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Trip Overview From Sea to Sky for great adventures |
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An illustrated itinerary of one of our many travel adventures for gay men, lesbians, and friends. This information supplements our
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Join us for a week of exploration of Canada’s West Coast, from thriving Vancouver, up the coast of Howe Sound and across a mountain pass to the scenic village of Whistler. We start and end in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Vancouver. You’ll have an evening at each end of the trip to explore this vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan city as it sparkles over the Straits of Georgia at the western edge of Canada. 
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1: Welcome to Vancouver!
Our Canadian Adventure begins in the lovely city of Vancouver, British Columbia on the Pacific coast. We will begin with a welcome dinner and orientation to the week's events at one of this city's fine restaurants. Later you may want to check out some of the gay bars in town. But save your energy! You have a great week of activities in store for you.
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2: To the Sky!
Today we head to Whistler via the Sea to Sky Highway. Just a short drive northwest of Vancouver, we'll see an amazing variety of scenery built precariously along the edge of Howe Sound. The sound – one of the southernmost fjords in North America – sits among mountains jutting straight out from the ocean. Their jagged peaks, frosted white with the remnants of ancient glaciers, define the horizon. We will stop at picturesque area of Squamish, located at the head of the sound. We’ll hike to the base of Stawamus Chief, one of the world’s largest granite monoliths, then continue through the stunted shore pines, hemlock, Sitka spruce, and a few legendary Douglas Pines, until we come upon 1200-foot Shannon Falls. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in a meadow near the base of the falls. With over 200 routes climbing straight up this dome, we recommend climbers consider a guided tour here on your free day later in the week. Returning to the Sea to Sky Highway, we begin our climb to Whistler. On these ancient paths, generations of coastal Salish people traded goods with their neighbors in the interior Fraser River Canyon, while in the 1850's, prospectors stampeded north towards the Cariboo gold fields. Long before that, glaciers almost completely covered these valleys, sliding past all but the uppermost peaks and creating the sawtooth peaks we see on Mt. Garibaldi in front of us. There is magic at the summit of the small valley at Whistler. A cluster of small lakes reflect the outline of the mountains high above. Alta Lake divides the Sea to Sky corridor, its water flowing from the south end reaches the Pacific via the Cheakamus and Squamish Rivers, while water flowing from its north end in the River of Golden Dreams eventually reaches the ocean through the Fraser River. There is a wealth of lakes to mirror the surrounding mountains. As you gaze from the reflection to admire the real thing, the contours of the ski runs on Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains can be seen on the forested slopes. Above the tree line, you can still see remnants of the most recent ice age in the glaciers that encrust the highest peaks. We'll stop at our bike shop and our knowledgeable guides will fit us with our bikes for the week, discuss this afternoon's ride, and following a safety briefing, we'll embark on a short introductory ride around Lost Lake (don't worry, you won't get lost!). After a short break and perhaps a swim at the lake (there's even a nude swimming pier), we return to check into our modern hotel, and explore the village, before gathering for a casual dinner.
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3: Biking & Canoeing
Vancouver and Whistler will co-host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Whistler Mountain, together with its sister mountain Blackcomb, is considered the largest and often the best ski area in North America, with reliable snow and over 5200 feet of vertical drop for skiing. In addition to the winter appeal, it's a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts during the summer months. Miles of wilderness hiking and biking trails are easily accessible from our hotel. In the valley, over 30 miles of paved pathways wend their way along clear-running rivers, past spring-fed and glacial lakes, across wooden covered bridges, and throughout this world-class resort community. Our week of adventure is designed to be enjoyable for both more- and less- experienced riders and hikers. You’ll generally either have printed route options of varying difficulty, or separate guides to accompany riders of different experience levels. Local guides are available throughout the trip to offer tips on riding, negotiating "single track" and mountainous terrain, as well as teaching us about the local flora, fauna, geology, and history of the valley. Today, we bike the smooth and often paved trails around Lost, Green, and Alta Lakes aboard our 21-speed hybrid bikes or you may choose from more aggressive full-suspension mountain bikes, for an additional fee. On our ride, we spin past thick forests, impressive luxury homes, stunning golf courses, babbling brooks, and perhaps even an occasional black bear in this scenic valley. Our route has been designed to take in the astonishing views and to allow you time to get accustomed to riding on varying terrain. Your guides will stop often to point out and interpret the natural and cultural history along the route. After a picnic lunch at Rainbow Park and a swim in spring-fed Alta Lake, we will hop in canoes to paddle down the River of Golden Dreams. This is a leisurely adventure to enjoy the mountain scenery and close out our first day in Whistler. You can choose more strenuous paddling later in the week if you wish. Our ride takes us from Alta Lake to the aquamarine waters of Green Lake along a slow moving crystal clear river. The mountain views are spectacular as you paddle through wetlands, viewing an abundance of waterfowl, birds, flowers and forests. Afterwards, we will hop back on our bikes to conclude our loop ride back to Whistler Village. A quick shower and you'll have time to savor a quiet moment at a coffee house or enjoy happy hour on an outdoor terrace, watching the crowd wander around the village. Over 100 restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, art galleries, cinemas, sports stores and gift boutiques line the cobblestone pedestrian-only streets of Whistler, a cosmopolitan vibrancy that would make even the incurable urbanite feel at home. Tonight you are on your own for dinner. Our guides will be happy to assist with suggestions and reservations, whether you're seeking Thai, Greek, continental, Spanish tapas, Mexican, French, Italian or a choice of many other cuisines that may stir your interest.
