Holiday Season at Callaghan Country: Open every day December 17, 2021 – January  4, 2022   

Yes, we're still navigating our way out of a Pandemic, and Christmas may be the last thing on your mind.  But while there’s still a good selection of availability on our Lodge calendar and, likely, your family’s holiday schedules, here’s a few good reasons to plan ahead and consider including Journeyman Lodge in your Holiday festivities this season…

1.  It’s the perfect Winter Wonderland backdrop.  Picture this: After a satisfying ski into a remote mountain wilderness…a crackling fire in the background as you enjoy your family’s company over appies in our lounge area…you look out into the moonlit mountains of the secluded Solitude Valley, surrounding Journeyman Lodge - it’s pretty much a Christmas card come to life!

2. Get cozy and enjoy quality family time free from the craziness of shopping frenzies and technological distractions.  The luxury of any backcountry experience is that it is a true escape from our everyday lives.  The ‘un-plugged” aspect of Journeyman lodge lends itself to genuine human interaction etching memories of character and warmth.  The holiday season is a unique window when Journeyman Lodge waives its 13-yrs-and-up policy to welcome guests of all ages.  There's even a special discount of 55% off to guests 13 yrs & under for reservations Dec.17-25 & Jan 2-4!  As with all backcountry travel, there are inherent risks involved and they are not to be taken lightly; Please Contact Us >> directly for more information about planning a family adventure to our backcountry lodge.  

3.  Cut your contributions to consumer culture and gift this authentic experience instead of stuff.  This is a gift you can really feel good about giving; the receiving ain’t so bad either!

4.  You pay in advance.  This eases the usual cash flow crunch experienced when  the holidays arrive, plus once you’re here there’s no unexpected costs…our packages are all inclusive so you can enjoy the peace of mind knowing you’re not going to need to run any last minute errands. 

5. Let our team work their charm.  Now this one is a bit of a secret: with the holiday season kicking off our winter calendar, this is the Callaghan Country team’s favourite time to please.  We love seeing our guests enjoy their families and truly connecting so we’re going to be striving extra hard to make the trip special for you!

Callaghan Country is now accepting holiday reservations at Journeyman Lodge.  Bring your family, friends, or come by yourself - we look forward to sharing this special time of the year with you!  The best way to make your reservation is to take a look at our online reservation calendar, book now >>, or call us directly Monday thru Friday from 7am to Noon: 1.604.938.0616 

Every year on the third Friday in May, people around the world participate in Endangered Species Day by celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species. In honour of this initiative, we wanted to highlight one of the many endangered species that lives in the Callaghan Valley and share a few ways you can help protect endangered species.

Introducing the accipiter gentilis laingi, otherwise known as the northern goshawk! Northern goshawks are large hawks (between the size of a raven and a goose) with a typical wingspan of just over one metre. They have a light grey chest and belly and a blue-grey back with prominent white stripes over bright red eyes. Northern goshawks inhabit large areas of old-growth forests. The loss of mature forests throughout the northern goshawk’s range accounts for the primary reason this species of bird is listed as endangered. Fortunately, the Callaghan Valley is home to swathes of protected old-growth coniferous forests, providing northern goshawks with their preferred habitat.

The northern goshawk isn’t the only threatened or of-concern species living in the Callaghan Valley; there are a number of animal and plant species on the Wildlife Species at Risk list, including sage-grouse, American marten, eastern wolves, wolverines, and more.

Want to know how you can help protect and save endangered species in your local area? Here are a few ways you can help:

Update 9:50am, Tuesday, March 30th:
COVID-19 Operating Guide: Know before you go...
​​To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, BC’s public health officials have strongly recommended that all social and recreational travel be avoided in British Columbia until further notice based on direction from the PHO.  This means all non-essential travel into, out of and within British Columbia should be postponed until the travel advisory is lifted. More information about the Province’s travel advisory is available on the​ Government of British Columbia’s website >>

The safety our team members, guests, and community are our top priority as we responsibly operate with adapted policies and protocols aimed at exposure reduction.  We are all in this together.  Please review our active COVID-19 Operating Guide, below, and make sure a visit to Callaghan Country is still the right option for you.  This guide will be continuously reviewed and updated as new information and guidelines are provided by our government and health officials.  We ask that our guests, staff, and community do their part by staying home if they feel sick, and by following all protocols below when at Callaghan Country.
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It's that time of year... when you have to start to think about putting your skis away for the summer. We know, pretty tragic! But we think that to be grateful for how much joy our skis bring us, putting storage wax on your skis for the off-season is a great way to make the most of your ski's lives. 

