Sign In Register Two Whistler residents are pleading for locals to be on the lookout for cubs that may have been orphaned in Whistler after the Conservation Officer Service killed a black bear April 28 The black bear was killed after knocking a woman down and biting her in Kadenwood a forested neighbourhood connected to Whistler Mountain that largely consists of second homeowners The woman has non-life threatening injuries The cubs were captured on video this week by a construction worker Ellie Lamb, a wildlife advocate was at the site this morning when Pique reached her by phone She is experienced with bear cub rescues and a wildlife advocate from her time in Bella Coola “My concern is for the orphaned cubs and the lady bitten by the mom The baby cubs haven’t been picked up,” she said estimating they weigh three and a half lbs Construction workers in the area told her they have only witnessed one adult bear in the vicinity and it’s unlikely the cubs belong to another sow she said COS officers were on site searching for the cubs She has spent the past week scouring trails in search of the little ones along with her friend and Whistler local While there is evidence of older bear tracks “I’ve spent time looking for scat. I did notice in these areas there are other animals coyote tracks," Lamb said. "It's concerning for small babies. They were likely born in January The scat Lamb found contains regular vegetation and seeds that black bears eat in spring “I’ve walked through her trails She chose it because it’s safe to live with few people There are some construction workers during the day and it’s quiet at night,” Lamb said “She found a refuge to raise her cubs and likely hibernated here given what looks like a natal tree which the cubs didn’t want to leave Lamb believes the tree shown with the cubs in the video was used by the sow to rest while she nursed her young If the cubs are found, the province’s orphaned black bear cub policy provides a framework for response and potential rehabilitation at a permitted facility The province’s policy mandates monitoring of cubs for 48 hours to ensure their mother is not in the vicinity and advises leaving bears wild if more than eight months old because they can “regularly survive on their own.” Deciding whether a cub is rehabilitated comes down to discussions between provincial scientists and veterinarians the cub is safely captured and brought to a rearing facility before release at a later date The closest facility to Whistler is Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley. Pique has reached out to the Society to learn what rehabilitation looks like for cubs that are only a few months old and will have more information early next week But according to the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, or Fur-Bearers a charity that works to hold officials accountable to animal welfare laws there isn’t full transparency on how decisions about rehabilitation for black bear cubs are made They published an analysis of the province's policy when it was released this spring they say while some of the policy has positive impacts They say there is a high threshold for intervention delaying help for observation causes unneeded suffering and whether they qualify for rehab is up to the discretion of the province and COS Lamb echoed her concern over a lack of transparency in the process “We need the COS to have a duty of care to orphaned cubs It’s now a policy issue,” she said “It’s discretionary whether they pick them up It should be up to the public; the public supports COS and they are paid by our tax dollars We should determine how they are treated.” Lamb’s friend James was heading to Kadenwood to continue searching for the cubs on May 2 and she hopes the COS will do more than bait the cubs into a trap “What I want them to do is go with a jab stick to tranquilize and scruff them,” James said The neighbourhood had a different bear incident in 2018, when a woman was ultimately fined $10,500 for repeatedly feeding bears. The COS previously told Pique they can’t confirm any connection between the incidents the COS said a necropsy confirmed the sow was lactating "The cubs that were reported in the same area are believed to be from this sow so a waiting period to determine if they are orphaned is not necessary," a spokesperson said They are continuing to search for the cubs the COS will assess whether they can be safely captured "They will also be assessed for rehabilitation at a permitted rearing facility This determination is made by wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian in accordance with orphaned black bear cub guidelines and informed by any information received by the Conservation Officer Service the sow black bear was dispatched to ensure public safety as per provincial response guidelines," the COS said Whistler Mountain announced a new event for the lift company to coincide with the full moon on Feb More than 100 skiers could buy tickets to a “moonlighting” evening that included a full-course dinner at the Roundhouse and a moonlit ski down to the valley guided by patrollers and instructors followed by a “moondance party” at Dusty’s with live entertainment.  The idea for the event reportedly came from Bernie Protsch who had both seen similar events while working in Switzerland The first full-moon event apparently went well with another planned during the World Cup week in March was that theirs was not the only party on Whistler Mountain that evening At a recent Speaker Series event featuring mountain caretakers Laird Brown and Colleen Warner shared stories from their time living on Whistler Mountain in the 1980s Laird and Colleen spent more than two years living at midstation and Janet and Gord Harder lived at the Alpine Service Building at the top of the Red Chair while guests and staff (including Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation president Lorne Borgal) were enjoying a fine-dining experience at the Roundhouse she and Gord decided to have their own party at their place Laird had built an ice rink between the Roundhouse and the Alpine Service Building and they “just wanted to go outside and go ice skating.” Knowing the event was still ongoing their party of six to eight people decided to stay inside until those at the Roundhouse had departed Once the official guests had headed down the hill the unofficial party went for a moonlit skate With the help of two snowmobiles driven by Gord and another friend the party did multiple laps of Upper Whiskey Jack before rolling one of the sleds by the time they got the machine back up to the Alpine Service Building Janet and Gord went to the office of Jamie Tattersfield to confess what had happened to the snowmobile Being out in the alpine during a full moon was far from a new experience for Gord and some of his friends Prior to the construction of the Peak Chair in 1986 would camp on the peak for every full moon hiking up for about an hour from the top of the T-bar at the end of the ski day and setting up tents According to Shawn Hughes (also known as SO) this tradition went on faithfully every winter full moon for more than six years The construction of the Whistler Express Gondola in the summer of 1988 made the alpine caretaker position redundant and the mid-station and valley caretaker positions were phased out over the next few years Whistler Mountain’s full-moon dinners at the Roundhouse We have entered a period of stagnation that started well before the Trump tariffs Last year I asked a senior member of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) executive team about the possibility of stagflation and was summarily dismissed Stagflation has been caused by the inflationary effects of deficit spending at all levels of government (minus the RMOW which can’t deficit spend of course) Canada’s unemployment rate rising to 6.7 per cent and a weakening GDP growth the past decades of fiscal policies and lack of capital flowing into our country have put us in a tenuous situation Other developed economies direct a larger share of their investment toward productive capital such as machinery and intellectual property residential structures comprise approximately 54 per cent of the total fixed capital stock Japan and Germany are at about 30 per cent and have stronger investment in public infrastructure and manufacturing capital.  Now add in the potential tariff wars getting worse and tightening supply chains The Bank of Canada really had no choice but to hold interest rates this week Their choice was to reduce inflation (higher interest rates) or increase economic growth (cut interest rates) and the answer given to us by officials is to increase taxes and use our piggy bank.  To counter the effects of stagflation locally Whistler must focus on strategies that strengthen economic resilience while addressing affordability and productivity This includes supporting small businesses and the tourism sector through targeted incentives The increases of taxes in the past few years are over the top There’s an optimal tax rate that maximizes government revenue and tax cuts could stimulate economic growth and actually increase revenue particularly during stagflation (look up Laffer curve) Continued workforce housing solutions and streamlined municipal regulations to encourage investment and innovation aimed at maintaining affordability in housing and essential services are critical to preserving community stability and retaining key workers Whistler must also streamline and prioritize key investments which may mean cuts in departments/projects And while the municipal regulations when it comes to permits etc the changes must happen quickly more than ever to encourage investment and innovation This is in reply to the letter about the contribution of the “empty houses” in Whistler (Pique, April 18, “‘Empty houses’ in Whistler still contribute”) these largely (or seasonally) unoccupied homes do pay the property taxes referenced by the author And let’s not kid ourselves: Whistler was built on real estate and the sale of ski chalets the service jobs she references these homes as generating are precisely the type of underappreciated jobs held by the exact people that can’t afford lodging here there should be a local tax or an appropriate ongoing contribution from the owners of these under-occupied houses to help fund initiatives for housing with a focus towards essential-service employees and retaining potentially longer-term people (This could be waived with suite occupancy.) While you mention roads and other physical infrastructure it is the people parts of the infrastructure that you count on even more your property taxes alone do not contribute enough to make it possible for doctors and the trades (whom you also reference) to build a life here A more balanced contribution would help keep Whistler safe and free up affordable lodging for the worker bees.  So while secondary homeowners are absolutely appreciated and some are outstanding philanthropists many can easily afford to do more than what is currently required If you are going to own part of this awesome place there needs to be a balance so that it can build and stay awesome If you've been to Quattro and Caramba before you know what the Paré Restaurant Group (PRG) can bring to the table—pun intended they're launching what for them is a real passion project: Lorette Brasserie.  Uncle and nephew duo Jay and James Paré know what it takes to get a restaurant off the ground and they are excited for what lies ahead.  Lorette is named after co-owner Jay Paré’s mom (James’ grandmother) It offers a hearty array of traditional French and Québécois cuisine in Whistler Village: from Croque Madame (toasted sourdough fried free range egg) and four kinds of eggs benedicts for breakfast to Onion Tarte Tatin (foie gras torchon veal jus) and Salmon Rillettes (cured salmon "[Lorette] is something that we've been wanting to do for a little while now," James revealed it was something we thought Whistler could do with: something a little bit different but very approachable This latest venture is a labour of love that honours our forebears and will add a refined take on French cuisine to Whistler that artfully marries Québécois traditions with exceptional ingredients from the Pacific Northwest."  Jay added in a press release: "We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors to the new space this spring to join us for what has been a unique and inspirational project for myself and James."  Born-and-raised French Canadian Shane Sluchinski helms Lorette's kitchen He grew up watching his grandmother prepare dishes from scratch before spending a decade as a line cook in Quebec Sluchinski told reporters the Lorette menu invokes "a deep sense of nostalgia" for him and that he looks forward to continuing his family legacy.  "Shane came out here and started working for us at Caramba He's just shown that he's got great talent and he's got great passion which we are obviously all very much about," said Jay Brad Bilick manages front-of-house happenings as director of operations native began his career at home before assuming various jobs at hotels and restaurants in Chicago He joined PRG as the general manager of Quattro and Caramba in 2020.  "From the kitchen to the bar team to the servers we’ve assembled a talented team that is truly excited to celebrate the quintessential aspects of French and Québécois cuisine set a new standard of service and provide unforgettable dining experiences for locals and visitors alike," Bilick said in a release "Brad brought a whole different way of thinking to how we operate," remarked James "It was an easy decision to put him in that director of ops position."  Lorette occupies the place in Whistler once held by Elements Jay and James reached out to owner Kathi Jazic about a sale in early 2023 and they intend to pick up the slack when it comes to morning cuisine.  "We feel there's a niche for that in Whistler to have a great breakfast spot," Jay said "We did start that at Caramba about a year and a half ago: we were doing Lorette by Caramba breakfast so that's now going to move full time to Lorette Then the nighttime French brasserie was what we've always wanted to do."  Lorette is more than capable of hosting a good-sized crowd James described French food as "unique" and "indulgent" while pointing out Sluchinski's team wants to think outside the box they offer a Suckling Pig Tourtière (pig optional add pan-seared foie gras) instead of a traditional tourtière that might feature veal Visitors would be remiss to forget about their beverage choices A focused cocktail list encompasses the signature Frozen Vesper (Citadelle Jardin d’Ete lemon) Montreal Margarita (Altos Plata tequila and Lorette Fizz (Citadelle Jardin d’Ete as well as local craft and import beer.  "All three of our restaurants have a different style of wine list complementing each style of food," said Jay stay true to French food with French wine … but covering all the palettes."  Find out more about Lorette and reserve your spot at lorettebrasserie.com. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account A black bear was shot by conservation officers in Whistler on Monday night after it attacked a woman out for a walk with her dog Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentAt about 8:30 p.m. the woman was walking in the Kadenwood neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of the village when she was knocked to the ground and bitten by a bear She was taken to hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries Conservation Officer Service responded along with Whistler RCMP Officers did a sweep of the area around the attack and spotted a black bear that matched witness descriptions of the one that went after the woman Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It was shot and killed “due to public safety concerns,” said the service in a statement on social media officers killed 303 black bears because of human-wildlife conflicts across B.C. 34 in the South Coast region that includes Whistler The highest death toll was in the Okanagan (68) jruttle@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account which are centered on natural beauty and storytelling “Honouring Canadian talent on our international stage is the perfect culmination of Whistler’s Canada Day celebrations” says Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton “One of the highlights of every summer is witnessing how the free outdoor concert series brings together people from around the world through the shared joy of experiencing live music A masterful songwriter with an uncanny ability to weave humour Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen) has quietly become one of Canada’s most celebrated musical exports was nominated for CCMA Alternative Country Album of the Year and has further cemented his place in the pantheon of modern songsmiths Songs like “Lost in the Light” and “All The Time” have become streaming juggernauts The Bahamas performance will be accompanied by an opening DJ set by Whistler’s own SOUL CLUB (Ben Keating) all-45rpm affair showcasing the best in funk and soul music from around the globe Media Notes: Additional photography or promotional materials from the musical line-up for any of the artists performing are available upon request.  