Golden opportunity

Published 4:00 am Sunday, February 10, 2008

WHISTLER, B.C. —

Imagine a tramway line suspended between two mountains, at its highest point more than a quarter-mile above the creek valley below.

That’s what the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort will have in place around the start of next season. It’s just one element in a makeover that the Canadian winter-sports complex, North America’s largest, will showcase when the Winter Olympic Games are staged here and in nearby Vancouver two years from now, in February 2010.

When completed, the Peak to Peak Gondola will be the most expensive lift ever built on this continent, with a price tag of $51 million. Just over 2.7 miles long, its main span will extend 1.9 miles without a single support tower, a distance previously unimaginable. Twenty-eight Austrian-made Doppelmayr gondolas, one of them designed with a glass bottom for sightseeing, will enable skiers to split a single day between the resort’s two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb. Without the new structure, logistics make that impractical.

During the 2010 Games, Whistler will host all men’s and women’s alpine skiing and sliding (bobsled, luge, skeleton) events. Nordic activities, including cross-country skiing, biathlon and jumping, will be held 14 miles southwest at Whistler Olympic Park. But even during the two weeks of the Olympics (Feb. 12-28, 2010), 70 percent of Whistler Mountain and 100 percent of Blackcomb Mountain will remain open for recreational skiing. And the Peak to Peak Gondola will make that much easier.

The road to 2010

More than four decades have passed since Canada first dreamed of hosting Olympic ski races at Whistler. In the early 1960s, it wasn’t even called Whistler; it was known as London Mountain. A group of Vancouver businessman “discovered” it as they searched for the ideal peak in the rugged Coast Mountains to transform into a major ski resort. They renamed it after the sound made by the hoary marmot, or “whistle pig,” native to its slopes.

Canada didn’t have the opportunity to host the 1968 Winter Olympics (the bid instead went to Grenoble, France), but the time between then and now didn’t go to waste. Before resort development began, the only community here was tiny Alta Lake, and most of the folks who lived there were summer residents only. Today, Whistler Village claims a permanent population of 9,300, a roughly equal number of second-home owners, and another 5,800 rooms in 115 hotels. More than 2 million visitors a year — half of them now in winter — are served by 90 restaurants and some 200 retail shops.

The village, located 79 miles (a two-hour drive) north of Vancouver, is a handsome place with a distinctly European feel. It was founded in 1980, the same year Blackcomb Mountain opened for business. Its central thoroughfare, the Village Stroll, is a cobbled pedestrian way that runs north about a half-mile from the mountains’ gondola terminals. Most of Whistler’s hotels and restaurants, shops and nightclubs are found in this area; such high-end properties as the Four Seasons Resort and Fairmont Chateau Whistler Resort are in the Upper Village at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain, while condominiums rise up the lower hillsides both here and in the Creekside area, three miles south.

Highway 99 links Whistler to Vancouver. Also known as the Sea-to-Sky Highway, it was once considered a possible obstacle in the Vancouver-Whistler Olympic bid because of its narrow and winding nature. Today, the road is undergoing extensive improvement. During my January visit, I experienced few delays as I drove, even though construction crews were widening the road on several stretches. The road follows the east shore of Howe Sound as far as the bustling little town of Squamish, then winds into the towering peaks of the Coast Mountains.

One of my first stops upon arrival at Whistler Village was the 2010 Winter Olympic Games Centre, near the north end of the Village Stroll. It is easily identified by the streamlined two-man bobsleigh sitting in front. Within the small building, which contains exhibits on the different events, I studied event exhibits and listened as a volunteer described temporary work opportunities that will be available during the Games. I was told that this location will be the site of nightly medals-presentation ceremonies. Tickets for all events go on sale in October of this year.

Ready for the Games

The mountain has been in place for millions of years, the trail system on which skiers will compete for more than 40. But additional facilities were needed to host the Olympics.

One of them is the newly finished Whistler Sliding Centre, above Fitzsimmon Creek on lower Blackcomb Mountain. With fewer straightaways and more curves than other world-class tracks, it will present a technical challenge to competitors in the two- and four-man bobsled events, as well as the solo luge and skeleton, always spectator favorites.

Games organizers moved out of town to construct the venue for nordic events. Whistler Olympic Park is in the valley of Callaghan Creek, seven miles south of the village center on Highway 99, then seven miles west on a newly built access road. More than 40 kilometers (25 miles) of trails have been developed by the time of this writing, with additional paths planned in the next couple of years.

Two specific 5K trails have been designated as the main Olympic competition trails, one of them (with a couple of significant hill climbs) better suited for classic skiing, the other (incorporating a steep, twisty downhill) recommended for skate skiing. Recreational skiers can test either trail. (Day rates run $16 in 2008.)

Also at Callaghan Creek is a 32-target shooting range for competitors in the biathlon, which combines skiing and marksmanship. And two new ski jumps, 90 and 120 meters in height (about 300 and 400 feet, respectively), rise dramatically above the complex. They will be used in nordic combined competition (coupling jumping with cross-country skiing) as well as traditional ski jumping.

Whistler Mountain will host all eight alpine events: men’s and women’s slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill. Most will be staged along the course of the Creekside Gondola on the south side of the mountain. All will finish near the base of Creekside.

The Dave Murray Downhill, named for a Vancouver native who was one of Canada’s finest downhill racers in the 1970s, is considered one of the most challenging runs on the World Cup circuit. Even today, nets line much of the course. For now, recreational skiers don’t have to worry about its sharp turns (unless they’re traveling 80 miles per hour) or thrilling jumps (yet to be built). This is where the men’s downhill will be staged; women will start on Wildcard, and run down mid and lower Franz’s Run before sweeping into the last section of the Murray Downhill.

