CALLING WHISTLER HOME

A VIBRANT, CARING COMMUNITY LIES AT THE HEART OF THE RESORT

ALISON TAYLOR Editor

When my son was five years old in ski school, he was riding on the chairlift with visitors when the inevitable question arose: Where do you live?

“Whistler,” he answered.

A chorus of replies followed from one side of the chairlift to the other about how lucky he was. He told us this story later that night, and asked why he was so lucky, with no understanding that very few five-year-olds get to live and ski in the best ski resort in North America.

It’s a funny thing growing up in Whistler. Visitors often wonder what it’s like to live here, to call a ski resort “home.” Where do the locals live? Are we all ski bums, living for the next powder run? How do we make it all work, living in the mountains, in a place where people come to escape their everyday stresses and worries? What’s it like to live in a picture-perfect snow globe? And, do we après every day?

These are fair questions, the answers simple enough. Underneath Whistler’s glossy veneer, the upscale award-winning restaurants and the endless opportunities for adventures, is a community of caring and passionate people. About 14,000 people call Whistler home,

according to the last census. They are lifties and ski instructors; they are teachers, hotel workers, doctors; they are homebuilders and tech people who can work remotely.

Many, not all, love to ski or snowboard in the winter and mountain bike in the summer. Many have passed that love on to their kids, creating the next generation that is just as passionate about mountain living.

This community is wildly enthusiastic about Whistler, about the mountains, and the lifestyle that it offers.

They are determined to preserve it. Read our story Helping Hands on page 37 about local nonprofits to get a true sense of how people feel about Whistler.

Most of all, locals know they’re lucky to have found this little piece of paradise and carve out a life here. They choose to make Whistler home.

And, it is not without its sacrifices.

Many of us live far from extended families; many have made career sacrifices. We give up the perks of urban living for a rural lifestyle.

In return, we get Whistler. And all it has to offer.

Like experiencing fresh tracks before work on a Monday morning, floating over fresh powder before your phone starts to ring. Or, skiing out in the afternoon as the sky begins its soft transition to the alpenglow. It’s times like this when a remarkable feeling often steals over us; it’s a feeling of tremendous good fortune.

We want our guests to have that feeling too. We hope you have that epic powder run and then sing all night at an epic après. We want you to try something new while you’re here— ziplining, bungee jumping, cross-country skiing. We insist that you order dessert.

And we want you to think of Whistler as “home” even if it’s for a weekend or a week or even a season.

It’s guaranteed to steal your heart. And leave you wanting more.