DAY 32/33 - Long drives and Ziplines!
Needless to say, it had been a crazy busy couple of days - and it's only going to get worse! We are on the official last leg of our trip and trying to make the absolutely best of it. We will do our best to keep these posts coming each night 😊
Day 32 (Monday) wasn't very exciting, probably the least exciting day of the trip so far and the most stressful. Seeing as how we have to head home next Monday, we were eagar to reach our first BC destination and get to the adventures. We got up bright and early and left Meziadin Junction towards Whistler with still about 15 hours left to drive. Since we have a million things we want to do in BC we decided to drive to 100 Mile House for the night and drive the final 4 hours in the morning. The drive was very uneventful, and extremely long. We were lucky enough to see another 2 little bears but that's it for the wildlife. We honestly got a little loopy on this drive, so there were plenty of giggles for sure. We had to stop for gas in a small town around 6pm and realized we hadn't eaten in a long time. So, we popped into the cooler and brought out our usual lately. A couple cheese strings, veggies and hummus and some hard boiled eggs. We pump our gas (without the gift cards that we were supposed to use) then proceeded to sit in the truck and peel our hard boiled eggs. At this point, we couldn't help but laugh uncontrolably as we were exahausted, eating full hard boiled eggs. The super nice lady from the gas station ended up driving by us and waving goodbye, mid-peel I just waved back to her with egg in hand. She must have thought we were nuts 😂 The weird thing about our drive (well second weirdest thing I guess) is how soon the sun sets now!! We got so used to having a light sky in The Yukon that we were not prepared for the sun setting at about 8pm here. That also meant that we had to drive in the dark, and since we were just planning on staying on a pull off it didn't make that easy for us. After arriving in 100 Mile House and not finding anywhere to park, we ended up driving another 20 minutes before the next pulloff. Finally it was right to bed for us at about 10pm!
Day 33 was FAR more interesting!! After a very light, crappy sleep we woke up at 7am and knew we had to hit the road. We had just under 4 hours to go until we reached Whistler and we had to be there before 12pm, to tackle the longest zipline in North America!!!! A little bit into the drive we turned off the 97 South and hit the Highway 99 the Sea to Sky highway. After lots of long windy roads, it was clear why only about 295km was going to take us almost 4 hours. We stopped for coffee at a little gas station in town and thoroughly enjoyed that after a rough nights sleep. On we went and enjoyed one of the best drives we've had. All the little towns we drove through like Fountain Valley and Lillooet were literal valleys surrounded in mountains. The roads we drove through were also up and along the sides of these mountains looking down on the lakes with all different shades of blues scattered. The entire drive there was also a parallel set of train tracks that we got to admire the craftmanship of as it climbed alongside and through the mountains. It was around 11:30am when we arrived into the awesome little town of Whistler. We immediately loved the feel of the ski/snowboard vibe and modern architecture. We found parking (with no problems surprising) put our hiking shoes on, grabbed the GoPro and headed over to the Carleton Lodge in Whistler Village. We registered for our first tour - The Eagle Tour and the guide took us to meet the group and get geared up. The main square over the village was incredible. Restaurants, lodges and little shops everywhere you went and an insane downhill biking course down the mountain.
We got all geared up with our harnesses and helmets had a good safety briefing and headed out! The ziplining actually takes place on Whistler Mountain and over Fitzsimmons Creek which runs between Blackcomb and Whistler Mountain. A huge perk to this tour was that we got to take the gondola up, and zip down! So up we went, and as we sat there climbing the mountain the nerves started seriously kicking in. For me that is. As you should know by now, not the biggest fan of heights. Why I'm going ziplining then you might ask? I would say, great question indeed! But like I've said before, this trip is about conquering our fears and experiencing once in a lifetime opportunities.
