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By Cinda Chavich

Last updated on Monday, Sep. 14, 2009 03:21AM EDT

Our send-off aboard the Whistler Mountaineer isn't particularly auspicious – we start our journey up B.C.'s scenic west coast in an industrial area of North Vancouver – but it's not long before we leave the rail yards behind, skirting the edge of Burrard Inlet along Marine Drive, the toniest of Vancouver neighbourhoods. Our pleasure train parallels the scenic but often-congested Sea to Sky Highway, offering a direct route from Vancouver to Whistler in luxurious but guilt-free style.

I am heading to Whistler to explore the endless bike trails (both easy and extreme), and the fresh, local food scene – but on the Mountaineer, getting there is part of the adventure. My seatmate, a businessman from Peru, is taking the return trip today strictly for the scenery. Beyond the vaulted Glacier Dome windows, there's nothing but mountains, sea and blue sky. Inside, it's the breakfast run; for the return trip in late afternoon, there's a classic tea service, with warm scones and clotted cream, dainty sandwiches, lemon tarts and pots of Earl Grey, Japanese sencha and Jasmine Butterfly. It's a civilized way to take in the spectacular views – rather like flying business class at sea level – and soon the car is buzzing with oohs and aahs in Japanese, German and a lilting Gallic brogue.

We rattle along through Porteau Cove, near the site of the massive rock slide that blocked Whistler's only road access for several days in 2008, and past the Furry Creek Golf and Country Club where Adam Sandler and Bob Barker sparred in Happy Gilmore. The views across Howe Sound near Squamish are some of the most scenic in the province.

The friendly staff point out the best bits– such as the “white witch” etched onto the vertical face of the granite monolith, S

tawamus Chief, or the milky turquoise blue water rushing through Cheakamus Canyon.

As the train screeches across a high trestle bridge, we crowd around the open windows of the observation car to try to capture the drama of it all, but a photo is no match for the aroma of spruce trees and the thrilling vertigo as the train climbs across the Coast Mountains into the shiny new Whistler Mountaineer station.

From here, you can explore the Whistler “village” at the base of the famed Whistler-Blackcomb ski area, where the world will gather for the 2010 Olympic downhill sports. Whistler has been called “the best ski destination in North America,” but it's also one of the best places to explore by bike.

You can suit up in Darth Vader-like helmets and armour before hurtling straight down a vertical ski slope on two wheels, or join in on a recreational level by renting a bike (along with the requisite protective gear) from one of Whistler's many bike shops and learn to “rock hop” down a dry creek bed, or head off on one of the many trails that cut through the forest and parallel almost every roadway in the town.

Stay at Nita Lake Lodge, next to the new train station in Whistler's Creekside neighbourhood, and bike the four kilometres down to the busy pedestrian-only village, for restaurants and nightlife. Take the free local bus back if your legs give out – like the chairlifts that whisk you up to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Whistler buses are equipped with bike racks.

Accessing Whistler's rambling neighbourhoods by bike is not only convenient, it's a perfect way to work off all of the great food you'll be eating while you're here.

A top dining destination in Whistler is Araxi, the restaurant chef Gordon Ramsay recently declared the best place to eat in Canada, and which will employ his next Hell's Kitchen winner – rather ironic since the Ramsay survivor will have a new mentor in Araxi's executive chef James Walt, one of the nicest, and most talented, guys in the business.

Like many Whistler chefs, Walt turns to the nearby Pemberton Valley for the fresh, organic vegetables he showcases on his plates.

You, too, can go to the source – and a bike ride down the flat highway that bisects the wide, lush valley in search of farm-fresh food is worth its weight in calories consumed and burned.

At Across the Creek Organics, the Mount Currie Coffee Company and North Arm Farm, it's a kind of farmers' market on two wheels – cyclists can pack their panniers with freshly roasted coffee beans, bundles of fresh

carrots and tiny eggplants before riding off to the next farm. (Alternatively, if the bike ride isn't for you, you can visit the Whistler Farmers Market on Sundays, where you'll find potatoes from Helmers' Organic Farm, fruits and vegetables, bison meat, honey, jams, teas, paintings and more.)

At North Arm Farm, I meet Jordan Sturdy, a ski patroller and organic farmer who supplies local chefs with all kinds of vegetables, including unusual items such as crosnes, black carrots, salsify and watermelon radishes. He also happens to be the mayor of Pemberton.

“People here have really embraced local and seasonal eating,” says Sturdy, walking me through his fields of fat pumpkins and sweet corn, “but it's not a hardship. We can grow almost anything here.”

Sturdy's farm store makes a great stop in this fertile mountain meadow, offering gooey butter tarts, pie or the opportunity to pat a pig and enjoy the views.

Back in Whistler, tired biking muscles need massaging and there's no better place for that than the spa at the Four Seasons Resort. I start working out the kinks with an aromatic steam inside my own canvas tent, breathing in relaxing cedar and juniper in a treatment that is reminiscent of an aboriginal sweat lodge. Afterward, the native theme continues over dinner – and chef Scott Thomas Dolbee's creative take on indigenous dishes, from gravlax perched on miniature bannock breads to cured bison carpaccio, pickled spruce tips and cedar jelly.

