SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 323

glacier (2.5 kilometers/1.6 miles from the top of the gondola; Whistler Mountain). It's also
possible to rent snowshoes for $6 per hour to walk across areas of year-round snowpack.
Or for an adrenaline rush, take the gondola up (604/967-8950) and then bicycle down the
mountain with Backroads Whistler (604/932-3111, www.backroadswhistler.com ) .
The main lifts on both mountains operate mid-June through mid-October, with the clas-
sic Peak 2 Peak circuit allowing a 4.4-kilometer (2.8-mile) loop incorporating the moun-
tains. A day pass for unlimited lift use is adult $49, senior $42, child $25. A season pass
is adult $80, senior $68, child $44. Summer lift hours are 10am-5pm daily (during the first
couple of weekends of June and October, 11am-4pm). These dates vary between the moun-
tains and are totally dependent on snow cover or the lack of it. Dining facilities are available
on both mountains, or grab a picnic basket lunch from any of the delis down in the village.
Even if it's a beautiful day down in the valley, expect the unexpected and take a warm
wind-or waterproof coat in anticipation of a change in the weather. Also, some of the hiking
trails can be rough, so wear good hiking boots if you plan to explore away from the main
trails.
Hiking
The easiest way to access the area's most spectacular hiking country is to take a sightseeing
lift up Whistler or Blackcomb Mountain, but many other options exist. Walking around
Whistler Valley you'll notice sign-posted trails all over the place. Valley Trail is a paved
walkway/bikeway in summer and a cross-country ski trail in winter. It makes an almost
complete tour of the valley, from Whistler Village to Lost Lake and Green Lake, along
the River of Golden Dreams, past three golf courses to Alta Lake, Nita Lake, and Alpha
Lake, and finally to Highway 99 in the Whistler Creekside area. If you'd rather do a short
walk, head for Lost Lake via the two-kilometer (1.2-mile) trail from Parking Lot East at the
back of Whistler Village, or via the WAVE transit bus from the middle of the village. Once
at the beautiful lake, you can saunter along the shore, picnic, swim, or, in winter, cross-
country ski.
SUMMER SKIING AND BOARDING
Just because the calendar, thermometer, and sun's angle say it's summer doesn't
mean winter sports are months away. Whistler Blackcomb is one of just two North
American resorts offering lift-served summer skiing. Between mid-June and late July