The Local’s List: June 2022

Skiing has now wrapped up for the season and bikers, hikers and sightseers take over the mountains as the snow starts to recede. Whistler is focused on wellness for the month of June, where we pay close attention to our minds, bodies and general well-being; trying to align anything that feels out of whack so we can revel in a summer full of fun. On the nourishing side of wellness, you should check out the new Spring Culinary Series, which melds fantastic food with horticultural walks, ancient medicine talks and local farm visits.

June is  National Indigenous History Month with National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 (also summer solstice). There’s no better time to visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, where you will connect with Lil’wat Nation and Squamish Nation ambassadors who will be sharing live carving, performances, storytelling and guided tours. This month is also the kick-off of our summer racing events, there’s the Whistler Half Marathon, Back Forty Marathon XC MTB Race, Xterra Whistler Triathlon and XFONDO – to name a few!

Here’s what’s happening in Whistler for the month of June.

Outdoor Adventure

You’ll find us:

• Riding in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and competing in the weekly Phat DH Wednesday races (make sure you’re a WORCA member before race day). If you’re looking for some bike races of all kinds take a look at How to Pick and Train for a Cycling Event, which covers the events happening this summer.
• Getting some trail runs in before we tackle the gruelling, but beautiful, Comfortably Numb Race (there are 25 kilometre and 50 kilometre options). Take a look at these Whistler training runs and then the Whistler running race schedule for this summer. If you need some inspiration, check out the Trails in Motion Film 10 showing at the Smartwool Store on Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 PM.
• Getting a birds eye view of the cross-country bike trails we’re about to tackle with a ride from Blackcomb Helicopters / AlpX to get us going. New for this summer, the helicopter-accessed trail will be 13 kilometres of singletrack including a 3-kilometre black diamond peak descent, a 1.2-kilometre climb trail, and an intermediate blue trail of 9 kilometres that follows a ridgeline down to old growth forest with a mix of singletrack and bike park style flow sections. Booking is open now, but the confirmed start date is August 1, unless alpine snow conditions change.

Adventure Lite

You’ll find us:

• On Whistler Blackcomb hiking up to the snow walls, which can typically be accessed at the start of this month (check on our PEAK 2 PEAK page for when they open). Note that they only last until the summer sun melts them away! Read more on Whistler Mountain’s snow walls in our Insider Guide.
• Golfing for a good cause at the Whistler Adaptive Sports Golf Tournament happening at Whistler Golf Course on June 24.
• Spotting some of our feathered friends on Whistler Naturalists Monthly Bird Walk, which starts at 7 AM on Saturday, June 4 and meets at the bottom of Lorimer Road. More details can be found on their website.
• Using our $100 wellness voucher (which you get if you book 3+ nights in June) at one of Whistler’s spa outlets, like the Scandinave Spa. For some wellness inspiration, take a look at our Whistler Wellness Getaway 3 Ways post.

More ways to get outside.

Family Fun

You’ll find us:

• Riding the gondolas up Whistler Blackcomb, wowing the kiddos on the record-breaking PEAK 2 PEAK and Cloudraker Skybridge (when it opens – likely in the latter part of June) and treating them to some sweet treats from Lucia Gelato at the Roundhouse on Whistler Mountain.
• Taking the kids forest bathing by picking some easy, short hiking routes around Lost Lake Park or out on the Train Wreck trail. Time out in nature is good for everyone!
• Putting on greens at the base of Blackcomb Mountain on the mini-golf course. Grab tickets and gear from the Can-Ski store.
• Heading out on a bear viewing tour; the safest way to view Whistler’s most famous, furry residents. It’s been a slow snowmelt this spring, so there are more bears in the valley than usual looking for food after their long, winter nap. Residents and visitors are asked to be bear aware, which includes never approaching them, feeding them and not stopping on the highway to view them.

More family-friendly activities.

