Blogger: Stephanie Lynch
Today we had a big day of adventure planned. We headed off towards Whistler to the adventure capital of the world. First stop was to Squamish. You may remember from our Day 30 blog that we gave a man a hand who had trouble with his bicycle. It turns out he was on the Canadian cycling team(Jack Burke)…. what a lovely guy who filled us in on all the locals gems throughout our journey to Squamish(a town just before Whistler) with him. He told us that the new Squamish Sea To Sky Gondola was one full of amazing treks, trails and a suspension bridge with amazing views all around.
There is also one up in Whistler but this one in Squamish is supposed to have even better views. So this was our first stop. Squamish lies on route to Whistler so it was on our way. We spent the morning going up and exploring the beauty all around. The spectacular Coastal Mountain scenery, glaciers, huge granite monoliths, and sub-alpine meadows that surround Squamish make it one of the best places on earth to explore. You can go up on the Gondola and go for a walk or even go hiking, rock-climbing, mountain biking, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, mountaineering, and much more.
Next stop was Whistler. The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is just breathtaking. A drive of a lifetime along the Sea to Sky Highway. It’s a short 120 km drive (75 mile) from Vancouver, and one of the most scenic routes in the world. Be prepared for a experience driving on a mountain highway – spectacular. Whistler is north of Vancouver and home to the world of ski enthusiasts. With more than 8,000 acres over 2 mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, it’s the largest ski area in North America. It co-hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.
It was time to go on a big adventure up the Backcomb mountain. We went on ATVs up the mountain with Canadian Wilderness Adventures. Discover Blackcomb Mountain the ‘Canadian’ way on this adventure. As the adrenaline set in, we went up the mountain and enjoyed breathtaking views of the Whistler Valley and snowcapped peaks of the Coast Mountain Range. We explored wide mountain trails ascending to the Backcomb’s beautiful alpine and we even saw a bear or two in the wild. Enchanting forested trails and flowering meadows as we climbed up into the alpine on Blackcomb Mountain.
We walked through the town and even stumbled upon a bear enjoying some midday leaves on top of a tree. It’s very strange to see bears out in the open. We learnt that these bears don’t attack unless they feel threatened. We saw lots up the mountain. It’s the grizzles you need to be extra careful around. I don’t know about you but I think I am extra careful no matter what bear I come across… it’s a bear at the end of the day!! Great to see them in their own environment up the mountain. The day ended with a lovely meal in the town. A little tired after our day of adventure but the stories and memories shared around the table were priceless.
Over and out for now from Vancouver,
Steph