1. Clean Your Base! 
Classic 
Apply base cleaner with a fiberlene cloth and thoroughly clean to get all the glidewax off the tip and tail. For fish-scale skis, clean them with the same method as the tip and tail to clean all the dirt that may have built up over the season. For waxless skis, scrape off the Klister using wax remover and a cloth to take the stickiness off. You will not be applying glidewax on the kickzone for your classic skis. 
Skate 
Apply base cleaner with the fiberlene cloth over the entire ski, removing any dirt, particles and old wax that may have built up over the year. 

2. Apply the Wax 
The ideal way to apply storage wax, is to use the hot iron to use a warm hot wax all over the ski. Melt your wax over the ski (only the tip and tail for classic skis) at the correct temperature. Then, take your iron over the glidewax and wait until it hardens. You are almost there! 
3. Store in a Safe Place 
There is no need to scrape the glidewax, as this will serve as the protection for your skis while in storage. Either vertically or horizontally, make sure the skis are nice and cozy until you can take them out again. 

If you are interested in doing this process this season, we have all the gear necessary to get your skis nice and protected at Access Callaghan! As a bonus, if you are a seasons pass holder, you can receive 25% off Swix Wax in our store. 

Are you a backcountry buff and love to shred through some awesome pow? Or do you like the crisp, cold, hard snow that makes you glide effortlessly on our Nordic trails? 
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We have created a guide to snow, the ins and outs of each general crystal type and what conditions are needed to form them. As the Callaghan Valley gets some of the the highest snowfall averages in the lower mainland- we think snow is pretty special. The field of snow science is vast, and includes 80 different classifications of snow crystals! We have broadened it to 5 general types but we have linked some more comprehensive guides below. To know more about the wilderness in the Callaghan Valley,  and take a look at our Mountain Monday social media series! 

​These amazing crystals are he types of crystals that occur when hoarfrost is created. Hoar, simply put, is frozen dew. To create surface hoar, the formation of the crystals (as with any type of snow crystals), is dependent on temperature and humidity. Surface hoar occurs with clear, cold (below -5C) and calm weather conditions. The snow reaches very cold temperatures, but radiates a heated layer of air directly above it which is typically about 10C warmer than the surface. The warm buffer of air holds a high amount of water vapour, and the vapour freezes upon contact with the surface of the snow. If the hoar gets buried with fresh snow, it essentially becomes a layer of a very thick blanket sitting on a layer of ice. If something makes that blanket move- down it goes! Although not very nive for our alpine skiers, these crystals create that fast, firm snow that is so nice to get your Nordic skis on. This cold crust on the snow creates a nice glide, while not being so cold that your skin doesn't freeze under the spandex;) 

Capped Columns are a little less common than columns and plates, that have the appearance of an empty spool of thread. These crystals are formed when a crystal travels through multiple temperatures as it falls to the ground. First a column has to form (so around -5C), and then travels through colder temperatures (about -15C) to form plates or dendrites on the end of the column. 

With an apt name, these crystals are so small that they become the sparkling glitter on top of a snowpack on a bluebird day. Diamond dust forms, not from falling from a cloud, but by water vapour that is near to the ground that freezes. The individual water vapour droplets are so small, they form hexagonal plates and form a carpet of tiny prisms on the snowpack, which results in the glitter show on a sunny day. 

We are excited to announce our interactive, month-long Wild About Winter Bingo challenge at Callaghan Country!

During the month of March, we encourage you to visit us in the Callaghan and participate in a range of fun, Callaghan-centric activities filled with adventure and nature immersion. Download your digital Wild About Winter Bingo card below to start planning how you will collect your squares!

We’ve partnered with incredible brands and local businesses, giving you the chance to win some sweet prizes for participating - including a voucher towards a stay at Journeyman Lodge!

Submit your Wild About Winter Bingo activity card before April 1st to be entered in to various prize draws. Submit your completed cards and accompanying photos by email at info@callaghancountry.com or tag @CallaghanCountry and use the hashtag #CCWAbingo to share your photos with us!

Fully completed cards will be entered to win a voucher toward a stay at Journeyman Lodge during the 2021-2022 winter season. Cards completed with a “C” for Callaghan will be entered to win a swag bag featuring gear from our partner sponsors: Arc’teryx, Salomon, Ryders Eyewear, Double Decker Coffee Roasting, Alpine Dogs, Little Pine, and Eagleview Veterinary Hospital. Cards completed with a single line will be entered in to win two free equipment rentals from Access Callaghan!

Prizes must be picked up in person at 1000 Callaghan Valley Road, Whistler during the week of April 4th-12th, 2021.

For questions or more information about our Wild About Winter Bingo challenge, get in touch at info@callaghancountry.com or 604.964.0058

Do you live in the Sea to Sky and are aching for travel and adventure? Or are missing the backcountry huts of pre-COVID  life? Support a local business and stay at a local backcountry lodge, while scratching the itch of travelling to a new place. Check out the full article by our friends at Backcountry Lodges of BC, and you might see a familiar building in the article! 

