Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News’ Opening Day at Whistler. Staff is at the site of the Winter Olympics to ski the mountains before Lake Tahoe athletes go after gold here in February.

By Kathryn Reed

WHISTLER, British Columbia — Living in the mountains would make me think seeing other mountains would not make me giddy.

But they did.

Mountains and water surround Vancouver. Photos/Kathryn Reed

Driving the Sea to Sky Highway on Friday afternoon was incredible. This 1.5-hour span from Vancouver to Whistler is breathtaking.

Sitting with a couple guys in the hot tub just minutes ago we learned that it’s even better now that the Olympics are about to arrive. This is because road crews have cleared out a number of trees to provide even more opportunities to see the spectacular views.

At times I was reminded of Patagonia, being along the fjords and seeing the mountains touch the water. At other times I was reminded of Switzerland with the jagged peaks seeming to scrape the partly cloudy sky.

Superlatives don’t do this highway justice.

Leading up to this last leg of our car trip was the 2.5-hour journey from Seattle to Vancouver.

It was one of those fortuitous times when the road meanders through this city of about 3.5 million people (that’s what the hot tub guys said it is and they live there). The architecture runs the gamut of early English when it was settled to ugly 1970s to some Victorian to modern.

The views – use your favorite superlative. Water is everywhere. Mountains are here and beyond.

It’s time to finish the glass of Jackson-Triggs Esprit 2006 Merlot – a BC wine that is going down smoothly with the house made chocolates from the pastry chef at the Fairmont – time to go get some real nourishment before we get first chair in the morning.

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