unceded territory of the L̓il̓wat7úl (Lil’wat People) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish People) the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is a destination resort community and leader in providing municipal programs and infrastructure for almost 14,000 permanent residents and over three million annual visitors Whistler is located approximately two hours north of Vancouver along the picturesque Sea-to-Sky Highway and within the epic Coast Mountain range.   Our vision: A place where our community thrives Whistler: A place where our community thrives, nature is protected and guests are inspired. Learn More upcoming events and programs and important updates from Council conveniently delivered straight to your inbox Whistler: A place where our community thrives, nature is protected and guests are inspired. More Info Whistler! Here's how things are shaping up out there so far Today's forecast calls for mainly sunny skies with a high of about 12 C in Whistler with a few clouds. Looking to tomorrow the forecast calls for mainly sunny skies On the mountain Whistler Blackcomb is forecasting a mix of sun and cloud The freezing level sits at about 1,900 metres The mountain operator is reporting no fresh snow in the past 12 hours and a base depth of about 219 cm.  A reminder that April 21 was the last day for skiing Whistler Mountain. As of today, WB shifts to spring skiing on Blackcomb only The last day for skiing at Whistler Blackcomb for the season is May 19. Read more about spring ops in this WB blog post Follow this link for the status of WB terrain weather forecasts and Avalanche Canada Avalanche Hazard ratings The avalanche danger rating in the Sea to Sky is currently low, according to Avalanche Canada "Manage exposure to cornices and sun-exposed slopes," the forecaster said on its website check your favourite weather and conditions apps for the latest as things can change in an instant out there DriveBC is showing no major disruptions on Highway 99 this morning Bike park passes are on sale now with Unlimited passes starting at $829 CAD There are also 10-Day and 5-Day options for $635 CAD and $399 CAD respectively as well as the Twilight Pass which allows riding every day after 4:30pm for $399 CAD. In my opinion one of the best ways to enjoy the Whistler Bike Park is during Crankworx World Tour's Whistler stop which takes place from August 8-17 2025 this year and dual slalom all take place throughout the week There's also the annual Whip Off where some of the world's best freeriders session a jump trying to whip to 90 degrees and bring it back and often throw a lot of other cool tricks The final diamond stop of the FMB World Tour takes place at the end of Crankworx Whistler and is one of the best displays of slopestyle riding around. Crankworx can definitely be a bit chaotic so if you're looking for a quiet week at the Whistler Bike Park But if you're looking for one of the bike industry's biggest parties and the chance to take a lap with some of the best riders in the world clear day at Whistler Photo:Izzy Lidsky here's a comprehensive rating of five groomers from least to most favorite that I skied in Whistler last week (that I remember the names of it's the biggest mountain in North America High Pressure Ripability Rating: 3/10Stan Rey skied Peak to Creek in under six minutes last year which was the ONLY thing I could think about when I started skiing down it but I'm no racer ,so I'm embarrassed to say I checked my watch at the top wondering how long it would take me makes a difference. I took Peak to Creek as my two-more-skip-the-last on the first day I skied Whistler it was in the sun still and I could make some nice The iconic groomer sits at the bottom of my list because when I reached Lower Peak to Creek the afternoon shade had frozen things back over and a couple weeks of no snow meant little rocks had started to unearth from the snow pack I found myself in one of those situations where you make the choice to turn on what looks like edge-able snow in flat light or hit rocks I know we say 'tools not jewels' and all Whistler Blackcomb Peak 2 Peak Gondola High Pressure Ripability Rating: 3/10Another groomer that would probably be fun with a little extra snow but was mostly just scary given the conditions The combination of a lot of people who looked not very confident on skis and more un-edge-able ice definitely raised the heart rate a bit not to mention that being kind of directionally challenged I ended up skiing it way more times than I meant to High Pressure Ripability Rating: 7/10The Saddle was both kinda spooky and one of the sickest runs I skied at Whistler.  I didn't realize it was going to be groomed when I skied to the top of it from Peak Express The resort also has some barriers up and an 'Experts Only' warning which is not something I'm used to seeing on groomed runs but was understandable given the conditions and the fact that the Saddle is steep. I'm not gonna sit here and lie and say I made gorgeous turns on it I watched a guy in front of me who was 100% an awesome old probably ex-racer dude on Atomic Redsters carve the absolute heck out of some turns down the Saddle and it got me so fired up The Saddle is a fantastic use of high alpine terrain and I'll bet $10 that in fresh corduroy High Pressure Ripability Rating: 8/10These two groomers are right under Big Red Express and were the perfect pitch they were in the sun for a lot of the day and there's nothing like a little vitamin D with a side of groomers The bottom of the Dave Murray Downhill as seen from Whistler's Creekside Village High Pressure Ripability Rating: 10/10I skied Dave Murray Downhill at the very end of the day The sun was starting to go down making everything glowy and golden The combination of snow that had spent the afternoon getting warmed by the sun great pitch and fun rollers made for one of the best runs I took all weekend in Whistler. Named for Dave Murray who founded the Dave Murray Ski School and was the director of skiing at Blackcomb Mountain before his untimely death the run is used as Whistler's downhill race course World Cup Downhill and Super-G races took place on the run from 1993-95 as well as some events at the 2010 Winter Olympics From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 takes place from Saturday Over 500 athletes and supporters will be coming to Vancouver and Whistler for the Games which will include adaptive winter sports for the first time Nordic Skiing and Skeleton events.   Whistler’s history of hosting large sporting events of this caliber has put the resort in a position to be inclusive hosts We can’t wait to see this world-class event and assist Invictus Vail Resorts and Tourism Whistler in hosting Many in our community can identify with the healing power of sport we are excited to welcome Invictus athletes and their supporters and to be a part of their journey of recovery and overcoming adversity The Games also give us an opportunity to showcase Whistler’s unique mountain culture an expo hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces DJs and live music in Village Square with face painting Detailed information is included below on accessibility in Whistler Invictus Village and the free Whistler Invictus Concert Series lineup Also included is a list of FAQs that may be helpful as you look to make the most of your experience.  The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s investment in the Invictus Games is funded through the Municipal and Regional District Tax reserve (MRDT The Access Whistler Map is available to help navigate Whistler Village It shows users the most accessible entrances into the Village Stroll and assists users to locate ramps up to the concourse levels The Access Whistler Map works in conjunction with ramp signs facilitating the accessible movement of people through the Village to access ramps the mountains and into the trail network system It was developed with the premise of providing useful information to empower the best decision-making for people of all abilities.  For assistance, Tourism Whistler manages the Whistler Visitor Information Centre Staff can provide first-hand knowledge about local services accommodation and transportation.   The RMOW’s Village Hosts are also readily available to help Look for the smiling faces in red jackets throughout the Village Stroll to provide first-hand knowledge about local business Village Host kiosks are located at Whistler Olympic Plaza beside the Olympic Rings as well as by The Beacon Pub/across from La Brasserie You can also contact the Village Host Program at 604-935-8478 during regular business hours.  Invictus Games is set to take over Whistler Village What: Get ready for an action-packed experience across Whistler and activities for all ages come together in the heart of the village capturing the true spirit of a ski town during the Invictus Games!  Whistler Olympic Plaza: Experience winter sport trials and explore IG25 Partner Activations with IG25 merchandise sales.  Maury Young Arts Centre: Come in and bring your friends and family to enjoy sport competition viewing Village Square: Watch the sport competitions and enjoy the Whistler Invictus Concert Series from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. featuring live music in the heart of Whistler Village.  Mountain Square: Home to IG25 Partner Activations featuring product samples and experiences that capture the true spirit of winter in a ski town.  Five Alarm Funk will be among the acts taking the stage in Whistler during Invictus 3:30 p.m.: Whistler Welcome Celebration  4:15 p.m.: Jim Cuddy and Barney Bentall  Please be advised there will be no drone activity in the Whistler Village air space during the Invictus Games Flying a drone within the boundaries of the Resort Municipality of Whistler requires a permit and permits have not been issued for the duration of the 2025 Vancouver Whistler Invictus Games for security reasons Whistler RCMP have instructions to mechanically intervene to bring down drones from Friday spectators and all other members of the public.Thank you for your adherence to this important protective measure We are happy to welcome the world to Whistler The locations of accessible public washrooms are listed on the Access Whistler Map Most hotels have accessible public washroom facilities just off their main lobbies.  There are a number of accessible parking stalls in the Whistler Village Day Lots in close proximity to the pedestrian exits along Blackcomb Way.  Out-of-province and out-of-country designated parking permits can be used in Resort Municipality of Whistler accessible parking spaces.  Visitors can bring permits issued from their home community Parking permits issued by the officially recognized issuing agencies from any of the provinces and territories in Canada Temporary accessible parking permits can be purchased from Municipal Hall if forgotten or lost. The cost of the pass is $31, and it is valid for a maximum of three months. Any non-visual disability will require a doctor’s note. The passes can be purchased from Municipal Hall All Whistler Transit System vehicles are accessible.    Route buses have lifts or low floors to help passengers get on and off For those who need help finding the right stop please let the driver know what you need.  More information on accessibility on transit can be found on whistler.ca.  The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler was honoured as the “Accommodation of the Year" at the 2025 BC Hotel Association (BCHA) Awards of Excellence on April 23 in Vancouver. The prestigious accolade recognizes the resort's outstanding achievements, leadership, and innovation in British Columbia's accommodation sector. "The 2025 BCHA Awards of Excellence recipients are true leaders in our industry," said Paul Hawes "Their passion and commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences reflect the heart of hospitality in British Columbia These individuals and properties represent the strength and professionalism that define our sector We are honoured to celebrate their achievements as part of this year’s BCHA Summit." The Four Seasons Resort Whistler, nestled at the base of Whistler Blackcomb, offers 273 luxurious rooms and suites featuring gas fireplaces including a year-round heated outdoor pool and a ski concierge service that ensures effortless access to the slopes The recognition adds to the resort's impressive list of accolades. In 2024, it was named the No. 1 Resort in Canada and the No. 5 Best Resort in the World by Condé Nast Traveller's Readers’ Choice Awards its spa was honoured as Canada's Best Resort Spa 2024 by the World Spa Awards General manager Chelan Goonetilleke who has been instrumental in fostering innovation and a strong team culture at the resort was also a finalist for the Hotelier of the Year award Whistler's Crystal Lodge was also a finalist for Housekeeping Excellence noted for consistently scoring in the mid-to-high 90s on guest satisfaction indicators through Revinate with room cleanliness and housekeeping standing out as key strengths in guest feedback A serious crash on Highway 99 south of Whistler in March led to "catastrophic" injuries for one tourist to the resort The March 12 incident between Callaghan Valley Road and Brew Creek Forest Service Road injured 10 in total According to a GoFundMe campaign Tammy and Mark Graziani face a long road to recovery "Tammy suffered catastrophic spinal injuries and is now in intensive rehabilitation fighting to regain movement in her hands and legs working tirelessly towards her goal of walking again has remained by her side every step of the way," reads the GoFundMe which had amassed US$54,685 of a $64,000 goal as of Friday afternoon and time away from work, we are rallying around them to help ease the financial burden. Your support will provide critical funding for physical therapy Mark and Tammy were heading south to YVR when their sprinter van was in a head-on collision "Tammy suffered the most catastrophic injuries—a broken neck and spine—and was rushed into emergency surgery and placed on life support," the page reads Tammy was kept heavily sedated and in critical condition It was unclear if Tammy would survive." Tammy is now awake and continues to improve each day—"from breathing on her own she was able to repatriate to Boston with Mark via air ambulance on April 1 Tammy's road to recovery will take years of physical and occupational therapy and intensive support Her infectious personality and amazing sense of humour are intact and despite the unfair hand she's been dealt she's rarely ever without a smile on her face." A black bear was killed in Whistler on April 28 after knocking a woman to the ground and biting her according to the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) The Conservation Officer Service is investigating the incident a woman was walking her leashed dog in the Kadenwood neighbourhood when she was knocked to the ground and bitten by a bear She was transported by ambulance and received medical attention for non-life threatening injuries," the statement read "Conservation Officers responded to the scene alongside police COs conducted a sweep of the attack site and located a black bear nearby which matched witness descriptions of the offending animal The bear was dispatched due to public safety concerns." The COS has received a report of possible cubs in the surrounding areas where the woman was attacked they will be assessed for rehabilitation at a permitted rearing facility," they said "No cubs were reported in the area or observed by COs during the response or for several hours afterwards." You can read more on B.C.'s approach to orphaned black bear cubs and the rehabilitation process here Instances of black bears attacking humans are exceedingly rare. The Kadenwood neighbourhood is the site of an infamous 2018 bear-feeding case in which a Whistler woman was ultimately fined $10,500 for repeatedly feeding bears but Conservation Officers said they were unable to confirm a connection "the black bear in this attack did not have an ear tag and the COS cannot confirm whether it had a conflict history," a spokesperson said "The COS cannot stress enough the importance of not feeding bears and other dangerous wildlife which can create a serious risk to public safety Violators can face fines under the Wildlife Act Reports can be made to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline." The COS thanked its law enforcement and emergency responder partners for their assistance “Thankfully the victim was not more seriously injured,” said COS Sgt “The COS is receiving reports of bear activity in Whistler and surrounding areas We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with safety precautions in case of wildlife encounters.” Conservation Officers are