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In the Clouds at Raven's Eye Viewing Platform
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Dennis Begin
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Dennis Begin
Words by Dennis Begin
First Visit to Whistler
In the summer of 1979, wanting to satisfy my curiosity, I drove the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, BC. At that time, the highway and the resort were both a work-in-progress and not even close to being the best ski resort in the province. Whistler opened in 1966 but remained a small ski hill largely centred around the Creekside Chairlift. If you did not let the narrow Sea to Sky Highway discourage you from driving the 125 km (78 mi) to Whistler, the skiing was good. In the following year, Whistler Village was moved 4.5 km (2.7 mi) north and built over the garbage dump. Rumour has it that a Volkswagen van is still buried somewhere under the village. The new village was very small and designed for pedestrians only, which turned out to be a great idea.
There was no Peak 2 Peak Gondola, no Mountain Bike Park and no snowboarders, only downhill skiers. During my first visit, I learned that the name 'whistler' came from the alpine hoary marmots who make a whistling sound. It would not be until the 1980s that I got to ski Whistler-Blackcomb regularly.
Whistler-Blackcomb Competition
Whistler-Blackcomb's notoriety is largely related to skiers like Nancy Green Raine, an Olympic/World Champion ski racer, and the 'Crazy Canucks,' a group of World Cup alpine ski racers. Blackcomb opened for business in 1980 and competed with Whistler for the skiing dollar, building additional lifts and facilities before Intrawest Resorts Holdings of British Columbia joined the two ski resorts in 1997. The next major development was the construction of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola in 2008, starting from Whistler’s Roundhouse Lodge and going to Blackcomb's Rendezvous Lodge. The gondola crosses the Fitzsimmons Valley, a distance of 4.4 km (2.7 m), takes only 11 minutes and allows skiers to ski two mountains on one ticket. It was the 2010 Winter Olympics/Paralympic Games, however, that cemented Whistler as a world-class ski resort with the creation of the Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley.
Vail Resorts
In 1992, Sun Mountain Magazine named Whistler-Blackcomb the #1 Ski Resort in North America, an accolade they have since received from numerous ski magazines. In August 2016, an American firm, Vail Resorts bought Whistler-Blackcomb for $1.39 billion and introduced a 345 million dollar development plan called ‘Renaissance Revitalization.’ Whistler-Blackcomb was about to be reborn. Today, the ski resort has the largest downhill area in North American, the longest vertical drop and 200 runs over the two mountains. They deserve to be called “The Best.”
Whistler-Blackcomb also set out to be an all-season resort that would attract tourists from around the world. The development of the Mountain Bike Park, Family Adventure Zone, 50 + miles of hiking trails, three high-end golf courses and the development of the infrastructures for the four villages, were all created with this goal in mind. The popularity of the Sea to Sky Gondola Suspension Bridge in nearby Squamish urged Whistler to keep pace.
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Megan Wilson
Whistler Suspension Bridge
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Justa Jeskova
Cloudraker Skybridge
Cloudraker Skybridge Suspension Bridge
To reach the Cloudraker Skybridge Suspension Bridge, take either the Whistler Village Gondola or the Peak 2 Peak Gondola to the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain. The suspension bridge is visible from the Roundhouse and may look intimidating. Pick up a Trail Map and hike down the Peak Express Trail (0.6 km). The open Peak Express Chairlift takes passengers up to Whistler Peak at 2,182 m (7,160 ft). For us, the chairlift ride was a little frightening and we found it not for the faint of heart. I'd advise you to not look down. On reaching the peak, Inukshuk was there to welcome us to the Top of the World Summit.
Dennis Begin
Welcome to Whistler from Inukshuk
The Skybridge extends 130 m (426.5 ft) from Whistler Peak to the West Ridge Lookout, making it one of the highest suspension bridge in North America. There is a drop of 50.5 m (164 ft) from the suspension bridge to the Whistler Ski Bowl. The bridge will sway a little, especially in the wind or when loaded with people but it does have chest-high guardrails with a grated walkway. Four steel cables with 36287 kg (80,000 Ib) of tension hold 101 modules in place, making the suspension bridge feel secure. Doppelmayr Garaventa Group from Austria, known around the world for building ski lifts, was in charge of building the bridge.
Be aware that the foot traffic on the suspension bridge is only ‘One Way,’ from Whistler Peak to the West Ridge Lookout, despite a wide walkway. It will be necessary to walk back to the chairlift with an elevation change of around 30 m (100 ft). There are also various hiking trails, either going down or up, such as the High Note Trail. You should come prepared for a day hike, but there is a Kit Kat Snack Shack on site.
Dennis Begin
Peak to Peak Gondola
Raven’s Eye Viewing Platform
The West Ridge Lookout has a cantilever triangle-shaped walkway extending 12.5 m (41 ft) over the cliff. Walking onto the platform feels like stepping into space. Although we found it somewhat scary, the payoff was the stunning panoramic view of the BC Coastal Mountains, Rainbow Mountain, Black Tusk and of course, Blackcomb and the Whistler Village.
Since Whistler Peak is over 2164 m (7,100 ft), the weather can be cool, windy, foggy and immersed in clouds. Use proper footwear and wear warm clothes.
Whistler has changed a great deal since my first visit forty years ago. In the past ten years they have added a tandem zipline, heli-skiing for powder hounds, bungee jumping and a snow Tube Park for children and myself. The village is full of chain hotels, restaurants and an active après nightlife. Drawing over two million winter visitors and another two million summer visitors, Whistler has accomplished its goal of being a world-class year-round resort. If you enjoy walking among the clouds, pick up a copy of Whistler Where at Guest Services and go exploring.
Dennis Begin