Arts & Culture

You’ll find us:

• Celebrating National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) by heading to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. On June 18 and 19 they’re hosting an Indigenous Wellness weekend, part of the Spring Culinary Series, where you can join a Holistic Tour & Indigenous Tea Offering and the Spo7ez Wellness Feast (get your tickets here). For National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) they’re opening their new Ancient Medicines Exhibition, along with performances by Spiritual Warriors and the Spo7ez Performance Team, live canoe carving, an artists market and craft activities throughout the day. On June 23 there’s an awakening ceremony for Ed NoiseCat’s new house pole. In partnership with CIBC, admission to the SLCC will be free from June 21 to July 3.
• At the Whistler Writers Festival Spring Reading Series, happening on June 16 and 18 (available online and in-person). The series kicks off with An Evening of Stories & Songs in the Mountain featuring authors Grant Lawrence (host), Chad Sayers, Plains Cree writer and National Poet Laureate Louise B. Halfe and Barbadian-Canadian writer Jasmine Sealy. Woven throughout the evening will be music by Dustin Bentall and the Blue Wranglers.
• At The Gallery inside the Maury Young Arts Centre, checking out the latest exhibit Diving In: The Art of Cleaning Lakes and Oceans, which aims to raise awareness of the waste in our waters by transforming collected trash into beautiful art.
• Marvelling at the hundreds of pieces of art created by Tahltan and Tlingit artist, Dempsy Bob at the Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob exhibit at the Audain Art Museum.
• At the Maury Young Arts Centre for the Whistler Film Festival’s Adventure Film Series, happening June 23 to 25. The series features six programs with both short and feature-length films covering climbing, mountain biking, mental health in sports, diversity in outdoor sports, ice climbing and women in sports.

Eating, Drinking & Shopping

You’ll find us:

• Learning about the food on our plate at the Spring Culinary Series by Cornucopia.  It’s a pop-up, culinary series designed to nourish your body and mind, running from June 3 to 19. Tickets to the dinners and events are limited, so grab yours before they go! Remember, bookings of over 3+ nights get a free $100 wellness voucher.
• Revelling in being able to sit on a sunny patio. Talking of which, Table Nineteen at the Nicklaus North Golf Course is one of our favs for its incredible views out over Green Lake. You can bike there along the Valley Trail and watch the float planes land as you sip on a locally-brewed beer or refreshing sangria!
• Getting our fresh fruit and veg at the Whistler Farmers’ Market, which runs every Sunday of the summer in the Upper Village at the base of Blackcomb Mountain.

More on Village shopping, dining and arts and culture.

Save The Date

Canada Day Long Weekend | July 1
alta + Audain Fine Dining Art Experience | mid-July – September
Crankworx Whistler | August 5-14
Pemberton Slow Food Cycle | August 21
RBC GranFondo |  September 10
Whistler Village Beer Festival |  September 13-18

More Whistler events.

Travel Updates

• • • Face coverings are no longer required for indoor public settings in BC
    • Proof of vaccination is no longer required to access non-essential events, services and businesses. Learn more about British Columbia’s province-wide restrictions.
    • Fully vaccinated US and international travellers are welcome to visit Canada. Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada by air, land or water. Visit the Government of Canada’s website for full details on Canada’s entry requirements.
    • Know Before You Go – visit Whistler.com/covid for the latest COVID-19 information and resources for travellers.

If You’re Driving . . .

• • • Help reduce congestion on the highway by travelling during non-peak times. Peak travel times on the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler include Friday evenings, Saturday mornings and late afternoons / early evenings, Sunday mornings and late afternoons / evenings, and holidays. To avoid this busy time, plan to visit Whistler midweek when the highway and the resort are typically quieter. Extend your weekend – plan to arrive on Thursday night and leave on Monday morning to avoid the weekend traffic. If you’re visiting Whistler only for the day, plan on staying for dinner to avoid the rush of day skier traffic leaving the resort after the mountain closes.
    • Always check DriveBC for current road conditions before getting on the road. Follow @DriveBC on Twitter and listen to MountainFM for the latest updates.
    • Paid parking is in effect in Day Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (complimentary parking from 5 PM to 8 AM).