Welcome to Whistler

Breakfast at Fergie’s Cafe in Squamish

We are always on a look for a place to have breakfast when we go to Whistler. There are very vew places to before you reach Whistler and so finding one that is really good is definietly worth sharing. Fergie’s cafe is located in Squamish, BC which is about 1 hour from Downtown Vancouver. It is an open garden style dining, a very relax and chill atmosphere.

Quick Stop to see Brandy Wine Falls

I love to hike, but doing Alpine Hiking in Whistler, BC is better than any other kind of hiking that I had ever done. The BEST view that you could ever get and it is not as difficult as the other hikes that we did before. But the most important factor for me, is that it is easily accessible even without a car,  but you prefer to drive then that would be great too.

You can stop at Brandywine Falls  to watch up close and personal the magnificent 70 meter water falls or cross the suspension bridge at Sea To Sky.  This post is more like a continuation of my last week post, Harmony Trail at Whistler BC. This time around, I am going to show you the Alpine Hiking that I did. I also retained some of the basic information here that you an also find in my Harmony Trail at Whistler BC post.

I never thought that I’d say this, but I am saying it now. Whistler is definitely not only a winter destination but it is even better during the Summer especially for people who loves to walk around and explore the area.

I’ve been to Whistler several times, few times I went there by myself but a lot of times I was with friends, either local or visiting friends from other country or province. Most my visit in Whistler was during winter, although I don’t do any winter activities. Some people find it weird, but I just love snow, the sight of it and the feel of it, besides its only for few hours.

I don’t get to live the everyday snow just like some of my friends in colder provinces. I find going to Whistler during winter exciting, although I have to admit I had very limited things that I can do there, mostly jut walking the village, enjoying the gondola ride and enjoying meal time at the top of the mountain. But nonetheless I enjoyed it.

I went there few times during Summer to watch the “Cheese Rolling Festival” but I never went up to the top to explore the place. This time around, I made sure to explore the area as much as I can. So I bought my season pass and enjoyed Whistler to the fullest. Join me as we explore Whistler and Things we can do during Summer.

The Fun Begins with The Whistler Gondola Ride

The fun starts with a 15 minute Gondola ride to the top of the mountain. This is an enclosed gondola that seats 4 people, or more if with kids. The gondola moves slowly as it ascend to the top giving people the opportunity to enjoy the view. It’s amazing especially during Summer as you get to see the landscape better, the biking an hiking path and the mountain and water view. There’s two tower stations but the stop for the first tower is only for bikers. The second tower which is the last stop is where people get off, and from there is the continuation of the exciting day ahead.

Experience The Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride to Blackcomb

• Distance Between Whistler a& Blackcomb Stations: 4.4 km/2.73 miles
• Max Speed: 7.5 m/s
• Ride Time: 11 minutes

The longest among the 3 gondola rides is the Peak 2 Peak located just besides the restaurant. There is no extra fee to ride this gondola, so just walk in and line up. The peak to peak gondola ride is about 11 minutes one way, and a MUST thing to do when you visit Whistler. The experience of the ride itself is activity on its own. You get to see the view in different angle and just sit and appreciate nature. It’s truly an awesome experience and I definitely won’t mind doing it again and again. You have an option between the regular gondola (red cable car) which has more service so the lineup is fast.

You can go for the glass bottom gondola (gray cable car) which have around 15 – 30 minutes wait because there are very few cable car that have bottom glass. The glass bottom is only a small portion of the center, not the entire bottom of the cable car. The glass bottom area also have a railing so nobody can stand on it. If  you do not have much time, the regular cable car is the way to go. You wouldn’t be missing anything at all even if you do not try the galss bottom option.

Let’s Go Hiking!

There are several hiking trails both in Whistler Mountain area and Blackcomb Mountain area. The hikes vary from easy to intermediate but all of them gave breathtaking view of the snowy mountain peaks and lush green trees and sometimes even lakes and creek nearby. Here are some trails that I did, but there are more trails in the area.

Whistler Mountain Hiking Trails:

• Mathhews’ Traverse Road
  • Length: 0.9km (0.6 mi) 45 minutes
  • Elevation Changes: 82. (269ft)
• Pika’s Traverse Road: This mountain road is used to return to from the Half Note Trail to the Roundhouse Lodge. There are some steep sections.
  • Length: 2.3km (1.4mi) 60 minutes
  • Elevation Changes: 272m(892ft)
• Harmony Lake Loop: This trails descends through apline forest while traveling away from the Roundhouse Lodge
  • Length: 1.9km (1.2mi) 90 minutes
  • Elevation Changes: 120m(394ft)
• Harmony Meadows: This steep trail connects High Note Trail and Harmony Lake Trail with the Roundhouse Lodge. Enjoy the great views of Fitsimmons Valley and Harmony Lake
  • Length: 1.6km (1.mi) 45 minutes
  • Elevation Changes: 81m(266ft)

Blackcomb Mountain Hiking Trails:

• Alpine Walk (to Overload Trail) – This is the one I am sharing in this post
  

• Length: 1.4km (.9mi) 32 min
• Elevation Changes: 65m(213ft)
• Overload Trail
  • Length: 3.7km (2.3mi)
  • Elevation Changes: 62m(203ft)
• Lakeside Loop
  • Length: 1.3km (.8mi)
  • Elevation Changes: 43m(141ft)

Alpine Walk

In almost a month time, Summer will soon be over. The sad thought of Summer ending is somehow depressing to me, and maybe to most people. We can only hope that Summer could be a little bit longer, but sadly that is not the case. With only few weeks remaining, I decided to make the most of it and go for a nice relax hike in the mountain. This is what I want to share with you, my Alpine hiking experience in Whistler Blackcomb.

