Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TheOlympicinfluenceisevidentallalongtheSeatoSkyHighway.Thoughatonetime
calledahighwayofdeathforitsplunging,unprotectedshoulder,thenarrowtwo-laneroad-
way was expanded to allow the influx of visitors to converge on Whistler's snowy slopes.
At the visitor center located on Gateway Drive, visitors can learn about Olympic venue
tours and exhibits, as well as other attractions, such as shopping and dining, and the paved
Valley Trail connecting many area parks with the village center.
The resort's resident population of about 10,000 swells to receive 2.1 million visitors
each year, a big change for a town that got its start in 1914 as a humble fishing lodge. At
the time, trappers and settlers came to call it Whistler for the “whistling” sound made by
the native hoary marmots.
The area has long been home to the Squamish and Lil'wat nations, and Whistler itself
marked a crossroads in their trading routes. Today the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center
on Lorimer Road explores the heritage of these Coast Salish nations through exhibitions,
guided tours, workshops, and demonstrations.
Hay bales dot meadows in fertile Pemberton Valley.
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