signatures of the Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed, Audubon certified Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. Top it off with unmatched course-side dining at the Clubhouse and you are in for for the ultimate day of golf in Whistler.

CALL 604 938 8000

KEEPING CULTURE ALIVE

FROM THE BACKCOUNTRY TO THE CLASSROOM, MEET THREE FIRST NATIONS WOMEN WHO ARE BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO DEEP-ROOTED TRADITIONS

STORY BY MEGAN LALONDE

Long before this corner of the Coast Mountains was known as Whistler—even way before it was known as Alta Lake—it was known only as the shared territory of the Lil’wat and Squamish people.

Thousands of years ago, the two peoples shared a village, Spo7ez, where Rubble Creek and the Cheakamus River meet, near where Function Junction sits today. That was before the Thunderbird flapped his wings, prompting a volcano to erupt, a massive rockslide to bury the village, and a spire of volcanic rock to rise into the sky. Now called Black Tusk, rising from the mountains south of Whistler to this day, the Thunderbird’s perch served as a landmark for the two communities: when the spire comes into view, the shared territory begins.

The Squamish and Lil’wat cultures are rooted into this land deeper than even the tallest, oldest evergreens. In more recent history, colonialism pushed those cultures to the brink of extinction.

As the long road towards truth and reconciliation comes into focus, a new generation has accepted the responsibility of restoring what was nearly lost and carrying that culture forward.

ALLISON BURNS JOSEPH, MANAGER OF INDIGENOUS YOUTH AMBASSADORS AT THE SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE, IS WEARING HER HAND-WOVEN WOOL SHAWL AND HAND-CARVED PIN.

WEAVING HISTORY INTO THE FUTURE

For centuries, wool blankets like the ones Cheximiya Allison Burns Joseph weaves were worn by Coast Salish peoples as both a form of protection and a marker of status.

Her intricately-woven designs serve as a window into that long-held tradition; crafted with a passion and skill that anyone would assume she started honing early. But growing up offreserve, in North Vancouver, Burns Joseph’s connection to her Squamish culture wasn’t always so tangible. That changed when she registered for an Indigenous Youth Ambassador training program in 2006, two years before the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) officially opened its doors in Whistler.

“We were able to have masters in different artistic abilities, whether it was paddle making, or weaving; jewelry making and a few different things that we were introduced to at the beginning,” she recalls. The wool-weaving, in particular, stuck.

Through the SLCC, she underwent a threemonth apprenticeship with Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph, husband-and-wife weavers who have been heralded with helping revive the art within the Squamish Nation. Now, Burns Joseph pays that valuable knowledge forward through the workshops she hosts for youth ambassadors, school groups or the wider community.

She also manages the Indigenous Youth Ambassador program through her role at the SLCC where she’s been working since the day the centre opened 15 years ago. The immersive

program teaches Indigenous youth between 16 and 30 years old the foundations of business through the lens of a First Nations museum.

“It’s really exciting to see that come full circle,” she says.

Last December, Burns Joseph graduated from Simon Fraser University with a certificate in Squamish Language Proficiency.

“Language, weaving and things like that were all very, very close to being non-existent when I first started to learn how to do these things,” Burns Joseph says.

Now?

“Our numbers are growing. It’s amazing to be a part of the resurgence of the important aspects to our culture.”

LIVING OFF THE LAND

Lil’wat Nation’s Kelkeloakik Sandy Ward admits she was “not an outdoorsy person whatsoever” in her younger years. She had her own snowmobile, sure, but as a gym teacher noted on a Grade 9 report card, she “would do much better if she would actually participate.”

Life took a different direction when she bought her first snowboard at 15, with funds saved up from her coffee shop gig. Two years later, she joined the First Nations Snowboard Team in its first year of operation. The club supported Ward in getting her instructor qualifications and she continued competing at an elite level until “a lot of knee injuries”—five surgeries, to be exact—led to her taking a step

back from the competition circuit.

