In December, I was given the incredible opportunity to represent our film, Accidental Climber, at the Whistler Film Festival. I had never been to this iconic Canadian mountain village and was amazed at the beauty.
Whistler has no airport of its own—visitors fly into Vancouver and take a bus from there. I arrived in Vancouver around 3 pm so I was able to enjoy the spectacular views as we drove through the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. When we got into Whistler, I took a walk around Whistler Village to soak in my surroundings and the festive holiday lights.
The next day, I took a ski lift to see the breathtaking views from the top of the mountain. I don’t ski, but I am used to the cold and the snow. I have all the right gear and then some from my years of mountain climbing! Most of the time it was overcast and cloudy with occasional sleet or snow, but the sun broke through a few times shining bright against the white backdrop.
I took some time to explore Whistler Village which reminded me a bit of Aspen, Colorado. The Fairmont is the most famous hotel in Whistler, and it lived up to its reputation. The lobby was dazzling with two dozen beautifully decorated Christmas trees! The Westin was delightful as well, subtly tucked into the hillside so it blends with the natural environment.
At the film festival, Accidental Climber had two showings and I was able to answer questions for the audience after each one. At the 2nd showing, the organizers sat me in the middle of the theater—but the audience did not know I was there. When the film ended, I walked down the aisle towards the front to answer questions. Several people were excited to recognize me from the film they had just watched. After the discussion ended, it was fun to get high-fives from the audience as I made my way to the exit.
I had the opportunity to meet people from several of the other films as well. The film, Ski Legends, was paired with mine for each showing, and I sat with one of the subjects, Grace Oaks. The film features ski legends of Canada—a group of senior skiers who don’t let their age stop them. I enjoyed getting to know Grace, an 86-yr-old woman who is still skiing—and slalom racing! She has a lot of medals and knows some of the other people from the movie, including a 93-yr-old who completed 179 gates on a 5-mile run.
On the return trip to Vancouver, I had time to reflect on my experience as we traveled along the fjords. It was so inspiring to see others like myself who see age as just a number and don’t let it stop them from following their dreams. I wish you all a long, healthy and active future as we age well together.