Postcards from Whistler

Whistler Mountain was probably my favourite place in the whole of Whistler. This huge mountain in the Fitzsimmons Range is incredible and we visited it every single day of our trip to Whistler.

Arriving in mid-June, we were lucky enough to still see snow on the mountain and decided to hike up to the Little Whistler Peak to get away from the crowds and take in the views.

With jet lag still getting to us, we made use of the Blackcomb Ski Gondola to take us to up the mountain, here it is then a steady walk across snow (cue excited Sarah) to the peak, it is a gradual climb that can feel a little tiring as the air is a lot colder up here. Being a winter person though, this was perfect for me and I loved it.

Walking this hike, meant we were lucky enough to see the famous snow walls, these are towering walls of snow that line the Pika’s Traverse hiking trail, being pretty tall myself, I found it absolutely breath-taking to have these walls towering over me. These are not around long, as it is basically snow that has fallen in the winter which has been pushed to the sides making it easier for hikers to access the alpine.

I cannot put into words how stunning the landscape was on the walk up here, in every single direction you looked in; there were snow topped mountains. I recall one moment where it was deathly silent, no noise at all and no one but me and Sam around and I wanted to cry, it was perfect.

Getting to the Little Whistler peak felt like a huge achievement, at 6,903 feet, it was the highest we had been (that will change). There is a hut here which gives you lots of info on avalanches and keeping safe in the back country which was interesting and it was here we met and spoke to other hikers.

From here, we did a little scrambling (not quite sure if we were allowed) to get some epic 360 degree views of the Fitzsimmons and Pacific Mountain ranges.

We also saw the iconic Black Tusk in the Garibaldi Mountain range; this mountain is truly spectacular and felt very special to see it rising above us in the distance like a sharks fin. With many of the trails still closed due to snow and avalanche danger, we felt quite lucky to have hiked to that point.

I was excited to see the Symphony Amphitheatre, a huge bowl of snow popular with skiers and snowboarders. This was closed off, but I took a sneaky look, it was pretty special to see it surrounded by yet more mountains. It was one of those places you just don’t want to leave and I really had to drag myself away each time, I guess there is no place like the mountains to make you feel alive.

If hiking and climbing is not your thing, then the Peak to Peak gondola is a must, but be warned this is not for those afraid of heights. It allows you to cross between the Blackcomb Mountain and Whistler Mountain. The gondola runs at 1,427 feet above the alpine valley below and you are given 360 views as you make the trip. With a huge forest beneath you, you might even spot a bear or two. It is a little pricey, but I would say go for it, the views alone are worth it, if you’re on a once in a lifetime trip, why not.

Once we were back on the ground, we grabbed a hot chocolate (one of many) and sat in the shadow of the mountains as snow softly fell- what a dream it was.