While Callaghan Country traditionally boasts of our unique shared experiences that 'engage patrons with the original warmth and character of traditional alpine culture', like so many other businesses, we've had to 'pivot' on this point.    Luckily, connections with the natural world still abound when enjoying recreational pursuits in the outdoors, but we'll all have to hold out on the much anticipated story swapping and Apres vibes until safer days.  During these times, there is no longer a ‘shared’ experience inside Journeyman Lodge; rather the focus will shift to intimate solitude in the privacy of your own accommodation…unplugging to reconnect. For that reason, this is the season we're advising all our guests to Bring a good book! 

The staff here at Callaghan Country have curated a list of books for winter 2021 that resonate with our mountain loving interests and values.  They inspire new connections with the wilderness, offer fresh insights and approaches to live life to the full!  We specifically selected each of these reads as they relay stories of resilience, compelling perspectives, and offer some new tips and ideas for your own adventures this year. 

And the Staff Picks are...

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants - Robin Wall Kimmerer 
A perfect read for the nature lover!  This book aligns the methodologies, values, and findings of empirical science with those of Indigenous traditional knowledge systems for a deeper understanding of the world around us and our relationship with it.  Reverence abounds in Robin Wall Kimmerer's writing that is both uplifting and grounding; an ideal read for these strange times. 

Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose in the Avalanche Patch- Bruce Kay
Wanting to learn more about your decisions that you make when you're skiing in the backcountry? Bruce Kay delves into avalanche safety and techniques, but also the psychology behind risk taking and making decisions when in avalanche territory. 

The Overstory- Richard Powers
Awarded for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Powers tells the stories of five different families using five species of North American trees as the central characters. He addresses the issues of deforestation and protecting our forests as they entangle with our daily lives. 

Honouring High Places- The Mountain Life of Junko Tabei- Junko Tabei, Helen Y. Rolfe, Yumike Hiraki, and Rieko Holtved
Using the memoir and storied of mountaineer Junko Tabei, this English translation collects memories of the first woman to climb Mount Everest and the Seven Summits. Tabei's stories reflect the difficulties of being a female climber with a passion for mountains, her experience in Japan after World War II, and her death in 2016. 

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North- Blair Braverman
Braverman commits her life to independence and fearlessness in the arctic. She faces death and survival in her daily life, and describes her strategies to face the risk and fear of living in a place that has the capacity to end your life. 

We'd love to hear your book recommendations for the season!  Please feel welcome to add yours in the comments below...

​Gift Certificates
Craving the alpine, or know someone who is? We have gift certificates for you! 
Gift certificates for The Journeyman Lodge are available online or can be purchased in person at the Alexander Falls Touring Centre. The certificates are redeemable at any time, even for future seasons! Give the gift experience and deep powder to your wilderness loving friends and family. More Details Here>> 

Not in the mood for a trip up the valley? Just come for the day! 'Any day tickets' are also available for day passes at Ski Callaghan, accessing over 90km of beautifully groomed Nordic ski trails. These can be redeemed any time during the 2020-21 season. Give us a call at 604.964.0058 for more details. ​
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Stocking Stuffers
We have everything you need to finish off your stockings that need a final top-up! Come to Access Callaghan Ski Shop, and grab some Journeyman t-shirts, wax and waxing supplies, gloves and ski apparel. Bonus: if you have a seasons pass, you are eligible for 25% off gloves, 20% off wax and 15% off select merchandise and apparel from the store! Give us a call at 604.964.0058 for more details. 
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From our Alexander Falls Touring Centre, Nordic skiers can venture with their dogs on Mainline and Real Life towards Callaghan Lake or reach Porter's Glide and other dog-friendly trails via Wetland Wanderer.  Snowshoers can take their dogs on Real Life, Finger Lakes and down to Alexander Falls or reach Marley's Meander via Wetland Wanderer.  Light ski tourers are guaranteed tranquility by heading up Mainline and going off the beaten path on Into Woods and reaching Woods Lake; one of less-visited lake in the area.

If you need to rent equipment, our Access Callaghan Shop is conveniently located at our Alexander Falls Base and gives you access to all of Ski Callaghan dog-friendly trails, no need to move your car!  Bring your lunch & thermos for a winter picnic outside or in our warming hut or sit by the bonfire and roast S'mores & wieners.

Alongside the curation of personal learning inquiries and immersive experiences bringing participants deeper into themselves, XCamp facilitators are proud to offer a heart-centred approach to their camp delivery.  The intimate size and unplugged nature of Journeyman Lodge as a venue provides a perfect setting for unfettered connection.  Each professional has a unique opportunity to be fully present in an active and relational learning process with camp-goers. ​

We are excited to run a contest giveaway with the chance to win a 1-night stay for two people at our Journeyman Lodge; a full-service backcountry chalet set deep in the heart of Whistler’s Callaghan wilderness, 13.5 kilometres from the nearest road...getting there is part of the adventure!

