Whistler ( Lillooet/Ucwalmícwts: Cwitima, ; Squamish/Sḵwx̱wú7mesh: Sḵwiḵw, ) is a

resort municipality A resort municipality is a type of municipal status in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. British Columbia also has a related municipal status type of mountain resort municipality. The lone resort municipalit ...

Squamish-Lillooet Regional District The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is a quasi-municipal administrative area in British Columbia, Canada. It stretches from Britannia Beach in the south to Pavilion in the north. Lillooet, Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish are the fou ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. It is located in the southern

Pacific Ranges , photo = Mount Garibaldi (50997016501).jpg , photo_size = 280px , photo_caption = Mount Garibaldi massif as seen from Squamish , map = , map_image = South BC-NW USA-relief PacificRanges.png , ...

of the Coast Mountains, approximately north of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

and south of Pemberton. It has a permanent population of approximately 13,982 (2021), as well as a larger but rotating population of seasonal workers. Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and snowboarding and, in the summer, mountain biking at

Whistler Blackcomb Whistler Blackcomb is a ski resort located in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. By many measures it is the largest ski resort in North America and has the greatest uphill lift capacity. It features the Peak 2 Peak Gondola for moving between ...

. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards, and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s. During the

2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gret ...

, Whistler hosted most of the alpine, Nordic, luge, skeleton, and

bobsled Bobsleigh or bobsled is a team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Feder ...

events.

History

The Whistler Valley is located around the pass between the headwaters of the

Green River Green River may refer to: Rivers Canada * Green River (British Columbia), a tributary of the Lillooet River *Green River, a tributary of the Saint John River, also known by its French name of Rivière Verte *Green River (Ontario), a tributary of ...

and the upper-middle reaches of the Cheakamus. It is flanked by glaciated mountains on both sides; the

Garibaldi Ranges The Garibaldi Ranges are the next-to-southwesternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains; only the North Shore Mountains are farther southwest. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River and G ...

on the side that contains the ski mountains, and a group of ranges with no collective name but that are part of the larger

and are essentially fore-ranges of the Pemberton Icefield. Although there are a few other routes through the maze of mountains between the basin of the

Lillooet River The Lillooet River is a major river of the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. It begins at Silt Lake, on the southern edge of the Lillooet Crown Icecap about 80 kilometres northwest of Pemberton and about 85 kilometres northwest of W ...

just east, the Cheakamus-Green divide is the lowest and most direct.

Indigenous settlement

Before Whistler was founded, it was the shared ancestral territories of the indigenous Squamish people (Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh), known in English as the

Squamish Nation The Squamish Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw () in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim (Squamish language), is an Indian Act government originally imposed on the Squamish (''Sḵwx̱wú7mesh'') by the Federal Government of Canada in the late 19th ce ...

, and L̓il̓wat7úl, known in English as Lil'wat First Nation (originally Srap7úl). Their history is tied to the rivers, lakes, and mountains that were used as reference for direction and travel. In the Late Pleistocene era, long before European settlement, Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh and L̓il̓wat7ú shared a village known as Spo7ez "at the confluence of

Rubble Creek Rubble Creek is a creek in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It flows northwest from Garibaldi Lake into the Cheakamus River near the abandoned settlement of Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he ...

and the Cheakamus River at Function Junction in Whistler." This location represents the long-standing relationship of the two nations who used Spo7ez as a hub of trade and commerce between the two nations. Spo7ez was buried after Black Tusk Volcano erupted causing a massive rockslide that buried the ancient village under hundreds of metres of rubble. From this point forward both Nations continued to co-habitat within the region travelling to the area in the warmer months where they established seasonal camps for hunting and trapping. Prior to settlement of the first European fishing and trapping communities L̓il̓wat7ú Nation members lived in camps along green lake, but were rousted by police in order to make way for the rail way and other infrastructure around the lake. Evidence was found of an Istken pit-house on the land that became the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which was used by the Wolf Clan (now known as the Wallace Family) as shelter.

European settlement

The first British survey by the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

took place in the 1860s. These surveyors named the mountain London Mountain because of the heavy fog and cloud typically gathering around the mountain, but the area informally acquired the name "Whistler" due to the call of the

hoary marmot The hoary marmot (''Marmota caligata'') is a species of marmot that inhabits the mountains of northwest North America. Hoary marmots live near the tree line on slopes with grasses and forbs to eat and rocky areas for cover. It is the largest Nor ...