Like more than a few people who call the Sea to Sky home, one sport snowballed into others. Now, the certified bike guide splits her summer days between biking and climbing. She’s director of the Indigenous Sport Life Academy’s youth biking and climbing programs for Lil’wat Nation, and a backcountry mentorship team co-lead for Indigenous Women Outdoors, a non-profit that aims to eliminate the barriers preventing Indigenous women from getting into nature on their unceded territories. She’s also working towards becoming one of the first women to earn their mountain guide certification on a splitboard, after completing her Avalanche Operations Level 1 course last year.

Spending more time in the wilderness of her traditional territory has sparked a renewed appreciation for Lil’wat history, from place names to stories of how her ancestors travelled through avalanche terrain prior to the age of beacons, probes and shovels.

Ward recently completed a language course through the Tszil Learning Centre in Mount Currie.

“I didn’t really start learning about our traditional place names or stories until I got into the backcountry,” she explains. “Being out in the Duffey (north of Pemberton) and wanting to know the name of the lake, or the traditional names of the mountains and the reason that we called them that… It really sparked my interest in learning about our culture. That wouldn’t happen if I was just sitting in town.”

It’s also sparked a passion for sharing those stories with others.

“People are just so thrilled to have that better connection to the land and to understand the history a little bit better,” she says. “When I tell people these stories and I share my knowledge with them, I’m hoping that instills a little bit more respect for the territory.”

CLASS IS IN SESSION

Kukw`stumc`kacw Tanina Williams always looked up to the storytellers in her community.

From an early age, it was clear she’d be following in their footsteps. Growing up in Mount Currie, as a member of Lil’wat Nation, “so many people put work, good work into me,” she recalls.

“That’s a very cultural thing—they see something in you and they’ll put time and energy into your life to give you skills.”

Where her community saw a gift worth nurturing, her teachers at the local public elementary school couldn’t. They diagnosed her with an intellectual disability.

Teachers at high school doubled down, telling

FROM AN ATHLETE TO A COACH TO A GUIDE, SANDY WARD IS CARVING OUT AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER IN THE OUTDOORS INDUSTRY. BEN GIRARDI

Williams she “would never amount to anything,” she remembers.

Williams has since worked in those same school buildings for more than a decade, as an Indigenous Support Worker and cultural educator for the Sea to Sky’s school district.

In 2020, the Knowledge Keeper also launched her own consulting business, amawílc. She hosts workshops for children’s groups, corporations and not-for-profits that incorporate “Indigenous ways of knowing and being” to help build a mutual respect and understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous culture. The word amawílc means “come back to life.”

Williams graduated from Capilano University last year with a certificate of Lil’wat Nation Language and Culture, and, in March, completed a 900-hour mentor-apprentice language immersion program funded by the First Peoples Cultural Council. Her mentor? Her dad, a fluent speaker of Ucwalmícwts, Lil’wat Nation’s traditional language.

It was the only language he knew when he started attending day school, Williams explains. But, anytime he spoke Ucwalmícwts, he’d be disciplined for it.

“When he was still a young boy, elders and people in the community came together. It was hard for them to know they were sending their children to school where they were being punished for speaking their language, so they decided that they would only speak English in the home so the children could learn,” Williams explains. “My dad says it was like night and day. He said, ‘I went to sleep and I woke up, and everybody spoke English.”

Today, Williams is working to normalize using Ucwalmícwts in schools, currently by helping about 15 coworkers undergo the notinsignificant cultural process of earning a Ucwalmícwts name.

The more students start hearing the language and understanding the meaning behind those phrases, “it finds its way into their hearts,” says Williams. “When the language is in your heart, and our language comes from the land, your heart is now connected to the land, and then we become better caretakers of this place.” W

TANINA WILLIAMS, OR SNAŃATCW KAKUSENT, AT HER HOME IN MOUNT CURRIE, B.C.

DAVID BUZZARD

WHISTLER HOMES

RICH TEXTURES, NEUTRAL TONES AND CLEAN, BOLD LINES CREATE A SENSE OF DRAMA THROUGHOUT THE RESIDENCE.

