Whistler: Our Story

For thousands of years before European contact, the land we now call Whistler was home to the Coast Salish and Interior Salish peoples, who lived in deep connection with the seasons, moving through the region to hunt, gather and sustain their communities.

The Whistler area was often a waypoint for First Nation trading routes between the Squamish Nation and Lil'wat Nation, as it was rich with wildlife and resources. At one time, tens of thousands of Coast Salish First Nations people lived, traded and thrived in the areas between Vancouver, Howe Sound and Lillooet. In fact, some of the hiking routes between Howe Sound and Deep Cove (east of Vancouver) are the traditional routes travelled by the Coast Salish First Nations peoples.

The award-winning Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre is a stunning space that honours the living cultures of the Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Nation and the L̓il̓wat7úl Nation. Through art, stories and interactive exhibits, visitors gain insight into the deep connection these communities have with the land – past, present and future. It’s a rich and eye-opening experience, offering a powerful perspective on place.

From its early days as a remote fishing lodge in 1914 to the global spotlight of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler has evolved with purpose and passion – long known as a place that draws in adventurous spirits and leaves a lasting mark.

Significant Events

1877: The Pemberton Trail is completed linking the Pemberton valley to the Pacific coast, north of Vancouver.
1900: Trappers and prospectors settle in the area which was originally known as Alta Lake. They begin calling it "Whistler" because of the shrill whistle sound made by the western hoary marmots who live among the rocks.
1910: Myrtle and Alex Philip arrive in Vancouver from Maine. They hear about Whistler's spectacular beauty.
1912: Construction begins on the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (now BC Rail) from Squamish to Prince George.
1911: Myrtle and Alex take the three-day journey to Whistler: a steamer ship from Vancouver to Squamish, overnight in Brackendale, and a two-day horse trek to Whistler. The journey from Vancouver to Whistler these days is a short, 120 kilometre (75 mile) drive on the beautiful Sea to Sky Highway.
1914: Myrtle and Alex buy ten acres of land and build the Rainbow Lodge on the shores of Alta Lake. The Pacific Great Eastern Railway is built to Alta Lake and links the valley to the outside world. Whistler becomes a base for logging and mining. Myrtle and Alex's Rainbow Lodge is the most popular resort destination west of Banff and Jasper.
1926: The Parkhurst Mill opens on Green Lake (today’s Parkhurst "Ghost Town" hike). It closes for the final time in 1956.
1950s: Other lodges open throughout the valley. The abundant fish stocks make Whistler a summer resort destination long before it is considered a winter destination. Winter travel becomes possible when a gravel road to Squamish is carved from the cliffs of Howe Sound.
Early 1960s: During the early 1960s a group of Vancouver Businessmen formed the Garibaldi Olympic Development Association (GODA) to develop a site to host the 1968 Winter Olympic Games and selected London Mountain (Whistler Mountain’s former name) as the preferred venue.
1964: The single-lane road is extended to Whistler because of the ski area development, and to Pemberton later that same year. The trip from Vancouver to Whistler took 5 - 6 hours.
1965: Whistler Mountain finally gets the name "Garibaldi Whistler Mountain". Development of the ski area on the south side of Whistler Mountain began. What is now called Creekside was once the original Village and featured a four-person gondola to the mountain’s mid-station, a double chairlift to the alpine tree line, and two T-bars.
1966: Whistler officially opens for skiing.
1969: A two-lane gravel road built in 1965 is paved to Whistler and then to Pemberton.
1975: The Resort Municipality of Whistler is formed and its the first resort municipality in Canada. The municipality is given 53 acres of Crown land to develop a town centre. Whistler holds its first municipal election.
1977: Rainbow Lodge burns down.
1978: Construction begins on the new town centre that will eventually become Whistler Village.
1980: Blackcomb Mountain (right next to Whistler Mountain) opens creating one of the largest ski areas in North America.
1982: Whistler hosts its first successful International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup Downhill event.
1983: Whistler Golf Club officially opens and it's Arnold Palmer's first Canadian design.
1985: Blackcomb Mountain opens its 7th Heaven T-bar and becomes North America’s only "Mile High Mountain" with a vertical mile of lift-accessed terrain.
1986: Whistler Museum and Archives Society founded.
1987/88: Blackcomb Mountain builds a new base at today’s Upper Village and invests in new chairlifts. For the first time, Blackcomb Mountain receives more skier visits than Whistler Mountain (winter season ending 1988).
1989: Rob Boyd becomes the first Canadian to win gold in a World Cup Downhill event on Canadian soil during a race on Whistler Mountain.
Late 1980s / Early 1990s: Whistler Village is expanded and Village North and Marketplace are built.
1992: Snow Country Magazine votes Whistler the "Number One Ski Resort in North America" and the trend continues through to today with the resort earning the top spot for destination resort and its incredible skiing in numerous industry magazines and readers’ polls.
1996: Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains officially merge under Intrawest Corporation and form Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler Blackcomb ranks Number One on SKIING Magazine’s Top 25 Resorts in North America list for the first time.
1999: This summer saw the official opening of Whistler Mountain Bike Park, a lift-assisted network of trails for mountain bike enthusiasts.
2001: Sk̲wx̲u7mesh Úxumixw and L̓il̓wat7úl sign a historic protocol agreement. They formally agree, once again, to live and work together in Whistler.
2002: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) shortlists Vancouver/Whistler as a Candidate City for hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
2003: Vancouver/Whistler win the bid to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
2004: First Crankworx event is held in Whistler. Whistler Mountain Bike Park opens the Garbanzo Zone.
2008: The peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains were linked with the opening of the brand new PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. This multi record-breaking lift allows skiers, snowboarders and, in the summer, hikers, faster access to the award-winning terrain on both mountains.