. In the late 19th century, a

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...

was cut through the valley, linking

Lillooet Lillooet () is a district municipality in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth. On BC Highway 99, the locality is by road abo ...

via Pemberton with Burrard Inlet via a pass from Squamish to the Seymour River. The trail was completed in 1877, but because of the difficult and unforgiving terrain, it was only used once for its intended purpose, which was to drive cattle. The area began to attract trappers and prospectors (such as John Millar and Henry Horstman) who established small camps in the area in the early 20th century. The area began to gain recognition with the arrival of Myrtle and Alex Philip, who in 1914 purchased of land on Alta Lake and established the

Rainbow Lodge 300px, Rainbow Lodge sat centre left at far end of lake by grove of orange poplars on Alta Lake; Whistler sits out of view at right. Rainbow Lodge was a small railway resort and was the first commercial fishing and weekend retreat cabin on Alta La ...

. The Philips had relocated from

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

in 1910 and had heard rumours of the natural beauty of the area from Pemberton pioneer John Millar. After an exploratory journey, the couple was convinced. Rainbow Lodge and other railway-dependent tourist resorts were collectively known as

Alta Lake Alta Lake may refer to: * Alta Lake State Park, Washington, US * Alta Lake (British Columbia), British Columbia, Canada * Alta Lake, British Columbia, a former recreational community and BCR railway station, now part of the Resort Municipality ...

. Along with the rest of the valley bridging the Cheakamus and Green River basins, they became part of British Columbia's first Resort Municipality in 1975. Completion of the

Pacific Great Eastern Railway The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

in 1914 greatly reduced the travel time from three days, providing ease of access from Vancouver, and the Rainbow Lodge gained a reputation as the most popular vacation destination west of the Rockies. The lodge was primarily a summer destination, with boating, fishing and hiking among the most popular activities, and soon other lodges began to open not just on Alta Lake, but on other valley lakes as well. Appreciation of the outdoors was not the only activity in the valley, however. Logging was a booming industry. During the first half of the 20th century, most of the lower slopes of the surrounding mountains were cleared of old-growth. At its peak, four mills were in operation, most located around Green Lake. Prospecting and trapping were pursued as well, though no claims of great value were ever staked.

Demographics

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Whistler had a population of 13,982 living in 5,597 of its 10,065 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 11,746. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Whistler included: *

Irreligion Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ...

(9,755 persons or 72.7%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

(3,280 persons or 24.4%) *

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...

(145 persons or 1.1%) *

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...

(75 persons or 0.6%) * Islam (50 persons or 0.4%) * Indigenous Spirituality (10 persons or 0.1%) *Other (95 persons or 0.7%)

Insignia

The resort town was granted heraldic symbols by the

Canadian Heraldic Authority The Canadian Heraldic Authority (CHA; french: Autorité héraldique du Canada) is part of the Canadian honours system under the Canadian monarch, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General of Canada. The authority is responsible for t ...

in January 2016.

Activities

Whistler is known for its

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

and snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

in the summer. Other winter activities that are enjoyed in Whistler are cross country skiing, skate skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, telemark skiing, and tobogganing. Summer activities enjoyed in Whistler include

golfing Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping w ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

trail running Trail running is a sport-activity which combines running, and, where there are steep gradients, hiking, that is run "on any unpaved surface". It is similar to both mountain and fell running (also known as hill running). Mountain running may, h ...

, mountain biking, outdoor yoga, and hiking. For skiing, arguably the main attraction of Whistler, the different run difficulties (easiest to hardest) are green (circle), blue (square), black (diamond), and double black (diamond). Throughout the year each run's difficulty stays the same. There are many signs around the mountain that indicate the difficulty of the runs and there are "expert only" signs at the bottom of some chairlifts indicating that most of the runs accessible from that chair are black diamonds or double black diamonds.

1968 and 1976 Winter Olympic bids

Until the 1960s, this quiet area was without basic infrastructure. There were no sewage facilities, water, or electricity, and no road from Squamish or

. In 1962, four Vancouver businessmen began to explore the area with the intent of building a ski resort and bidding for the

1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...