NATURAL WONDER

SEA-TO-SKY HOME BUILDERS GO ALL-IN TO DEVELOP A MODERN MINIMALIST MANSION INSPIRED BY ITS WILD NATURAL SETTING

STORY BY LISE BOULLARD

PHOTOS BY SHANE RESIDE

THE DESIGN TEAM DREW ON THE AREA’S TOPOGRAPHY TO INFORM THE EXTERIOR ELEMENTS, INCLUDING THE RUST-COLORED CORTEN STEEL ACCENTS WHICH ARE A NOD TO THE AREA’S LAND AND STONE. >>

when nathaniel furst and nathan white, co-owners of CVC Custom Builders, took possession of a plot of land on Whistler’s Wedgemount Plateau Drive in early 2021, temperatures were frigid and snow blanketed the lot.

it wasn’t until the following spring melt that they were able to really see what was underneath. “We realized the shape of our block was half on a large rock, and half down on this lower flat bench,” says White, a red-seal qualified carpenter originally from Australia.

The team decided to work with the landscape—instead of against it. Along with JP Hammill and David Arnott of Stark Architecture and Interiors, and interior designer Jessica Stewart of Mountain Reign Design, CVC Custom Builders created a twostorey, five-bedroom, six-bathroom, 4,252-square-foot residence that seems like a (very luxurious) extension of the land on which it’s constructed.

Nestled on a rocky outcrop in WedgeWoods, an elegant enclave about 10 minutes north of Whistler, the home offers breathtaking views south towards Whistler and north towards Pemberton. “You can see the (Pemberton) Icecap and behind the house you get the alpenglow…and you get the sunset and the sunrise every day,” says Furst, a certified residential builder.

Every room in the open-plan structure is strategically placed to maximize flow between the interior spaces and with the outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling windows let natural light flood in and offer breathtaking views of the mountainous backdrop.

TOP: VEINED MARBLE SLABS ARE VISUALLY STRIKING IN THE KITCHEN.

CENTRE: ONE OF THE HOME'S FIVE BEDROOMS LOOKS OUT AT THE HAND-CRAFTED BARREL SAUNA FROM NOOTKA SAUNAS IN SQUAMISH.

BELOW: EACH OF THE SIX BATHROOMS FEATURE A UNIQUE DESIGN THAT BLENDS SEAMLESSLY WITH THE OVERALL AESTHETIC OF THE HOME.

RIGHT:: THE 2,000-SQUARE-FOOT OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE FEATURES A HEATED AREA, A SUNKEN HOT TUB AND AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN, AMONG OTHER LUXURIES.

Extending from the grand open-plan kitchen, the living and dining area is a sprawling and luxurious exterior space with multiple opportunities for relaxing and entertaining in the mountain air. With undulating pathways, three patios, a firepit, an outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, BBQ and fridge, a hot tub and a barrel sauna, the setting is ideal for après-ski, après-bike, après-hike, or aprèsanything, really. “It’s a tranquil area that gives you a lot of privacy… and the views are hard to beat,” explains White.

Those views and the area’s surroundings provided ample inspiration for the home’s design and décor. “We really tried to tie the exterior of the home in with the natural landscape,” Furst says. “In blasting the natural rock, a lot of those oranges and reds and browns that came out of the stone were used in our selection for [the exterior] stone,” he adds.

The Hardie Reveal Panel System was used on the exterior to simplify the material palette and create contrast with the wild landscape, while heavy timber posts and beams elevate the front overhang.

The natural colour and texture themes continue inside where interior designer Stewart incorporated high-quality finishings and décor with clean lines and muted tones to imbue a sense of contemporary elegance. “As soon as you walk in the front door you feel a sense of peace and wonder,” says Stewart, who opted for grainy white oak flooring throughout the home.

In the kitchen, two-tone cabinetry creates a striking visual contrast. Porcelain slab counters and a backsplash with warm veining add interest, and Champagne gold hardware offers a touch of understated glamour.