I’ve been to Whistler quite a few times, a lot of those times were during the Winter. It was an amazing experience, and so thought until I started exploring Whistler during Summer. I hate to admit it, as much as I love Winter in Whistler, there’s nothing like visiting Whistler during Summer. The experience was totally different, more relax and simply beautiful. The mountain view was spectacular, it’s was truly impressive and something that I am really proud of as a Canadian. It’s was all breathtakingly beyond beautiful. Let me share with you my Alpine Hiking experience in Whistler, BC. Let’s go hiking!

What To Bring & Few Pointer Before Going

• First thing first, make sure to inform someone where you are going.
• Depending on when you are doing the hike, always check the weather. Whistler could get fairly hot during the Summer but and could also get cold at night.
• Sunglasses, hats and sunscreen are recommended because most of the hiking trails are open. You will be exposed to the elements most of  the time
• Snack  & Drink – However short you plan to stay or do the hike, bring snacks or at least bottle of water with you. The hot weather could easily make you feel thirsty and hungry.
• Hiking Pole – Although most of the trail that I did are quite easy, do not be shy to get a hiking pole at the starting point of the hike if you think you need one. There are few hiking poles that visitors can use for free, just don’t forget to return it.
• Phone & Camera – the place was unbelievably breathtaking, so make sure to capture the beauty of the place so that you can share it with your friends.
• Take a Map before you start the hike, or take a photo of the map. Maps are provided, if you cannot find one ask a staff for one.
• Pay Attention to the Signage so that you can estimate the time. The signage shows distance and estimated time to complete the hike. Although the time to finish the hike could vary depending on your physical condition, the estimated time is a good gauge to set your timing.
• Remember to check the time for the last gondola ride so that you can time your hike. You do not want to be stranded at the top.
• Lats but not the least, Enjoy and have fun but be safe. Do only the activity that fits your physical condition, the last thing that you would want is to get into an accident while hiking.

The Hike

I would say that this trail is pretty easy, although not completely flat all the time. The starting point of the trails are well marked, with distances and estimated duration. Some of the paths have a lot of large stones and uneven, but not something that difficult to walk on. It was not crowded when I was there so it was a nice hike, quiet and really relax. What I like about this hike is that there’s quite a lot of unexpected spots that when you get out you’ll be greeted with an amazing view of the mountain. I cannot stop taking photos, which makes the photo selection for this post a challenge. Here are some of my favorite spots.  

Feeling hungry? There are a lot of cafe and restaurant to choose from, so make sure to explore the Village because you certainly deserve to treat yourself after a nice long hike.

Explore, Shop and Dine at The Village

Explore Cafe and Restaurants

Well, my trip is not complete without listing down few places to eat. We had brunch at “The Elements“, I would rate it 5 star in terms of quality, serving portion and taste. I ordered Vegetarian Hash with Tofu. It’s a combination of butternut squash, red bell peppers, onion, tomato, kale with poach egg and and soft tofu with tomato pesto on the side. We also ordered Spinach Eggs Benedict.

For dinner, we ate at “Gnarlyroots“, a small pizza pasta restaurant. We ordered vegetarina Pizza, Garden Spinach Salad and Vegetarian Pasta and they all tasted great.  Priced right, good serving portion, quick self service and very casual dining.

For dessert, ice cream from  “Cows”  is  a MUST. The BEST Ice Cream Shop in Whistler Village. They have 2 locations that are pretty close to each other but both are alwasy busy and crowded. I never failed to visor this place whenever I go to Whistler, besides it was really hot that day and the ice cream was definitely a treat.

That’s about it, one fun filled day at Whistler. Check the place out if you happen to be in BC.

Featured Posts:

• [VIDEO] Brandywine Falls
• [VIDEO] Explore BC – Whistler: The Magical Forest of Vallea Lumina
• [VIDEO] Explore British Columbia – Squamish: One Fine Day at Sea To Sky
• [VIDEO] Fun in the Sun at Sechelt BC
• [VIDEO] Wormy Trail Hike, Sunshine Coast
• [VIDEO] The Colorful Village of Silver Star Mountain Resort
• [VIDEO] Apex Trail @Knox Mountain Park
• [VIDEO] Milky Way Trail Hike @Silver Star Mountain Resort
• [VIDEO] Gondola Ride at Silver Start Mountain Resort

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