continuing to investigate the incident, the RMOW said. People are encouraged to familiarize themselves with safety precautions in case of wildlife encounters. For more resources, visit WildSafeBC.com The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has filed a defense against a legal challenge from homeowners seeking to overturn zoning restrictions that prevent short-term tourist rentals on their Horstman Estates properties In a response submitted April 11 to the Supreme Court of British Columbia the RMOW argues its decisions to terminate a land-use contract and adopt a new community plan are reasonable filed March 4 by Alan and Lenore Gelfand and Steven and Katherine Nichols claims the RMOW unfairly eliminated their right to operate rentals escalating a years-long debate over Whistler’s residential zoning strata lots at 4930 and 4950 Horstman Lane are valued at $7.54 million and $6.62 million The homeowners argue these high-value properties were historically permitted for tourist accommodations a use they say the RMOW has now unjustly restricted The municipality counters that the properties have always been zoned for single-family residential use On March 4, the Gelfands and Nichols filed a petition challenging two RMOW decisions: the adoption of the Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw No which they claim reclassified their properties as “residential-very low (detached),” and the Land Use Contract (LUC) Termination Bylaw No which rezoned Horstman Estates to RS3 (Single Family Residential Three) the petitioners argue these changes were unreasonable ignoring a late-1980s land-use contract and a 1983 “warm bed policy” that allegedly permitted short-term rentals without requiring rental pool covenants asserting inadequate notice and consultation and cite decades of rental activity—supported by RMOW-collected commercial fees until a 2024 stop order—as evidence of their right to continue bolstered by a 1999 legal opinion suggesting such use was permissible The petitioners further contend the zoning restrictions harm their investments They seek court orders to amend the bylaws and issue business licences for tourist accommodations arguing the RMOW’s actions defy historical precedent The RMOW traces its zoning authority to the 1975 Resort Municipality of Whistler Act which established it as B.C.’s first resort municipality The properties fall under a 1979 land-use contract both restricting the lots to “single residential buildings” for one family or up to six unrelated persons living as a domestic unit The RMOW argues this definition excludes commercial tourist rentals a stance reinforced by court rulings like Whistler v which found short-term rentals incompatible with residential use rezoning Horstman Estates to RS3 to maintain its residential status designating the properties as “Residential – Low to Medium (Detached/Multiple),” is a policy document The municipality denies the petitioners’ claim that the “warm bed policy” applies noting no rental pool covenants exist on their properties The RMOW asserts its decisions are subject to a “reasonableness” standard Vavilov (2019) and 1120732 BC Ltd placing the burden on petitioners to prove otherwise It argues zoning is discretionary under the Local Government Act and it was not obligated to permit tourist rentals The RMOW refutes claims of procedural unfairness detailing public hearings held on April 16 The petitioners were not entitled to personal OCP notice and Alan Gelfand participated in the LUC hearing The RMOW dismisses the petitioners’ estoppel argument—that past fee collection implied rental approval—citing cases like Immeubles Jacques Robitaille inc which hold municipalities cannot be bound by acquiescence It also deems the 1999 legal opinion irrelevant and corrects the petitioners’ claim of a May 10 “public hearing,” clarifying it was a regular council meeting The petitioners seek a court order to force bylaw amendments and business licences as these are discretionary acts and no 2025 licence applications exist filed nearly three years after the LUC Termination Bylaw and five years after the OCP beyond the Local Government Act’s one-month notice period The RMOW estimates a two-day hearing which is scheduled for June 23 None of the allegations have been proven in court UPDATE: We hope you enjoyed this year's April Fool's story There are no plans to annex Pemberton (as far as we know) and everything in the below story is made up President Donald Trump has said about Canada The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is quietly planning a major boundary expansion to the north of the world-famous ski resort according to a recent report to council behind closed doors Sources say the contentious move would have major impacts throughout the Sea to Sky region potentially damaging relations with local First Nations and Pemberton to the north According to meeting audio shared with Pique officials discussed potential ramifications of the boundary expansion at a recent closed-door meeting unnamed officials can be heard discussing various means of accomplishing the expansion which is so vast it would effectively mean the complete annexation of Pemberton Officials can be heard casually discussing the boundary expansion and the potential political fallout in the region “Here’s my problem with Pemberton,” one unidentified official can be heard saying in the recording “Pemberton was meant to be part of Whistler because we subsidize Pemberton by one million farm visits a year Various officials can be heard discussing what they describe as “a very big deficit with Pemberton,” and the possibility of assuming control of the burgeoning municipality via “economic force.” Whistler could potentially place tariffs on Pemberton’s produce or detain its citizens from freely leaving Whistler as means of coercion One of the nastiest municipalities to deal with is Pemberton,” one official can be heard saying “Good old Mike—I call him Councillor Richman—his people were nasty Noting many people move from Whistler to Pemberton to escape the hustle and bustle of resort life one anonymous official wondered if Pembertonians might push back it would be the greatest thing they could ever do,” another replied It would be a cherished part of Whistler and think of how beautiful that village would be without that artificial line running right through it Somebody drew it many years ago with a ruler When one voice objects to some of the rhetoric being used saying Pemberton “doesn’t pay its share.” “But why are we supporting a community all of these other things,” they say That's what I told Richman when he came down Another person points out the produce Pemberton contributes to Whistler they make 20 per cent of our potatoes,” a voice says While no firm decisions or timelines are indicated on the recording shared with Pique officials can be heard agreeing to send a special envoy from Whistler to Pemberton prior to sharing any official annexation plans “Forgive me—I am used to that reaction,” says the unmistakeable voice of philanthropist, entrepreneur, and eccentric local nudist Pene Esposti who will be familiar to longtime readers of Pique Newsmagazine in the early spring can then be heard proving his worth for the position by espousing a passionate X-rated poem about the people of Pemberton and of course just laying it on thick with the potato references—though sure to intersperse it with repeated claims that “Pemberton is not a real town.” Once the assembled anonymous officials are finally able to calm Esposti long enough to get a word in edgewise they ask him how long he estimates it will be before they can move ahead with their annexation plans in earnest “Of that I can’t be sure,” Esposti can be heard saying “But certainly before next April Fool’s Day.” As the World Ski and Snowboard Festival prepares to wrap up so too does another winter season at Whistler Blackcomb The last day for operations on Whistler Mountain spring skiing is available on Blackcomb Mountain only "Please note that there are variable snow conditions at all elevations," Whistler Blackcomb said in its April 10 operations update. "Due to changing temperatures expect freeze-thaw conditions varying from the alpine to the valley A reminder to always stay present and in tune with the situation and conditions." The last day for skiing at Whistler Blackcomb for the season is May 19. Read more about spring ops in this WB blog post Opening Day in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is scheduled for May 16, with sightseeing on Whistler Mountain set to open the following day, May 17, along with the Peak 2 Peak. Find more operational hours here Follow this link for the status of WB terrain Whistler Blackcomb (WB) is unveiling a new Shoulder Season Community Meal Program to meet the needs of locals who may find themselves falling on hard times.  For one night a week between May 1 and May 29 Merlin's Bar and Grill will play host to an accessible hot meal for the affordable price of $10 per person (taxes included) Through community stakeholder meetings and activities over the last year WB identified areas of need facing Sea to Sky residents Sterr and his colleagues on the company's leadership team—COO Belinda Trembath Brian Sudaholc and Kyle Murphy—became aware of specific food insecurity issues as they volunteered at the Whistler Food Bank this past winter.  "It's through conversations with the Whistler Community Services team that we understood: the need for the Food Bank actually ramps up in the spring and fall because the disposable income of individuals in town kind of shrinks a little bit until guests come back and full operations are resumed," Sterr explained "The idea came up that we could host community dinners We wanted to make it affordable and cost-neutral so that way we lend our expertise to buy the food we donated 50 tickets to the Food Bank so they have the ability to give those tickets to the most in need."  When rebranding known establishments like the Horstman Hut, Sterr is focused on providing guests with a memorable and tasty dining experience As far as the Shoulder Season Program is concerned nutritional value becomes a priority: soup or salad I said we need to make sure we provide nutritious food," Sterr elaborated. "It needs to be good protein When the team came back and they had frozen vegetables on the menu absolutely not.' Let's make sure we have real carrots and beans and whatever is available because we want to make sure that individuals are getting value and nutrition from this meal That is what they're not able to afford because of their job situation."  both capable of accommodating people with dietary restrictions like vegans Individuals of all ages are welcome to take advantage of the meals Sterr has also challenged his peers in WB's other divisions to co-host dinners with their respective teams on hand to welcome guests clean and build relationships with everyone who shows up.   While Phase 1 of the program concludes at May's end WB plans to revamp it based on user feedback and operational lessons learned a second phase with one to two extra meal nights per week and engagement from community partners is in the works from Thanksgiving to mid-November.  "I've already talked to the GM of the Westin and the GM of the Hilton They came up to me after we announced [the program] to the community that they would be interested in participating," Sterr revealed when the season goes from summer to winter for other businesses like them to put their own dinner on one specific weekday for probably four to five weeks.  the feedback we've been getting from the Whistler Community Services team as well as from stakeholders we meet regularly with When they heard we're getting this initiative up and rolling they all felt like it was a cause to get behind." in a borrowed condo in Whistler (thanks Peter and Teddi) I married a guy I’d known for about two weeks Some were bold enough to out-loud them: “Are you pregnant?” “I would have married you if it was for the visa.” “I thought you were smarter than that.” We were both in casual relationships with other people It was scandalous for about five minutes until everyone moved on it might have taken those two other people a little bit longer to move on I remember thinking: this story will be better when we’ve been together a while explaining that “I just knew he was the one” was an invitation for a storm of doubt to move across their faces It was hard to fill in my permanent residency paperwork imagining how it would read to a government bureaucrat who wore cynicism like synthetic socks There’s science now that says people generally presume that cynics are smarter It’s safer to bet against unicorns—bet on the magical and you do risk looking like a fool and you’re insulating yourself from seeming gullible your cynicism also perpetuates the worst outcomes “We perceive our species to be crueller more callous and less caring than it really is" and experience a sense of grim satisfaction when proved right he writes in his book, Hope for Cynics they notice and we get their worst.” he also writes: “Autocrats love a cynical population because a group of people that don’t trust each other are easier to control.” Relationships are mysterious continents—you can make assumptions about the terrain and weather from off-shore but no one knows what it’s like to move one foot in front of the other within those unchartered landscapes I think I arrived in Whistler as someone cynical about romantic love This place awakened in me the person who believed in audacious possibilities because I don’t think it’s just me Even though it sometimes feels like everything has changed since my version of Peak Whistler (1996 to 2009) The ceremony was officiated by Florence Petersen a little gnome of a woman with curly hair and wide eyes who’d started the Whistler Museum as a promise to honour the stories her neighbour had told her about the early days of Alta Lake I had a little connection to Myrtle Phillip pulled into engagement by Florence’s neighbours My first writing project was for the museum the Question's parent company, acquired Pique, where I wrote another column. Thus our lives unfold a series of unexpected pocket-shots after one ball was hit into a different direction… And a 20-year-old Australian law student became three things that were not on the Life Plan script she’d been handed: a wife so I pulled creative licence for the trifecta.) I just found a letter my dad wrote me one week after the shock wedding/elopement “Didn’t think there was anything that could surprise Grandpa and I anymore but I like to look at things from all angles,” he wrote and then reamed off a list of catastrophic possibilities wondering how we might have factored them into the plan Which maybe all boiled down to his final question: "If you found your destiny I still don’t know the answer to that I can see how generous and gracious and genuinely curious his questions were All I do know is that I lucked upon the right conditions There are some places that disrupt the trajectory of peoples’ lives—give them the space and time to think about things differently to discover themselves outside the packaged-up life imagined and laid out for them Whistler was the environment in which I could slip off the straitjacket and suit I’d been expected to wear and try on some different costumes: nanny I was inspired by all the different ways people were approaching aging I think that’s why I feel feisty and protective towards this place and crusty when it changes in ways I don’t recognize… because I don’t want it to lose that essential quality of being an environment that lets people become what didn’t seem possible in the places they came from who experienced the life-changing unicorn-like magic of that have some obligation to set the protective cloak of cynicism aside That is how you keep a place alive and thriving and generative given the right space and circumstance and influence What is the most audacious version of yourself What unexpected thing might you fall in love with I have been a Whistler Blackcomb season pass holder for 36 of the 42 years since I moved from Montreal to Vancouver. My daughters became strong big-mountain skiers through the club/Mountain Adventure/Freeride programs. I love Whistler—the mountain the municipality and the people (permanent residents do my part to protect the environment and buy local whenever possible I lived in Whistler with my dog for 10 weeks during COVID and felt like a true local The job/organization in the village and on the mountain that winter (2020-21) was amazing People on the mountain were aware of the dangers of the pandemic But in the past two years there have been two developments that I don’t understand the logic of at all The Fitzsimmons eight-pack makes no sense to me because it drops skiers/riders off at Garbo which is a four-pack. The backup the mountain wanted to relieve in the village was moved to the bottom of Garbo. From a skier perspective it makes zero sense In my opinion it would have been better to put the eight-pack at Harmony and move Harmony’s six-pack to the Peak Then there’s the new parking rules at Base II and in the village I’ve been parking at Base II (mostly Lot 7 I appreciate the desire to encourage carpools but not everybody who is on the mountain (spending money on passes My daughters have moved on with their lives My friends that I used to ski with have given up the sport The result for me (and I am sure many others) is you hope you can get into Lot 8 at Base II or end up paying upwards of $20/day for day lot parking unless it is full and then you don’t get to be on the mountain at all that day You’re penalizing loyal Whistler skiers/riders because they are not part of a carpool. I realize this carpool rule is a trial this season and it applies only to weekends and statutory holidays And that the carpool rule doesn’t apply after 11 a.m I’m not sure who came up with these two “improvements to the winter mountain experience” but you clearly did not think this through I would really like to hear responses to my opinions and Crystal lifts accompanied by singing and dancing DJ/lift operators is safety-disconcerting at worst and a total annoyance at best not to a nightclub!  