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre opens to the public and is the first centre of its kind in Canada, located on the shared, traditional territories of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. It embodies the spirit of partnership between two unique Nations who wish to preserve, grow and share their traditional cultures.
2010: Whistler takes part in the Winter Olympics as an Official Olympic venue. Although the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have come and gone, Whistler's spot on the world stage is firmly established. Fantastic Olympic legacies like the Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler Olympic Park and Whistler Medals Plaza, as well as the Mountain Bike Park and the record-breaking PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, make Whistler a world-class, year-round destination.
2012: Top of the World Trail opens in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
2016: Whistler Blackcomb Holdings is purchased by Colorado-based Vail Resorts Inc. for $1.4 billion.

The Audain Art Museum opens its doors to the public. Located by the Village, the iconic building houses a permanent collection of artworks from British Columbia as well as rotating exhibitions from leading museums around the world.
2017: Vail Resorts, Inc. invests $66 million in three new lifts for Whistler Blackcomb for the 2018/19 season. Upgrades include a new 10-passenger Blackcomb gondola, a new six-passenger high-speed lift on Whistler Mountain and a four-passenger, high-speed lift on Blackcomb Mountain. The changes create the first three-gondola connection in the world, allowing guests to upload, connect between the mountains via the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and download in a gondola for a weather-protected experience.
2018: In the summer of 2018, Whistler Blackcomb unveils the new Cloudraker Skybridge. It stretches 130 metres (427 feet) from the top of Whistler Peak to the West Ridge, crossing over Whistler Bowl at 2,182 metres (7,160 feet) above sea level. At the far end is the Raven’s Eye lookout, a 360-degree platform for uninterrupted views of the surrounding mountains.
2021: Whistler adopts First Nations territorial statement which speaks to the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation report and helps to increase awareness about Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and also encourages both those making and listening to the statement to learn more about whose territories they reside upon. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is grateful to be on the shared, unceded territory of the Lil’wat people, known in their language as Lilwat7úl, and the Squamish people, known in their language as Skwxwú7mesh.
2022: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Founding Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, announces that the bid for the Invictus Games 2025 has been awarded to Vancouver and Whistler, in partnership with True Patriot Love Foundation.
2023: The 2023/24 season is the debut of the newly upgraded Fitzsimmons Express chairlift, a high-speed, eight-person chair – the first of its kind in North America across Vail Resorts. It cuts back on wait times, improves uploading efficiency, and serves to significantly support Whistler Mountain Bike Park operations.
2025: The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, an international, adaptive sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and Veterans, takes place in February. The Games incorporate winter adaptive sports for the first time. 532 competitors from a record 23 nations compete in both Vancouver and Whistler, with 1,100 family and friends supporting and cheering them on.

Dreams Take Flight. Whistler – 50 Years and Beyond.

Celebrate with the Whistler Community

View Whistler Municipality's 50th Anniversary Events

Roots, Runs and Remarkable People

Step Inside Whistler's Story

Whistler Then and Now

Significant Events

Use Google Translate

or visit our region specific pages