Like many hotels here, Four Seasons caters to bikers – with secure bike storage, a bike wash and tuning station, and a laundry to deal with your mud-crusted clothing.

Bikers need breakfast and before my next challenge, I follow the locals to Elements, a cozy spot where the variations of eggs Benny come atop portabello mushrooms, fresh crab or smoked salmon, with bottomless cups of coffee. It's what you'll need to steel yourself for a guided lesson on the gnarly downhill runs at the Whistler bike park.

Like ski runs, trails here are signed and rated – green, blue, black, double-black – and there are cattle guard “filters” so newbies don't end up on a slope that's too steep. Just throw your bike on a specially fitted chairlift and head up; if the pitch gets too scary, you can always get off and walk.

But don't worry if you show up for dinner scraped and bruised – biker war wounds are expected.

“Yeah, it was full contact, face to rock,” says Vanessa Murphy, sporting a shiner that elicits respect from other mountain bikers.

“Cool. Nice,” echoes Araxi waiter Andrew, displaying his own scabby road rash.

That's the thing about Whistler – everyone's active. From the pedestrian routes between the big hotels, shops and restaurants in the village to the many well-signed forest trails, it's natural to ditch the car. The urge to explore gets under your skin. The next morning, I grab a picnic lunch at the lodge deli and set off on the pathway that circles the lake for another spin before the train arrives.

My self-propelled holiday fits perfectly with Whistler's active vibe – and it helps justify those tea biscuits on the train home.

Special to The Globe and Mail

* * *

Pack your bags

GETTING THERE
To Whistler The Whistler Mountaineer journeys between Vancouver to Whistler until Oct. 6. From $199 return. www.whistlermountaineer.com
To Pemberton Pemberton is 35 kilometres north of Whistler on the Sea to Sky Highway 99.

WHERE TO STAY
Nita Lake Lodge www.nitalakelodge.com. From $139. Boutique lodge near the train station, with an excellent restaurant (Jordan's Crossing) and well-appointed suites.
Four Seasons Resort Whistler www.fourseasons.com/whistler. From $295. Luxury resort at the base of Blackcomb, with fine dining, a native-inspired spa and menu.

WHERE TO EAT
Araxi 604-932-4540; www.araxi.com. Arguably the best place to eat in Canada – certainly the best in Whistler.
Mount Currie Coffee Company 604-894-3388; www.mountcurriecoffee.com. This Pemberton stop offers baked goods, paninis, breakfast burritos, salads and more. Everything made on site, from scratch with local ingredients whenever possible.

FARM-FRESH FOOD
North Arm Farm 604-894-5379; www.northarmfarm.com. Continue along Highway 99 from the Pemberton junction toward Lillooet for five kilometres. Watch for the North Arm Farm and the B.C. Grown signs on the south side of the road. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Oct. 31, and only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 1 to Christmas.
Helmers' Organic Farm www.helmersorganic.ca. Though the farm isn't open to the public, Helmers' produce is available at the farmers markets at Whistler and Kitsilano on Sundays, at Pemberton on Wednesdays, at Granville Island Public Market on Thursdays and at Trout Lake on Saturdays.
Across The Creek Organics 8356 Meadows Rd., 11 kilometres north of Pemberton; 604-894-6463. Open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pemberton Farmers Market Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Legion.

ALL-SPEED CYCLING
Want to speed straight down from the top of a mountain? Check out the Whistler Mountain Bike Park (www.whistlerbike.com), join a guided downhill biking lesson or get on one of the 200-plus kilometres of single- and double-track trails around town. Start with the 30-kilometre Valley Trail, then trade up to popular routes like Cut Yer Bars and Train Wreck. Dedicated enthusiasts may want to join the Whistler Offroads Cycling Association (www.worca.com ).

WHEELS
It's easy to rent a bike in Whistler. Whether you want something built for cross-country trails, a gnarly downhill racer or just two wheels to explore the valley, there are many bike-rental shops in town offering the latest equipment.
Summit Sports www.summitsport.com. At the base of Whistler Mountain Bike Park, with family, trail and downhill mountain bikes. Book online for a 10-per-cent discount.
The Bike Co. www.bikeco.ca. Shops in both Whistler and Pemberton; buy or rent equipment for your vacation.
Whistler Bike www.whistlerbike.com. At the bike park, next to the Whistler Gondola. A high-performance bike and regular helmet can be rented for $100 a day. Add the Premium Armour Package, including arm, leg, glove, helmet and chest protection, for $40. A simpler Valley Bike rents for $40 for 24 hours.
C.C

©Cinda Chavich

www.tastereport.com

Cycle of Life in Whistler

15/09/09

It's a guilt-free vacation when you take the train and explore by bike – burning more calories than carbon while eating like a king

photos by Cinda Chavich

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