The primary ensuite bathroom is a spa-like oasis featuring chevron white marble flooring, a pearl oyster slab walk-in rain shower for two and a freestanding tub with mountain views. >>

STARK

architecture + interiors

sustainability and energy savings were also a priority in this project. CVC Custom Builders worked with the Stark team and an energy modeler to build the home to Step 3 classification, maximizing solar heat gains from the extreme sun exposure, and installing thick insulated walls and high-performance glass. When 600 cubic metres of landscape needed to be drilled and blasted, the team repurposed those materials to level the lot and build the backyard, explains Furst.

Tech features like electric blinds in the media room and master bedroom, an art TV in the main living room, an integrated automation system in all main spaces, a sound system in the main interior and exterior, and a security system offer convenience and safety.

Like most home builds, the project had its challenge with winter weather, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine causing some delays. But incredibly, the structure was completed in just over one year. “It’s easier when you’re the client—you can make decisions very quickly,” notes Furst.

Once their vision had come to fruition, White and Furst admit they were tempted to keep the property for themselves. “We definitely thought about it, but we always intended to list it,” Furst reveals. Sixtynine days after hitting the market, they had a buyer: a Seattle-based couple with two grown children, who would enjoy the home as a secondary residence to escape to on weekends and time off.

White and Furst have stayed in touch with the homeowners, and they feel fortunate to be able to witness a family enjoying their creation. “We’ve even been back to tour the residence with my family,” Furst says. The owners have already asked the team to come back and complete a few other projects, including a possible swimming pool install. W

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

MEET THE LATEST ADDITIONS TO WHISTLER’S FINE-DINING SCENE

STORY BY BRANDON BARRETT

PHOTOS BY DAVID BUZZARD

WILD BLUE EXECUTIVE CHEF

DEREK BENDIG (LEFT) WITH RESTAURANT PARTNER AND DIRECTOR NEIL HENDERSON AT THE WILD BLUE BAR.

While the restaurant world in general is always in flux, with openings and closures the one constant in most cities, Whistler’s fine dining scene has mostly resisted the same level of change.

So, when a new player emerges, heads tend to turn, as they did late last summer when WILD BLUE first opened its doors, called one of the most important restaurant openings in Whistler in a decade.

But the seafood-focused restaurant adjacent to the Aava Hotel isn’t the only new kid on the fine-dining block. In the fall of 2021, Vancouver institution JOE FORTES brought its classic chophouse vibes to the resort, and since then, has been putting its own ski-town spin on a winning formula that goes back four decades.

Meanwhile, over at the FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER , the luxury hotel has a new executive chef at the helm, who brings a wealth of varied experience and a down-home approach that speaks directly to his Maritime roots.

INTO THE WILD

Despite being the newest entry into Whistler’s fine-dining scene, there is a who’s who of familiar faces behind Wild Blue, a seafood-focused restaurant specializing in elevated Pacific Northwest cuisine.

BC Restaurant Hall of Famer Jack Evrensel, the founder of Whistler’s longest-running fine-dining spot, Araxi, brings his decades of expertise and business savvy to the venture, tapping former Araxi acolyte Neil Henderson to be Wild Blue’s partner and restaurant director, and Derek Bendig, the former Fairmont Chateau head chef who brings with him a penchant for locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, to serve as executive chef. Dedicated Vancouver foodies will recognize another name as well: Wild Blue’s partner-chef and Vancouver Magazine’s 2018 Chef of the Year, Alex Chen.

The venue is worth all the hype: an elegant, sophisticated room, with elements of blue throughout. It’s on the edge of the main Village, tucked away near the Aava Hotel.

Wild Blue’s menu combines top-shelf local and regional ingredients with a coastal flair inspired by three vastly different cuisines.

“Essentially, we’re trying to highlight coastal cuisine through three major influences: the Japanese coast, the Italian coast and the

French coast—but with Pacific Northwest ingredients,” explains Bendig. “That’s the underlying concept that we’re following and, that being said, we do it all in an impeccable space with impeccable service.”

There’s plenty of versatility on the menu that exemplifies Wild Blue’s tri-coastal influences. A favourite of Bendig’s is the delicate sablefish, served with turnip, radish, maitake mushrooms and a sesame crisp, along with a roasted fishbone sauce made with Japanese bonito flakes that give you a smoky umami punch.

