Wildfire on Blackcomb

It was my partner, Aimie's birthday yesterday, so we managed to take the day off work and went to the bike park in Whistler. We got to ride all morning and part of the afternoon until the lifts were closed due to the lightning at the top of the mountain. Fortunately, they refunded our tickets and we spent the rest of the day at Lucille Lake.

The province has been experiencing record setting high temperatures, with temperatures above 35 degrees celcius (100 degrees fahrenheit). It feels like a "tropical vacation" and we've been enjoying swimming in the lakes to cool off whenever we can. And of course, we have cooled seats and really cold airconditioning in all of our SUV limousines to make your trip to Whistler very comfortable.

These high temperatures and lighting strikes have been starting wildfires throughout the provice, including a fire on Crystal Ridge on Blackcomb. Apparently, the fire is about 75 hectares in size and is still burning out of control, however, it is still 2 kilometers from any building and about 5 kilometers from the nearest residence. Also, the rain last night has helped slow the fire. There are also several helicopters and airtankers (water bomber planes), dumping water on the fire, so that crews can start fighting from the ground.



Whistler Mountain and the Peak to Peak gondola are still expected to open today (friday) for sightseeing, mountain biking and restricted access hiking
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Whistler Summer Activities

I was in Whistler this sunny weekend and took a few pictures to show you what the mountain looks like during the summer. The weather this summer has been amazing, we've had almost too much sun (if that's possible - I never thought I would say this, but we could use some rain). I just looked at the weather forecast for the next two weeks and it's supposed to be sunny and hot for the next two weeks, and August is generally the best month for weather during the summer, so I imagine it is going to be sunny then too.

There are so many summer activities and tours that you can take part in. The most popular being the Whistler mountain bike park, hiking, rafting, bungee jumping, the Peak to Peak gondola and zip trekking.

The mountain pike park might look really intimidating from the bottom but there are trails for all levels including green runs, blue runs, all the way up to double black diamonds! It is easy to rent a bike and all the protective equipment, as well as hiring a guide/coach to guide you through your first time. I have seen very young kids coming down the mountain, as well as seniors too! You can check out Whistler's website below for more information on how to safely experience the park for the first timer or beginner:

http://www.whistlerbike.com/camps-lessons/ability.htm

If you plan of visiting Whistler and wish to bring your bikes, our SUV's can handle up to 6 bikes with our trailer hitch mounted mountain bike carrier (4 bikes) and the roof top mounted carriers (2 bikes). We can also help take the front or rear wheels off and place your bike inside the vehicle.

If the mountain bike park is a bit too much for you, a very popular activity is Ziptrek Ecotours. It is extremely safe and almost anybody can participate. It involves wearing a harness, attaching yourself to one of the numerous zip lines, and sliding down the line. Of course, it's not that simple and there are guides that help you attach yourself and stop you at the other end! While on their tours, you can walk along elevated platforms, observe the scenery from the treetop platforms, and walk along their suspension bridges. For more info, visit:

http://www.ziptrek.com/

These are just a few examples of the many activities and tours that you can participate in while visiting Whistler in the summer months. Your chauffeur would love to take you to these activities, or could also take you to his favorite lake or picnic area or show you where the ripest and sweetest blackberries are...

It's hard to see in this picture, but the peak to peak gondola stretches from the top of Whistler (right side of picture) to the top of Blackcomb (left side of picture).

The wooden tower, in this picture, is one of the towers that you will "zip" to on one of Ziptrek Ecotours tours. The people with the helments on the wooden staircase are doing a practice "zip" before the start of their tour.

The Longhorn Saloon is a good place to grab some "Apres"-bike drinks and pub food in the sun and watch the people walk by and the bikers come down the mountain.

I bumped into an old classmate of mine, Anita. She said she was helping coach at the bike park but I think they were just trying to look good for the boys at the lift line!