Keeping Up With The De Oliveiras: Mid-week Getaway

My parents took some time off in July and offered to keep the kids for a few days so Carlos and I could have a little time for us, and we happily took them up on their offer. Since I hadn't been there in years and Carlos had never been, we decided to head off to Whistler for a few days and do some hiking. We had great weather for our hike and it only started to rain the day we left. It was interesting to see what Whistler and the area looked like after the Olympics, and it definitely seemed to me like there were a lot of tourists from around the world visiting because of 2010.

We left early in the morning in order to get there just before the lifts opened to have the maximum amount of time on the mountain, and everything worked out very well. We managed to miss the rush going into Vancouver and there was almost no one on the Sea to Sky Highway, so we made good time, and even managed to get in a stop along the way. We didn't have to wait in line for long before we were zooming up to the top of Whistler Mountain. We took the obligatory pictures at the top but I was itching to get over to Blackcomb, where I had planned out a circuit for us to hike, so we took the Peak2Peak from one mountain to the other (not a bad ride, and I was happy we didn't wait for a glass-bottomed gondola - the line was huge, and we only had one other couple in our gondola with us).

Our hike on Blackcomb was amazing. Over 8km in 3 hours and 15 minutes, with a 200ish metre elevation gain. Though it was tough, I really enjoyed the Decker Loop Trail, which I hadn't originally planned on taking, but Carlos was all for it, and I'm always game for a challenge. The views on the way up and from the top were amazing. My legs were pretty tired by the end of the day, but ironically it was from my ballet flats that I ended up getting a blister, not my hiking shoes!

The next day we explored the village a bit before heading off to the Olympic park and taking a look at the ski jumping and cross country skiing facilities. I bet they would be impressive in the winter, but it was kind of neat to see in the summer. We even caught a glimpse of a bear at the ski jumps! Before we hit the road to come home, we stopped at Alexander Falls Recreation Site, which has a beautiful waterfall.

I'd love to be able to go back with the girls someday and do some more hiking in the area, whether on the mountain or in some of the provincial parks in the area. That's definitely one thing I miss when I'm here - all the nearby hiking trails. Guess we're going to have to try to go to the Pyrenees and hike more often!!