The competing blaring music between the Red Chair base and the Raven’s Nest is a cacophony of noise distracting from the skiing experience Not to mention waking up the bears out of their sweet hibernations Your approach here is unsustainable and an insult to the sport And while you’re at it groom both Upper & Lower Peak to Creek more often—so many times I’ve talked to your Epic-Passeurs who are so disappointed in their trips here because they couldn’t ski the best-known run on the mountain.  how much could doing this negatively impact your craven shareholders Report a bear or cougar in a residential area to the B.C Conservation Officer Service (COS) Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line: 1-877-952-7277 Both black bears and grizzly bears live in Whistler Bears prefer to avoid people; even if a bear appears comfortable Bears can be motivated to go near people if they smell food or a scent they believe is edible a bear may pop its jaws or swat the ground with its paw and blow and snort Bears can also bluff charge toward someone This is more likely with a mother bear with cubs If a bear is too close, Get Bear Smart recommends unlocking your bear spray and leaving the area quickly If a bear is about to attack, use bear spray to defend yourself. Spray towards the bear from the ground to shoulder height to create a wall of bear spray. The bear should stop when it reaches the wall. If necessary, spray the bear’s face when the bear is five metres away. Read more about bear spray If a bear is defensive and you are knocked on the ground lie on your stomach using one hand to protect your neck and the other to protect the back of your head Keep your elbows and legs wide to avoid being flipped over Wait until the bear leaves before leaving the area Bears are attracted to smells they think are food Bears that become comfortable in our community are more likely to become a danger to people This leads to the animal’s death when it becomes a public safety risk Conservation Officer Service when you see a bear in a residential area means they can work to encourage the bear back to the wilderness a bear that’s becomes a danger to people will be destroyed Grizzly and black bears are estimated to be able to smell food 32 kilometres away — so a bear in Pemberton can smell a barbecue in Whistler Bears are most motivated to search for food when they come out of hibernation in the spring and before hibernation in the fall Contact the Bylaw Department to report any attractants Remove ripening fruit and berries that could attract wildlife Mountain ash trees and shrubs (Sorbus aucuparia and Sorbus sitchensis) blueberries and huckleberries (Vaccinium) and clover are all very attractive to bears and should be avoided in landscaping plans Keep your dog on a leash and under control Dogs can provoke defensive and dangerous behaviour in bears Whistler has a Goose Management Strategy to support ecosystem health by making sure there’s a suitable geese population You may notice fences in our parks to discourage geese from nesting in those areas and from gathering on the lawns and beaches where they leave feces We monitor water quality at local swimming beaches and the number of geese nests in the area If you are experiencing geese problems on your property, contact stewardship@whistler.ca for information and tips on managing geese be aggressive to convince the cat you are a threat and not prey fight for your life and attack the wild cat’s face Read more about cougars. Construction sites have many potential attractants for bears. These must be stored in a secure building or bear-proof container. Attractants, such as food, should be thrown away in a bear-proof garbage or recycling container that meets Solid Waste Wildlife-Proof Enclosure requirements Read about Bear Smart practices for construction sites The Resort Municipality of Whistler has worked to reduce the chance of human conflict with bears since 1995. We are proud to have been a Bear Smart Community since 2011 The Resort Municipality of Whistler coordinates our Bear Smart Program alongside the B.C provincial wildlife biologists and recreational specialists The program focuses on reducing human-bear conflict in our community In addition, Whistler’s Human-Grizzly Bear Conflict Management Strategy guides our work to support the provincial grizzly bear recovery program and keep the public safe We created the strategy with input from Recreation Sites and Trails BC Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRO) Sea to Sky District Biologist and the Conservation Officer Service (COS) Whistler’s Bear Response Plan has non-lethal management guidance for grizzly and black bears Fishing, trapping and hunting is managed provincially Discharging a firearm is prohibited in the Resort Municipality of Whistler Report a poacher to the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277 Please be cautious before attempting to stand or walk on ice The place to ice fish in Whistler is Lost Lake Park In addition to paying for access to Lost Lake Park a fishing licence and compliance with provincial fishing regulations anyone wanting to fish is required to sign a user agreement at the Ski Patrol Hut Commercial operators are also required to have a business licence Whistler’s most current fire danger rating is updated daily on the BC Wildfire Service’s Coastal Fire Centre website View current watering restrictions. For many kids who grew up skiing on Whistler or Blackcomb Mountains in the 1980s and ’90s attending ski school could be an important life experience that formed unforgettable childhood memories Whether you attended Kids Kamp or Ski Scamps depended on which mountain you (or really and though it wasn’t something most students noticed the schools were part of the competition between the two ski hills Ski Scamps was introduced on Whistler Mountain for the winter of 1983-84 in response to Blackcomb’s Kids Kamp a ski school designed specifically for children who began working for Whistler Mountain as a marketing consultant by 1982 Blackcomb was “a very competitive entity” from its early operations This meant if Blackcomb had a program targeting families Whistler was able to find space and reorient some existing instructors with the help of ski school director Bob Dufour while Hurst secured sponsorship for the program from 7-Eleven Though Whistler already had a ski school and offered lessons Ski Scamps was a bit different.  Instead of a private or small group lesson it offered a full-day program throughout the season with different levels based on ability and special events It was designed for children aged three to 12 and season-pass holders could even buy a $190 Scampers Pass that offered unlimited access to Ski Scamps programs and lessons.  Parents could drop their young skiers off in the morning and pick them up again at the end of the day after a full day on the hill One of those young skiers was Mercedes Nicoll who began attending Ski Scamps in 1986 at the age of three Though her family lived in Toronto at the time her parents had owned a place in Whistler since the 1970s and would always come back for Christmas holidays and spring break According to an oral history interview in 2024 though apparently her parents and babysitters might remember it a little differently As hard as it might have been to get her there in the morning Nicoll recalled coming home with a huge smile on her face Ski Scamps had different difficulty levels through which skiers would progress but because her family did not stay for the entire season Nicoll remembered she was “a red star forever—there was no getting rid of that bib.” She fondly recalled the structure at the learning area where they would eat lunch “I remember it just smelling of sweaty gloves but we were all in it together and it was amazing.” One of Nicoll’s memories from her Ski Scamps days happened (as many do) on Pony Trail one Christmas Eve She couldn’t remember exactly how it happened but she knocked out one of her front teeth with her pole her next door neighbour in Whistler was a dentist who told her family they had to go to the dentist in Squamish as she had knocked it back to the nerve and could feel it every time she breathed “There’s little bits of the mountain where I have childhood core memories from This incident and her time spent as a red star didn’t hold Nicoll back on the mountain After her family moved to Whistler permanently in 1995 she began snowboarding with some of her friends She started entering local competitions and doing well leading to a long career as a professional snowboarder and a four-time Olympian competing in the half-pipe After Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains merged under Intrawest in 1997 Kids Kamp and Ski Scamps came together to form Whistler Kids Nicoll still sees some of her Ski Scamps instructors out on the mountain and when she sees classes of kids skiing or snowboarding they don’t even know it yet.”  Vancouver Magazine Canada’s First Din Tai Fung: Does Vancouver’s New Spot Live Up to the Hype May’s Best Food Events in Vancouver—Where to Dine This Month Locanda dell’Orso Has a New Chef—and a New Chance to Make a Mark on the City’s Italian Scene Two Vancouver Bars Remain in the Top 50 at the North America’s 50 Best Bars List The World’s Best Bartenders Are Coming to Vancouver—Here’s Where to Find Them Top Drop Is a Wine Nerd’s Dream Come True The Vanmag Guide to Fostering a Pet in Vancouver Know-It All: What Are These Strange Obelisks Doing on Ontario Street The Playlist: Musician Brock Pytel on the Music Podcast and Neil Young Score He’s Loving Right Now BC’s Best-Kept Culinary Destination Secret (For Now) Very Good Day Trip Idea: Eating and Vintage Shopping Your Way Through Nanaimo Weekend Getaway: It’s Finally Ucluelet’s Time in the Spotlight Shop Hop: Suze in Kits Is All About That Little Something Special Buy Local: 15 Vancouver Brands Making Furniture and Home Goods Drink and Get Married: Mijune Pak’s Wedding Was a Bespoke Food Festival There’s a contingent of humanity who see “sliding down the side of a mountain” as a euphemism for “inevitable hospital visit.” If that resonates with you blissfully devoid of ski poles and sans goggle sunburn Just north of Whistler in the WedgeWoods neighbourhood, the 12,000-square-foot paradise that is the Wedge Mountain Lodge and Spa (9120 Riverside Dr., wedgemountainlodge.com) promises pampering and spa-like relaxation without the immediate risk of tumbling down a mountain: perfect for a non-skier like me the full lodge rents out starting at $6,500 a night but prices can reach up to $28,500 per night during the holidays—so yes And slightly swankier than my usual accommodations but they say you should do one thing every day that scares you so… let’s go but I’ll make do with the lodge’s private movie theatre I immediately and happily abandon my former life in favour of this new Mountain Glamour Goddess persona I’ll later fall asleep on top of my bed in that robe Dinner is courtesy of our own private chef Bill Grimshaw but there’s also top-tier staff here who float in the background to cater to any Peak Diva whims Now this is five-star service!) The meal is a love letter to the region’s best local producers fondue: a great way to experience chalet culture while justifying the eating of So fresh lemon-zest-dusted salmon roasted with veggies and another round of fondue—this time of the chocolate variety and featuring fruit and house-made marshmallows (Fondue is a major part of the Mountain Glamour Goddess lifestyle The best way to ward off a post-fondue coma you can easily go from hot to cold in the 3,000-square-foot spa here at Wedge Mountain I move from the sauna to the ice-cold pool While skiers and boarders clomp around in their boots trying their best not to face plant on the stairs, I’m in my leisure-casual best, headed up on the gondola to experience the beauty of the mountains without the need to slide down them. The Peak 2 Peak gondola (whistlerblackcomb.com) is the perfect easy ride between Blackcomb and Whistler mountains: I’m lucky to nab one of the special ones with a transparent glass bottom but I get to sit the whole time and I don’t need to know how to brake—gondola riders After my peaceful high-flying mountain hop adventure is done I grab an obligatory selfie standing triumphantly in front of the Olympic rings partly because that’s as close as I’m ever going to get to them All that leisurely sitting and high altitudes works up an appetite, so a natural stop for both athletes and relax-thletes (coined it here first) is Steeps Grill (4853 Springs Ln., whistlerblackcomb.com) perched atop Whistler Mountain in the Roundhouse Lodge (we go Peak 2 Peak and Lodge 2 Lodge around here) The vibe is “busy chalet” meets “fancy mountain pub,” and the menu is about the same The short-rib poutine ($28) is as good as it sounds: fries smothered in slow-cooked beef and squeaky curds (we relax-thletes need to carbo-load too) with some crispy kale snuck in for good measure after filling up on panoramic views and slow-cooked meats it’s time for me to head down (not that way Let’s call this a Mountain Glamour Goddess workout I have done no alpine activities today, so I’m not sure, technically speaking, that I can call my afternoon drinks “après,” but the locals don’t care when I join them at Garibaldi Lift Co. (4165 Springs Ln., garibaldiliftco.com) for some craft beers The prime-rib beef GLC burger ($24) on a scallion bun is ultimate comfort fare particularly after adding blue cheese ($3) and the accompanying waffle fries are a revelation in this skinny-fries-obsessed world I post up on the heated outdoor upper patio for some prime people-watching a stiff but very ginger-forward Dutch mule ($18) as my plus-one as we spectate the Village shenanigans like a sport before an après-après nightcap at the most exclusive cocktail bar in Whistler: my suite at Wedge Mountain Lodge After pocketing some more Chef Bill scones for the road, I hop in our chauffeured van (fancy me!) and get whisked away to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre ($25 admission for adults, 4584 Blackcomb Wy., slcc.ca) for a guided tour through the historical regalia and artifacts that reflect the rich heritage of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations The hand drum welcome song is the soundtrack to exploring stunning hand-carved canoes totems (one recently completed by Lil’wat master carver Jonathan Joe) and historical garb each accompanied by thoughtful storytelling and interesting facts (Did you know there used to be a specific dog whose fur made up most of the local community’s textiles until it went extinct?) The short documentary Where Rivers Mountains and People Meet plays regularly in the theatre and gives me another glimpse at the beauty and heritage of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations Next on my historical culture crawl is the Audain Art Museum (4350 Blackcomb Wy., audainartmuseum.com)—the building itself is an architectural work of art hidden within the B.C starting with the red cedar wall (The Dance Screen [The Scream Too]) that greets me artists in the permanent collection here (Tom Thomson along with a significant Northwest Coast First Nations mask collection and a showcase of many legendary and contemporary Indigenous artists The one-hour public guided tour is well worth it (and is included with the $22 admission so why shouldn’t I?) but just wandering through the building itself (all wood slate and glass) connects me to the landscape in a way that makes the art resonate Honestly, I’m anticipating the ziplining to be a nightmare experience. How many times can I express that I do not want to be hurled down a mountain this weekend? But the fearless leader of our Ziptrek Ecotours Eagle Tour ($129, 4282 Mountain Sq., whistler.ziptrek.com) straps me into a harness right?) to a giant rope and sends me flying into the air and over