. Garibaldi Lift Company was formed, shares were sold, and in 1966,

Whistler Mountain Whistler Mountain is a mountain in the Fitzsimmons Range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, located on the northwestern edge of Garibaldi Provincial Park. It is the location of the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort and the town of Whist ...

opened to the public. Later, the town, then still known as

, was offered the

1976 Winter Olympics The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games (german: XII. Olympische Winterspiele, french: XIIes Jeux olympiques d'hiver) and commonly known as Innsbruck 1976 ( bar, Innschbruck 1976, label= Austro-Bavarian), was a ...

after the selected host city

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

declined the games due to funding issues. Alta Lake ''Whistler'' declined as well, after elections ushered in a local government less enthusiastic about the Olympics. The 1976 Winter Olympics were ultimately held in Innsbruck,

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

2010 Winter Olympics

Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the Vancouver

and Paralympic Games, the first time the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...

has bestowed that designation on a community. Whistler hosted the alpine technical and speed events, the sliding events at

Fitzsimmons Creek Fitzsimmons Creek is a large creek in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, having its origins at the Fitzsimmons Glacier in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains. For half its length of approximately 10 kilometres, the creek courses a U-shap ...

, the Nordic events in the nearby

Callaghan Valley The Callaghan Valley is located in the Sea to Sky Country of southwestern, British Columbia, in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains 90 km north of Vancouver. It was the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics's Whistler Olympic Park, the venu ...

and all the Paralympic events except the opening ceremonies, sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. The

Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village The Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village was a 2010 Winter Olympics facility in the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia. The Olympic Village is considered one of Whistler's legacy projects, in that it is being used after the Olympics to ...

(commonly referred to as the Athlete's village) housed around 2,400 athletes, coaches, trainers and officials. Post-games, the site has been turned into a new residential neighbourhood, Cheakamus Crossing.

Transportation

Whistler is located on

British Columbia Highway 99 Highway 99 is a provincial highway in British Columbia that serves Greater Vancouver and the Squamish–Lillooet corridor over a length of . It is a major north–south artery within Vancouver and connects the city to several suburbs as well ...

, also known as the "Sea to Sky Highway", approximately north of Squamish, and 125 km (76 mi) from Vancouver. The highway connects Whistler to the British Columbia Interior via Pemberton- Mount Currie to

and connections beyond to the Trans-Canada and

Cariboo Highway Highway 97 is a major highway in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the longest continuously numbered route in the province, running and is the only route that runs the entire north–south length of the British Columbia, connec ...

s. Passenger rail service is only provided at the

Whistler railway station Whistler station is a railway station located in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, along the BC Rail line. The operations of the line are now run by Canadian National via a long-term lease between CN & BC Rail. Rocky Mountaineer runs a sin ...

between Vancouver and Jasper by the

Rocky Mountaineer Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian rail-tour company based in Vancouver that operates luxury scenic trains on four rail routes in British Columbia, Alberta, Colorado, and Utah. History Via Rail Canada The Rocky Mountaineer concept was created b ...

, using Canadian National Railway tracks from North Vancouver via Whistler and Prince George. The station for tour passengers embarking from Whistler is in the Southside area, between Nita and Alpha Lakes. Local bus transit service is provided by the Whistler and Valley Express, which also provides service to Pemberton. A shuttle bus service from the Vancouver Airport and

Downtown Vancouver Downtown Vancouver is the central business district and the city centre neighbourhood of Vancouver, Canada, on the northwestern shore of the Burrard Peninsula in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. It occupies most of the north shor ...

is provided by the Whistler Shuttle and

YVR Skylynx YVR Skylynx is a bus operator operating in Vancouver, Squamish, British Columbia, Squamish and Whistler, British Columbia, Whistler. Description As of December 12, 2018, YVR Skylynx runs direct from Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver Cit ...

Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located from Downtown Vancouver. It is the second busie ...

is the main international airport for Whistler residents and tourists and is located south.

Pemberton Regional Airport

Pemberton Regional Airport Pemberton Regional Airport is a registered aerodrome located south southeast of Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada. Canadians and a few US pilots practiced landing here, to train for Kandahar, Afghanistan. Facilities There is an automatic ...

is a public airport serving Pemberton and Whistler. It is the closest airport for fixed-wing non-amphibious aircraft and is 38 minutes north of Whistler. There are no scheduled flights but three charter services operate out of the airport.