Boasting genuine hospitality, deluxe meals, and 12,000 hectares of non-motorized alpine terrain, Journeyman Lodge provides comfortable accommodation for up to 24 people (15 singles) in eight private rooms with a range of amenities and adventures.

Spend the days exploring untracked Coast Mountain powder on skis, splitboard, snowshoes or cross-coutnry skis, then unwind in the handcrafted Scandinavian wood-fired sauna or in the Games Lounge.

Deluxe full-service meals, hot showers and crisp linens mix with the wood-fired Scandanavian sauna, billiards lounge, luggage transfer and river rock fireplaces to redefine alpine comfort.

ENTER CONTEST BELOW

Contest's details:
Only applicable to our 2019 winter season opening weekend (December 13-16th 2019, must book these dates) on our Nightly Self-propelled Package*. Call us at 604-938-0616 or toll free 1-877-938-0616 to book your stay.

DOES NOT INCLUDE Ski Callaghan Admission or gratuities.

*Nightly Self-propelled Package: Ideal for enthusiastic cross-country skiers & snowshoers who are up for the adventure of an independent trek along the 13km route to and from the Solitude Valley where Journeyman Lodge is located.  

This Package includes:
- Off-the-grid accommodation.
- All meals for each night booked (après-ski appetizers & a 3-course dinner, with a continental breakfast & bagged lunch + hot & cold non-alcohol beverages). DOES NOT INCLUDE lunch on arrival day (can be purchased separately).
-Return luggage transfer service (40lbs per guest + an extra set of equipment scheduled for Noon from base to lodge, 10:30am from lodge back to base).
- Use of lodge amenities including our Scandinavian Sauna, guest toboggans, & snowshoes. Mechanized transfer add-on available with luggage schedule at additional cost.

Winner will be drawn and announced on Friday, December 6th.
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GOOD LUCK!  WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING YOU!
​- Callaghan Country Crew

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 22nd, when Journeyman Lodge welcomes hikers of all ages for a FREE PANCAKE BREAKFAST!  Escape to a setting where food is found among the paths we walk, experience mountain camaraderie and explore nature at its best.

Don't forget it's a wee bit different getting to Journeyman Lodge in the summer…
Self-Drive and Hike:
Follow the Callaghan Lake Forest Service Road to Callaghan Lake. It is about 8.5km from the Alexander Falls base to Callaghan Lake on a rough road and it takes about 20 – 35 minutes. We recommend using a vehicle with good clearance (4WD preferred). The trail to the lodge begins about 250m before you reach the lake – look for the sign on your left. There is a small clearing just off the road – park here. From here, the hike is 4.5 km and will take between 1.5 – 2 hours depending on your ability and fitness level. ​

This is it folks, the end of another ski season...and what a season it was!  First of all, thank you for visiting us this winter and for your continued support over the years.  You are the reason we are working so hard to run this small business (of course, we think this place is pretty special too).  Your stoke, smiles, feedback & encouragements for Callaghan Country are what help us keep going through hard times.  Great things were accomplished this year, thanks to your support & the hard work of our Callaghan Country crew!  For your reading pleasure, we've prepared a Winter 201819 -  Season's recap...

With the Coast Mountains & Callaghan Valley getting dumped on, we enjoyed the visit of professional skiers Riley Leboe & Sam Kuch with the Wild Coast Creative crew shooting promotional materials for Head Ski.  They weren't disappointed with what they found; waist-deep powder, pillow lines & drops.  These guys made it look easy but trust us, it isn't.

By Christmas, our new lodge hosts, Aaron & Alisha, as well as returning Chef, Joe, were fully settled in and confident in their daily lodge operational routines.  This marked the early phase of an exhaustive 18-day stretch over Christmas and New Year period.   Well done guys!  At the Alexander Falls Touring Centre, we saw record numbers of day skiers and snowshoers over the holidays.  This was the perfect ambience to get us stoked for the rest of the season!

We are looking forward to seeing Double Decker Coffee Roasting in full swing next season.  Whether you are visiting Callaghan Country for a day of XC Skiing, wilderness snowshoeing, backcountry touring, or an overnight adventure into Journeyman Lodge, Double Decker Coffee Roasting is sure to become an iconic respite for anyone visiting this location.  

Here we are in April, the last official weekend of operations for the Ski Callaghan Nordic Trail network and one more bonus weekend April 13th & 14th...Winter 201819 in a blink.   Once again, THANK YOU ~ We look forward to welcoming you all back next season!