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Join us for a week of exploration of Canada’s
West Coast, from thriving Vancouver, up the coast of Howe Sound
and across a mountain pass to the scenic village of Whistler. We
start and end in one of the most beautiful cities in the world,
Vancouver. You’ll have an evening at each end of the trip to
explore this vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan city as it sparkles
over the Straits of Georgia at the western edge of Canada.
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Our Canadian Adventure begins in the lovely city
of Vancouver, British Columbia on the Pacific coast. We will begin
with a welcome dinner and orientation to the week's events at one
of this city's fine restaurants. Later you may want to check out
some of the gay bars in town. But save your energy! You have a
great week of activities in store for you.
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Today we head to Whistler via the Sea to Sky
Highway. Just a short drive northwest of Vancouver, we'll see an
amazing variety of scenery built precariously along the edge of
Howe Sound. The sound – one of the southernmost fjords in North
America – sits among mountains jutting straight out from the
ocean. Their jagged peaks, frosted white with the remnants of
ancient glaciers, define the horizon.
We will stop at picturesque area
of Squamish, located at the head of the sound. We’ll hike to the
base of Stawamus Chief, one of the world’s largest granite
monoliths, then continue through the stunted shore pines, hemlock,
Sitka spruce, and a few legendary Douglas Pines, until we come
upon 1200-foot Shannon Falls. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in a
meadow near the base of the falls. With over 200 routes climbing
straight up this dome, we recommend climbers consider a guided
tour here on your free day later in the week.
Returning to the Sea to Sky
Highway, we begin our climb to Whistler. On these ancient paths,
generations of coastal Salish people traded goods with their
neighbors in the interior Fraser River Canyon, while in the
1850's, prospectors stampeded north towards the Cariboo gold
fields. Long before that, glaciers almost completely covered these
valleys, sliding past all but the uppermost peaks and creating the
sawtooth peaks we see on Mt. Garibaldi in front of us.
There is magic at the summit of
the small valley at Whistler. A cluster of small lakes reflect the
outline of the mountains high above. Alta Lake divides the Sea to
Sky corridor, its water flowing from the south end reaches the
Pacific via the Cheakamus and Squamish Rivers, while water flowing
from its north end in the River of Golden Dreams eventually
reaches the ocean through the Fraser River.
There is a wealth of lakes to
mirror the surrounding mountains. As you gaze from the reflection
to admire the real thing, the contours of the ski runs on
Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains can be seen on the forested
slopes. Above the tree line, you can still see remnants of the
most recent ice age in the glaciers that encrust the highest
peaks.
We'll stop at our bike shop and
our knowledgeable guides will fit us with our bikes for the week,
discuss this afternoon's ride, and following a safety briefing,
we'll embark on a short introductory ride around Lost Lake (don't
worry, you won't get lost!). After a short break and perhaps a
swim at the lake (there's even a nude swimming pier), we return to
check into our modern hotel, and explore the village, before
gathering for a casual dinner.
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Vancouver and Whistler will co-host the 2010
Winter Olympic Games. Whistler Mountain, together with its sister
mountain Blackcomb, is considered the largest and often the best
ski area in North America, with reliable snow and over 5200 feet
of vertical drop for skiing. In addition to the winter appeal,
it's a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts during the summer months.
Miles of wilderness hiking and biking trails are easily accessible
from our hotel. In the valley, over 30 miles of paved pathways
wend their way along clear-running rivers, past spring-fed and
glacial lakes, across wooden covered bridges, and throughout this
world-class resort community.
Our week of adventure is designed
to be enjoyable for both more- and less- experienced riders and
hikers. You’ll generally either have printed route options of
varying difficulty, or separate guides to accompany riders of
different experience levels. Local guides are available throughout
the trip to offer tips on riding, negotiating "single
track" and mountainous terrain, as well as teaching us about
the local flora, fauna, geology, and history of the valley.
Today, we bike the smooth and
often paved trails around Lost, Green, and Alta Lakes aboard our
21-speed hybrid bikes or you may choose from more aggressive
full-suspension mountain bikes, for an additional fee. On our
ride, we spin past thick forests, impressive luxury homes,
stunning golf courses, babbling brooks, and perhaps even an
occasional black bear in this scenic valley. Our route has been
designed to take in the astonishing views and to allow you time to
get accustomed to riding on varying terrain. Your guides will stop
often to point out and interpret the natural and cultural history
along the route.
After a picnic lunch at Rainbow
Park and a swim in spring-fed Alta Lake, we will hop in canoes to
paddle down the River of Golden Dreams. This is a leisurely
adventure to enjoy the mountain scenery and close out our first
day in Whistler. You can choose more strenuous paddling later in
the week if you wish. Our ride takes us from Alta Lake to the
aquamarine waters of Green Lake along a slow moving crystal clear
river. The mountain views are spectacular as you paddle through
wetlands, viewing an abundance of waterfowl, birds, flowers and
forests. Afterwards, we will hop back on our bikes to conclude our
loop ride back to Whistler Village.
A quick shower and you'll have
time to savor a quiet moment at a coffee house or enjoy happy hour
on an outdoor terrace, watching the crowd wander around the
village. Over 100 restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, art galleries,
cinemas, sports stores and gift boutiques line the cobblestone
pedestrian-only streets of Whistler, a cosmopolitan vibrancy that
would make even the incurable urbanite feel at home.