Fitzsimmons Valley… and the bird’s eye view turns out to be a (heart-pounding) joy It’s an adrenaline rush paired with an eco-education—an unlikely but delightful combo—as the staff educate me about the flora and the fauna in the area while I catch my breath from silent screaming my way across valleys. Five ziplines lead to four treetop bridges, so the whole experience lasts around three hours, and I’m grateful I grabbed an OG Box from Picnic (snack size, $15; 113-4368 Main St., picnicwhistler.com) before I zipped The on-the-go charcuterie set is packed with local cheeses artisanal crackers and veggies along with a variety of nuts chutney and pickles: basically the Mary Poppins bag equivalent of snack box and absolutely Mountain Glamour Goddess fare My Whistler weekend culminates with a unique dining experience at Bearfoot Bistro’s “The Magic of Maple” pop-up (4121 Village Gr., bearfootbistro.com) The staff have donned their best plaids with blue jeans which amuses the regulars but only reminds me of every boyfriend I had during the early 2000s The Quebec-inspired pop-up includes a thoughtful multi-course meal (from $50) including (duh) maple-inspired cocktails but the seasonally inspired regular menu here looks pretty good too (no offence to Chef Bill back at the lodge): think wagyu beef I descend for a tour of Bearfoot’s 15,000-bottle wine cellar and the Grey Goose Ice Room—the world’s coldest vodka tasting room which was cooler than I thought it would be As I tuck myself in for one last night at the lodge Rejuvenated because I’ve experienced the pinnacle of luxury… and downhearted because this Mountain Glamour Goddess has a sink full of dishes waiting for her at home I can only hope this brief but beautiful taste of the good life hasn’t ruined me Turns out I am an outdoorsy winter person—so long as a private luxury lodge is involved Own your city with Vancouver’s thrice-weekly scoop on the latest restaurant news Vancouver magazine has been your indispensable insider’s guide to the people events and (most importantly) the incredible restaurant scene that make this such a special place to live considered recommendations and insights to every page and digital content piece Whether we’re covering the coolest up-and-coming Vancouver fashion designers the hottest spots to hit on your long weekend Gulf Island getaway or wild and wonderful urban planning solutions we’re on a mission to prove this is So Fun City at Olympic PlazaKick off the winter season at Whistler Winterlight Whistler Olympic Plaza will come alive with vibrant light installations Take a spin on the Ferris wheel for a birds eye view of the festive lights throughout the Village Stroll Gather with friends and family to celebrate the start of winter at this fresh new event Whistler Winterlight: Light Up Your Winter Vibes Saturday will be all about Ferris wheel rides The additional activities and extras will only be available on Friday But don’t miss the chance to explore the Village Stroll enjoy all the beautiful lights and surprises Whether you’re a local or visiting Whistler for the first time Whistler Winterlight promises an unforgettable start to the winter season stay for the experience—Whistler Winterlight is here Q: What is Whistler Winterlight?A: Whistler Winterlight is a one-night-only event celebrating the winter light season at Whistler Olympic Plaza Q: When and where is the event?A: The event takes place on Friday Q: How much are Ferris wheel rides?A: Rides are $5 per person Q: What are the Ferris wheel hours?A: Friday Q: Are there any height restrictions for the Ferris wheel?A: Yes riders must be at least 48” tall to ride alone or 42” tall if accompanied by an adult Q: Will there be food or drinks available?A: We encourage attendees to grab takeout or enjoy a meal at local restaurants before the event Light snacks will also be available for purchase onsite Q: How do we get to the event?A: Whistler Winterlight is easily accessible by foot or public transportation but we encourage carpooling or using public transit to reduce congestion Q: Will the event still happen if it snows?A: Yes Dress appropriately for winter weather and enjoy the season Q: Can we bring our pets to the event?A: Pets are welcome but please ensure they are leashed and well-behaved to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience Q: Will the outdoor skating rink be open?A: Yes the outdoor skating rink will be open during Whistler Winterlight Q: Are there washrooms available at the event?A: Yes there will be washrooms on-site for your convenience Whistler Winterlight is designed for all ages making it an inclusive experience for everyone to enjoy Q: Are there any restrictions at the event?A: Yes and alcohol are not permitted at Whistler Winterlight to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone Q: How can I stay updated on event information?A: Follow us on social media and check our website for the latest updates and announcements regarding Whistler Winterlight. You can also download the Go Whistler Tours app for information on festive lighting tours and other local attractions The BC Conservation Officer Service says a woman in Whistler was taken to hospital after being attacked and bitten by a black bear while walking her dog on Monday night the COS says the woman was walking with her “leashed” dog around 8:30 p.m when she was knocked to the ground and bitten “She was transported by ambulance and received medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries,” the COS said “Conservation Officers responded to the scene alongside police CO’s conducted a sweep of the attack site and located a black bear nearby which matched witness descriptions of the offending animal.” The COS says the bear was killed due to public safety concerns The BC COS is urging people to familiarize themselves again with safety precautions in case of wildlife encounters as the weather warms up The federal council and the NDP caucus decided on the local MP The Surrey Police Service (SPS) is turning to the public for help Jendhel May Sico is described as a person who lived her life to the fullest she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin Killed in a car-ramming attack on Saturday she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin speaks to reporter Kier Junos about the day their lives changed forever Huge crowds lined the streets of Vancouver to cheer on 25,000 runners making their way around the city for the 53rd annual BMO Marathon on Sunday Andrew's Saturday in honour of the victims of the deadly Lapu-Lapu tragedy last week The accused person in the deadly car attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party in Vancouver on April 26th appeared at the provincial Court of British Columbia 30-year-old Kai Ji Adam Lo appeared via video in court Four people remain in critical condition in hospital and another two remain in serious condition five days after the deadly attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 26 Jack Rabb has more on the efforts to support the victims Listen to NewsRadio Vancouver live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Vancouver anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices A group of Whistler property owners have filed a legal petition against the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) alleging the municipality unfairly stripped them of their ability to rent out their homes as short-term tourist accommodations (TA) Alan and Lenore Gelfand and Steven and Katherine Nichols claim the RMOW’s decisions were unreasonable and ignored decades of historical precedent that allowed their properties to operate as TAs They filed the petition March 4 in the Supreme Court of British Columbia The petitioners argue the dispute centres around two key decisions made by the RMOW: the “2022 Official Community Plan (OCP) zoning decision” and the “Tourist Accommodation (TA) decision.” These decisions reclassified the petitioners’ properties in Horstman Estates from a zone that permitted tourist accommodations through a warm bed policy to a residential-only zone The Gelfands’ and Nichols’ properties have been used for TAs since the 1990s with the RMOW’s knowledge and approval They claim the RMOW’s decisions not only disregarded historical zoning bylaws and taxes paid for tourist accommodation but also failed to provide proper notice or justification for the changes The Gelfands and Nichols own two properties in Horstman Estates which they use as second homes and rent out to tourists when not in personal use Horstman Estates was developed in the late 1980s under a previous legislative tool called a Land Use Contract (LUC) LUCs are contracts between the municipality and developers Horstman Estates was part of the Blackcomb Land Use Contract The LUC was unique because it explicitly permitted tourist accommodations in residential dwellings even if they were not part of a rental pool covenant (a system where properties are managed collectively for rentals) This was possible through what’s called the “warm bed policy,” found in the RMOW’s first amended Official Community Plan in 1983 which recognized all the properties that were rented as tourist accommodation “with no rental pool.” This bylaw reaffirmed the warm bed policy and listed the petitioners’ properties as eligible for tourist accommodations.  the petition notes the RMOW refused to issue business licenses for the owners and the RMOW continued to bill and receive “payment of the Whistler Resort Association (“WRA”) commercial fees and Municipal and Regional District Tax (“MRDT”),” until they were ordered to stop in 2024 when five neighbours filed a civil claim against the owners of properties renting to tourists a legal opinion was sought out by the Gelfands and the RMOW the RMOW removed its support of the civil claim and continued to permit the parties to rent the properties as tourist accommodation until July 1 2199 (the OCP) was first at council in 2018 and reclassified Horsman Estates as “residential-very low (detached),” which the RMOW does not recognize as permitting tourist accommodation The legal counsel for the property owners argues the RMOW failed to notify the owners stakeholders and public or clearly communicate the purpose of altering the zoning in 2018 the “RMOW violated section 466(1) and (4) of the Local Government Act” and did not adhere to procedural fairness Terminating the LUC was required after the province mandated all LUCs be replaced with zoning in 2014 In developing its rezoning policy for LUCs in 2016 the RMOW opted for a “like-for-like” approach such that property owners wouldn’t notice a change in use Despite the desire for like-for-like zoning the new RS3 zone explicitly prohibited tourist accommodations in Horstman Estates Because the zoning was already amended in the OCP bylaw and banned TAs it technically was “like-for-like.” The petitioners argue the decision was based on a misinterpretation and misuse of residential zoning definitions applied a “selective definition” of which dwelling units permit tourist accommodation ignored the history of permitted nightly rentals and failed to acknowledge the joint legal opinion from 1999.  during the public hearing for the TA decision the petition alleges the RMOW’s director of planning and planning staff omitted critical facts including the entire history of nightly rentals in Horstman Estates deflected questions about the history of zoning for the neighbourhood and claimed a 2017 report listing Horstman Estates as permitted for TA was an error They also excluded the legal opinion from 1999 The petitioners say the loss of their right to rent out their properties has caused severe financial hardship They estimate the inability to generate rental income has significantly reduced the value of their investments and “materially altered the Petitioners property rights without due consideration of the financial consequences.” Alan Gelfand said the impact on his elderly parents is causing them “significant distress.” His mother frequently asks if they will have to sell the home and his father has developed Bell’s palsy “a condition directly related to stress.” The petitioners are asking the court to reverse the RMOW’s decisions and restore their right to operate tourist accommodations They are also seeking a declaration that the RMOW’s decisions were unreasonable and procedurally unfair as well as an order requiring the RMOW to issue them business licenses for tourist accommodations and costs associated with the petition the RMOW said it “does not comment on matters subject to ongoing or potential litigation.” None of the claims have been proven in court Check back with Pique as this story develops.  As a 53-year-old man, increasingly at risk of becoming both grumpy and old, I find myself further and further from dancefloors and probably from ever weekending in Ibiza Instead I wander into the peaceful mountains on two skis (mostly two) or two wheels looking for.. “A short review of Whistler Blackcomb); dude.. and who you complain to/about and consider that perhaps you are a most significant environmental disturbance in your world Much more so than a few hours of house music may our amps continue to go to 11 into that good night Last week’s Pique had a centralized theme that I picked up on. Housing, or lack thereof in our beautiful mountain town. Reading through the magazine I enjoyed the piece about Whistler in the ’90s and how squatting in homes was popular I found it ironic as I continued reading to see a piece regarding “illegal vehicle camping” near Whistler A local resident calls for more enforcement of popular areas where this is happening after learning about Whistler’s history and seeing the housing market matched with the median income of jobs in the village I am perplexed as to how the local resident thinks kicking out unhoused locals is a solution Who will work in the restaurants you dine in or stock the groceries at your local grocery store when even sleeping in a vehicle is no longer an option more enforcement feels like a waste of taxpayers’ money I understand the ecological concern over SOME van-lifers leaving trash outside and that it can be an eyesore But isn’t the destruction of forests to build mansions and condos in Whistler also an ecological concern and an eyesore There are already only so few places in the Sea to Sky corridor that one could sleep in their vehicle Attempting to remove the last free camping in Whistler only further segregates the income gap I thank the editor of Pique Newsmagazine for placing the piece on federal housing beside this article I don’t know what the solution is here with the housing crisis but I do know that polarization and enforcement will only bring us further apart Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Make the most out of your time in Whistler with these planning tips for a winter visit cooler temperatures lure visitors to the mountains kayaking and mountain biking take the spotlight As the editor for Western Canada, it seemed like a massive oversight that I hadn’t had a chance to visit Whistler and thanks to an invitation from Destination Vancouver and Tourism Whistler to British Columbia I was finally able to rectify that this winter The visit lived up to my expectations and has me figuring out when I could plan a summer trip to see the area in a different season Here are a few of my takeaways from my short winter trip to this popular Canadian town to help you plan your own visit Most visitors fly into Vancouver, then make the nearly two-hour drive through the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. The time will vary based on the traffic and time of day you’re traveling. There are shuttles that will take you from Vancouver Airport to your hotel in Whistler, one of the most popular being the Whistler Shuttle Whistler is located on the shared territories of the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish Nation. At the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre you can learn more about these two First Nations communities who have forever lived on these lands Touring the museum starts with a film detailing the history and culture of these two Nations Tours are often led by students who are also members of these Nations make sure to check out the cafe that offers an Indigenous-inspired menu as well as the shop which features unique creations from Indigenous artists from the area If you’re planning a trip in winter, you’re likely anxious to hit the slopes. A quick note for all of you, who like me, go skiing maybe once ever few years: you might find your visit more enjoyable if you spend a day or two at ski school first Though Whistler Blackcomb has a lot of green and blue slopes it does have a reputation for being an adventurous mountain to ski (that It's worth taking that to heart to ensure you have a great time.  