Editor’s Note: These are the 12 days of Christmas, Whistler Style, so strap in and get ready for a week and a half of snow, excitement, twinkling lights, good times, speed sliding, great food and fantastic winter enjoyment. No Partridges, no pear trees (although there may be some tree skiing.) Happy Holidays.
Winter in Whistler is certainly never boring but perhaps this holiday season could use a full-blown shot of pure adrenaline and that fear-fueled mental clarity that only the most unique and exhilarating activities can deliver. Well, how does rocketing headfirst down a frozen track of ice at speeds up around 100 KM/hour sound?
Anyone with a serious need for speed should hit up the public Skeleton and Bobsleigh rides offered at the Whistler Sliding Centre throughout the holidays and into the New Year. Whistler boasts the fastest ice track in the world and anyone over 16 years old that meets the health, height and weight requirements can hop in for the ride of a lifetime.
Skeleton participants slide solo on what essentially looks like a large cafeteria tray on skates. Your nose is literally inches from the ice as your rocket through down the track. Bobsleigh riders pile in with a professional driver and both activities offer the exhilaration of reaching highway speeds while experiencing one of Whistler’s great Olympic Legacies firsthand.
You know the ride will be a once-in-a-lifetime when the official Sliding Centre “Know before you go” handout reads: “Participants should use the washroom before the start of the run (due to gravitational pressure on bladder during runs).”
For a closer look check out this Insider video of a bobsleigh experience. Or hit up the Public Sliding Schedule for times and availability and The Sliding Centre also has walking tours for people who would rather watch from the sidelines and you can find up-to-date information on what teams are training on the Sliding Centre Facebook page.
Last Minute Gift #5
Love Jules Leather is a local company that handcrafts leather shoes in their garage in between ripping pow days on the ski hills. The shoes pictured are their latest collaboration with Vancouver hipstore F as in Frank but you can peruse Love Jules in-stock stuff at their Etsy Site, you may even have enough time to sneak in a custom order. Give the gift of hand-made awesomeness.