Reach for the clouds at Whistler Canadian ski area will host 2010 Winter Olympics

The old adage "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" certainly applies to the folks who created British Columbia's Whistler Ski Area.

In 1960, four skiing fanatics from Vancouver returned from the Olympic Winter Games at California's Squaw Valley hell-bent on the idea that they would develop a site in B.C. to host the 1968 Winter Games. Their search led them to London Mountain, one of the twin peaks that rose dramatically above Alta Lake, and renamed the peak Whistler for the whistling marmots that called the dizzying heights home.

In February 1966, Whistler Mountain opened for business with one gondola, one chairlift and two T-bars. Whistler failed in its attempt to host the '68 Olympics and, in 1976, lost out again to Innsbruck, Austria.

Yet, instead of quickly expanding to attract the attention of the international community, Whistler took its time to design both the ski area and the town. Pedestrian plazas are connected by cobblestone walkways with low-lying buildings that don't obscure the view of Whistler and neighboring Blackcomb Mountains.

Combined, the two ski areas have a whopping 8,171 acres of skiing terrain and a mile-high vertical drop, both tops in North America. With the 2006 addition of Whistler Heli-Skiing, you can add an additional half-million acres of "out-of-bounds" skiing that take you to remote glaciers to carve that turn.

On July 2, 2003, thousands of locals gathered in Whistler's Village Square to hear the International Olympic Committee's official announcement of the 2010 host city. When it was announced that the Winter and Paralympic Games would finally be coming to Whistler, a cheer went up that could be heard on the opposite shores of Alta Lake. Whistler will present all alpine skiing, nordic and sliding events.

But why wait until the world arrives to try that yearly average of 30 feet of powder? Head there this season and you'll understand why Skiing Magazine has rated Whistler the top ski resort on the continent for the past decade.

Don't rush

The two-hour drive from Vancouver to Whistler is on British Columbia Route 99, otherwise known as the Sea to Sky Highway. Construction crews are already busy widening the road, as per their agreement with the Olympic committee. Don't expect delays because the crews usually don't work during the busy winter months of December through February.

Instead, take your time and savor the exquisite scenery as you ride along the quiet shores of Howe Sound and then up into the high peaks. A good rest stop is Shannon Falls, where you can watch ice climbers pick their way up the iced-over falls with ax and crampons.

Lodging options

Once in town, you'd be wise to drop off your bags at the Four Seasons. In fact, you probably won't have much luggage if you booked the Four Seasons Ski Lite package, which provides skis, boots, poles and the latest ski wear. Upon your arrival, they'll outfit you, and your waxed skis and pre-warmed boots will be waiting at the hotel's Ski Concierge Shop at the base of Blackcomb each morning. The sophisticated hotel also features a Ski Elite Program with one-on-one instruction for skiers, a concierge that works solely with teenagers and, this being a Four Seasons, the requisite spa.

You'll be lucky to get one of the 33 beds at Hostelling International Whistler this winter. It usually books up by the end of fall for the entire winter season. Yet if you do snag an opening, you'll be treated to a pleasant abode with deck and lawn on the shores of Alta Lake. In winter, it has a wood-burning stove, sauna and drying room for ski gear.

The ski experience

Blackcomb is known for its long, blue cruisers that can run from top to bottom. A good warm-up is the Crystal Ridge Run down to Ridge Runner. Then head up high on one of the three express lifts -- 7th Heaven, Jersey Cream and Coaster -- that lead to the smooth-as-silk snow on Cloud Nine and the aptly named Cruiser.

On Whistler, try the famous five-miler, Franz's Run, a peak-to-creek serpentine trek that's one of the longest trails in North America. For steeps and deeps that will keep that smile plastered on your face all day, spend your time in Whistler's bowls. West Bowl is a favorite for locals, who enter via the double-black Cockalorum trail. Also give Harmony and Symphony Bowl a shot, off the Harmony Express lift and, if you like that backcountry feel, head on over to the 700-acre Flute Bowl.

Did I mention glaciers? Ride the Glacier Express to Hortman Glacier where the snow is squeaky fun.

To avoid crowds, head to Whistler midweek, eat lunch on the slopes after 1 p.m., ski off the Creekside Gondola, south of Whistler Village, and ask about the Fresh Tracks Breakfast. For $17 (Canadian), you get to head up the mountain an hour before it officially opens, grab breakfast at the summit lodge and get two to three good runs in before the masses arrive.

Dining options

For casual fare, try Caramba! in the Town Plaza. Kids will enjoy the pizzas and macaroni smothered in three cheeses, while moms and dads can devour a plate of the signature dish, grilled calamari.

Elements is a popular breakfast joint known for eggs benedict and veggie-strewn frittatas, all washed down with mammoth-sized cups of coffee.

With more than 12,000 bottles of wine, including rare British Columbia selections, and a menu that features the best of Pacific Northwest, it's hard to top Araxi. Start with the locally farmed beets and mozzarella salad or oysters on the half shell, and then move on to the miso-glazed sablefish, a British Columbia specialty.

Other activities

Last winter, the town of Whistler unveiled 10 kilometers of snowshoe trails through Lost Lake Park. That's in addition to the 32 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails Lost Lake already offers.

If you just can't get enough adrenaline pumping through that body, try the year-round zip line that cruises across Fitzsimmons Creek from Whistler to Blackcomb. Offered by Ziptrek Ecotours, it's the longest zip line in North America.

Opening December 2008 is a new Peak to Peak Gondola that will transport guests from Whistler's Roundhouse Lodge to Blackcomb's Rendezvous Lodge. The 11-minute ride will cover some 2.7 miles and reward guests with glorious vistas from atop the 7,000-foot mountains.

If you go

Whistler, B.C.

GO: Any active traveler who yearns to get off the couch and ski, snowshoe, cross-county, even zip line in a glorious winter locale

NO: Shoppers and foodies would be better served in the metropolis of Vancouver, a two-hour drive from Whistler

Need to know: Tourism Whistler, (800) 944-7853, www.tourismwhistler.com

Getting there: Air Canada and United Airlines have nonstop service from Chicago to Vancouver, B.C. Whistler is a two-hour drive from Vancouver by rental car or 2½ hours by Whistler Express Bus. Taxi and limousine service also is available.

Ski area: Whistler Blackcomb, 4545 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, (866) 218-9690, www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Cost: A two-day lift ticket for adults is $120-$164 Canadian.

Accommodations: Four Seasons Resort Whistler, 4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, (888) 935-2460, www.fourseasons.com/whistler. Double rooms start at $295 a night, but ask about specials, such as three nights for the price of two. The breakfast buffet at Fifty Two 80 Bistro & Bar will get you energized for the day.

Hostelling International Whistler, 5678 Alta Lake Road, Whistler, BC, (604) 932-5492, www.hihostels.ca. Rates are $26 for a shared room, $60 for a private room.

Dining: Caramba!, 4314 Main St., Whistler, BC (604) 938-1879, www.caramba-restaurante.com. Pizzas and pasta dishes start at $12.95.

Araxi, 4222 Village Square, Whistler, BC, (604) 932-4540, www.araxi.com. Entrees are in the $30 range.

Ziptrek Ecotours: The Carleton Lodge, Whistler, BC, (866) 935-0001, www.ziptrek.com. Cost is $98 for a three-hour tour that includes five zip lines.

-- Stephen Jermanok