Whistler’s beauty stuns from every angle. Down in the village, the mountains tower above like friendly giants, their craggy faces surrounding the landscape in a comforting embrace. At the top, they feel expansive and abundant, their shy peaks revealing vast depth of colour, shape, and size. These are the parts that the majority of Whistler’s visitors get to see. But there is more, at least for those who know how to find it.
It’s tucked up and away, on British Columbia’s ancient ice fields high in the skies — this is where the Glacier Table makes its temporary home. Exclusive to guests of the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler and created in partnership with Head-Line Mountain Holidays, the new experience begins, naturally, with a private helicopter ride, which whisks guests over the ice-capped Coast Mountains to a remote glacial location that most explorers will never lay eyes on.
“The setting is unlike anything else,” says Chelan Goonetilleke, general manager at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler. “Standing on an untouched glacier, surrounded by the vastness of British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of awe. Arriving by helicopter adds to the magic, offering a perspective of the landscape few ever get to see.”
Upon landing atop the glacier, guests are greeted by an expert alpine guide, who leads them — either by snowmobile or tracked vehicle — across the frozen landscape and through a pristine, naturally formed ice cave. Along the way, the land’s quiet secrets are revealed: snowpack that seems to shimmer, as if covered in diamonds; ice formations that are sapphire in colour, almost aglow; and jagged mountain peaks that look as if they were painted right onto the sky.
At the other end of this idyllic traverse, guests are treated to a 20-minute chair massage, right in the snow, amongst the panoramic alpine views. From there, muscles supple and relaxed, it’s time to dine: a Four Seasons butler serves an exclusive Kristal Caviar tasting along with a bottle of Dom Pérignon 2013 Vintage. The experience serves as a spectacular, luxurious finale.
“We’re always looking to redefine the boundaries of exceptional hospitality,” Goonetilleke says. “The Glacier Table was inspired by British Columbia’s dramatic natural beauty and our desire to offer our guests an extraordinary experience that’s both adventurous and deeply immerses one in its sense of place.”
After all is said and drank, guests are flown back down to earth, as it were, via helicopter, and are then chauffeured back to the Four Seasons. Participants can also expect to receive a personalized memento from the experience, such as a professional photograph taken from the glacier.
Designed for a maximum of four guests, the Glacier Table is nearly five-hour adventure that is intimate and highly customizable. For this reason, those interested should inquire with the hotel at least five days ahead of time.
“What makes the experience so special is how it all comes together: the small, thoughtful touches arranged by our team,” says Goonetilleke. “It’s a moment to be fully present, to celebrate nature’s beauty, and to feel completely taken care of.”
Learn more about The Glacier Table here.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES WHISTLER.