I hadn’t skied in a few years, so heading out on the slopes with an instructor helped me remember some of those basic ski skills I had forgotten while picking up some new ones. Whistler Blackcomb also offers ski camps for adults, including one dedicated exclusively to women and I think if I went back I would use this as a great opportunity to learn new ski skills and meet new friends Whistler will receive international attention when in February 2025, with nearby Vancouver, it hosts Prince Harry’s Invictus Games Along with celebrating the spirit of the competitors in the events the games will put a spotlight on the accessibility of the Whistler and Vancouver areas.  Even visitors just learning to ski will find a lot of accessible opportunities. The non-profit organization Whistler Adaptive’s motto is “adapt the playground” and in partnership with Whistler Blackcomb to people of any age who need accommodations for cognitive and physical disabilities.  If skiing and snowboarding isn’t your thing or you’re coming during summer Whistler Adaptive also provides access to sports like kayaking Whistler Olympic Park was established to host biathlon ski jumping and Nordic skiing in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games and it’s still used by Canada’s biathlon team to train.  the park is also open to the public for recreation and is a great place to break free of the crowds and try Nordic skiing then get out on one of the trails to enjoy a serene you can also go snowshoeing or tobogganing You don't have to be a skier to enjoy the mountain views. Spluge for the sightseeing ticket for the Peak 2 Peak gondola ($145/US$100 for an adult ticket at time of publication) connecting Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain in a 13.5km (8.4-mile) continuous lift system you can enjoy sweeping views from every direction during the 11-minute ride Those without a fear of heights might want to opt for the glass bottom for a 436m (1427ft) view to the valley below.  Most visitors make a day of it, sightseeing the mountain and having a meal or drinks at the Rendezvous Lodge on the Blackcomb side or the Roundhouse Lodge on the Whistler side of the connection.  Back at the bottom of the mountain, build in time to stroll Whistler Village and enjoy Canada's beloved Caesar cocktail at après-ski – it's like a Bloody Mary but contains Clamato juice and arrives with plenty of garnish. Then, grab a reservations at one of the buzzy restaurants, like Wild Blue where you can savor a dinner with friends.  Build in some relaxation time whether it is splurging on a massage at the Four Seasons Spa or just simply taking a swim in the heated outdoor pool of your hotel. Some hotels and resorts  offer their own programe of fun activities, so make sure to check their calendars before you arrive.  Melissa traveled to Whistler as a guest of Destination Vancouver and Tourism Whistler. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.  As British Columbia’s recreational property market braces for modest price increases in 2025 Whistler continues to chart its own course—defined by complex market segmentation Royal LePage’s Spring Recreational Property Report, released March 26 forecasts a two-per-cent increase in the median price of a single-family recreational home in B.C But local realtors say that figure doesn’t reflect Whistler’s on-the-ground reality “Royal LePage doesn’t have an office here and doesn’t have access to our [Whistler Listing System] data,” said Stefanie Hostetter “Whistler’s market is segmented in ways that don’t show up in provincial averages.” Hostetter was one of two leading local realtors Pique spoke with to compare national and provincial trends with Whistler’s current conditions Whistler’s real estate is best understood not as a single market but as three distinct ones: full-time residential “Our single-family homes are in a buyer’s market right now,” said Hostetter “But our hotel condos and shared ownership units—like Phase 2 properties—have been in a seller’s market for the past year so they’re less impacted by interest rates.” The Bank of Canada has cut rates seven times since mid-2024 While that has increased affordability in some sectors “We’re still expecting rates to come down further sellers of second homes often don’t need to sell so they’re not likely to lower their prices quickly.” According to her Whistler Listing System data Whistler had 319 active listings in early April up slightly from previous months but still below historical norms “A balanced market here is closer to 500 listings,” said Hostetter a personal real estate corporation holder with Whistler Real Estate Co. they’re still far short of the 700 to 800 listings seen in 2010 and 2011 it’s a better time than last year,” Brown said and interest rates for five-year mortgages are now below four per cent But sellers still need to be realistic on pricing—especially for chalets and single-family homes.” Hostetter said February’s sales data showed single-family homes averaging 239 days on the market while Phase 2 hotel condos moved in just 22 days “Shared ownership units and timeshares are also moving quickly—some in under a week,” she said While Royal LePage’s national report said the average days on market rose in 55 per cent of surveyed recreational markets Whistler’s numbers continue to vary sharply depending on the property type Brown added Whistler’s market is not easily influenced by broader economic signals “Sellers are patient,” he said If there’s volatility or tariffs coming from the U.S. Whistler is exempt from B.C.’s speculation and vacancy tax, but Brown warned the federal underused housing tax is dampening interest from American buyers—who historically made up eight to 10 per cent of the market “These properties weren’t designed for full-time use,” he said of hotel condos and timeshares “Applying this tax to nightly rental units is hurting the local economy and removing inventory that tourists rely on.” Both Hostetter and Brown said short-term rental regulations haven’t had a major impact in Whistler where nightly rental zoning is well established Hostetter said understanding usage restrictions is increasingly important for buyers “The market is complicated now,” she said you really need to talk to someone local who understands it.” both realtors remain optimistic about summer activity Hostetter said Tourism Whistler is reporting strong conference bookings which may drive interest in longer-stay vacation properties “If tariffs and political tension settle down we could see a stronger fall market,” Brown said but offered cautious advice to would-be buyers: “You don’t need to buy now but it’s worth getting informed now," she said. "Talk to someone and be ready to move when the time is right.” Whistler’s average sale price across all property types in Q1 2025 was just under $1.7 million that figure dropped to $1.35 million as sales skewed toward shared ownership and timeshare properties luxury sales had pushed the median back up to roughly $1.75 million “The market here never moves in one direction,” she said “It’s three markets moving at once.” let alone last season’s similar articles and I won’t repeat the valid points made in recent issues of Pique Increasingly we all take chances skiing here greater upload capacity and an ever-shrinking ski area (yet the acres advertised remain the same) combined with natural choke points on both mountains has led us to this issue.  Too many experienced skiers/boarders have lost their civil code and simply care about their experience and no one else too often scaring new skiers out of their wits Though I would love it if all skiers knew and acted upon the code that seems to be an anachronism of the ’60s/’70s (“fill in your sitzmark!” i.e.: a snow divot from falling) my wife has been hit three times by out-of-control snowboarders two rather dramatic (one on a backboard out to the clinic) to the point she fears skiing here One of the worst choke points that can be corrected is the last part of the S turn on lower Dave descending to the Timing Flats (by the green Olympic rings) Everyone funnels through a very narrow point yet is the run used in the Olympics yet never open The cost to provide two routes must be so low from what I see; the place is run by absent accountants somewhere far was a volunteer First Aid Ski Patroller for three years have owned a Creekside condo since 2003 and wintered here full time since 2014 yet Many left due to the high cost of being here ski resorts are the lucky recipients of such an exodus It’s been good for Nancy Greene Raine for decades but the current reality of Whistler Blackcomb The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has approved updates to its Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw for 2025-2029 including a substantial increase to the mill rate for Class 8 (recreational) properties following the rescinding and re-reading of the bylaw at the March 25 council meeting The most notable change was an amendment put forward by Councillor Ralph Forsyth to raise the recreational mill rate to 10 times the residential rate rather than the staff-recommended 7.0 multiplier and Arthur De Jong voted in favour of the amendment Jeff Murl and Mayor Jack Crompton were opposed The increase will affect 12 taxable Class 8 properties these properties paid a mill rate 6.1 times higher than the residential class Staff’s rationale for the originally proposed increase is that the rate was significantly lower than what other municipalities charged to a large enterprise with an outsized role in the economy which consumes a large amount of local services The RMOW could not provide the exact properties affected by the change for privacy reasons but Vail Resorts is the obvious main owner of properties that would be impacted Several other Class 8 properties aside from the 12 affected are non-profits staff told Pique the change will result in a year-over-year increase in municipal taxes between 78 and 105 per cent The funds will go primarily to the General Capital Reserve (GCR) which supports long-term infrastructure and community needs The Class 2 (utilities) mill rate was also increased rising from $28 to $35 per $1,000 of assessed value That increase aligns Whistler more closely with many other B.C most of which apply the provincial maximum to utility companies’ property along with an adjustment for non-market change (NMC) in 2024 are expected to generate an additional $1.2 million in tax revenue compared to the previously approved version of the financial plan $300,000 will support payroll costs and $935,000 will go to the GCR RMOW chief financial officer Carlee Price explained the tax requisition adjustment is meant to account for NMC—employee housing developments as new properties added to the tax roll in 2024 “This step of adjusting for prior-year non-market change is a new one this year,” said Price Whistler’s actual 2024 tax revenues came in higher than budgeted The updated 2025 tax requisition now incorporates the additional $309,000 in unanticipated revenue from NMC Council had a spirited debate about the balance between tax fairness and the potential financial impact on property owners in Class 8 said the increase was a way to distribute municipal costs more equitably “We have a revenue source that … can make things more equitable for everyone in the community,” he said Others expressed concern about the impact of such a large increase Murl supported the original staff recommendation “We’ll be tackling this issue in future budgets I’m saying just maybe not this time.” The revised financial plan also includes six projects that were missed or recently came into view in the budget process—three funded by provincial Resort Municipality Initiative grants and three through the General Operating Fund Another sub-project proposed in the amendment was a new short-term rental enforcement initiative tied to a federal grant application Whistler would receive $540,000 over three years from the Government of Canada’s Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund to support staffing The amended 2025 budget maintains the previously announced 8.25-per-cent tax increase for residential which together represent 99.5 per cent of the community’s assessed property value The amended Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw was given third reading following the vote on the mill rate amendment and was subsequently adopted at the April 8 meeting.  splitboarders and snowmobilers for the 2024-25 winter season Whistler Search and Rescue (WSAR) has responded to 10 calls in the first eight weeks of winter conditions said the majority of the calls they’ve received are pretty routine calls started getting a bit more complicated The first serious call related to the avalanche on Ipsoot Mountain, near Pemberton, when five heli-skiers were rescued WSAR mobilized its rapid intervention team to respond Perhaps the most out-there incident this season related to three lost individuals attempting to snowshoe to Kees and Claire Hut Sills said three foreign nationals on student visas heard about the lodge on Instagram They made it to Singing Pass before one group member got separated from his companions a windstorm came with gusts up to 120 km/h making rescue impossible “We had them bed down for the night about a kilometre short from the hut huddle up and spend the night,” Sills said “WSAR went in the morning and heli-ed them out to the clinic The third person in their group eluded WSAR and the avalanche risk increased throughout the storm.” WSAR found one sign that he may have been OK: rescuers found an empty McDonald’s burger wrapper on the ground in a treed area and the other two rescues said their pal happened to be carrying their McDonald’s dinner As WSAR prepared to launch a significant response for the third missing snowshoer they received a call from the RCMP stating the missing individual's credit card was used at McDonald's in Whistler Village “Instead of taking the left-hand turn as his other two friends did on the way to Kees and Claire he took a right-hand turn and went up to Oboe spent part of the night up there and then retreated into the forest and found the trails,” Sills said he made his way down the lifts at Whistler Blackcomb “These are the situations we run into quite a bit being at an international resort and they had canvas-top running shoes in snowshoes,” Sills said All three were transported to Vancouver for medical care and recovered Another complex call occurred New Year's Day with a trio of experienced skiers A father with his young son and daughter required a night vision hoist while stranded in a bowl above Cheakamus Lake at Whistler Blackcomb “It’s a very difficult place for a fit person to get out of," Sills said. "Two children and while calls weren’t going through “We texted them and told them if they hear a helicopter use their cell phone and point it towards the helicopter,” he said North Shore Rescue (NSR) was dispatched for a night vision hoist as they have the security clearance required for night vision rescues and transported the family to hospital at about 10 p.m WSAR did a long-line rescue out of the Y chute on Mount Currie Two split boarders became stranded on their descent “My understanding is they did a series of rappels already the rappel line took them under a waterfall They couldn’t go any further,” Sills said but a helicopter managed to take off from Whistler to make it to the scene The two were turned over to emergency health services and no further update is available at this time WSAR members are busy with their winter training regimen focused on winter rescue skills like avalanche crevasse and gravity-induced trauma rescues—also known as blunt force trauma and they’ve been training on night vision imaging technology with each specializing in different emergency responses WSAR tends to focus more on avalanche forecasting and response but NSR has a license for night vision helicopter operations which dual members of WSAR and NSR trained on “We bring on people that are committed because it’s a life commitment," Sills said. "Those who come on tend to stay Our standard is around 13 years for longevity." “For somebody with the discretionary income spending $110,000 isn’t a big deal compared to the headache of racing to get a parking spot and getting disappointed,” said Brown “It’s a luxury some people can afford.” Brown said stalls at Glacier Lodge were selling for between $50,000 and $60,000 in 2021 he said there were about five sales at Glacier Lodge in the $110,000 range That is still below Whistler’s record-high of $195,000 set in September 2023 for a stall at the Pan Pacific Mountainside where parking spots rarely come up for sale The realtor theorized that the COVID-19 pandemic may have helped to boost prices as the skiing public became accustomed with booking their trip in advance with less spots to park,” Brown said The resort will have a fuller picture of its parking situation following the completion of a yearlong study Whistler Blackcomb is required to complete as a condition of the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) approval, in 2023, of the upgraded Fitzsimmons Express The results of that study must be shared with the municipality to improve the understanding of parking utilization in the community and develop a database to inform the design of future solutions Whistler Blackcomb is also required to pay the RMOW $200,000 annually—funds that will go toward transit and active-transportation improvements—until it implements pay parking on the lots it owns which would likely put an even higher premium on Whistler’s remaining ski-side parking spots Looking to get caught up on the March 11 Regular Council meeting For all the details, check out the recording of the full meeting at whistler.ca.  