“It’s a stellar dish,” Bendig says. “It’s got a little bit of sweetness and a lot of savouriness, with the butteriness of the sablefish paired with a nice marinade that chars up really nice when you cook it down.”

Other favourites include the octopus, which transports you to the southern Italian coast, served with Nduja sausage and Calabrian chilies, chickpeas and braised squid ink; or the Provençal soup prepared in the classic French style, utilizing rockfish from the B.C. coast.

“We have pretty different preparations and techniques to make these things, but the menu allows us to highlight these different regions while at the same time showcasing them with the ingredients we find and love here in British Columbia,” Bendig adds. >>

WHISTLER JOE FORTES CHEF JUSTIN STARR (RIGHT) AND GENERAL MANAGER MICHAEL GRAHAM, ALONG WITH TWO OF THEIR CLASSIC STEAK DISHES.

STYLISH ABUNDANCE IS FORTES’ FORTE

You could be forgiven for thinking Joe Fortes would simply replicate the formula that has worked for more than 40 years at their iconic downtown Vancouver seafood and chophouse, at the Whistler location it opened in August 2021. And while the staples that Fortes is known for—large portions, classic cocktails, service that goes above and beyond, and a lively atmosphere that wouldn’t feel out of place in the whitetablecloth steakhouses of yesteryear—have largely remained at the Whistler Village restaurant, there have been a few distinctly local touches that have made it all its own.

“We wanted to make sure we could deliver the Joe’s experience, as far as food goes, to the customers in Whistler, and clearly service is fantastic at both properties, so that wasn’t really a challenge,” explains culinary director Wayne Sych. “At the same time, Whistler is a unique property. That was our goal: to make sure we could offer those signature dishes in Whistler but still put our own spin on it.”

Cases in point: the jumbo prawn stuffed

with spinach Pernod and lightly coated in panko that you won’t find at Fortes’ Vancouver location. But Sych’s favourite dish—the seafood linguine, chock full of prawns, seared scallops, mushrooms and peas, slathered in a rich white wine cream sauce—is a beloved staple of both menus.

“That is a hugely popular dish at both locations,” Sych says.

Of course, you’ll also find the same renowned steak program at both restaurants, as well as its oyster menu, which is served on the half shell and features four different varieties from both the West and East coasts.

And, we’d be remiss if we didn’t highlight Fortes’ exceptional cocktail list, which, like everything the restaurant does, combines an appreciation for the classic with the innovation of the contemporary, changing with the seasons.

“Obviously we have our classic cocktails, which are tried, tested and true. But we do have some new, unique cocktails in Whistler,” Sych says. “We have a great beverage department, and they really take mixology seriously.”

JOE FORTES’ 16OZ RIBEYE SERVED WITH BACONHORSERADISH MASHED POTATO, SEASONAL VEGETABLES AND ATLANTIC LOBSTER TAIL.

A LOCAL’S FAVOURITE FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER. You can now savour your Portobello top selections in Whistler’s great outdoors with an adventure pack to-go. Pre-order online and pick-up available.

FINE DINING FOR ALL

One of Cliff Crawford’s main goals since taking over the executive chef role last November at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler has been to take the luxury hotel’s highly regarded cuisine and make it more accessible for the average diner.

“I like everything to be approachable,” says the New Brunswick native. “The East Coast is very approachable. There’s just a very home-style feel to it, so my approach now is not necessarily comfort food, I would say, but I definitely want it to be approachable and offer something for everyone.”

That’s not to say Crawford’s style is provincial by any means. Like a lot of hotel chefs, Crawford has spent his culinary career in a variety of locations near and far, from two seasons spent in Nantucket, Mass. to stints in Jasper, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and, most recently, Chicago.

It’s given him a depth of experience and culinary inspiration that speaks to his passion for seafood in various ways.

“I still love the East Coast seafood, but what I love here about the West Coast is that it’s similar but different,” he explains. “The oysters are different here. We have Dungeness crab here instead of lobster— crab is one of my favourite things.”

And of course, the West Coast salmon. Take the cedar-planked king salmon loin at The Grill Room served with with grilled citrus, roasted garlic and red chili.

