Home to pioneers and early adventurers in the late 1800s, Alta Lake was the original name of the region's main settlement. Trappers and fur traders unofficially named the area Whistler after the shrill sound made by the groundhog-sized western hoary marmots that live among the rocks in the area. In 1914, the Great Pacific Eastern Railway expedited what had been a three-day journey by steamer ship and horse. This linked the valley to the outside world, turning the region into a viable logging and mining center. Soon after, the area discovered its appeal to tourists when it became a fashionable holiday destination for wealthy, sophisticated Vancouverites. By the 1950s, Alta Lake was a popular summer retreat for the middle class, packed with backcountry lodges and fishing-charter operations.
Whistler took off in the early 1960s, when a failed bid for the Winter Olympics turned into a serious attempt to kick-start an alpine ski resort. By 1965, Whistler Mountain was equipped with a four-person gondola, a double chairlift and a day lodge. When the town officially opened for skiing in 1966, its population totaled a mere 25 people.
Through the 1960s and '70s, the area grew and eventually became the Resort Municipality of Whistler in 1975. Three years later, the government of British Columbia granted Whistler 53 acres/21 hectares for expansion. This resulted in the development of Whistler Village. Blackcomb Mountain opened for skiing in 1980, merging with Whistler Mountain to form the largest combined ski area on the continent, officially becoming Whistler Blackcomb in 1998. Preparations for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are under way, including widening and grading improvements to the Sea to Sky Highway, which connects Whistler to Vancouver.
