Escape to a 'Stairway to Heaven' exists just 78 miles to the northwest of Vancouver. This stairway is a ski slope on the boundaries of Whistler, British Columbia's Blackcomb Mountain, however, and it's actually just one of the many diversions that this resort town of 9,965 has to offer anyone who enjoys the outdoors. The site of many major competitions, including the Nordic and downhill skiing events of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, Whistler has a reputation for being a winter sports paradise since it was first connected to Vancouver by rail in 1914. Today, the activities enjoyed in its expansive resort region, which includes the Garibaldi Mountains as well as the valley between the headwaters of the Cheakamus and Green Rivers, include skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and even ice sailing on Lake Nita and Lake Alpha during the winter. As the world's first designated 'Olympic Host Mountain Resort', Whistler has also benefitted from the development of a sophisticated, albeit still small and familiar, upmarket culture that includes numerous restaurants, lodges, and entertainment venues. Its many connections to Vancouver allow for residents to still enjoy all the trappings of life in a major city, though, as a relatively short train or car ride can take them into the heart of a metropolis that is known for a positive business and urban environment. Likewise, though mostly designed along the lines of Western-style lodges, the many large estates in Whistler and surrounding areas offer all the conveniences expected of a modern luxury home.