Heading the culinary teams at the Fairmont Chateau’s five in-house restaurants, Crawford is also a sucker for the fondue at The Chalet, the hotel’s whimsical winter dining experience, as well as the sticky date pudding at The Grill Room, a recipe Crawford learned from an Australian chef in P.E.I.

“This particular recipe I happened to like a lot, and, initially, the recipe was a secret, and I’ve put it on the menu everywhere since,” he says. “I’m not sure what the Aussie chef might think about it. I haven’t seen him in 25 years. Back then we didn’t have Facebook or LinkedIn or anything. I guess I’ll have to look him up and thank him.”

FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER EXECUTIVE CHEF CLIFF CRAWFORD. KEVIN F. CLARK

TRAD FARE/ NEW FLARE

THREE POPULAR EATERIES OFFER A TWIST ON OLD FAVES

Whistler has long been recognized as a resort that likes to carve its own path—a destination where the extraordinary can be found on every adventure, such as the heart-stopping thrill on every gravity-driven ride down the world’s biggest bike park. Locals know that the bike park is the OG of rides, but every year visitors and locals alike look for the new twists that keep people coming back for more. This drive for creativity, for pushing the boundaries, can be found in the local food scene too.

Take the FIREROCK LOUNGE’S avocado fries, for example. The rich and nutty fruits (yes, they are a fruit not a vegetable) are perfectly sliced to snack on, then deep-fried in seasoned panko crumbs and served with a sriracha mayo. Why have regular fries when you can order these mouth-watering morsels?

STORY BY CLARE OGILVIE PHOTOS BY DAVID BUZZARD

“When they came out with our new menu this year, it was more about taking a spin on something that’s a favourite,” says Nicola Moore, a long-time server at the lounge. “We are trying to be innovative with our menu. I’ve never seen them for sale anywhere else and they are definitely unique, and definitely one of our most popular menu items.”

LA CANTINA SERVERS ARUNA NEUPANE (LEFT) AND DENISSE MIRANDA WITH THE JACKFRUIT TACO AND BURRITO PLATES, AT THE WHISTLER MARKETPLACE LA CANTINA LOCATION.

moore explains that customers often ask for them as soon as they are seated, sometimes before even opening the menu, and those not familiar with them often spot the dish and ask about them.

“I find tables are constantly adding them on just because it’s something they have never seen,” says Moore.

Speaking of fries, one of the best places to satisfy your cravings for these salty sticks of potato is at ZOG’S , the food counter in the heart of the action, perched close to the base of the bike park.

Famous for its fries and gravy, Zog’s also mixes it up a bit by jazzing up its world-famous poutine. This classic Canadian dish, invented in Quebec in the ’50s, serves up French fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy.

The driver behind the decision to add different types of hot dogs to the poutine, cheekily naming them after regions of the world—think Poutine Canadian (all-beef hot dog), Poutine Euro (Bratwurst sausage) and Poutine Mexican (jalapeno cheese smokie)—came from the year-round food stand’s patrons.

“The hot-dogs-on-top came from customers,” says Zog’s owner and operator Diana Chan. “People wanted a hot dog and fries, but they didn't want the bun.”

However, says Chan, it’s clear that while the dogs are an acceptable twist on an old favourite, that’s as far people want to go. “People are very particular about their hot dogs and their fries,” says Chan. “We thought about being more creative and putting pulled pork on it and none of that has ever taken off. The staples just appeal to people.”

Clearly Zog’s has the magic formula dialed, as it sold over 14,000 poutines last summer with half of those being the classic variety.

And, in case you were wondering, they are gluten free. “We guarantee to everyone that they are full of carbs and calories and yummy goodness, which people want after a long day on the mountain,” says Chan.

“After the activities that Whistler offers, we are the guiltfree indulgence. So (in our case) GF can be gluten free or guilt free, however you want it.”

“WE GUARANTEE TO EVERYONE THAT THEY ARE FULL OF CARBS AND CALORIES AND YUMMY GOODNESS, WHICH PEOPLE WANT AFTER A LONG DAY ON THE MOUNTAIN.”

