Dave Beattie

Summer Activities in Nicklaus North

After the spring thaw, the summer season brings out the golfers, the cyclists, the runners, the dog walkers, the anglers and even the water skiers on Green Lake. Black Bears wake up, the grass on the fairways and greens come back and spring birds nest among the trees and spring foliage. The Nicklaus North Golf Club, the practice facility and the The Den Restaurant re-pen for the summer season in early May. Watch for future blog announcements on our Facebook page for details as the summer season approaches. I highly recommend a spring walk along the golf course cart paths before the course opens for the season as the views and sights along the course are tremendous.

The portion of the Valley Trail system running along Green Lake, by the clubhouse and off to Lost Lake is very busy in the summer. This trail is now part of the Sea to Sky Trail and the even larger Trans Canada Trail System which will one day link Canada with a non-motorized trail system from Coast to Coast. The Nicklaus North section is actively used by cyclists, runners and dog walkers and just happens to pass one of Whistler's best patios of the Den Restaurant at the clubhouse which is a great spot to stop and refresh when exploring the valley.

Where else can you sit on a patio and watch golfers tee off with a lake and mountain backdrop beside a a floatplane taking off just past belly boats bobbing in the lake before you rejoin the action on the trail beside you? Right beside the clubhouse, the summer office for Harbour Air is at the floatplane dock where you can board a scenic flight through the local mountains past Wedge and Armchair Glaciers, book a charter float plane trip to nearby lakes or catch a scheduled flight to Vancouver.

Green Lake is very popular for Fly Fishing, Water Skiing and is located at the end of the River of Golden Dreams, an excellent river for a recreational paddle from one of the many parks along Alta Lake. The trip is usually a couple of hours depending on the season and the volume of water on the river. Rental boats with pick up and drop off are available through Whistler Backroads and other companies.