Whistler RCMP Officer-in-Charge Robert Dykstra addresses elected officials at the March 11 council meeting Whistler RCMP presented their annual policing stats for 2024 which show a marked increase in mental health-related calls and a 22-per-cent increase in property crime alongside declines in assaults and violent crime.   the detachment fielded 5,162 calls for service last year and one-hundred and 16 charges were laid in that time One of the most notable increases was the number of mental health-related calls There was also a 36-per-cent increase in mental-health apprehensions done when responders have reason to believe an individual poses a risk to themselves or others.   The three-person Community Response Enforcement Team has special training to respond to mental health-related calls Whistler RCMP operate through a “hub model,” meaning police and local social service organizations like Whistler Community Services Society and Vancouver Coastal Health share information and insights.   “Mental health is definitely a pandemic right now but [our designated mental health worker] has been instrumental in making sure those people are going to the hospital and getting the help they need,” explained Sgt Property crime rose by 22 per cent last year up 333 per cent due to a rise from three instances in 2023 to 13 in 2024 Credit card scams made up a sizable portion of the reported fraud; large thefts are frequently linked to prolific offenders from outside of Whistler.   “We’re literally seeing mostly prolific offenders who are dealing with drug issues noting how offenders will commonly access unlocked vehicles and homes.   Violent crime declined by seven per cent overall The biggest drop in this category came in assaults Instances of sexual assault were on par with 2023 from 28 reports to 32 in 2024.   “A lot of our calls for service are visitors coming in which makes it a little more difficult for our intimate partner violence position to be able to connect and manage those individuals and make sure they’re getting the help they need,” Miller said.   and five local RCMP members were named to Alexa’s Team in 2024 an honour awarded to officers who advance a dozen or more impaired driving cases in a year.   there was a 55 per cent decrease in drug-related calls and an 18 per cent increase in disturbance calls There was also a 13 per cent rise in missing person reports and a 67 per cent increase in stranded persons speaking to the importance of RCMP’s collaboration with Whistler Search and Rescue.   emphasis on community collaboration and partnership policing continues RCMP plan to purchase a drone to assist in missing person investigations The RMOW is preparing to absorb a higher portion of policing costs in the community After Whistler’s population exceeds 15,000 expected to be confirmed in the 2026 census the municipality’s share of the roughly $5.4 million in annual policing costs will rise from 70 to 90 per cent.   An update on the progress made toward Whistler’s climate goals in the second half of 2024 shows Whistler remains short of meeting its 2030 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction target.   the Big Moves Community Action Implementation Plan (CAIP) outlines key initiatives and actions to address climate change mitigation and adaptation planning across the community with the underlying goal of cutting Whistler’s 2007 GHG levels in half by 2030 The plan identifies six “Big Moves” and three adaptation goals key to achieving Whistler’s environmental targets.  |  The update shows continued prioritization of Big Moves and collaboration with key stakeholders residents and businesses will be essential to achieving the important milestone.   and we know that money spent today will have benefits for Whistler down the road,” said Maria Thorlakson “Our longstanding position as a climate leader is something I think everyone in this room values and wants to maintain Our current greenhouse gas emissions trajectory puts this status in jeopardy.”   Our resort made the most progress on Big Move 2: Decarbonize Passenger and Commercial Transportation and Big Move 4: Build Zero Emission Buildings.   Positive progress on Big Move 6: Close the Loop and Shift Towards Lower Carbon Consumption was also made The most action is needed on Big Move 1: Move Beyond the Car Big Move 3: Reduce Visitor Travel Emissions and Big Move 5: Make Existing Buildings Better; although what has been done is impactful.    With passenger vehicle emissions making up most of Whistler’s carbon footprint—53 per cent of emissions—Big Move 1 remains key more work is required to minimize the impact visitors have on Whistler’s infrastructure as the region’s population continues to grow Collaboration with key stakeholders will be key On Big Move 5 much effort is focused on making single-family homes more energy efficient with more work to do on multi-unit residential buildings and hotels Tuesday’s update also underscored several key measures helping the community adapt to a changing climate:   The report highlights recent efforts around wildfire mitigation and emergency planning and the early implementation of a new Priority Habitat Framework as key to our adaptation goals.   Asked how mayor and council could best support RMOW staff in moving the needle on climate action Thorlakson asked Council to use their platform to advocate.   but honestly I think it does hold a lot of weight in our community,” she said.   Council and RMOW staff met for the mid-term Council retreat to reflect on the accomplishments of the past two years and outline priorities moving forward   Chief Administrative Officer Ginny Cullen highlighted insights from the Jan 24 one-day meeting and gave an update on Council’s four strategic priorities: housing community engagement and smart tourism.   Steady progress has been made within the priority areas although external factors outside of the RMOW’s control have shifted the order in which work gets done Discussion centered around the best way to set future councils up for success with strategic investment of time and resources as external pressures increase.  “When we stretch our thinking out 20 to 25 years we see a greater number of needs in the community as this becomes a more diverse town with a range of ages and demographics and more likely a higher population,” Cullen said Large choices will be needed regarding what gets funded by the RMOW and what is left to others to fund and make happen in the community… The importance of ensuring care and maintenance is ongoing and priorities and reserves are kept healthy will be an area of key focus.”   It was suggested today’s staff and Council should be looking ahead at future employee housing projects.  “It seems to me we will be well served by getting to work on developing future shovel-ready sites as we on work on constructing the final buildings in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2,” said Mayor Jack Crompton.   A Council amendment was made to ensure work begins on a comprehensive development zone for future housing Other potential priorities for Whistler’s next council strengthening the existing long-term asset management plan building out municipal reserves through additional sources of revenue and updating Whistler’s Official Community Plan in 2028.   Insights from the retreat will be used to update council’s strategic plan, which will be considered by officials at a council meeting in May You can watch the presentation on whistler.ca.  If you’ve been reading the pages of Pique the last few weeks you may have noticed my byline popping up more than usual I am officially back in the saddle at Pique joining a long list of locals who have bid farewell to the community but satisfied in the knowledge the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.  It wasn’t exactly how I envisioned the past year but life has a way of tossing you curveballs especially when you don’t feel all that equipped to knock them out of the park I left the resort last December convinced I would never call it home again this town is a little bit like the mafia: You can never truly leave.  One of the stranger qualities of Whistler is that There is arguably no community in the country that changes as much or as quickly as ours does We refresh our population every winter with a new injection of young adults seeking a bit of the fun and adventure we are so known for and being the global tourism destination we are if you ignore the physical signs of Whistler’s impermanence—the newly opened and shuttered shops etc.—you might get the sense nothing ever really changes here our collective rhythms finely attuned to the whims of the mountains and Mother Nature That cyclical nature can have a sort of prolonged Groundhog Day effect every ski season a shadow of ski seasons past at least from a bird’s eye perspective It’s interesting to flip through 30 years of Pique’s archives and see how so many of the same challenges facing us today The simple reality of living in a resort community set up to serve the needs of the millions of tourists who visit here each year is that the systemic barriers that also exist elsewhere are so deeply entrenched they are that much harder to break down.  If Whistler doesn’t change on some elemental level lived for several months in the heart of Downtown Toronto with all its screaming chaos and over-stimulus a charming and rapidly changing city in its own right.  I got laid off from my PR job two months after starting and worked at a grocery store for a while to help cover the bills My housing situation remained precarious for a good chunk of the year what struck home more than anything else was this notion that nobody was coming to rescue me If I wanted to create the life I wanted to live I was the only one with the building blocks to do it It’s something I already understood on a certain level but hadn’t experienced in practice until I was separated from my usual social network It’s both the blessing and the curse of the Whistler bubble There is a pervading sense of escapism here that insulates you from the reality of the outside world It’s so easy to get caught up in the rhythms of this town that we forget we still have the freedom to march to the beat of a different drum Sometimes you need to leave the bubble to understand your place inside of it I return to a Whistler and a job that may not have changed much while I was gone you can be damn sure I’ll be swinging for the fences.  CO’s conducted a sweep of the attack site and located a black bear nearby A snowboarder buried in an avalanche at Seagram Lake was rescued by his friend and other parties of backcountry tourers Feb Nils Robinson was the manager on duty for Squamish Search and Rescue (SAR) and he told Pique what he learned about the situation from the RCMP Emergency Health Services (EHS) and SAR members “SAR received a call from the RCMP about an iPhone SOS activation That’s all we had at the time," he said. "We investigated and determined there were two SOS activations in the area and we deployed members to Squamish’s airport and SAR’s compound We didn’t know anything about the situation’s specifics but we assumed there was either a medical incident or an avalanche.” While SAR members were awaiting a helicopter from Pemberton to arrive and take them to Seagram Lake they received a call from Emergency Health Services that a male snowboarder was buried in an avalanche and was dug out The snowboarder was fully immersed for 15 to 20 minutes and buried a metre down with decreased cognitive function and low oxygen levels “The subject and his friend decided he was well enough to sled out and we were not required,” Nils said we have a duty of care to ensure we do everything.” A Level 2 avalanche professional and two other experienced SAR members flew to Seagram Lake and while they didn’t find the subject who was buried they found other tourers and took photos of the slide while doing a snow stability assessment “If the injured party or their friend wants to reach out to us we’d love to get more details about what they saw They can contact us through our website or Instagram,” Robinson said with Robinson estimating the avalanche was 1.5 in size but the location created conditions for burial “Given the topography of a steep chute to Seagram Lake there was an abrupt stop at the bottom which stopped the slide and built it up instead of fanning out with a less angulated location,” he said Squamish SAR wants to remind people that any time someone contacts emergency services through dialling 911 emergency services will continue to try and communicate with them through the device to understand the situation Another party who was in the vicinity provided details through iPhone satellite texting “There is always some time between an SOS call-out and team mobilization It goes through a number of steps in the process before it gets to us. There are also delays due to weather and aircraft," Robinson said. "People should be prepared for self-rescue and know the tools they have Since these guys dug him out in these conditions they had the skills and tools to use them." Other advice Robinson provided was to read avalanche advisories probe and transceiver and don’t hesitate to call SAR especially at this time of year when it gets dark early.” 4:30 p.m.: This article was updated to correct the location of Seagram Lake The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) fourth-quarter financial report showed revenue and spending were in line with budget expectations—but a notable decline in hotel tax revenue is raising red flags Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) revenue dropped by 11.9 per cent in Q4 the largest quarterly decline since the pandemic unaudited information in the RMOW’s financial system pointed to hotel tax revenue and parking income as indicators of shifting tourism patterns in Whistler’s economy “At the time of the third-quarter report I noted that both lines appeared to be rolling over What had been an upward trend appeared to be slipping and potentially heading down The fourth quarter got even more interesting,” Price said These trends can indicate an underlying trend in the overall economy with less tourist visitation from international visitors.” Price hesitated to identify a definitive cause but expressed concern because excess MRDT revenue supports employee housing initiatives—a funding model approved by the province in 2023 “The fact that the excess is what supports employee housing means that the total revenue amount is vitally important,” she said Price likened the MRDT model to a tower of champagne glasses: the top tiers are filled first—with funding going to tourist activations such as the Whistler Summer Concert Series then to projects like lamppost banners and Whistler’s contribution to the Invictus Games “Only when those glasses are full does the money—or champagne—flow to employee housing initiatives,” Price said Whistler’s employee housing program may soon be parched only $1.4 million was transferred into the employee housing reserve this fiscal year Price’s report noted MRDT funds were “critical” to the Whistler Housing Authority’s purchase of Lot 5 in Cheakamus Crossing last year “Based on the current economic outlook it seems that another decline in contribution in 2025 is possible,” the report said Councillor Ralph Forsyth asked how many quarters of decline it would take before council should start worrying “I’ve been worried for a while,” Price replied When asked what data might explain the decline Price suggested the municipality reach out to Tourism Whistler Tourism Whistler’s Research Department attributed the decline in MRDT and Online Accommodation Platform (OAP) revenues (which also hand over MRDT) The department said combined revenue from hotels and OAP was down by $1.3 million year over year and approximately 80 per cent of the decrease occurred during the winter season The 2023-24 winter season brought below-average snowfall which led to lower occupancy and average daily rates international room nights declined by four per cent Tourism Whistler said global inflation and economic uncertainty are reducing discretionary travel spending and that overall visitor spending in Whistler fell below 2023 levels Independent vacation rentals were hit harder than hotels with MRDT payment from OAP providers down 13 per cent compared to a seven-per-cent decline among traditional hotels and property managers Tourism Whistler also noted strong pent-up demand in 2023 particularly from key markets such as Australia had inflated that year’s numbers following the post-pandemic