— Diana Chan

FIREROCK BARTENDER MATTY RUWAARD WITH THE AVOCADO FRIES APPETIZER.

ZOGS CANADIAN POUTINE WITH FRIES, GRAVY, CHEESE CURDS AND A GRILLED HOT DOG.

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at la cantina , reimagining a cherished traditional Mexican dish, Chicken Tinga, was rooted in making a meat-free option that didn’t compromise at all on taste and texture.

“No one needs to miss out the experience of eating one of the most typical traditional dishes in Mexico,” says Dany Soto, marketing manager for Infinity Enterprises, which owns the two La Cantina eateries—one at Nesters and one at Marketplace in the Village.

So, chefs use unripened jackfruit, a bit of a superfood itself, to create their Chicken Tinga look-a-like dish.

“We developed this jackfruit option for our clients because we wanted to let them experience this deep flavour but in a vegan way, and we are so proud of it,” said Chef José Vallejo, explaining that getting the shredded jackfruit cooked, seasoned and ready to serve happens over two days.

Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world and can weigh up to 18 kilograms (almost 40 pounds). It has a very low glycemic index and is high in vitamin C, potassium, fibre and antioxidants, so there are lots of reasons to make it your next taco or burrito choice, apart from the amazing flavour of the dish.

“Customers may not know all the benefits they are consuming with it,” says Soto.

“Our chefs wanted to have a food that was nourishing but creative at the same time and they knew that jackfruit had this amazing texture like a meat.

“It is one of our most popular dishes.”

So, step out of your routine this summer, and next time you are choosing something from the menu, try one of your old favourites… with a Whistler twist. W

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

BRUNCH Sat/Sun 11-2

ESSENTIALS & INDULGENCES

WHISTLER’S BOUTIQUE SHOPS offer a wonderful variety of items to take home from your vacation, whether they be gifts for family and friends, or treats for yourself! From fine clothing and shoes, to quality sporting goods, to fabulous custom jewelry, to home goods and more, you’ll find a bit of everything. Wander the Village, but also check out Whistler’s other shopping areas—you never know what you might discover!

SULA CHALK PIT PANTS

These handsome tailored pants have bracers, a slight drop crotch, two front pockets and two back pockets and are made in a soft 100 per cent cotton fabric. The straps are adjustable. Available at 3 Singing Birds.

$667

WE ARE STARDUST TALISMAN

The expanse of stars on this talisman is symbolic of the cosmos within us. It is a comforting reminder that we are one with the universe and are connected to everything and everyone. Pyrrha Design inc. jewelry is sustainably handcrafted with 100 per cent recycled metals in Vancouver using antique wax seals and imagery from the Victorian era. Available at Ruby Tuesday $269.95

PISTACHE BUNCHED TOP LINEN DRESS

Make a statement this summer with this Pistache dress in safari colour. Made from 100 per cent premium quality linen, it is the ultimate combination of style and comfort. The bunched top design and fixed wide straps provide a secure and flattering fit, while the side slits add a touch of elegance to your outfit. The lightweight and breathable linen fabric will keep you cool and comfortable in the summer heat. Made in Italy. Available at Amos & Andes.

FLYTE: LYFE V1.1 PLANTER

LYFE consists of a planter that hovers over an oak base via magnetic levitation, designed to gently rotate during suspension. The rotation especially benefits air plants, as nutrients are absorbed by their leaves through the air, rather than the conventional root system. Air plants thrive upon the circulation of airborne particles. With no soil required, this gravitydefying, rotating microclimate naturally nurtures. Available at Get the Goods

$395

SHOPPING AREAS

EMILE HENRY LARGE STORAGE BOWL

Created with a clever design and using natural materials ideal for storing fresh produce—this bowl performs on two levels. The upper level, made of cork, serves as a fruit bowl. The lower level, made of ceramic acts as a mini pantry to store potatoes,  onions, beets and other root vegetables, as well as fruit that is not ripe enough. The natural properties of the cork help preserve the fruit and keeps it fresh for longer and keeps pesky fruit flies at bay. The ceramic body keeps the light out, and together with the insulating properties of the cork lid, they help maintain a constant temperature, much like in an old school cellar. Available at Whistler Kitchen Works. $199.99

MOUNTAIN SCENE RING

This Whistler Mountain scene band in 14k white and yellow Canadian gold showcases the local mountain range, with the detail completely circling the band. Available in most sizes by custom order. Unisex, designed by Keir. Available at Keir Fine Jewellery

$3,380

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ToVancouver

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.