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4: Hoary Marmots & the Cheakamus Ride
The coastal mountains push skyward as a result of tectonic activity and the process continues today. Rising by centimeters each century, glacial activity has eroded the tops of the mountains into jagged peaks and U-shaped valleys. The glaciers have retreated and are much smaller today than they were just 300 years ago, but remnants cling to the peaks and still scrape the underlying rock as they pass, creating milky white rivers below. Our wilderness bike ride today takes us along one of these raging glacial rivers, flowing out of Cheakamus Lake (Salish for fishbone). The Millar Creek Trail closely follows the Cheakamus River up to the lake. We’ll look for wildlife such as black bear, coyote, birds, and a member of the squirrel family, the hoary marmot, whose shrill whistle gave Whistler its name. These furry marmots live in rock falls and scree, gaining as much weight as possible during the summer to last them through their seven-month winter hibernation. Perched on top of boulders, they’ll screech their high-pitched whistle to alert others of our approach. Soon we will pass through one of the last stands of pristine old growth forests in the region. Thousand year old giant Douglas Pines, Hemlock, and ancient cedars, all protected within Garibaldi Provincial Park, are awe inspiring. The ride along the trail up the river is challenging, but it will be worth it. Lunch will be served lakeside as we soak in the views of the massive peaks and glaciers across Cheakamus Lake. Our return to Whistler Village will follow new trails, most of which, thankfully, are downhill!
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5: Rafting, Ziptrek, Hiking: Player’s Choice!
There are so many activities around Whistler to experience that we offer you a day to choose your own adventure. We suggest that you try a beautiful glacer hike, or perhaps Whistler’s version of a tree-top canopy tour, the Ziptrek. Other options include glacial skiing, world-class golfing, hiking, down-hill biking, whitewater rafting, fishing, bungee jumping, and horseback riding, among others. But keep in mind that it's your vacation. You don't have to be active if you don't want to. Perhaps you are ready for a day of royal Javanese pampering with a massage, wrap, and facial at the Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa located in our hotel. If you enjoy impressive views from up high, we suggest that you join a guide for a hike on one of Whistler’s glaciers. You’ll be geared-up like a mountaineer, journey to the top of the mountain, and with crampons, ice ax, harness and rope, you’ll learn about geology and glaciology, all the while seeing amazing views as you hike across the glacier ice pack and negotiate around crevasses. If you want a day on your own, consider a ride to the high alpine slopes aboard the Whistler Mountain Gondola! The twenty minute ride delivers you almost four thousand feet above the Village, where you can grab a bite to eat and return or try one of the alpine trails, such as the Musical Bumps trail along the ridge line. Climbing 900 feet from the top of the gondola, the summit trail tops-out on Whistler Mountain Peak with views looking into the valley and across the glaciated peaks of Garibaldi Provincial Park. A less-crowded trail takes you around the mountain to Singing Pass, where you'll look down on beautiful Cheakamus Lake. If you're up for it, another twelve kilometers of hiking will deliver you back to the village. Don't go too far, however, because we have a great alpine hike planned for tomorrow. On the edge of Whistler Village is the Ziptrek Ecotour, a two and a half hour journey during which you zip across a series of cables from tree top to tree top across the creek, and walk along various suspension bridges, platforms and hiking paths, exploring the hidden beauty of Fitzsimmons Creek and the heavily forested valley between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. You’ll be outfitted with a harness and helmet, given a thorough safety briefing, then sent flying at speeds up to 45 mph across a system of five cables, above and through the temperate rain forest canopy. Ready for a hook-up?
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6: Alpine Hike to into a Glacial Wonderland
Hopefully you didn't play too hard yesterday, because we have an awesome alpine hike today at pristine Joffre Lakes. If we have time, we'll stop for a quick visit to Nairn Falls on the Green River, to see where the river has created whirlpool waterfalls in ancient volcanoes. Shortly afterward, we arrive in Pemberton Valley, a green pocket of agricultural land widely known for its seed potatoes, and affectionately dubbed "Spud Valley" by locals. Snow-covered peaks shoot 4,000 feet above the fertile valley, catching the multi-hued colors as the sun climbs their peaks. A short while later we arrive at the trailhead for Joffre Lakes. The trail runs through ancient forests, through corridors of massive Devils Club, ferns and mosses, across boulder fields and into the alpine tundra. Just ten minutes up the trail, we arrive at a stunning view: the lower Joffre lake mirroring saw-tooth peaks, towering spruce, and the shining white Matier Glacier above. This is pristine mountain wilderness! As we follow a cascading glacial stream, the sun reflects off the glacier ahead...while the aquamarine lower lake shimmers below. After a good hike, we arrive at a sandy beach on the middle lake, just below the glacier, where we'll break for lunch. Those with more energy can climb another thirty minutes to the top lake situated directly under the glacier. The return hike is almost all downhill and presents an entirely different view of the valley as the western sun hits the mountains across the valley. A last stop at the lower lake allows us the opportunity to etch this alpine beauty into our memories to remain with us long after our departure tomorrow from Whistler.
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7: Whistling Farewell & Party in Vancouver
After a leisurely morning where you can take that last hike or perhaps do some last minute shopping, we head back down the coast to Vancouver. You can rest up after we check into our hotel before we enjoy our Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner, you'll have a chance to check out Vancouver's nightlife.
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8: Departure day
Our trip ends on the final, blow-out weekend of Vancouver’s Gay Pride Celebration. In addition to public events and nightly dance parties, the Pride Parade will be held on Sunday, usually beginning at Noon, followed by a pride festival. The first Monday of each August is British Columbia Day and is a holiday, so you might want to plan for a Monday departure to enjoy all the activities. And as an added bonus, Vancouver’s celebrated Festival of Lights firework competition will hold it’s last firework show on that Saturday evening, with up to three different countries setting off fireworks over English Bay, not too far from our hotel. It’s a wonderful weekend to spend in Vancouver!
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