2008-08-08 to 2008-08-10 | Whistler (BC)
Whistler Village is extremely dynamic and youthful. You can feel constant action: mountain biking, competitions, river rafting… It reminds me a bit of Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, but on a larger scale, though perhaps slightly less traditional. The village is packed with shops, which naturally delights Nadine, whom I quickly lose track of!
We decided to spend three nights here, taking advantage of the chance to stay at the Fairmont at a modest price.
One of our days was dedicated to the ascent of Mount Whistler. The summit reaches over 2,100 meters, and the trail offers a vertical drop of 1,500 meters requiring more than 8 hours of effort. I recommend this hike to all enthusiasts: the views of glaciers, lakes, and wildlife are simply spectacular. Although the summit is somewhat marred by ski resort infrastructure and tourist crowds, this mountain remains one of the most beautiful places I have climbed in my career as an adventurer.
A significant little bonus: a superb free gondola ride to return to the village! I rarely allow myself this kind of luxury, as I climb primarily for physical fitness, but such an expedition would normally have required two days. The mechanical descent allowed us to wrap everything up in a single (long) day. However, the pain in our feet and legs was very real; in fact, Nadine and I both had a lot of trouble walking the next day!
The other two days were much calmer, as the weather turned out to be rather rainy and gloomy.
