Why Don't You
Stories by David Burke
Take Off on a Heli Adventure
Seeing British Columbia’s mountains is impressive from ground level, but exploring their upper reaches firsthand is a truly memorable experience. No Limits Helicopters flies guests to high-elevation areas where their guides showcase the Coast Mountains’ incredible natural features.
Sightseeing tours that vary in length are available year-round and include flyovers of Whistler, the surrounding mountains, glaciers and lakes. And No Limits can also curate a custom tour to suit your needs.
Their Ice Cave tours are available starting in the spring and begin with a scenic flight over glaciers leading to ancient caves made of azure blue ice. Your Mountain Skills Academy and Adventures (MSAA) guide provides an interpretive tour of multiple tunnels featuring crystalline formations and naturally vaulted ceilings. The Volcano and Ice Cave tour takes guests to Mount Meager, an active volcano that steams from a fissure in its glaciated slopes. After a flyover to view the magnificent steaming cavern, you fly on to explore nearby ice tunnels and blue rooms. Before flying back to base, you will enjoy a delicious cheese-and-charcuterie lunch, and dessert from Bearfoot Bistro.
nolimits-helicopters.com | 778-820-8888
Rejuvenate with a Snowshoe and Sauna Tour
What could be more peaceful and rejuvenating than a brisk walk through a snowy forest, followed by a relaxing stint inside a warm, cozy sauna?
Canadian Wilderness Adventures’ (CWA) Snowshoe and Sauna tour invites guests to share an invigorating snowshoe walk on its popular Medicine Trail in the beautiful Callaghan Valley, connecting with both your senses and the natural world as you trek through the snow-filled, old-growth forest. Guests are then led to a series of small, wood-fired barrel saunas for the relaxation part of the tour.
The experience serves as a sort of introduction to the practice of “forest bathing,” said Kristal Taylor, CWA director of sales and marketing. “Think nature therapy, wellness, grounding…” she said.
A visit to a sauna stimulates the body’s production of serotonin, a chemical that plays a key role in improving sleep, mood, digestion and bone health, Taylor said. Sauna visits also reduce stress, soothe muscle and joint pain and increase blood flow, she said.
For this tour, “We have the regularly scheduled option as well as private and semi-private options — available by request,” Taylor said.
canadianwilderness.com | 604-938-1616
Immerse yourself in local art, culture
Visitors and locals looking to engage with Whistler/Sea to Sky region’s history, art and culture have a variety of options — among them the Whistler Cultural Pass. The pass is good for admission to both the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) and the Audain Art Museum (AAM) at a discounted price.
“We always say it’s a complementary experience,” said Justine Nichol, the AAM’s chief marketing officer. “The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre provides a historical/cultural perspective for our region, whereas the Audain focuses on the region’s art and art-making practices.”
The SLCC offers an opportunity to take a deep dive into the history and beliefs of the Squamish (Skwxwú7mesh) and Lil’wat (Lílwat7ul) peoples, who inhabited the region for millennia before European settlement. In addition to fascinating displays and artifacts celebrating the nations’ close attachment to the land, “Cultural Ambassadors” from the coastal Squamish and interior Lil’wat nations proudly share their music, crafts and traditions with guests.
slcc.ca
The AAM features extensive works by British Columbia First Nations (e.g. James Hart’s “The Dance Screen”) and non-Aboriginal artists such as Emily Carr and E.J. Hughes.
audainartmuseum.com
The two are among the six stops on Whistler’s Cultural Connector, a scenic walk that also includes the Whistler Public Library, Whistler Museum, Lost Lake PassivHaus and Maury Young Arts Centre. whistler.com/arts
