Whistler While You Work the Trails

During the colder two-thirds of the year, Whistler Mountain in Canada is the exclusive domain of skiers. But near the end of May, the sun melts snowbanks, uncovering a network of footpaths. From late spring through early autumn, the mountain’s grandeur is best explored in hiking boots, not ski boots.

From 1915 until the 1960s, when the words Whistler and skiing became synonymous, summer was the high season. Visitors came to fish and to relax at one of the valley’s rustic lodges. After a period of quiet Whistler summers, the warm season is back big time with tennis, golf, cycling and hiking.

Hikers know Whistler Mountain and adjacent Garibaldi Provincial Park as a vast land of alpine lakes and volcanic peaks.

Some hikers, particularly day hikers, will enjoy making Whistler their base. Other hikers might find the resort too pricey. All will agree, however, that pedestrian-only Whistler Village and environs is extremely walker-friendly.

Whistler has evolved into a year-round resort with lots of summer activities, including a concert series featuring jazz, bluegrass and classical music.

They’re a bit helicopter crazy up here. Along with heli-skiing, heli-fishing and heli-rafting, there’s heli-hiking. If you don’t want one of the Whistler whirlybirds to take some of the uphill out of your hike, you can always ride the Blackcomb or Whistler Mountain ski lifts to several trail heads. Popular trails lead to Singing Pass and Rainbow Falls. From Whistler, Valley Trail leads to five lakes.

Whistler Mountain

From June to October, it’s the hikers’ turn to board the Whistler Mountain Express and ride the gondola up the mountain. After a 20-minute ride and a heady elevation gain of 3,818 feet, you disembark to find an array of beckoning trails at your feet.

If your aim is a walk, not a hike, consider the mile-long Paleface Trail. This path drops below Roundhouse Lodge and loops back under the Express. Benches en route offer places to rest and contemplate the considerable view: Rainbow Mountain, Mt. Sproatt and grassy, wildflower-dotted Whistler Mountain. Another easy path is the short loop around nearby Harmony Lake, a sometimes snow-covered, sometimes boggy lake.

Boarding the Express isn’t necessary to climb Whistler Mountain; you can join the five-mile-long service road for the steep climb from Whistler Village.

The best longer day hike from the upper Express station is the Musical Bumps Trail that climbs a long ridge in adjacent Garibaldi Provincial Park. Your reward for scaling the musical summits are vistas of Cheakamus Lake, Black Tusk and an eyeful of the park’s peaks and valleys. The Ridge Trail marches up and over the Musical Bumps--Piccolo, Flute and Oboe. Piccolo, first of the bump summits, is sufficiently inspiring for the casual hiker, while more gung-ho adventurers will continue to Oboe Summit, perched over Singing Pass.

If you’ve made the proper logistic arrangements, descend to Singing Pass for an alternate descent of Whistler Mountain. Otherwise, return to the gondola station and, depending on the state of your knees, ride or hike back to Whistler Village.

Access: Purchase a ticket for the Whistler Mountain Express at the lower station and enjoy the ride.

Whistler Valley, Valley Trail, 6.2-mile and nine-mile loops; shorter walks possible.

Sure Whistler Mountain commands the most attention, but Whistler Valley is becoming an increasingly popular place to play. Valley Trail tours the flatlands, linking five lakes, seven parks, the village and the train station.

In winter, Valley Trail is a Nordic ski route; in summer, a walking and cycling path. Valley Trail has been lengthened in recent years and now totals more than nine miles.

Whistler Village is the hub for the mostly paved, mostly level trail that travels through a collage of scenes from historic cabins to the Whistler Tennis Club. Many of the sights en route are as attractive as their names--Rainbow Park, Green Lake and River of Golden Dreams.

The trail visits five lakes--Alpha, Nita, Alta, Lost and Green--each of which includes a picnic site. Lost Lake was once an isolated destination popular with au naturel swimmers; now it’s easy to reach and most swimmers suit up.

The seven-mile loop begins at the village and heads north on a clockwise tour past the Whistler Golf Club, by Meadow Park, then across the highway to Green Lake, south to Lost Lake and finally back to the village.

Access: From Whistler Village, join signed Valley Trail on the west side of Highway 99. From the Conference Center, take the underpass toward the Whistler Golf Club.

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Valley Trail

WHERE: Whistler Mountain, British Columbia

DISTANCE: 6.2 - mile and 9 - mile loops; shorter walks possible.

TERRAIN: British Columbia’s Coast Range with forests, alpine lakes.

HIGHLIGHTS: World-class ski resort is hiker-friendly.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate to strenuous.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: tel. Whistler Resort, 4010 Whistler Way, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada VON 1B4 ; tel. (800)WHISTLER (944-7853).