reopening of global travel—making 2024's softer performance starker by comparison Price addressed the potential impact of U.S “There are lots of reasons to think the RMOW’s spending will not be affected,” she said noting most goods the municipality purchases are not directly impacted and many supplier contracts include clauses that lock in prices no corner of the economy—no good or service—is truly immune.” Price compared the potential fallout from tariffs to a train: the first cars—companies buying tariffed goods—are hit first but impacts eventually reach every car behind them Higher costs for materials like steel could trickle down to pipes laundry equipment—and eventually restaurant meals “The RMOW needs to be prepared for and mindful of this potential outcome while recognizing the effects will not be immediate or necessarily quantifiable,” Price cautioned She noted while tariffs can drive up inflation the RMOW benefited from high interest rates on reserve balances and relatively low inflation The contrast was stark compared to 2021 to 2023 when inflation soared but interest earnings lagged cause for celebration—and also cause for concern or a bronze lining—potentially aluminum,” Price said municipal revenue slightly exceeded expectations reaching 101 per cent of the annual budget Operating spending came in at 100 per cent Property taxes and user fees were higher than anticipated while parking revenue jumped 24 per cent over 2023 MRDT revenue dropped 11.9 per cent year over year Recreation and transit fares posted strong gains departmental spending rose 10.7 per cent year over year the Whistler Fire Rescue Service and the building department saw increases of about 30 per cent and together make up 19 per cent of total departmental spending we have departments that are growing quite slowly These tend to be the low single digits year over year or even down year over year,” Price said “These categories together represent seven per cent of total spending to offset fast rates of growth in large categories by constraining growth in small categories expenditures rise when the big departments grow.” including upgrades to watermains in Creekside and Emerald improved heating at the Meadow Park Sports Centre and replacement of aging parts of the water system and tech infrastructure Long-term investments held by the RMOW totalled $59,199,121 in 2024 primarily in low-risk government bonds and investment funds A 22-year-old Whistler man has died following a medical incident at one of his workplaces on Thursday A spokesperson for local fine dining restaurant Wild Blue confirmed the staff member experienced a sudden medical emergency prior to starting his dinner service shift and Creekside Market, where the man worked in the meat department, issued a similar statement and closed the store early on Friday.  “The well-being of our team is our top priority and this loss has profoundly affected us all," the statement read in part.  Check back with Pique as this story develops This story has been updated since publication with information from Wild Blue.  The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is moving ahead with a focused update to its Official Community Plan (OCP), aiming to comply with new provincial housing legislation while aligning with revised regional planning documents and correcting “housekeeping” issues from the 2020 update. At its April 8 meeting, council endorsed the project scope and its associated public engagement strategy. The work must be completed by the end of this year to meet provincial deadlines. In late 2023, the Province of British Columbia introduced new legislation to increase housing supply, requiring municipalities to update their zoning bylaws and community plans accordingly. The next step is to update the OCP to reflect these new policies and to ensure it supports the housing targets, including those for affordable rentals, family housing, seniors’ housing, and homes near transit. The plan must also accommodate the kinds of development enabled by recent zoning changes. Mayor Jack Crompton raised a concern about the necessity of holding a public hearing when the province has already mandated certain zoning changes. “What will happen if the community tells us they do not support the OCP changes as directed?” he asked. In response, planner Joanna Rees said the municipality will have to get specific with its engagement. “I think when we're going out for engagement, it's going to be central that there's clear communication on which aspects of the amendments are required and which aspects can be tailored to meet the Whistler context,” she said. “So we'll really be looking to be focusing on the engagement on those aspects that can be tailored to Whistler.” Councillor Arthur De Jong raised concerns about the carrying capacity for what he described as a potential doubling of Whistler’s population. Coun. Jen Ford countered, arguing that Whistler’s property owners aren’t likely to all create fourplexes on their single-family home lots. A broader, comprehensive review of the OCP, which will examine Whistler’s long-term growth and development, is anticipated within the next three to five years. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page I seem to face the same question at every resort and on every ski trip “How do we compare to Whistler-Blackcomb?” And as much as it’s always pained me to admit With so much world-class skiing only a short drive from Calgary I’d somehow never actually made the trip across B.C to the town and resort that Conde Nast readers voted as North America’s best in 2024 Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links The next issue of Noon News Roundup will soon be in your inbox both so that I could give my hosts in other countries an honest answer and because I was getting desperate to finally ski Whistler-Blackcomb and see what all the fuss was about Could Whistler-Blackcomb be all that different than the resorts closer to home Would I genuinely be able to say that it was worth spending the extra money Was the town itself any different from what we’ve got right in our backyard as Calgarians despite the best efforts I made to visit Whistler with the unearned cynicism my OK-to-decent ski skills afforded me It’s as challenging and fun as you want it to be a two-day steeps clinic with Extremely Canadian allowed me to see just about all of it The long lines at the bottom of lifts that have sometimes gone viral on social media but I arrived about 48 hours after a solid powder dump and was graced with perfect bluebird days and never once had to wait more than three minutes to get on a lift or a gondola Kimberley and Nakiska and then add in a special trip to Whistler and it’s all covered The EPIC Pass also includes over 80 mountains in the U.S. so for anyone looking to ski internationally it’s a passport to some incredible turns and makes Whistler-Blackcomb easy to experience The mountain alone differentiates itself from anything else you’ll find in North America Four days of aggressive skiing was only enough for me to scratch the surface of what Whistler-Blackcomb offers There’s more to a ski vacation than just skiing Whistler-Blackcomb has expanded its on-mountain culinary options well beyond the burgers and fries you get at most resorts From ramen to tacos to an Indigenous-inspired menu at Raven’s Nest you’ve got legitimately delicious options all over the mountain There just isn’t anything like it anywhere in Canada ski-out accommodations at the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Whistler but the town is entirely walkable and the gondolas are accessible from just about everywhere you could easily spend a winter vacation in Whistler without ever stepping into skis Balam and Bar Oso serve up delicious cuisine that can compete with anything you’ll find in the big city while there’s no shortage of fine drinking establishments if you want to throw back a couple of cold ones or go dancing and I was fortunate enough to spend a little time at the fascinating Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn about the history of the area and its Indigenous people The Town of Whistler offers much of the same experience as I’ve found in the Alps while the mountain offers the uniquely Canadian twist that makes skiing here so special It’s the best of both worlds and somehow even better The rooms are large and the vibe is decadent It’s everything you could want from a luxury ski-in The pass gets you unlimited skiing and riding at the resort but also gets you access to more than 80 resorts across the U.S. Japan and Australia — including the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies ski areas close to Calgary The pass also gets you discounts on food on the mountain Extremely Canadian is for advanced skiers only and while it’s not a ski school instruction – as you’re guided through Whistler’s toughest terrain so having someone take you straight to the steep stuff is a huge help and I can honestly say that in two days with my guide (the awesome Chappy) my skiing improved more than it has since my very first day trying to get down a bunny hill Extremely Canadian offers one and two-day clinics and is an incredible way to explore the best terrain Whistler-Blackcomb offers Can’t miss run for intermediates and beginners: I’ll keep this one short because there’s no way I can pretend I skied everything But you won’t get off a lift and find yourself getting stuck surrounded by blacks and double-blacks Whistler-Blackcomb has so many beautifully groomed runs and a world-class ski school Where to eat on the mountain: I feel comfortable saying that Whistler-Blackcomb has the best on-mountain food options of any resort in Canada I’ve been lucky enough to ski You can eat healthy or choose from all sorts of culinary traditions Personal favourites included the ramen at Elevation Bowls at Expressway the gnocchi at Glacier Creek and the venison chilli at Raven’s which is Whistler’s first Indigenous-inspired restaurant The tapas are incredible and the montaditos are practically worth the visit to Whistler on their own Fine dining is part of the Whistler experience Full Screen is not supported on this browser version You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen daustin@postmedia.com www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9 This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy you could be sure wherever Max was taking you Unless you’re an avid consumer of community news I don’t think most Pique readers grasp just how unique Max’s column is in the early days of the publication with his entertaining letters to the editor Max was given the chance to write his own column which put Pique in the rare position of effectively having two anchor editorials at each end of the paper if the frontpage editorial leaned more informational you could be sure Max would come out swinging on the backpage but there are certain things an editor or a reporter simply can’t get away with saying Outside of the odd legal threat here and there when a reporter from the now shuttered Whistler Question asked him why he hadn’t got the mayor’s take on a particular hot-button issue I’m the person reading what you reported or watching the news and responding to it Some may accuse him of rabble-rousing—and I’m sure he’d be the first to say he enjoys ruffling feathers from time to time—but Max’s hot takes were always rooted in a deep appreciation for this place and what it could be Whether you agreed with him or not was almost beside the point The fact there was someone with his insight intellect and encyclopedic knowledge not only bearing witness to the goings on of Tiny Town (a favourite Maxism) but especially in a highly corporatized tourism town where transparency isn’t necessarily the top priority to help Whistlerites understand themselves Max is an invaluable asset behind the scenes at Pique Quick to share a news tip or fill in historical gaps he was never too busy to jump on a phone call with a reporter when the need arose something he surely didn’t have to do after nearly 30 years in the role I think what Max has taught me the most is courage When I learned I would be tasked with writing the first post-Max backpage column I struggled for days with how I was going to follow his incredible run “No tips except to appreciate the substantial difference between opinion and reportage,” Max wrote in an email “The former starts in the gut and heart If you think something is interesting enough to opine about Be fearless for them without forgetting they need to be entertained As Max settles into a well-deserved retirement from the weekly Pique grind I hope this is the lesson we can carry forward The rotating lineup of writers tasked with filling Max’s gargantuan shoes will surely bring their own distinct voice to the backpage Pique and this community a disservice if we don’t bring the same fearlessness that he did Regional Council for a rally in support of Whistler hotel workers bargaining for a fair contract Starting location: Whistler Conference Centre For more information, visit the campaign page If you’ve never been to Whistler on a wintry weekend you could be forgiven for not knowing the frustration of sitting in traffic snaking out of town before trying to find a parking spot amongst the throngs But for weekend warriors, locals, and frequent visitors to the ski town, congested traffic and competitive parking has become part of the Whistler experience on a weekend powder day. Whistler Blackcomb’s (WB) trial carpooling program is trying to improve the experience The program is part of a parking study the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) required of WB for council to approval WB’s Fitzsimmons Express upgrade Visitors arriving with four or more people are given priority parking at P1 in Creekside garage and at Upper Lot 7 at Blackcomb Base II on weekends statutory holidays and peak periods from 6 to 11 a.m Pique stopped by P7 to observe and learn about the process Dec a steady stream of drivers passed P7 to P8 to get a spot before the non-carpool option filled up Drivers with vehicles holding four or more people pulled up to attendants with smiles and skis Vehicles with fewer passengers were turned away the lot would have filled up just as quickly senior director of operations and business development at WB and the guests that are pulling in are able to park right up here in Lot 7 or they're pulling into P1 in Creekside and able to make their way to the lift easily and relatively effortlessly,” she said “On this kind of day when you've got all these factors we'd already be full in Lot 7 (without the carpool program).” Roddick said the idea for carpooling came as a suggestion from a workshop WB held and from a survey sent to a targeted selection of guests Survey respondents were positive about carpooling if it provided priority parking WB's operations team began looking at where they would implement the trial and created communications on their website WB has been collecting data on the number of cars in lots and combining it with data collected by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) “What’s critical is in overlaying that with a lot of the data that the RMOW has been collecting through their transportation advisory groups through their Big Moves action plan and making sure that anything that we're observing we're layering into those observations as well to look holistically at what our parking and arrivals and utilization is across Whistler,” Roddick said The RMOW’s Transportation Action Plan Monitoring Results from 2022 showed the average occupancy was lowest during morning peak periods at 1.37 persons per vehicle and highest on weekends at 1.94 persons per vehicle The low passenger numbers are also contributing to Whistler’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with personal vehicles making up 54 per cent of Whistler’s total emissions, according to the RMOW’s Climate Action Big Moves strategy “We really want to work collaboratively and collectively with our community to increase occupancy," Roddick said. "And if we can get we will reduce congestion by close to 25 to 30 per cent." Carpooling at two Vail Resorts-owned properties, Heavenly and Northstar in California, has seen success Of the reservations available in lots with the carpool incentive Vail Resorts said 65 per cent of guests at Heavenly and 62 per cent at Northstar carpooled for free parking They also reported increased guest satisfaction and big reductions for traffic congestion Some feedback on the choice to have four people qualify for priority parking But Roddick noted a minimum of four people per vehicle is the gold standard for carpooling to reduce congestion Roddick said they’ve tried to incorporate feedback and adjust where appropriate.  “We certainly understand that sometimes we all need a little bit of extra support or consideration or compassion," she said. "We do try to help where we can and we also want to ensure that we're maintaining the integrity of the program so that it works in the way that it is intended.”