I was standing at the base of the 2010 Olympics ski jumps, nursing a bruised palm after a spill on the biathlon cross- country course, looking up.
The jumps, one higher than the next and both treacherously sloped, gave me a vague sense of vertigo.
It was just one reminder that my wife and I had of the Olympics on a four-day visit to Whistler in late February, where we hit the slopes, stores and restaurants to explore the area before the 2010 Winter Games.
We faced traffic soon after passing through Vancouver on the only road to Whistler, Highway 99.
Blame that on the Sea-to-Sky expansion. The construction project is expected to ease travel next year. This year, it added about an hour to our 190-mile drive from Everett.
The trip was at least scenic. Frommer’s has called it one of Canada’s five best drives. We took it at sunset, with the sky fading to blues and greens behind fir-covered islands.
After nightfall, we continued in near-complete darkness to Whistler, eventually passing by the Husky Market on the south side of town.
Now, the Husky Market is no ordinary gas station. It’s special. It’s the only station in Whistler. That’s right: The world-renowned resort community has two mountains to ski down, Whistler and Blackcomb, but only one place to fuel up.
The gas station makes it clear that Whistler is still small. It has a population of about 10,000, just a bit more than the city of Snohomish. Granted, it draws 2 million annual visitors for its upscale shopping, skiing and resorts, but it feels accessible.
The mountains also are accessible. Blackcomb was a short walk from Club Intrawest, the timeshare where we stayed. In the morning, we strapped on our boots, clumped along a path to the lift and hit the slopes.
During the next two days, we got a small taste of the massive skiing area.
We started by taking the new Peak 2 Peak Gondola to Whistler Mountain. While the huge gondola is literally strung between the mountains, it wasn’t scary, thanks to the smooth ride and accommodating seats.
We skied a couple of easy runs, before deciding we would earn zero bragging rights for conquering Pony Trail or Bear Cub. We moved up to the intermediate level.
The slopes that will be used during the 2010 games have already been selected. We skied one, Franz’s Run, a solid stretch that makes up part of the women’s downhill course. We also went to the top of Blackcomb, above the cloud cover, where fresh snow had hardened into makeshift moguls.
On our only sunny day, we went to the Whistler Olympic Park, southwest of town in the Callaghan Valley. There, we skied the 4-kilometer biathlon loop, where I fell. We missed a chance to be like Olympians and shoot .22-caliber rifles at targets, an opportunity offered at set times when the course isn’t being used for competitions.
On most days after skiing, we hit one of Whistler’s plazas. These shopping and dining areas are located in short loops off Highway 99. While we stayed in the Upper Village area, we also visited Village North and Whistler Village.
Shops sold Olympic gear, with lime green hats and shirts emblazoned with inukshuk everywhere.
The inukshuk, a stack of rocks in the form of a person, inspired the emblem for the 2010 games. It’s on almost everything. One jeweler even displayed a $925 diamond pendant modelled after it in his window.
Whistler Village has the most shopping: stores filled with Cuban cigars, skis, scented soaps, ice cream, stuffed animals and homemade candies. We ate in the village only once, though, at the Citta Bar (pronounced cheeta).
The spot offered satisfying burgers, Canadian draft beer and good appetizers, including a plate of naan — that flat Indian bread — served with hummus, tzatziki and red pepper dip.
We favored middle-priced restaurants like that, eating for about $20 a person.
Whistler North, a mid-sized plaza, often fit our budget. It had a souvenir-packed grocery, a McDonald’s, a Starbucks and a few memorable restaurants.
Our favorite was Beet Root Cafe, an artful spot that served sandwiches, wraps and soups. It’s the type of place that pairs mango with chicken.
Restaurants in the Upper Village area were full on Saturday, so we waited until Sunday to hit Nagomi Sushi, near our hotel. We ordered a collection of sushi rolls, sashimi and miso soup.
The restaurant was quiet, but the food and service were lively, and like our stay itself, they gave us nothing but satisfaction.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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