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Set out to conquer Whistler's network of biking trails with a guide from Arbutus Routes.
(Photo: Courtesy of Arbutus Routes) |
Earn serious bragging rights by scaling Whistler Peak on its Via Ferrata ($109; $48 lift ticket also required). One of the first of its kind in Canada, this type of ascent�whose name means �iron way� in Italian�is found throughout the Alps and comprises a series of fixed cables and rebar rungs affixed into the granite mountain face. Experienced guides demonstrate the basics of using an ice axe (you’ll likely have to hike through some snow at the start of your excursion before reaching the fixed route), as well as how to clip into the rungs and cables and find hand- and footholds in the rock between sections of rungs. No climbing experience is necessary for the approximately three-hour trek (several breaks are included), but the views at the 7,087-foot summit�look out for Whistler Village far in the distance�will make you feel like the most seasoned alpinist.
Pedal through some of North America’s most epic mountain-biking terrain in Whistler’s extensive trail system, which includes the 25-mile, paved Valley Trail connecting all of Whistler’s neighborhoods and weaving through parks, forests, and small valley lakes. Choose your wheels from high-end brands like Specialized and Yeti at Arbutus Routes in Whistler Village (rentals from $45/day; shop closes in early October for ski season but tours and guides can still be booked). More experienced riders looking for an adrenaline rush should head to Whistler’s world-class mountain-bike park, which boasts 4,900 vertical feet of lift-serviced descending trails over three separate levels�more terrain than any other bike park in the continent (lift access required; from $50).
Try out what locals call �The Whistler Triathlon�: three outdoorsy activities in one day. Start your tri by teeing off early at one of Whistler’s coveted greens: Whistler Golf Course or Big Sky Golf and Country Club (from $63); both offer spectacular mountain and lake vistas and nine-hole options. Trade your golf shoes for hiking boots on one of Whistler’s dozens of hiking trails. Logger’s Lake is an off-the-beaten path oasis about 15 minutes south of the Village, tucked into a dormant volcano vent and part of a network of hiking and biking trails used mostly by locals. Bring your swimsuit for a dip, as temperatures in early fall are often warm enough for swimming. Wrap up your tri with a paddle down the aptly named River of Golden Dreams, a three-mile, glacier-fed waterway that runs alongside part of the Valley Trail. Outfitters like Whistler Eco Tours run kayaking and canoe trips and rentals (from $48), plus guided tours, through mid-October, before the snow season kicks in.