Whistler (Municipal) Heliport

Whistler (Municipal) Heliport is a public heliport operated by the Whistler Heliport Society. Currently there are no scheduled flights but charter services to/from

, Vancouver/Harbour (Public) Heliport and Victoria Harbour (Camel Point) Heliport are available.

Whistler/Green Lake Water Aerodrome

Whistler/Green Lake Water Aerodrome Whistler/Green Lake Water Aerodrome is located on Green Lake adjacent to Whistler, in British Columbia, Canada. It offers glacier tours, twice daily scheduled service between Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, Vancouver International Water Airp ...

is a public floatplane base owned and operated by Harbour Air Group and Whistler Air. Seasonal scheduled flights are provided by Harbour Air Seaplanes and

West Coast Air West Coast Air was a Canadian scheduled airline operating de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter float planes, which was integrated into Harbour Air Seaplanes. History Harbour Air Seaplanes of Vancouver acquired West Coast Air and consolidated the ...

Victoria Inner Harbour Airport Victoria Inner Harbour Airport or Victoria Harbour Water Airport is located in Victoria Harbour, adjacent to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Transport Canada and is staffed by the Canada ...

and

Vancouver Harbour Water Airport Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome or Vancouver Coal Harbour Seaplane Base , is a registered aerodrome located at Coal Harbour in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The flight centre is within walking distance of ...

. The

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their technological characteri ...

base is located at the Nicklaus North subdivision on the South end of Green Lake.

Directions

Whistler is located on the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99), which goes from the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Surrey, British Columbia to the

(Highway 97) north of

Cache Creek, British Columbia Cache Creek is a historic transportation junction and incorporated village northeast of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is on the Trans-Canada Highway in the province of British Columbia at a junction with Highway 97. The same in ...

. North of Whistler is Pemberton, British Columbia, which is about north of the mountain village. Also north is Lillooet, British Columbia, which is north of Whistler. South of the village is Squamish, British Columbia, about a drive. Also located south is

, which is south of the village.

Climate

Whistler has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Dfb'') or an oceanic climate (Köppen ''Cfb'') depending on the isotherm used. It has cold wet winters with significant snowfall and cloud cover, and warm summers which are somewhat dry. On average Whistler receives approximately 11 days with temperatures over , and approximately 24 days on average with temperatures falling below .

Flora

Whistler is a collection of

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...

s ranging from coniferous mixed forest on the valley floor, to slightly drier slopes, to Alpine tundra in the

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

. The wet West Coast marine temperate climate in the valley floor is characterized by a coniferous mixed forest, with a preponderance of

western red cedar ''Thuja plicata'' is an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to western North America. Its common name is western redcedar (western red cedar in the UK), and it is also called Pacific redcedar, giant arborvitae ...

—a continuation of the rainforest of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Tho ...

. The slopes are slightly drier and are also coniferous mixed forest with

western hemlock ''Tsuga heterophylla'', the western hemlock or western hemlock-spruce, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma ...

(''Tsuga heterophylla'') and

mountain hemlock ''Tsuga mertensiana'', known as mountain hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, found between Southcentral Alaska and south-central California. Description ''Tsuga mertensiana'' is a large evergreen conifer ...

(''Tsuga mertensiana''), Whistler hybrid spruce ( Sitka spruce and

Engelmann spruce ''Picea engelmannii'', with the common names Engelmann spruce, white spruce, mountain spruce, and silver spruce, is a species of spruce native to western North America. It is mostly a high-altitude mountain tree but also appears in watered canyon ...

).Getting to know Whistler's trees – Museum Musings
/ref> The last is "a hybrid spruce that is unique to Whistler, aptly dubbed the "Whistler Spruce." The Whistler spruce hybrid is indicative of Whistler's geographic position—we're not quite coastal, but not quite interior". A hybrid of the wetter West Coast Sitka spruce (''Picea sitchensis'') – that ranges from Northern California to

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

and the drier Interior Engelmann spruce (''Picea engelmannii''). Others include the Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii''),

lodgepole pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpin ...

(''Pinus contorta''), endangered

whitebark pine ''Pinus albicaulis'', known by the common names whitebark pine, white bark pine, white pine, pitch pine, scrub pine, and creeping pine, is a conifer tree native to the mountains of the western United States and Canada, specifically subalpine ...

(''Pinus albicaulis''). The higher slopes transition to many species of scrub juniper, Rocky Mountain Juniper (''Juniperus scopulorum''), and many species of scrub

willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...

in the genus Salix at the

tree line The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snow ...

