Whistler Stories That Need To Be Told

16 Episodes

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The Original Hippie

2024-07-3145:28

Brad Sills has been a notable figure in Whistler's history since the 1970s. With a background in forestry, he arrived when it was the primary industry, predating the rise of the ski and snowboard sectors. Transitioning to home building, Brad capitalized on the community's growth and established himself as a premier local luxury builder.Recognizing the need for a skilled Search and Rescue team, he became instrumental in assisting Whistler Mountain and the RCMP in locating and rescuing lost and...

Karen Vagelatos - A two-time Olympian from a Skiing Pioneer Family

2024-06-1428:03

Living, working and recreating in Whistler is a lifestyle choice for Karen, a two-time Olympian in Alpine Skiing. Her love for Whistler began as a young girl where, even before the first chair lift was built, she was featured in promotional material to attract investors in the development of Whistler Mountain. Her family had a long history and love for skiing with her father owning the very first ski shop in Vancouver.Following a successful ski racing career Karen went on to university where ...

Cathy Jewett - Creating the Foundation for Equality

2024-04-2337:16

Cathy Jewett was in the forefront on many social issues in the 70s & 80s and still is as a Councillor on the Resort Municipality Of Whistler council. She was one of the first females (3 in the 60s & 70s) to become a Professional Ski Patroller with Whistler Mountain and created the conditions for equality for future female ski patrollers at Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains. It wasn't was an easy, gentle journey but with endless energy and tenancity, she achieved many of her career goals pl...

A Well Deserved Honor

2024-03-1926:36

Part two of the interview with John Hetherington, Bruce's Ski Patrol Boss from back in the seventies plus so much more. John was and is an integral part of Whistler’s history and development. An original Whistler Counciler. An original Search and Rescue volunteer. An original Whistler Heli Ski Owner and Guide. John has done so much for Whistler as a voluneer that he was the recipient of the Governor General’s Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers in 2017. A well deserved honor John!

The Iconic Bushrat

2024-02-0923:31

Introducing John Hetherington, Bruce's Ski Patrol Boss from back in the seventies plus so much more. John was and is an integral part of Whistler’s history and development. An original Whistler Counciler. An original Search and Rescue volunteer. An original Whistler Heli Ski Owner and Guide. John has done so much for Whistler as a voluneer that he was the recipient of the Governor General’s Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers in 2017. A well deserved honor John!

An Epic Journey of Being the "First" _Cliff Jennings_Part 2

2023-06-1223:27

In Episode 12 I continue my conversation with Cliff Jennings - A Man with a lot of Whistler History to share starting from 1965. Cliff has had an Epic Whistler Journey of Being the First...Employee for Garibaldi Lift Co. - Groomer and Builder of the 1st Gondola Barn and T-BarsEmployee of Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW)Hotel ManagerSearch and Rescue VolunteerClimbing GuideHeli-Ski GuideHome sold over $1MHe documented his love of Whistler and the outdoors with his passion for photog...

Human Mule_ Cliff Jennings

2023-04-2521:11

Introducing Cliff Jennings - A Man with a lot of Whistler History to share starting from 1965. He was one of the first for many things ...Employee for Garibaldi Lift Co. - Groomer and Builder of the 1st Gondola Barn and T-BarsEmployee of Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW)Hotel ManagerSearch and Rescue VolunteerClimbing GuideHeli-Ski GuideHe documented his love of Whistler and the outdoors with his passion for photography by sharing all that he could then and now.Background of the early da...

An Avalanche Doesn't Know You're an Expert_Chris Stethem

2023-03-2921:09

Chris Stethem - Honorary Member of The Canadian Avalanche AssociationChris Stethem is a retired avalanche protection consultant living in Canmore, Alberta. A graduate in Geography from Queen’s University, Chris spent the 1970s overseeing the avalanche program at Whistler, BC, and completing research projects for the National Research Council of Canada and Environment Canada. This work included a compilation of the first two volumes of Avalanche Accidents in Canada (Stethem and Schaerer 1979, ...

The Cold Lab_Chris Stethem

2023-02-1118:36

Chris Stethem - Honorary Member of The Canadian Avalanche AssociationChris Stethem is a retired avalanche protection consultant living in Canmore, Alberta. A graduate in Geography from Queen’s University, Chris spent the 1970s overseeing the avalanche program at Whistler, BC and completing research projects for the National Research Council of Canada and Environment Canada. This work included compilation of the first two volumes of Avalanche Accidents in Canada (Stethem and Schaerer 1979, 198...

Never Give Up With Nigel Woods

2022-12-2918:36

Check out what happens when you believe in your dreams and you DO NOT give up.1 - get to raise your children on the only island in Whistler - YES! Whistler does have an island2 - get to bring Scandinave Spa to Whistlerhttps://www.parkbridge.com/en/resort/resort-detail/riversidehttps://www.scandinave.com/en/whistler/3 - get to grow your business to the benefit of future Whistler generationshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAUOvo8wkJIListen to part two of Bruce's interview with Nigel Woods, Chai...

How Does One Become One of the Best Employers in the Sea to Sky Corridor?

2022-09-2427:16

Meet Nigel Woods, Chairman/Director of Coastal Mountain Excavations Ltd. One of the best employers in the Sea to Sky corridor.https://www.coastalmountain.ca/https://www.instagram.com/coastalmountainexcavations/Listen how Nigel tells of his Whistler beginnings in the early 1970’s and how he quickly realized that he wasn’t leaving. He bought a backhoe and began clearing driveways of snow in the winter and digging holes in the summer.From the humble beginnings of being an owner...

The Birth of The Peak to Peak Gondola in Whistler, BC

2022-08-0944:59

Bruce continues his interview with Paul Mathews of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd from Whistler, BC. Learn how The Peak 2 Peak Gondola was born."Creative""Innovative" "Courageous" Are words used by Ecosign's clients to describe their services and design solutions.The Peak 2 Peak Gondola is a tricable gondola lift at Whistler Blackcomb Resort in Whistler, British Columbia, linking Whistler Mountain's Roundhouse Lodge with Blackcomb Mountain's Rendezvous Lodge.

550 Mountain Resorts. 46 Countries. 47 Years.

2022-07-1426:25

Introducing Paul Mathews of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd from Whistler, BC"Creative""Innovative" "Courageous" Are words used by Ecosign's clients to describe their services and design solutions.Listen how you start a company with $1 and 10 years later you are designing Blackcomb Mountain Resort and becoming one of the most respected and sought after resort planners in the world.

After Whistler - Roger McCarthy & His International Years

2022-06-0615:39

Hear how you go from operating the Whistler T-bar to becoming one of the most influential executives in the global mountain tourism business.Bruce Watt, our host, and Roger McCarthy are long time friends having met in Whistler 40+ years ago when they first arrived. Roger is described by many as an easy-going, endearing, inquisitive, driven, energetic, focused, and fun figure. Listeners will clearly hear these qualities throughout as Bruce and Roger discuss with great enthusiasm their passion ...

Introducing Roger McCarthy –The Whistler Years

2022-05-1218:18

Introducing Bruce Watt – 49 Seasons in Whistler and Counting

2022-04-0321:09

Bruce Watt, the host, is interviewed by Stef Hostetter, CEO of RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate and kicks off his podcast “Whistler Stories that Need to be Told” with funny and emotional stories of his first decade in Whistler as a Professional Patroller on Whistler Mountain and how being buried in 1978 from a large avalanche began his commitment to learning more about avalanche search and rescue which resulted in CARDA – The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association, a non-profit volunteer sear...

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