Whistler 2013 – The Year in Photos

Every year in Whistler is amazing but 2013 definitely stands out as one of the best. Sticking with tradition here at The Insider we’re proud to present a photo recollection of the past 12 months courtesy of local photographer/man-about-town Mike Crane.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then here’s 36,000 reasons to celebrate Whistler with 2013 in photos. Happy New Year and we hope to see you soon.

January 2013 begins with a bang. Fireworks over Whistler Village.

Gotta love that deep winter tree riding on Whistler Mountain, late January.

February – The ski-out parade for Whistler’s annual WinterPRIDE celebration.

Nothing says Valentine’s Day romance like a horse-drawn sleigh ride.

The popularity of nordic skiing continues to rise. February also saw participants take to the trails at Whistler Olympic Park for Sigge’s Cross Country race.

March is about the mid-point of Whistler’s all-winter, weekly Fire and Ice Show at the base of the mountains.

Pet-friendly XC skiing at Whistler Olympic Park.

April saw probably the largest free concert in World Ski & Snowboard Festival history as hip hop legend NAS rocked Whistler Village.

Leaping into spring (upside down) on a Whistler zipline.

A beautiful stretch of May sunshine meant the Whistler Mountain Bike Park opened with more early season trails than ever before.

The Whistler Half Marathon starts (and finishes) at the Whistler Olympic Plaza each June.

Good not-so-clean fun. Tough Mudder participants braved the chilly June weather at Whistler Olympic Park and filled the resort with, you guessed it, tough mudders..

Happy Canada Day! Fireworks over Whistler Village for the July long weekend.

Another fine summer day, another fine summer view of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

Bigger and faster than ever, the Whistler Longboard Festival electrified crowds at the Whistler Sliding Centre last July.

Life is better on the water. Summer of 2013 was hot and dry, perfect for exploring Whistler’s lakes and waterways on a canoe, kayak, or stand up paddleboard.

July also means good alpine hiking in the mountains surrounding Whistler.

Who needs winter? Summer skiing on Blackcomb Mountain’s Horstman glacier runs into mid-July.

Music in the mountains.The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Whistler was one of the summer’s cultural and musical highlights, and one of our our favourite 2013 in photos memories.

Nothing beats the August heat like a whitewater rafting tour in glacier-fed Green River.

A whole lotta stretching goin’ on. The Wanderlust festival showcased Whistler’s good vibes and easy August flow.

“Get there!” An early evening round at one of Whistler’s four excellent golf courses.

Big air, really big event. Crankworx Whistler is Whistler’s largest summer festival.

Just a mellow morning swim. August 2013 marked the first (and very successful) Subaru IRONMAN® Canada event in Whistler.

Smiles all the way. The annual RBC GranFondo Whistler cycling event saw thousands of competitors enjoy a sunny September ride from Vancouver to Whistler.

Endless summer. A warm autumn meant great late season biking on the Whistler alpine bike trails.

Bungee love on an autumn free fall. Tandem bungee jumps… would you do it?

And here comes the snow. September view of Blackcomb mountain.

Harvest season and the Whistler Farmers’ Market has all the goods.

Autumn dusk in Whistler Village.

Just out for a rip. The Whistler 50 Relay and Ultramarathon brings competitors through scenic Meadow Park in early October.

Longest ever! November’s Cornucopia 2013 saw Whistler’s annual celebration of food and wine expand to include a wellness component as well.

November 15, 2013. Opening Day on Whistler Mountain – Fresh snow and blue skies.

Dual awesomeness. Whistler and Blackcomb mountain under a blanker of fresh snow.

Pre-Games excitement. The 2013 Viessman Luge World Cup stopped in at the Whistler Sliding Centre to give a preview of what we might see at Sochi 2014.

Stars on ice. Free outdoor ice skating at Whistler Olympic Plaza is as good a way to end off a year as any.

And there we have it: full circle for 2013 in photos. Thanks for a great year and all the best for 2014. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.