We asked talented Whistler photographers Mike Crane and Justa Jeskova to choose their favourite moments from the year that was in Whistler (with a few videos thrown in for holiday fun). Time to put up your feet and reflect on the past year…and make plans for new adventures in 2018.
January
Crisp air and clean ice – a perfectly Canadian way to start the year. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
Another fine winter day in the Coastal rainforest snowforest! MIKE CRANE PHOTO
February
Late light. Blackcomb Mountain shines with yet another beautiful display of alpenglow. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
Happy Place. The pow just kept coming last winter. More about skiing Whistler here. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
March
There is such a thing as ‘Friends on a Pow Day,” you just need to choose the right friends. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
The end of an era. Rear entry ski boot traditionalist Feet Banks finally retires the boots his parents bought him at the 1991 Turkey Sale and upgrades to the best in ski boot technology. BRIAN HOCKENSTEIN VIDEO
April
Snow and short sleeves – springtime in Whistler is always magical. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
There are a lot of similarities between a life of art and sport. Whistler’s Kate Zessel breaks it down. BRIAN HOCKENSTEIN VIDEO
May
Morning sun over the Whistler Golf Course heralds the summer of golf to come. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
Smiles for miles. A big snow year meant skiing kept going right into late May, encroaching on lake time. #bestworldproblems MIKE CRANE PHOTO
Whistler’s Valley Trail connects the community and the best way to enjoy it is via the simplicity and functionality of a “Valley Trail Bike.” BRIAN HOCKENSTEIN VIDEO
June
Nights falls on a happy town. Summer has arrived. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
It’s like a living art gallery in the forest, with bike jumps. Whistler’s popular Train Wreck Hike benefited from a new access bridge last year. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
September
Ah, fall golf. Every wonder why four is the ideal number for a golf group and also the capacity of most of Whistler’s high-speed chairlifts? Now you have. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
Iconic Black Tusk Mountain is the core of an extinct volcano and, according to local indigenous legends, also the Landing Place of the Thunderbird. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
October
This way to winter. The Inukshuk stands guard in the pristine Whistler alpine. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
Unplug to reconnect and discover what’s real. Autumn is a great time to enjoy the Elements. BRIAN HOCKENSTEIN VIDEO
November
Ride on. Bike season isn’t over until the snow falls…. JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
… but winter can come pretty quick around here. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
A clear sky, some white mountains… what more could a person need? JUSTA JESKOVA PHOTO
Maybe some lights and fresh snow? Whistler’s light display is on point once again. MIKE CRANE PHOTO
Thanks to Mike Crane and Justa Jeskova for getting out there in all weathers to capture the magic moments. Have a happy and safe holidays from the Insider team – and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
Feet Banks moved to Whistler at age 12 so his parents could live the dream and ski as much as possible. He ended up living it too. After leaving home Feet did a few good stints in warmer climates and 4 years of writing school before returning to the mountains to make ski movies, hammer out a journalism career and avoid the 9-5 lifestyle as long as possible. He’s been a hay farmer, a hole digger, a magazine editor and has a jump named after him on Blackcomb Mountain, Feet’s Air. It’s tiny.
