Why Don't You
Stories by Dee Raffo
Have Some Après Fun with Fondue
Although fondue might have had humble beginnings (it was a dish that 18th-century Swiss peasants turned to when food was scarce), it has certainly been elevated to indulgence status in contemporary foodie culture. Fondue is all about comfort, warmth, and fun. Did you know that if you drop the bread off your fork, you must kiss someone at the table? Oh, the Europeans!
Even though the Bearfoot Bistro and Araxi are some of Whistler’s top restaurants, they still welcome guests in their ski boots during après when guests can enjoy a decadent cheese fondue.
Bearfoot Bistro gives theirs a Canadian twist by selecting cave-aged Alpindon Gruyère from Kootenay Meadows Farm in British Columbia and L’Hercule de Charlevoix from Quebec, an aged Gruyère-style cheese. It’s served with house-made pickles, crusty sourdough bread and fresh fruits.
Sit at Araxi’s bar and dig your fork into their classic cave-aged cheese fondue, a blend of Swiss Gruyère and Emmentaler cheeses flavoured with garlic, white wine and kirsch. Served with toasted, house-baked bread, cornichons, and pickled onions, you can upgrade your fondue with additions like truffle essence, sliced Okanagan apple, and chorizo sausage.
Sommeliers from both restaurants agree that fondue is best experienced with a glass of dry white wine to cleanse the palate (Pinot Gris, dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis) and your favourite ski pals.
bearfootbistro.com | araxi.com
Go Cross Country
Skiing in Whistler isn’t only available via chair lifts and gondolas. If you’re looking to stretch your legs and are willing to swap downhill gear for cross-country, you can explore a vast network of trails and glide through ancient West Coast forests.
Lost Lake Park is just a short walk from Whistler Village and has 30 kilometres of cross-country ski trails that weave around the forest. The base of operations is the PassivHaus, where you can pick up gear, book an instructor and even get a hot chocolate. The trails offer stunning views of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, and if you time it right for the alpenglow, it’s simply spectacular. Select trails are lit for night skiing from 3 to 8 p.m. daily during the season.
crosscountryconnection.ca/lost-lake
As the venue for the Nordic events during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Whistler Olympic Park offers 55 km of expertly groomed trails with night skiing on Mondays and Wednesdays until 9 p.m. and extended hours to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. The vastness of this area shouldn’t be underestimated, so expect panoramic mountain views as you glide in the tracks of Olympians. It’s good to note that they also have dog-friendly trails and offer chariots and kids' rental gear if you’re coming with the family. You can grab gear, organize lessons and visit the café at the day lodge. whistlerolympicpark.com
Stories By Katherine Fawcett
Sing Your Heart Out; Laugh Your Head Off
with good times. A microphone, a stage, a spotlight, maybe a few beers, and even the most buttoned-up introvert could be belting out a favourite Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam or Bob Marley number.
Local musician Monty Biggins has been hosting karaoke nights at the Crystal Lounge since 2016. “You can be a great singer or not a singer at all, and that moment on stage is yours to be you,” he said. “Some people just wanna be silly, and some people really want to give singing a serious attempt. Either way, it’s meant to be fun and a space for everyone to get involved and celebrate.”
Try karaoke at RMU in the Upper Village every Monday from 6 p.m., at the Crystal Lounge every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m. and at Pangea Pod Hotel’s Living Room for some après fun every Wednesday from 2.30 to 6.30 p.m. whistler.com/events
When you’re not singing your heart out, why not laugh your head off? The Laugh Out LIVE! (LOL) comedy troupe offers a hilarious mix of high-energy improv, razor-sharp wit, side-splitting sketches, and uproarious stand-up comedy. Until May 2025, LOL hosts The Improv Battle at the Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC) on the first Tuesday of each month, The Stand-Up Standoff on the last Wednesday of each month at Après Après, and their Marquee Variety Shows on select dates. laughoutlive.com
Take to the Ice
Ice skating is as quintessentially Canadian as bears, loonies and toques. There are many reasons to lace up the figure or hockey skates and take to the ice.
Yes, it’s accessible, affordable and fun, but skating is also great exercise for the whole body. It can boost the heart rate while challenging muscles in the legs, core and back. It also requires balance and courage. Those blades are thin, and the ice is slippery, but as you relax, each tentative step will become a longer and longer glide, and soon you’ll be smiling as you smoothly circle the rink. You might even try some backward skating, axels and spins, or use a stick to dribble the puck to the net for a top-shelf score.
Each winter, for a limited time, a skating rink opens in Whistler Olympic Plaza, where you can skate outdoors in the heart of Village with views of the mountains, the Olympic rings and thousands of twinkling lights. Skate rentals, helmets and skate aids (for anyone feeling wobbly) are available. Indoor skating can be enjoyed year-round at the NHL-sized rink at Meadow Park Sports Centre, a few minutes north of Whistler Village. Daytime and evening sessions are scheduled most days, and rental gear is available.
whistler.ca/culture-recreation/winter-101
