WINTER WONDERLAND - Whistler
Whistler Heli-Skiing is known for exclusive access to classic, big mountain terrain that every skier or snowboarder must experience at least once in a lifetime. To reach this vast glacial wilderness, guests take to the air in five and ten passenger helicopters led by experienced, certified guides. Whistler Heli-Skiing started operations in 1981, yet there are places in their tenure that even they are still waiting to visit. With 90% of the world's heli-skiing taking place in British Columbia, Whistler has quickly become a destination of choice for heli-skiing clientele. The glacial climate, vast wilderness and abundance of powder snow, make this area ideal for the dream. Whistler Heli-Skiing has exclusive rights to heli-ski an area of big mountain terrain that is 54 miles long and 33 miles wide. Their tenure is 432,000 acres, making it over 50 times the size of Whistler Blackcomb, allowing guests to ski on 173 glaciers and 475 runs.
Whistler Blackcomb
Welcome to Whistler Blackcomb. It’s known the world-over as the number one rated ski resort in North America, and the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It’s situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler nestled in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, just a 1.5 hour drive (125 kilometres/78 miles) from Vancouver. Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which, combined, offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receive on average 1,159 centimetres (456 inches) of snow annually, have one of the longest ski seasons in North America, and are a part of the premier mountain resort network, Vail Resorts.
The resort’s reputation as a premier four-season destination is solidified by its world record-breaking PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola which links the tops of both mountains, its industry-leading Whistler Mountain Bike Park, its extensive network of high alpine hiking and walking trails, and its virtually endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.
(photo by David McColm/Whistler Blackcomb)
The culinary cornerstone in the heart of Whistler Village, Araxi enjoys a long held international reputation for excellence in food, wine and hospitality. As an early pioneer of farm to table dining, Executive Chef James Walt’s seasonally focused menus celebrate the excellence of locally sourced ingredients. Walt’s innovative and skillfully executed dishes–from savoury starters through delicious desserts–deliver intelligent compositions and unforgettable flavours. Voted Best Chef in Whistler by Pique Newsmagazine, James was inducted into the British Columbia Restaurant Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and is Whistler’s only chef to have cooked at the celebrated James Beard House in New York City where he has performed on three separate occasions. His passion is a driving force behind Araxi that has led to many recent accolades including Vancouver Magazine BestWhistler Restaurant, Where Magazine’s Best Formal Whistler Restaurant, and Top 100 Best Restaurants in Canada in 2017. As a follow-up to his James Beard nominated first cookbook, James and his team share recipes from Araxi Restaurant’s dining room and signature Araxi Longtable Dining Series in the award-winning Araxi: Roots to Shoots, Farm Fresh Recipes cookbook. Under the Toptable Group family of restaurants, including Araxi, The Cellar by Araxi, and Bar Oso, the reimagined iconic Il Caminetto will launch this winter 2017.
Monumental in scale, Whistler dazzles with its vast acreage, summit glaciers and a towering vertical rise. It also charms, with a lively European-esque village and alpine meadows. Year round, Whistler is an inexhaustible source of adventure, shopping and unforgettable memories. Home to what is by far the largest ski resort in all of North America, the pedestrian village of Whistler has itself won numerous design awards. WhistlerBlackcomb has also been named the #1 overall best ski resort in North America by SKI Magazine Readers’ Poll 2014. Beyond its famed slopes are the championship golf courses, hundreds of boutiques, museums and galleries and endless year-round happenings. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is one of North America's top mountain resorts having been named Whistler's only Forbes Five Star. In addition to world-class skiing, this award winning Four Seasons Mountain Resort offers the ultimate year-round getaway in an enviable location, as well as fine dining, luxurious spa retreats and après ski offerings. With the Resorts' signature amenities and renowned, personalized service, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is in a class of its own among mountain destinations. As the world's leading operator of luxury hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts currently manages 104 hotels and resorts in 43 countries.