Other ski events, including freestyle and snowboarding, will be held at Cypress Mountain, overlooking West Vancouver. Ice skating, hockey and curling have venues within the city of Vancouver.

Exploring the mountains

Whistler sits at about 2,200 feet elevation. (The mountain summits soar more than 5,000 feet higher.) Because of the resort’s relatively low altitude, weather conditions can be very different in the village than higher on the mountains. Often it will be raining in Whistler and snowing when skiers disembark from the Whistler Express Gondola at the Roundhouse Lodge, on the edge of the upper snowfields at just over 6,000 feet.

That could turn into a problem during the Olympic Games and force snowmaking equipment to be fully on alert. In fact, when I arrived at Whistler in January, the village was soaking in a drizzle. But that only meant that when the sun rose in crystal-clear skies the following morning, there was plenty of light, dry powder on the upper elevations.

I skied a full day on Whistler Mountain and a half day on Blackcomb Mountain before taking a quick 5K run on the nordic trails. Between these two massive mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb have 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, more than anywhere else outside of Europe.

Resort literature says there are 38 lifts; I know that I rode three gondolas and 17 chairs during my two-day tour. The above-timberline snowfields were stunning on both peaks.

Not surprisingly, novice skiers tend to stay on the lower levels of both mountains. But nearly all of the upper lifts offer a choice of intermediate or expert terrain. The steep, expert-only Peak Chair to the summit of Whistler Mountain is an exception; like Whistler’s Harmony and Symphony chairs, it accesses spectacular pockets of champagne powder when conditions are right. Also popular with expert skiers is Blackcomb Glacier, where a series of double-black bowls tumble from the summit of the Glacier Express lift. Snowboarders are pleased to find terrain parks on both mountains. And here’s more good news for winter sports lovers: The resort remains open for skiing through the first week of July.

The Whistler Village Gondola and Blackcomb Excalibur Gondola, both more than three-quarters of a mile long, begin within a few steps of one another at the south end of Whistler Village. At their base are a choice of ski-rental outlets as well as numerous pubs for after-ski revelry. And on the mountains themselves are 12 different dining options. I had a good bratwurst from a small grill outside the Roundhouse Lodge, midway on Whistler, and a hearty bowl of stew in the Horstman Hut, atop Blackcomb’s 7th Heaven Express.

In town, my favorite meal was the dinner I enjoyed at Elements Urban Tapas Lounge: I had three small, creative gourmet plates along with a specialty martini. Best of all the Whistler restaurants, although I didn’t have a meal there, may be Araxi, whose creative regional menu has been lauded by such publications as Gourmet and London’s Sunday Independent.

Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to riding that new Peak to Peak Gondola, perhaps in the glass-bottomed cab so that I can look straight down at Fitzsimmon Creek and the twists of the new bobsled run, a quarter-mile below. I have a feeling the trip won’t be for the faint of heart.

Visiting Whistler

• Gas, 711 miles (one-way from Vancouver, return to Bend from Whistler) @ $3.10/gallon $88.16

• Lunch, Earl’s $14*

• Lodging and breakfast (3 nights), Tantalus Resort Lodge $632.92*

• Dinner, Elements Urban Tapas Lounge $43.17*

• Two days’ skiing, Whistler Blackcomb $166

• Lunch, Roundhouse Lodge (Whistler Mountain) $5

• Dinner, The Mix by Ric’s $35.31

• Lunch, Christine’s at Rendezvous Lodge (Blackcomb Mountain) $12*

• Cross-country skiing, Whistler Olympic Park $16

• Dinner, The Mountain Club $51.83*

• Lunch and dinner en route to Bend (11-hour drive) $20

TOTAL $1,084.39

*Taxes are 13% on food, 16% on lodging, including a 6% refundable goods-and-services tax.

Note: The currency-exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian dollar is currently about 1:1.

IF YOU GO

• Tourism British Columbia: 510 Burrard St., Vancouver; 604-660-0565, www.hellobc.com

• Tourism Whistler: 4010 Whistler Way, Whistler; 604-932-3928, www.tourism whistler.com

• VANOC (Vancouver Organizing Committee): 1002 Lynham Road, Whistler; 604-932-2010, 866-932-2010, www.vancouver2010.com

• Cascade Lodge: 4315 Northlands Blvd., Whistler; 604-905-5600. www.worldmarktheclub.com. Rates from $239.

• Pan-Pacific Whistler Village Centre: 300-999 Canada Place; 604-662-8111, www.panpacific.com. Rates from $469 (winter and summer), $329 (off season).

• Tantalus Resort Lodge: 4200 Whistler Way, Whistler; 604-932-4146, 888-633-4046, www.tantaluslodge.com . Rates from $179 (winter and summer), $139 (off season).

• Araxi: Village Square, Whistler; 604-932-4540.

• Earl’s: Village Common, Whistler; 604-935-3222.

• Elements Urban Tapas Lounge: 4359 Main St., Whistler; 604-932-5569.

• The Mix by Ric’s: 4154 Village Green, Whistler; 604-932-6499.

• The Mountain Club: Town Plaza, Whistler; 604-932-6004.

• Whistler Blackcomb: 4545 Blackcomb Way, Whistler; 604-932-3140, www.whistler blackcomb.com

• Whistler Olympic Park: 604-693-4004, www.crosscountry connection.bc.ca

NEXT WEEK: Winter in Yellowstone