Heading out on an ATV tour has been on my Whistler bucket list for a long time now.
So when I got the opportunity to check out Canadian Wilderness Adventures' three-hour “Call of the Wild” tour through the Callaghan, I was excited. Very, very excited.
Never Too Old
I dutifully headed to the Canadian Wilderness Adventures offices 15 minutes prior to the tour’s start to sign my life away. Just ahead of me was a group of three people. They were celebrating one man’s 90th birthday—with an ATV tour. Not just any ATV tour: it was, in fact, the more advanced tour. And yes, the 90-year-old guy was manning his own ATV.
We were shuttled out into the depths of the Callaghan to the CWA cabin, where we were outfitted with helmets and goggles. After a quick tutorial, we were off, baby ducklings behind our papa duck guide, lurching unsteadily as we tested out our machines.
Potholes Are Your Friend
I had to laugh as those ahead of me responsibly stuck to the right side of the forest service road, despite the fact that we were pretty well the only ones on the mountain. The guy in front of me kept swerving to avoid the potholes. I, on the other hand, swerved to smash into the potholes. It was very bouncy and very satisfying.
There’s something about manning an ATV that made me feel like a powerhouse. It was a hot day, but keeping up a swift pace meant a constant breeze, kind of like taking a motorcycle out for a spin. I felt like a bona fide action hero behind my wheels. I briefly considered a career as a stunt driver. Yippee kai-aye, mother… you know the rest.
Carpe Diem, ATV Style
Somewhere between smashing boulders (figuratively) and Tokyo drifting corners (possibly a slight exaggeration, but that’s how it felt), I realized that I should probably seize the moment and look around. I’m used to navigating Whistler’s wilderness by foot or by snowboard, surrounded by silence. It felt a little different sitting atop an engine, tearing through the woods at unprecedented speeds (my speedometer suggested that I topped out at 34 km/h, but it felt like at least quadruple that). Dang, it felt good.
We set off to climb up Sproat Mountain, and our guide warned us that the safety trees that had been buffering us on either side would soon fade away. Despite the fact that the size of the trail hadn’t changed, I suddenly felt nervous. At least death-by-ATV would be a cool way to go.
Getting Dirty
As it turns out, I didn’t die (nor did the 90-year-old—I saw him again later). My mad ATV driving skills were rewarded with some fantastic views from the heights of Sproat Mountain. I asked our guide to take a photo of me, and he obliged. He handed my phone back to me, saying that I’ll probably have wished I had wiped the dirt line on my nose. Are you kidding me? Covered in dust from head to toe, I’ve never felt so tough. I wore my dusty nose as a badge of awesome.
Our descent back into the valley went by at warp speed, and all too soon we were back at the cabin. I can’t believe it took me this long to ATV! Sure, it’s not cheap by any means—but considering the costs of any type of tourist experience in Whistler, I think this is probably the best value I have come across to date. It’s one of those rare activities where you actually get to man your own machine. I like control. I like flirting with danger. I really, really like ATVing.
