Brio Haus Whistler

Whistler Backcountry - Fissile Mountain

by pipercherokee

If you're a hardcore skiier/rider then you'll want to test out Whistler/Blackcomb's backcountry. To give you an idea of the geography concerning my particular trek: Singing Pass trail leads from Whistler village, between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, all the way back to Overlord glacier, continuously climbing in elevation along the way. In the summer months this is a great way to get back there but it is definitely a trek and a half. In the winter, the hardcores start out from the top of Whistler's peak chair and traverse across Picolo, Flute and Oboe and continue towards the hut at the base of Fissile. Fissile is a jagged peak looming just to the right of Overlord Glacier and it can be seen all the way back from Whistler's in-bound terrain as jutting out by its lonesome into the sky. It takes a day to traverse all the way back there to the hut. One can overnight in the hut and then attempt the Fissile climb the following day. When I was 19, dumb and gung-ho I clambered up Fissile with no avalanche or safety equipment, trudging along in the footsteps created by wiser, older backcountry fellas that were using ice axes and crampons. It was definitely steep and I couldn't fathom looking down behind me. Nevertheless, in an hour and a half I had scaled Fissile and then proceeded to carve out 150+ turns in untouched, knee deep powder in the month of April - and it hadn't snowed in a month. This was the north face of Fissile (no sun!) and it was the most pristine experience of my life.

Just fyi, the picture here simply shows a very small section at the very base of Fissile mountain. We carved these turns upon arrival at the hut before the main trek to the top. 5 of us made it to the hut but only 2 of us attempted the Fissile climb. Not for the faint-hearted. Some great pics in the Fissile Trip travelogue!

Ski Whistler-Blackcomb

by scargo

Two trips now to Whistler-Blackcomb. Pre-Christmas trips, both times. 2003 was pretty good conditions. December 14-17, 2004 was not so good. The lower half was ice or mush and hard on skis. I found a few good runs up on top. I think I prefer Blackcomb, for pure, advanced, alpine skiing. But, I have yet to ski powder there in December. (:

LOCAL LIBRARY AND INTERNET RESOURCE

by jhorsfield30

When I visited it, I kept following the signs towards the library from the village and must have been around the same block 3 times. Then I realised, that the building site I was walking around was the LIBRARY! Ugh.. Anyway, the library even though under construction was excellent and offered a great range of services from friendly staff and I could use all the facilities easily and without hassle. I recommend it to anyone needing to interact with the local community or just write a email home..

Whistler's little library located between the main Village and Marketplace has the latest magazines and newspapers, free internet access, a children's section, and provides research assistance. They can also order in books from other libraries.

Whistler Library Hours of Operation
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 10 AM - 8 PM
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 10 AM - 5 PM
Wednesdays and Canadian public holidays closed.

Whistler Library
4329 Main Street
Whistler, BC
V0N 1BO
1-604-932-5564

Whistler Resort

by aukahkay

"From sea to sky"

The Sea to Sky Highway (highway 99) earns its name from the very scenic drive from the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver to the mountains of Whistler Resort. A mere 2-hour drive from downtown Vancouver, Whistler is a haven for outdoor activity in winter and in summer. I was there in October in between seasons so it was rather quiet. Nevertheless, the autumn foliage was in full bloom and the mountain air was cool and crisp. It is a perfect resort for families and couples alike.

Whistler

by btex

Whistler for non-skiers/snowboarders.

As can be seen from my lack of tips...there's not much to do in Whistler if you don't ski. Hiking, shopping, partying, and golf are some possiblities though. Whistler will be hosting the 2010 Olympics - along with Vancouver - congrats! I can say that I visited Whistler before it got really famous.