So anyways, as we trek on down to our first zipline the guide tells us that the 1st one (out of 5) is actually the highest and most scary... Seeing as how it was 2400ft with a 30 STOREY descent. Greatttttt, now I was really popping my pants. We got to the top and peered down on the single cable veering through the trees to the otherside. You could feel the excitement from everyone but especially the nerves considering this was the first one lol Then the dreaded question came, "Alright, who's going first?" After about a 5 second pause and no one volunteering, Zack without skipping a beat says "We'll go!!" and my entire stomach sank and my guts turned. The only good thing I guess is that this was a tandem zip so we could atleast do it together. With lots of encouragement from the others we stepped down onto the FLOATING steps, extremely high above the trees and they counted us down. Now I'm the type of person who will pysch myself out and take 20 minutes to jump off a rock 6 feet off the water, so I didn't know how this was going to go. "1, 2, 3 GO!" and off we went, flying down 30 storeys together! I don't know if it was the pressure of so many people or that I've built up more confidence on this trip, but both Zack and I couldn't believe that I let go hahaha
We arrived at the other side both shaking from adrenaline and legs like jello. The rest of the group came down 2 by 2 and we all high fives with great pride! Then off we went to the next one. The second one was when they taught us to go upside down... "Grab the teather nice and low, pull your knees up to your chest and swing your legs up in the air" Absolutely not! Zack on the other hand couldn't wait to try it lol This time we let a couple other go before us, then Zack took the plunge. He was the only one who actually tried the inside down and nailed it! By zip 3 a couple more people had tried it out but not quite fully commiting to upside down, no hands. Between zipline 3 and 4 was one of the coolest parts of the day, a series of 4 suspension bridges and tree platforms! The platforms were fully supported by the 300 year old trees and nothing else, it was incredible. By zipline 4 we were all pros, enjoying every second of it and not nervous at all. Then they told us that this is the one that we will go the fastest on - up to 80km/hr. That made everyone just a little bit nervous again. This one was awesome because you went right through the tree tops and it was the most scenic. It really put into perspective of how high we were and how beautiful the area was. When we arrived at the bottom there was a grouse (basically a forest chicken) sitting on the wood railing, climbing up people's arms! Zack tried to coax it on his arm but by this point he realized we didn't have any food.
The last one of The Eagle Tour took us the rest of the way down to the Village. They even took a couple pictures of each of us as we stepped off backwards and then tried to sell for $28 a photo lmfao This was our chance to do some tricks and really give it our all for the finale. Zack the thrill seeker of course opted to go down upside the entire way, no hands. Myself, I hopped off backwards and even got the guts to flip upside down for a second through the middle woo! Our one guide Kiah, who was awesome, have the best show as the last one down. He did some torpedo, upside down, flips and spins and even the running man. Definitely a hilarious way to end off the last zipline!
We headed back down, took off our gear and thanked our guides for the amazing tour. The rest of the group was done for the day, but us on the other hand were not ...
We headed back to the truck, made some lunch stocked up on some water and headed right back to the Ziptrek tours. At 3:30pm we were off to tackle the biggest challenge of the day (and possibly my entire life) The Sasquatch. Unlike any of the Ziplines we have done, this is the longest zipline in North America spanning at 2km long and 7000ft. We got all geared up again and piled into a very sketchy box van that took us up the mountain. The girl driving us handled the steep dirt roads like a boss, but regardless they were very bumpy and it was not hard to feel sick going up. After about 25 minutes (of hell) we arrived to the near top of the mountain and hiked down to the zipline. For reference, the zipline is just below the peak to peak gonola which takes you from Blackcombs peak to Whistlers Peak. When we arrived looking out on the mountain, it took me a minute before I could look over the edge. Before even doing so my stomach flipped once again and the nerves were higher than ever before. This time I thought I may actually poop myself 💩
As everyone else started stressing a little and even Zack had his nervous laugh and grin on, I knew this wasn't a good idea. I finally looked over the edge and the stomach sank more than I thought possible. You couldn't even see where the cable reached the other side because it was so long. But the length didn't even phase me, it was the pretty much straight vertical drop in the cable to begin the zip that really phased me. I told Zack as much as I didn't regret going first on the other one, this one I needed an extra couple minutes to talk myself up. Zack asked the guide helping us what the fastest speed someone has gone down? To which he replied 270km/hr!!!!?! Now we're not sure how much truth there is to that, but on average people hit about 150-170km/hr... So that didn't help my nerves at all lol
Down went the first couple, then the second and finally we had to do it now or I wouldn't. The guide hooked us on, we took a couple deep breathes and down the steps we walked. The steps earlier were baby food compared to these, and we hung in the air on top of a forest. We sat back into our harnesses and The guide began to count down, "3, 2, 1" ... And once again we were off! Together Zack and I soared down the mountain and across to the other side. It was definitely extremely fast, to the point that it hurt your face a little haha but once the initial drop was over, it was all smiles and I even let go and enjoyed the ride. Zack flipped upside down through the Canyon and enjoyed a bit of a different view! It was about 90 seconds to reach the other side but it sure felt quicker than that, and not was it exhilarating!!! By far the craziest and highest thing we've ever done in our lives, and we are damn proud to have accomplished The Sasquatch!
