Day 2 Bellevue, WA to Whistler, BC
Off to Whistler today leaving the states and crossing the Canadian border. Security is much tighter than 5 years ago when we crossed and the wait to be screened was about 20 minutes. Canada has built a beautiful new entry point called Peace Arch Park in head of the Olympics coming next year. The flowers and gardens are spectacular in this climate. We traveled along the Sea to Sky Highway around Vancouver north to Whistler which is only about 75 miles but because there is so much to stop and see takes about 21/2 hours. We stopped at almost every lookout, waterfall, and Provincial Park along the way. It has to be one of the most scenic drives in North America. The waterfall in the pics are of Shannon Falls. The drive along the Strait of Georgia is the same route the cruise ships take on their ‘inside passage’ trips up to Alaska. The cloudy, misty weather gave way as we approached the Whistler area to breaks of sun and eventually a beautiful day. This is often the case, even when 30-40% chance of showers are predicted. We came out of our jackets and were actually hot….for a short while.
Whistler is a evergreen wonderland down in the valley below the mountains of Blackcomb and Whistler. These mountains are about 7100 and 7400 feet high with glaciers at the top of Blackcomb. They are still skiing and boarding up there today. There is Whistler Village, North Village and Creekside which all have their own condos, hotels and multiple restaurants. There are so many trees and plantings that you hardly see many of the buildings. We are staying at The Pinnacle Hotel which is right on main street in the main village. The village was originally planned and built to host the 1968 Winter Olympics but was not chosen, so now 40 years later they are the mountain host for the 2010 games. Much road work is being done, the signs for the Olympic sites and village are up and all the little towns like Squamish along the way are prepping to take advantage of the 2 weeks of visitors. There is everything to do here; bungee jumping, Mt climbing, ATV tours, horseback riding, glacier skiing, rafting,etc. Sharon says she is ready to ride the bobsled or the luge run but I think we will dare the (flat trail) mountain biking today. They have 70 miles of Mt. bike trails not counting the downhill trails on the mountains. It is the Mountain bike mecca of the Northwest. In one of the pictures you can see the dirt bike run with jumps and moguls. They ride the gondola up the mountain with the bikes hooked on to the top of the run. This is young and old alike and some are geared up for crashes with dirt bike type helmets and full pads. On Thursday afternoon there is a professional series downhill race on the mountain.
As we sat eating our Tapas for supper we looked straight toward the mountains and watched the bikers coming off the mountain and down through the village proudly wearing their muddy gear, complete with wrist and arm casts.
Today looks to be mostly sunny with tomorrow back to clear blue skies and warmer,normal temps. We are off to ride bikes and later to ride the Peak to Peak Gondola from Whistler to Blackcomb Mountains. It has just opened. 3.8 miles across, the LONGEST unsupported span of 1.8 miles in the world, and the highest above the valley floor in the world. They have 2 of the Gondolas that have GLASS floors! Should make for some great pictures…..
Off to Whistler today leaving the states and crossing the Canadian border. Security is much tighter than 5 years ago when we crossed and the wait to be screened was about 20 minutes. Canada has built a beautiful new entry point called Peace Arch Park in head of the Olympics coming next year. The flowers and gardens are spectacular in this climate. We traveled along the Sea to Sky Highway around Vancouver north to Whistler which is only about 75 miles but because there is so much to stop and see takes about 21/2 hours. We stopped at almost every lookout, waterfall, and Provincial Park along the way. It has to be one of the most scenic drives in North America. The waterfall in the pics are of Shannon Falls. The drive along the Strait of Georgia is the same route the cruise ships take on their ‘inside passage’ trips up to Alaska. The cloudy, misty weather gave way as we approached the Whistler area to breaks of sun and eventually a beautiful day. This is often the case, even when 30-40% chance of showers are predicted. We came out of our jackets and were actually hot….for a short while.
Whistler is a evergreen wonderland down in the valley below the mountains of Blackcomb and Whistler. These mountains are about 7100 and 7400 feet high with glaciers at the top of Blackcomb. They are still skiing and boarding up there today. There is Whistler Village, North Village and Creekside which all have their own condos, hotels and multiple restaurants. There are so many trees and plantings that you hardly see many of the buildings. We are staying at The Pinnacle Hotel which is right on main street in the main village. The village was originally planned and built to host the 1968 Winter Olympics but was not chosen, so now 40 years later they are the mountain host for the 2010 games. Much road work is being done, the signs for the Olympic sites and village are up and all the little towns like Squamish along the way are prepping to take advantage of the 2 weeks of visitors. There is everything to do here; bungee jumping, Mt climbing, ATV tours, horseback riding, glacier skiing, rafting,etc. Sharon says she is ready to ride the bobsled or the luge run but I think we will dare the (flat trail) mountain biking today. They have 70 miles of Mt. bike trails not counting the downhill trails on the mountains. It is the Mountain bike mecca of the Northwest. In one of the pictures you can see the dirt bike run with jumps and moguls. They ride the gondola up the mountain with the bikes hooked on to the top of the run. This is young and old alike and some are geared up for crashes with dirt bike type helmets and full pads. On Thursday afternoon there is a professional series downhill race on the mountain.
As we sat eating our Tapas for supper we looked straight toward the mountains and watched the bikers coming off the mountain and down through the village proudly wearing their muddy gear, complete with wrist and arm casts.
Today looks to be mostly sunny with tomorrow back to clear blue skies and warmer,normal temps. We are off to ride bikes and later to ride the Peak to Peak Gondola from Whistler to Blackcomb Mountains. It has just opened. 3.8 miles across, the LONGEST unsupported span of 1.8 miles in the world, and the highest above the valley floor in the world. They have 2 of the Gondolas that have GLASS floors! Should make for some great pictures…..
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