Whistler: Against All Odds »

Nobody believed the dream would ever come true. Build a ski resort in the remore Coast Mountains of British Columbia? In a valley better known for its trout fishing than its skiing potential? A valley without roads or telephones or even electricity? Impossible.

But Franz Wilhelmsen and his Vancouver-based colleagues proved up to the challenge. By February 1966, North America's biggest, boldest ski resort was in operation. Whistler Mountain, as it was then known, defied the odds. And the ski business would never be the same again. Today Whistler/Blackcomb is the benchmark by which every other resort in North America measures its success. It has the biggest vertical (5,280 feet), the most terrain (7,100 acres) and the greatest number of visitors (more than 2.2 million a season). Side-by-side Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains are so massive they offer the rare combination of European-style glacier access and American-style tree-lined slopes.

Between the two mountains lies the award-winning, pedestrian-only Whistler Village, where a multi-generational mix of Europeans, Asians, Australians and North and South Americans redefine the mountain resort experience every night. In fact, for many visitors the village is the destination, with its more than 100 top restaurants and bars that never seem to close. The story of Whistler's development from backcountry fishing haven in 1914 to world-class mountain resort in 2002 is a fascinating tale. It's also a great people story. From pioneer Myrtle Philip to Olympic champion Nancy Greene-Raine, from extreme-skiing trailblazer Jim McConkey to World Cup downhiller Rob Boyd, Whistler's colorful characters have played a huge role in defining the Whistler style.

With an easy-flowing grace, writer Michel Beaudry captures all the passion, excitement and inspiration of these bigger-than-life personalities. Illustrated with mind-blowing action photos and amazing scenics of the spectacular surrounding mountains, Whistler: Against All Odds is a story that's never been told about a place that defies easy description.