Once we took the gondola down, we hopped off and took off our gear for the last time. We watched some of the downhill bikers for a while and took in the Whistler lifestyle. After a long day of driving and ziping we needed some ice cold beers and food. We headed to Dublin Gates, an Irish pub just just beside us, which we also received 20% off food at. Immediately we ordered an Irish carbomb (the usual) to celebrate, and then had many more after that. We also enjoyed some local beers and some of the best nachos we've ever had. Once we were full and ready for bed, we headed back to the parking lot where we slept in the truck another night!
Today was just so surreal, and if you are in BC you cannot leave without doing The Sasquatch or any of the other tours with Whistler Ziptrek. The tours, the guides and the experience were all well worth it 😊
Tomorrow we are off to Vancouver Island!
We got all geared up with our harnesses and helmets had a good safety briefing and headed out! The ziplining actually takes place on Whistler Mountain and over Fitzsimmons Creek which runs between Blackcomb and Whistler Mountain. A huge perk to this tour was that we got to take the gondola up, and zip down! So up we went, and as we sat there climbing the mountain the nerves started seriously kicking in. For me that is. As you should know by now, not the biggest fan of heights. Why I'm going ziplining then you might ask? I would say, great question indeed! But like I've said before, this trip is about conquering our fears and experiencing once in a lifetime opportunities.
So anyways, as we trek on down to our first zipline the guide tells us that the 1st one (out of 5) is actually the highest and most scary... Seeing as how it was 2400ft with a 30 STOREY descent. Greatttttt, now I was really popping my pants. We got to the top and peered down on the single cable veering through the trees to the otherside. You could feel the excitement from everyone but especially the nerves considering this was the first one lol Then the dreaded question came, "Alright, who's going first?" After about a 5 second pause and no one volunteering, Zack without skipping a beat says "We'll go!!" and my entire stomach sank and my guts turned. The only good thing I guess is that this was a tandem zip so we could atleast do it together. With lots of encouragement from the others we stepped down onto the FLOATING steps, extremely high above the trees and they counted us down. Now I'm the type of person who will pysch myself out and take 20 minutes to jump off a rock 6 feet off the water, so I didn't know how this was going to go. "1, 2, 3 GO!" and off we went, flying down 30 storeys together! I don't know if it was the pressure of so many people or that I've built up more confidence on this trip, but both Zack and I couldn't believe that I let go hahaha
We arrived at the other side both shaking from adrenaline and legs like jello. The rest of the group came down 2 by 2 and we all high fives with great pride! Then off we went to the next one. The second one was when they taught us to go upside down... "Grab the teather nice and low, pull your knees up to your chest and swing your legs up in the air" Absolutely not! Zack on the other hand couldn't wait to try it lol This time we let a couple other go before us, then Zack took the plunge. He was the only one who actually tried the inside down and nailed it! By zip 3 a couple more people had tried it out but not quite fully commiting to upside down, no hands. Between zipline 3 and 4 was one of the coolest parts of the day, a series of 4 suspension bridges and tree platforms! The platforms were fully supported by the 300 year old trees and nothing else, it was incredible. By zipline 4 we were all pros, enjoying every second of it and not nervous at all. Then they told us that this is the one that we will go the fastest on - up to 80km/hr. That made everyone just a little bit nervous again. This one was awesome because you went right through the tree tops and it was the most scenic. It really put into perspective of how high we were and how beautiful the area was. When we arrived at the bottom there was a grouse (basically a forest chicken) sitting on the wood railing, climbing up people's arms! Zack tried to coax it on his arm but by this point he realized we didn't have any food.
