Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 778

1200-year-old ceremonial bowl. Ask about the summer barbecue dinners ($58) or nip to
the downstairs cafe for delicious venison chili with traditional bannock.
Whistler Farmers Market MARKET
( www.whistlerfarmersmarket.org ; Upper Village; 11am-4pm Sun Jun-Oct) If you're here in
summer, head to the Upper Village and the plaza in front of the Fairmont Chateau Whist-
ler for the lively Whistler Farmers Market, where you can peruse more than 50 tent-
topped stands hawking everything from arts and crafts to stuff-your-face seasonal fruits
and bakery treats. It's a Whistler summer highlight; arrive early for the best selection of
goodies.
Whistler Museum MUSEUM
( www.whistlermuseum.org ; 4333 Main St; adult/child $7.50/4; 11am-5pm) Tracing Whistler's
development from wilderness outpost to Olympic resort, quirky exhibits here include a
stuffed hoary marmot, a toilet-seat sailing trophy and a 2010 Games torch you can hold.
A new permanent exhibit on skiing history was also being developed on our visit. Check
ahead for events (October's adult Lego party is a must) and consider the excellent by-
donation village tours (1pm June to August).
Activities
With more than 40km of flower-and-forest alpine trails, most accessed via the Whistler
Village Gondola, the region is ideal for those who like nature of the strollable variety. Fa-
vorite routes include the High Note Trail , which traverses pristine meadows and has
stunning views of the blue-green waters of Cheakamus Lake. Route maps are available at
the visitor center. The Whistler Alpine Guides Bureau ( 604-938-9242;
www.whistlerguides.com ; 207B, 4368 Main St; adult/child from $79/59) offers guided hikes.
Whistler-Blackcomb SKIING, SNOWBOARDING
( www.whistlerblackcomb.com ; 1-day winter lift ticket adult/child $98/52) Comprising 37 lifts and
crisscrossed with over 200 runs (more than half aimed at intermediate-level skiers), the
Whistler-Blackcomb sister mountains were physically linked for the first time when the
resort's mammoth 4.4km Peak 2 Peak Gondola opened in 2009 - it takes 11 minutes to
shuttle wide-eyed powder hogs between the two high alpine areas, so you can hit the
slopes on both mountains on the same day.
You can beat the crowds with an early-morning Fresh Tracks ticket ($18), which must
be bought in advance at Whistler Village Gondola Guest Relations. With your regular lift
ticket, it gets you an extra hour on the slopes and the ticket includes breakfast at the