The Whistler backcountry is an escape-whether watching the sun glisten off snow-covered cedar branches or just inhaling the crisp silence of total solitude- there's no better place to get away from the hustle and grind of everyday life.
As owner of Callaghan Country, an XC and backcountry ski lodge just south of Whistler, Brad Sills has been escaping for the past 32 years. "Every day is like the first time," Sills says. "There's always different snow shapes or different light. The creek takes a different path or the trees cast a different silhouette. It comes down to wilderness and the sense of place that wilderness gives us."
The Callaghan Valley hosted the Nordic event for the 2010 Winter Games but historically it was training area and spiritual wilderness place for local Salish Natives. As a rite of passage, Salish youth would venture out into the mountains to find themselves.
"That is a common theme throughout any evolving civilization," Sills says. "People seek reconnection with the natural world. We still see the modern-day appeal of this with things like the Alpine Club of Canada or Mountain Co-Op. The wilderness draws people because it helps us figure out what makes us tick."
Amidst the quiet forest along the 13.5km groomed ski trail up to their alpine lodge, Callaghan Country offers a chance for people to get introspection with their exercise.
"Difficulty-wise, the bar slides according to your skill and ability level," Sills explains. "About 30% of our clients are beginners, but for everyone it's a chance to push themselves. Physical endeavours can open up new senses-you actually smell the different species of trees and hear your heart pumping in your chest. You can see the changes in the environment, from frozen snow to running water in a creek bed for instance. Typically all this will make you feel enriched."
Then you carry that enriched feeling into the Callaghan Lodge and pile on some luxury with five-star meals, soft beds and a hand-built wood fire sauna. "We call it 'Rustic-luxe'," Sills jokes. "But once you get there it is a celebration and you get to share your experiences with others. This drives people to join together and celebrate the beauty of the landscape and what great lives we actually all have."
Get out, tune in, and kick back. That's the Callaghan escape. www.callaghancountry.com