, and to Arctic tundra like conditions in the high alpine above the tree line. Both the valley floor and the mountain sides are characterized as mixed forest, predominantly conifers, but with a peppering of a few

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

trees like the

Pacific dogwood ''Cornus nuttallii'', the Pacific dogwood, western dogwood, or mountain dogwood, is a species of dogwood tree native to western North America. Description It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching tall, often with a canopy spre ...

''(Cornus nuttallii''), locally extinct Pacific

crabapple ''Malus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated orchard apple, crab apples, wild apples, and rainberries. The genus is native to the temperate zone o ...

(''

Malus fusca ''Malus fusca'', with the common names Oregon crabapple and Pacific crabapple, is a species of crabapple native to western North America. Description ''Malus fusca'' is a deciduous tree growing up to tall, with a trunk thick. The leaves are lo ...

'') or ''Pryus fusca'',

bitter cherry ''Prunus emarginata'', the bitter cherry or Oregon cherry, is a species of ''Prunus'' native to western North America, from British Columbia south to Baja California, and east as far as western Wyoming and New Mexico. It is often found in recent ...

(''Prunus emarginata''), pin cherry (''Prunus pensylvanica''),

choke cherry ''Prunus virginiana'', commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry (also black chokecherry for ''P. virginiana'' var. ''demissa''), is a species of bird cherry (''Prunus'' subgenus ''Padus'') nat ...

(''Prunus virginiana''),

Red Alder ''Alnus rubra'', the red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana). Description Red alder is the largest species of alder in Nort ...

(''Alnus rubra''), Sitka Alder (''Alnus sinuata''),

Paper Birch ''Betula papyrifera'' (paper birch, also known as (American) white birch and canoe birch) is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named for the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper like ...

(''Betula papyrifera''),

big leaf maple ''Acer macrophyllum'', the bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a large deciduous tree in the genus '' Acer''. It is native to western North America, mostly near the Pacific coast, from southernmost Alaska to southern California. Some stands are al ...

(''Acer macrophyllum''),

Douglas maple ''Acer glabrum'' is a species of maple native to western North America, from southeastern Alaska, British Columbia and western Alberta, east to western Nebraska, and south through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Colorado to California, Ari ...

(''Acer glabrum'') Whistler was clear cut twice. The Oregon Grape ''Mahonia aquifolium'' (AKA hollyleaved barberry
USDA Plants Database
and Highbush Cranberry ''Viburnum opulus'' were accidentally re-introduced as escaped landscaping plants, and may all be Oregonian subspecies. All the wild Pacific crabapples were dug up by Pemberton Pioneers for grafting Rootstock. It is unclear whether the Chickasaw Plum, ''Prunus americana'' was indigenous, or introduced by Indigenous Transcontinental Trade Networks or later Western Contact. All the wild Plums were dug up too by Pemberton Pioneers for fruit trees to transplant and as rootstock. Once abundant on the forest floor, Lingonberry ''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'' is no longer found because of the loss of habitat through the clear-cutting.

Education

The

School District 48 Sea to Sky School District No. 48 (Sea to Sky) is a school district in British Columbia, Canada. The school district serves three major population centres along the Sea-to-Sky Corridor The Sea-to-Sky Corridor, often referred to as the Corridor or the Sea t ...

operates public schools in Whistler. There are two elementary schools, Myrtle Phillip Elementary and Spring Creek Elementary. There is one high school in the community, it is named

Whistler Secondary School Whistler Secondary (or WSS) is a public high school in Whistler, British Columbia, and is part of School District 48 Sea to Sky. It is located opposite the subdivision of Alpine Meadows, north of the Whistler townsite adjacent to the Sea to Sky H ...

. The ''

Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique The ''Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique'' (also known as Francophone Education Authority or School District No 93) is the French-language school board for all French schools located in British Columbia. Its headquarters are i ...

'' operates one Francophone primary school in that city: the ''école La Passerelle''.

Media

Print media

Whistler has one weekly newspaper, ''

Pique Newsmagazine ''Pique Newsmagazine'' is the only newspaper serving the resort community of Whistler, British Columbia. It was founded in 1994 and operated as an independent, locally owned weekly newspaper until July 2013, when it was purchased by Glacier Media ...

