If you like a touch of adventure with your holidays, then the plethora of Whistler activities on offer in our beautiful mountain town will surely provide you with something to do during your getaway. With everything from bear tours, to bungee jumping and backcountry adventures, there’s an activity for the nature lover, the adrenaline junkie and everyone in between.
Backcountry Adventures in Whistler
There’s nothing like getting away from the crowds, hunting for your own fresh tracks and pushing some personal limits. Extremely Canadian offers a range of backcountry tours, from guided one-day adventures to overnight adventures. Their guides hold some of the highest certifications available in guiding, avalanche operations and first aid – you’re in good hands.
For those people looking for a backcountry experience without the hiking, have a look at their new Out of Bounds Adventure, which takes keen skiers and boarders to areas just off the beaten track on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, but with the ease of using the chairlift system to get back to the top.
If you prefer your Whistler activities to come with a bit of a work out, then their Backcountry Adventure is the one for you. This is a full day of guided backcountry action outside of Whistler Blackcomb boundaries. There are no chair lifts, no line-ups, and no tracks except your own.
For those looking to sleep under the stars check out the Spearhead Traverse option. You’ll go from Blackcomb to Whistler Mountain in either one night or several, depending on how many runs you want to pack in each day. You’ll cover an impressive 13 Glaciers, 14 Mountains and 25km of terrain.
If you need gear they have rentals and can tailor the type of adventure to your ability level and the people in the group. Let our friendly concierge services know if you’d like more details.
Bear Viewing in Whistler
Typically poking their brown noses out around the middle of March, black bears can be seen on Whistler’s golf courses, on alpine trails and in the bike park until November. Although they might look cute and cuddly, they’re not Pooh Bear, and need to be shown respect. If you do bump into one give them as much space as possible, talk calmly, and back away. If seeing a bear is one of your must-do Whistler activities, the best way is to take a bear tour. The guides know where to find them, and they also know what a safe distance is for both you and the bear.
There are a couple of bear tour options in Whistler – one on Whistler Blackcomb and the other out in the Callaghan Valley, close to the Whistler Olympic Park. Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains are home to around 60 black bears, and you can jump in a 4×4 with an experienced guide and go looking for them. From closer to the valley in the spring, and moving up into the mountains as the summer continues, the guides know where the momma bears are likely to be. Not only a tour about these amazing animals, your guide is also knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna of the mountains. This is definitely one of the top Whistler activities for the avid wildlife and nature fan.
If you want to get snap happy then jump in with Whistler Photo Safari, who take guests out to the Callaghan Valley for sunrise and sunset tours. Our pick would be the sunrise option as it also includes a tour of the Olympic ski trails at Whistler Olympic Park. The guides are not only wildlife enthusiasts but photographers as well, so if you’re after that perfect shot this is the tour for you. Connect with us to find out more.
Bungee Jumping in Whistler
Want more adrenaline from your Whistler activities? There’s nothing like a fresh blast of mist as you plunge towards a glacially fed river, and that’s what you get when you go bungee jumping in Whistler! The jump is 160 feet (50 metres) above the Cheakamus River, located just south of Whistler Village. It’s a breathtaking location with the walk to the bridge amongst the old growth forest, and the dramatic Black Tusk in the background.
This is one of those Whistler activities that is favourited by the brave, and hated by the not so brave who’ve been made to do it by some well intended “friend”. Whether you choose to do a running jump, swan dive or get pushed off the edge it’s going to be a tick off the good bucket list. You can always pull a Bobby, and go in your birthday suite – no judgment here. Just let us know if you fancy a leap of faith!