Tonight you are on your own for
dinner. Our guides will be happy to assist with suggestions and
reservations, whether you're seeking Thai, Greek, continental,
Spanish tapas, Mexican, French, Italian or a choice of many other
cuisines that may stir your interest. |
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The coastal mountains push skyward as a result
of tectonic activity and the process continues today. Rising by
centimeters each century, glacial activity has eroded the tops of
the mountains into jagged peaks and U-shaped valleys. The glaciers
have retreated and are much smaller today than they were just 300
years ago, but remnants cling to the peaks and still scrape the
underlying rock as they pass, creating milky white rivers below.
Our wilderness bike ride today
takes us along one of these raging glacial rivers, flowing out of
Cheakamus Lake (Salish for fishbone). The Millar Creek Trail
closely follows the Cheakamus River up to the lake. We’ll look
for wildlife such as black bear, coyote, birds, and a member of
the squirrel family, the hoary marmot, whose shrill whistle gave
Whistler its name. These furry marmots live in rock falls and
scree, gaining as much weight as possible during the summer to
last them through their seven-month winter hibernation. Perched on
top of boulders, they’ll screech their high-pitched whistle to
alert others of our approach.
Soon we will pass through one of
the last stands of pristine old growth forests in the region.
Thousand year old giant Douglas Pines, Hemlock, and ancient
cedars, all protected within Garibaldi Provincial Park, are awe
inspiring. The ride along the trail up the river is challenging,
but it will be worth it. Lunch will be served lakeside as we soak
in the views of the massive peaks and glaciers across Cheakamus
Lake. Our return to Whistler Village will follow new trails, most
of which, thankfully, are downhill! |
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There are so many activities around Whistler to
experience that we offer you a day to choose your own adventure.
Options include glacial skiing, world-class golfing, hiking,
down-hill biking, whitewater rafting, fishing, bungee jumping,
whitewater kayaking, or the recently built, celebrated Zip-Trek
canopy ride across a rushing river. It's your vacation though, so
you don't have to be active if you don't want to. You can also
consider a day of pampering with a massage and facial at the
Avello Spa.
If you enjoy impressive views
from up high, consider a ride to the high alpine slopes aboard the
Whistler Mountain Gondola! The twenty minute ride delivers you
almost four thousand feet above the Village, where you can grab a
bite to eat or try one of the alpine trails, such as the Musical
Bumps trail along the ridge line. Climbing 900 feet from the top
of the gondola, the summit trail tops out on Whistler Mountain
Peak with views into the valley, Vancouver Island and the Pacific.
A less-crowded trail takes you around the mountain to Singing
Pass, where you'll look down on beautiful Cheakamus Lake. If
you're up for it, another twelve kilometers of hiking will deliver
you back to the village. Don't go too far, however, because we
have a great alpine hike planned for tomorrow.
Recently built just above
Whistler is the Ziptrek, a two and a half hour journey during
which you ride on a series of cables across the creek, and walk
along various suspension bridges, platforms and hiking paths,
exploring the hidden beauty of Fitzsimmons Creek and the heavily
forested valley between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. You’ll
be outfitted with a harness and helmet, given a thorough safety
briefing, then sent flying at speeds up to 45 mph across a system
of five cables, above and through the temperate rain forest
canopy. Ready for a hook-up?
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Hopefully you didn't play too hard yesterday,
because we have an awesome alpine hike today at pristine Joffre
Lakes. If we have time, we'll stop for a quick visit to Nairn
Falls on the Green River, to see where the river has created
whirlpool waterfalls in ancient volcanoes. Shortly afterward, we
arrive in Pemberton Valley, a green pocket of agricultural land
widely known for its seed potatoes, and affectionately dubbed
"Spud Valley" by locals. Snow-covered peaks shoot 4,000
feet above the fertile valley, catching the multi-hued colors as
the sun climbs their peaks.
A short while later we arrive at
the trailhead for Joffre Lakes. The trail runs through ancient
forests, through corridors of massive Devils Club, ferns and
mosses, across boulder fields and into the alpine tundra. Just ten
minutes up the trail, we arrive at a stunning view: the lower
Joffre lake mirroring saw-tooth peaks, towering spruce, and the
shining white Matier Glacier above. This is pristine mountain
wilderness! As we follow a cascading glacial stream, the sun
reflects off the glacier ahead...while the aquamarine lower lake
shimmers below. After a good hike, we arrive at a sandy beach on
the middle lake, just below the glacier, where we'll break for
lunch. Those with more energy can climb another thirty minutes to
the top lake situated directly under the glacier.
The return hike is almost all
downhill and presents an entirely different view of the valley as
the western sun hits the mountains across the valley. A last stop
at the lower lake allows us the opportunity to etch this alpine
beauty into our memories to remain with us long after our
departure tomorrow from Whistler.
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After a leisurely morning where you can take
that last hike or perhaps do some last minute shopping, we head
back down the coast to Vancouver. You can rest up after we check
into our hotel before we enjoy our Farewell Dinner at a local
restaurant. After dinner, you'll have a chance to check out
Vancouver's nightlife.
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Our tour ends today. There are no group
activities planned, so you can catch a flight whenever you wish.
Some of us will want to spend some extra time in the vibrant city
of Vancouver.
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