'', published every Thursday. The Whistler Answer was published intermittently from 1977 to the 1990s. The Lost Duck is a monthly events guide and calendar that lists what is happening in the resort. Other tourist-oriented, print media such as FAQ, Visitors Choice and Whistler Magazine are published from quarterly to once or twice a year.

Radio

An internet radio site for the community exists It is designed to be a community radio station showcasing local music talent and interests of relative importance. History: 28 November 2003, "Feds shut down local pirate radio station... frequency 105.5 FM in the Whistler area, received a visit from Industry Canada and local

RCMP The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...

officer", Federal Police. ''Freeradio'' Whistler still legally broadcasts over the Internet at freewhistler.com.

Television

The incumbent

cable television Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with bro ...

provider in Whistler is

Shaw Cable Shaw Communications Inc. is a Canadian telecommunications company which provides telephone, Internet, television, and mobile services. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Shaw provides home telecommunications services primarily in Alberta and Br ...

. Additional service providers covering Whistler include

Telus TV Telus Optik TV is a product of Telus Communications, a subsidiary of Telus Corporation, that provides IPTV service in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. The service offers over 630 digital channels, including more ...

(Optik

IPTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded med ...

service and Telus Satellite TV),

Shaw Direct Shaw Direct is a direct broadcast satellite television distributor in Canada and a subsidiary of the telecommunications company Shaw Communications. As of 2010, Shaw Direct had over 900,000 subscribers. It broadcasts on Ku band from two commu ...

(satellite), and

Bell Satellite TV Bell Satellite TV (french: Bell Télé; formerly known as Bell ExpressVu, Dish Network Canada and ExpressVu Dish Network and not to be confused with Bell's IPTV Fibe TV service) is the division of BCE Inc. that provides satellite television ser ...

(satellite). Whistler was previously served by CBUWT-TV channel 13, a CBC Television repeater of

CBUT-DT CBUT-DT (channel 2) is a television station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, serving as the West Coast flagship of CBC Television. It is part of a twinstick with Ici Radio-Canada Télé station CBUFT-DT (channel 26). Both stations sh ...

(

); that station shut down in 2012 due to budget cuts affecting the CBC.

In Media

The television show '' Whistler'' takes place in Whistler. ''Whistler'', the series is a Canadian

television drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

centering on the aftermath of the mysterious death of a local snowboard legend. The series was set in the ski resort of the same name and aired for two seasons from 2006 to 2008. It was created by Kelly Senecal and developed by Patrick Banister, John Barbisan, Mindy Heslin, and Susan James. The television series '' Peak Season'' is filmed in Whistler and documents the lives of people that live there. Reality Show Fresh Meat II was filmed in Whistler. The community also appeared as the location for Shane and Carmen's wedding in The L Word (season 3, episode 12) Whistler was also featured on The Real Housewives of Orange County and ABC's Extreme Weight Loss. Reality show

Gene Simmons Family Jewels ''Gene Simmons Family Jewels'' is an American reality television series that premiered on A&E on August 7, 2006. It follows Kiss bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons, his longtime partner and wife Shannon Tweed, and their two children, Nick and S ...

filmed some episodes in Whistler. It is an American

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early ...

series that premiered on A&E on 7 August 2006. The show follows the life of

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons, his longtime

partner Partner, Partners, The Partner, or, The Partners may refer to: Books * ''The Partner'' (Grisham novel), by John Grisham, 1997 * ''The Partner'' (Jenaro Prieto novel), 1928 * ''The Partners'' (book), a 1983 book by James B. Stewart * ''Partner'' (m ...

and wife

Shannon Tweed Shannon Lee Tweed Simmons (born March 10, 1957) is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller. Tweed has appeared in more than 60 films and in ...

, and their two children,

Nick Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Place ...

and Sophie. Sophie Tweed-Simmons has her own reality TV series spin off in production. Filming began December 2013, in Whistler,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, and Nashville. Sophie and her mother, model Shannon Tweed, will be the focus of the new show. Producers of the show are Force Four Entertainment, Vancouver. Eight -hour episodes are to be broadcast on W Network Canada in the spring of 2014.

Kansai TV JODX-DTV, virtual channel 8 ( UHF digital channel 17), branded as or , is the Kansai region key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS), operated by the . Kansai TV is a company affiliated in Hankyu Hanshin Holdin ...

