Adventure Tourism in Pemberton — Go For It!

Pemberton: Minutes away from Whistler, our village shines as a sunny outpost for adventure lovers of all types. "Adventure Begins Here" as we like to say, or, for the less faint of heart, we consider ourselves to be "Lucky Bastards" - Yes, this is an official Pemberton slogan, taken up after enough locals were told they were such by amazed visitors.

Pemberton rocks life. Our backdrop is Mount Currie, so there's already an awe-inspiring sight we wake up to each and every morning. Beyond this, though, we live, literally, on the edge of the backcountry. There's something exhilarating about this. Twenty minutes away is the uber-civilized Whistler Village, where The Gap, Holiday Inn, and, oh yeah, North America's number one ski resort live. We're the place the skiers often live, where they go to ski Mount Currie, where they go to experience the Pemberton Ice Cap. Pemberton offers those once in a lifetime experiences that most of us only dream of doing.

1. Flying Through the Air

Pemberton offers lots of ways to fly, either literally in gliders or by jumping out of planes or off cliffs. Yes, that's right: On summer days, you can often see the colourful apparatuses floating through the air as people eye their landings. You can also jump out of planes here, otherwise known as skydiving. Helicopter tours, including the semi-infamous 19th hole offered by Big Sky Gold and Country Club and Blackcomb Aviation, are another option for those who wish they could fly. And, of course, we've had our own airport since the 1970s, so you can fly to or from Pemberton easily.

2. Water Sports 

Pemberton is home to several lakes, but also to rivers where the adventurous go to experience extreme sports like kayaking. Filed under "do not try this" we'd like to mention Spanish extreme kayaker Aniole Serrasolses, who kayaked the Keyhole, a 115-foot plunge on the Lillooet River. As he put it in an article for the CBC:

"The experience is just amazing," said Serrasolses. "To see the landscape, the view of the Lillooet Valley for a second, and then you're dropping down a hundred feet."

Pemberton is home to backcountry extreme skiing, snowmobiling, ice climbing and ice fishing.

3. Sports for Those Who Like to Go Up

The climbers. Rock climbers, boulderers, mountain climbers and the like: They all feel quite at home in Pemberton. Some (see above) enjoy the plunge down from the heavens. Others like the slow, painstaking but perilous climb up. For them, Pemberton has enough venues to last a lifetime.

Check here for a list of routes in the area. Whether it's ice climbing, rock climbing or (simply) backcountry hiking, Pemberton area is renowned for epic routes.

4. Nature Walks for Extremists

Simply going on a walk can be extreme if you want it to be. In Pemberton, it is possible to hike our backcountry in all seasons (with the right gear and guides) as long as you have prepped enough and know what you are doing.

The Globe and Mail famously highlighted this a couple years ago, acknowledging how incredible our ski touring is. But summer, (and spring and fall) also offer nature walks for extremists here. A few of the more advanced trails are highlighted at Explore BC. 

5. Sports for Those Who Like to Go Down, Fast

See above, number 3, for the true opposites here, and then please see number 1 for the cousins-in-arms. The downhill folk. Either mountain biking or skiing, these are the folk who live for the thrill of sailing down a mountain as fast as possible. The true opposite to the climbers, these guys are close kin to the extremists who wish they were birds. But no: flying down a mountainside on bike or skis (or snowboard) provides a thrill that next to none. Especially since, in Pemberton, you're definitely not in a park. You're in the true backcountry. Wilderness. 

Every year, the Nimby Fifty extols the joy of racing on a mountain bike for about 30 kilometres of both cross country and single track. The race is so popular that it fills up fast, testament to the, well, testament to how insanely popular gruelling mountain bike races can be when they are as well organized as the Nimby Fifty is.

Extreme Care for Our Guests

Whatever you do, make sure that you only go as extreme as you have trained for and know you can handle. We live in an age, it seems, where we're always pushing the limit of what we can handle. Make sure, if you do choose to join the extremists, that you do so with care, with proper guides, and with training. 

And, if after a day of pushing yourself, you need a little retreat, well - that's what we're here for. Our pool, hot tub and massage services are waiting for you after a hard day on the slopes, in the air, or after a round of golf. Have a great time in our backyard, and then come back and let us look after you. Enjoy!

Posted: Tuesday, July 28, 2015