Rainbow Plaza, a five-minute drive north of the Village, has a grocery store, liquor store, coffee shop, gas station and more.

Whistler Creekside, 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.

HOLEBROOK EDWIN SHIRT JACKET

Holebrook of Sweden delivers an essential shirt jacket for the shifting seasons with exacting detail. The jacket has a luxurious, classically styled woven cotton shell with an innovative windproof liner. Combined with the dual button/hidden two-way zip construction, the Edwin gives you warmth and weather protection. Effortlessly blending with any style, this jacket is bound to become a staple choice.

Available at the KABN Clothing

$395

SMARTWOOL ATHLETE EDITION RUN CREW SOCKS

Running is all about your feet pounding the pavement, so anything you can do to help ease up on that pressure can make your endeavour that much more enjoyable. With Smartwool’s 4 Degree™ Elite fit system, mesh zones for added breathability and a Virtually Seamless™ toe, this sock brings the comfort. So whether you’re on mile one or mile 20, you can focus on the run and not your feet.

Available at Smartwool

HH LIFA ACTIVE SOLEN HOODIE

The Active Solen hoodie offers sun protection and comfort for all your outdoor activities. Made with planet-friendly S.Café® and LIFA® Active fibers, it has UPF 50+ sun protection, is quick-dry, odor-resistant, and moisture-wicking. Plus, it’s made with 60 per cent Ocean Bound recycled polyester. Available in men’s and women’s sizes.

Available at Helly Hansen

$85

GOORIN BROS G.O.A.T. CAP

This cotton canvas trucker hat has a mesh back, embroidered animal patch, adjustable snapback closure, and an interior sweatband for comfortable all-day wear.

Available at Bach & Co.

$69 >>

Located at 122-4340 Lorimer Road & Fairmont Chateau

SPLASH THE ORCA HAND PUPPET

Children love the Splash the Orca hand puppet, designed by Chris Kewistep of the Bella Bella Nation.

“I am guided by a long legacy of artists in my family who have been committed to honouring our traditions. My father, Ben Houstie has been an important mentor in learning our unique art forms.” – Chris Kewistep. Available at Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC)

$35

Dinnerware

LOCALLY OWNED

Located

604-938-1110

THE BLISS COLLECTION

From the first bite to the last, the Bliss Collection is sure to please everyone, featuring berries, nuts and artisan chocolates curated by Rocky Mountain’s master chocolatier. Each box contains a: raspberry bomb, coconut cluster, rocky road cluster, tiramisu caramel trio, cranberry and orange caramel, blueberry caramel, strawberry meltdown, pink champagne meltdown, peanut butter cup, almond dome and cashew mogul dome. Available at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

$35

THUNDERBIRD AND WHALE PLAYING CARDS

These Single Deck playing cards feature artwork by Coast Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw artist Maynard Johnny, Jr., and are packaged inside a tin box.

“My passion is to share Coast Salish art with my family, community and beyond. I am very touched when passing down this cultural legacy to my grandchildren.”

— Maynard Johnny, Jr., Coast Salish,Kwakwaka'wakw

Available at the Audain Art Museum

$8 >>

Located at the base of

EMU MIKI SNEAKERS

The Miki woven wool sneakers from EMU Australia are a contemporary eco friendly essential for life on the move. A sustainable, naturally lightweight and airy Australian wool/ cotton construction and anatomically shaped footbeds combine for relaxing all day comfort. And if you are worried about turning your white sneakers black, forget about it! These sneakers are machine washable! The Miki is as foot friendly as it is planet friendly with an equally amazing price. Available at KABN Footwear

$125 W