Japan was produced in Whistler with a -hour TV special, ''Race to the Canadian Northern Lights''. Thirty minutes of footage on Whistler's winter activities, shopping, Village and spa. The show aired March 2001. It had a viewership of 3 million and had an estimated public relations value of $2 million. Stewardess Cops

Fuji Television JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...

AKA ''Fuji Network'', a popular Japanese drama, shot a two-hour special on location in Whistler during the fall of 2001. It was aired January 2002 and had an estimated audience of 22 million. Besides the 2010 Winter Olympics broadcasters from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, Australia's Today Show, and Japan have done daily up to week long segments from Whistler.

ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially fo ...

shows BMX Races from Whistler but they are really from nearby Pemberton's Green River BMX Track. Most videos of Whistler Backcountry

, snowboarding, and

snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

are filmed in the Pemberton Valley or area. The Whistler name has a much higher brand recognition.

Movies

The

Whistler Film Festival The Whistler Film Festival (WFF) is an annual film festival held in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Established in 2001, the festival is held the first weekend of December and includes juried competitive sections, the Borsos Awards, and the Pand ...

is produced by the Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS). It is held over five days from the first weekend of December. '' The Crash Reel'', a 2013 documentary and reality film, directed by Academy Award Nominee Lucy Walker, was filmed on location in Whistler. It features top-ranked American snowboarder Kevin Pearce, who because of injuries missed the

, dealing with his rival

Shaun White Shaun Roger White (born September 3, 1986) is an American former professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a five-time Olympian and a three-time Olympic gold medalist in half-pipe snowboarding. He holds the world record for the most X G ...

. It was a selection for the

, the

Montreal World Film Festival The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...

and the Sundance Film Festival. ''

Ski School A ski school is an establishment that teaches skiing, typically in a ski resort. The modern version of the ski school was invented by the Austrian ski pioneer Hannes Schneider in the early 1920s when he formalized instruction methods and establi ...

'', a 1991 comedy, with

Dean Cameron Dean Cameron (born Dean Eikleberry; December 25, 1962) is an American television and film actor and musician. He is known for his role as Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy '' Summer School''. He also played Dave Marshak i ...

, was filmed on location partially, in Whistler and on the mountain. '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe'' (2008) used the glacier above the community to stand in for

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

. ''

Why Did I Get Married? ''Why Did I Get Married?'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry. It was inspired by Perry's play of the same name. The film also stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Shar ...

'' (2008), which was directed, written and starred

Tyler Perry Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmma ...

, was shot on the slopes of

ski resort. '' White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf'' (1994) was directed by

Ken Olin Kenneth Edward Olin (born July 30, 1954) is an American actor, television director, and producer. He is known for his role as Michael Steadman in the ABC drama series ''Thirtysomething'' (1987–1991), for which he received a Golden Globe Award ...

, and stars Scott Bairstow,

Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...

Geoffrey Lewis Geoffrey Lewis may refer to: * Geoffrey Lewis (actor) (1935–2015), American character actor * Geoffrey Lewis (scholar) (1920–2008), British professor of Turkish * Geoffrey Lewis (philatelist), Australian philatelist * Geoffrey W. Lewis (died ...

and

Ethan Hawke Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor and film director. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. Hawke has directed three feature films, three off-Broadway plays, and a doc ...

. Whistler is the back drop for this Disney film. '' The Grey'' (2011), which was directed by

Joe Carnahan Joseph Aaron Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor whose films include ''Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane''; '' Narc''; ''Smokin' Aces''; ''The A-Team''; '' The Grey''; and ''Boss Level''. He al ...

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...

sips cocktails in The Cure Bar at Whistler's Nita Lake Lodge. '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1'' (2011) and '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2'' (2012) were not filmed in Whistler proper, but north and south of town. The crew was housed in Squamish and later Pemberton, but the stars were housed in Whistler hotels, hence the reason for all the star sightings in the village.

Gallery

File:View of whistler.jpg, View of Whistler from Whistler Mountain. File:Whistler ice sailor.jpg, Ice sailing in Whistler. File:Whistler Nita lake.JPG, Whistler Mountain as seen from Nita Lake in summer File:Whistler, BC, mountains.jpg, The "Stairway To Heaven" area boundary on Blackcomb Mountain in winter.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Resort municipalities in British Columbia Populated places in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District 1914 establishments in British Columbia