The last one of The Eagle Tour took us the rest of the way down to the Village. They even took a couple pictures of each of us as we stepped off backwards and then tried to sell for $28 a photo lmfao This was our chance to do some tricks and really give it our all for the finale. Zack the thrill seeker of course opted to go down upside the entire way, no hands. Myself, I hopped off backwards and even got the guts to flip upside down for a second through the middle woo! Our one guide Kiah, who was awesome, have the best show as the last one down. He did some torpedo, upside down, flips and spins and even the running man. Definitely a hilarious way to end off the last zipline!
We headed back down, took off our gear and thanked our guides for the amazing tour. The rest of the group was done for the day, but us on the other hand were not ...
We headed back to the truck, made some lunch stocked up on some water and headed right back to the Ziptrek tours. At 3:30pm we were off to tackle the biggest challenge of the day (and possibly my entire life) The Sasquatch. Unlike any of the Ziplines we have done, this is the longest zipline in North America spanning at 2km long and 7000ft. We got all geared up again and piled into a very sketchy box van that took us up the mountain. The girl driving us handled the steep dirt roads like a boss, but regardless they were very bumpy and it was not hard to feel sick going up. After about 25 minutes (of hell) we arrived to the near top of the mountain and hiked down to the zipline. For reference, the zipline is just below the peak to peak gonola which takes you from Blackcombs peak to Whistlers Peak. When we arrived looking out on the mountain, it took me a minute before I could look over the edge. Before even doing so my stomach flipped once again and the nerves were higher than ever before. This time I thought I may actually poop myself 💩
As everyone else started stressing a little and even Zack had his nervous laugh and grin on, I knew this wasn't a good idea. I finally looked over the edge and the stomach sank more than I thought possible. You couldn't even see where the cable reached the other side because it was so long. But the length didn't even phase me, it was the pretty much straight vertical drop in the cable to begin the zip that really phased me. I told Zack as much as I didn't regret going first on the other one, this one I needed an extra couple minutes to talk myself up. Zack asked the guide helping us what the fastest speed someone has gone down? To which he replied 270km/hr!!!!?! Now we're not sure how much truth there is to that, but on average people hit about 150-170km/hr... So that didn't help my nerves at all lol
Down went the first couple, then the second and finally we had to do it now or I wouldn't. The guide hooked us on, we took a couple deep breathes and down the steps we walked. The steps earlier were baby food compared to these, and we hung in the air on top of a forest. We sat back into our harnesses and The guide began to count down, "3, 2, 1" ... And once again we were off! Together Zack and I soared down the mountain and across to the other side. It was definitely extremely fast, to the point that it hurt your face a little haha but once the initial drop was over, it was all smiles and I even let go and enjoyed the ride. Zack flipped upside down through the Canyon and enjoyed a bit of a different view! It was about 90 seconds to reach the other side but it sure felt quicker than that, and not was it exhilarating!!! By far the craziest and highest thing we've ever done in our lives, and we are damn proud to have accomplished The Sasquatch!
Once we took the gondola down, we hopped off and took off our gear for the last time. We watched some of the downhill bikers for a while and took in the Whistler lifestyle. After a long day of driving and ziping we needed some ice cold beers and food. We headed to Dublin Gates, an Irish pub just just beside us, which we also received 20% off food at. Immediately we ordered an Irish carbomb (the usual) to celebrate, and then had many more after that. We also enjoyed some local beers and some of the best nachos we've ever had. Once we were full and ready for bed, we headed back to the parking lot where we slept in the truck another night!
Today was just so surreal, and if you are in BC you cannot leave without doing The Sasquatch or any of the other tours with Whistler Ziptrek. The tours, the guides and the experience were all well worth it 😊
Tomorrow we are off to Vancouver Island!
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