The early morning alarm clock was no match for our anticipation.  We were already awake and we had a train to catch!  At 8 a.m. we boarded the Whistler Mountaineer, its name alone a hint to the sensory indulgences we were about to experience on our day trip from North Vancouver to Whistler and back.

     As we slipped out of the station tucked into our Glacier Dome car seats not a minute was wasted as the champagne and orange juice was served to see us on our way.  Gliding through West Vancouver neighbourhoods where the homes cling to the shoreline on one side and the mountain slopes on the other, the locals waved as we went along.   We couldn’t help but feel pampered and smug as a hot breakfast was served at our seats while we drank in the scenery.

     Snaking up Howe Sound, the train (2 Glacier Dome cars and 3 Classic cars) soon had us up out of our seats to feel the wind in our hair and take in the views from the open-sided 1914 heritage car where passengers can hang out, literally, and look down over the trestle bridges, canyons and waterfalls.  It was here that we met David, visiting from Montreal, who had the Whistler Mountaineer on his must-see list.  With photography as his passion, he couldn’t take pictures fast enough as we rounded each bend in the rails.  It was easy to make conversation with other travelers as we were collectively gob-smacked with the lucky adventure we found ourselves on.

       The on-board commentary brought to life some of the history and sights and was only interrupted by the mellow whistle as the train wound through tunnels and across the wooden trestles on its way up to its Whistler destination.  The day trip leaves visitors with just 90 minutes to take in a small taste of the ever-growing “village” and the preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics, but longer overnight stays can be arranged.

       Service on-board the Whistler Mountaineer is all perfectly choreographed with the journey ensuring that you are not seat bound when the best scenery is at arms length.  Although there's not a bad seat in the house, the Glacier Dome car is the way to go with a gracious crew serving full breakfast outbound and a relaxing Afternoon Tea served seat-side from a silver trolley on the journey home.  Well worth the few extra dollars to make the experience truly memorable.

     Arriving back to North Vancouver in the early evening, having hopped a train and ridden the rails like a hobo deluxe, we could only feel that we had discovered a gem of a day trip.  If you find yourself in the Vancouver-Whistler area between May and October annually, don’t miss the Whistler Mountaineer train experience.