Whistler Stories That Need To Be Told

Today's guest doesn't just have a ski story — he is ski history. Jim McConkey was born in Barrie, Ontario in 1926, and by the 1960s, Austrian ski legend Ernst Hinterseer was calling him the best all-round skier in the world. Jim became a pioneer of deep-powder, big-mountain skiing decades before "extreme skiing" was even a phrase — famous for hunting out the gnarliest ice, crust, and gullies from Utah's Alta to Snowbird, just to get better.

But skiing was only half the story. Jim taught, directed ski schools, and helped build the sport across North America — from Quebec's Gray Rocks, to Alta with Alf Engen, to Park City, to Sun Peaks — before landing at Whistler in 1968, where he ran the ski school, shops, and heli-skiing operation for nearly two decades and helped put the resort on the map.

He appeared in Warren Miller films, survived a crevasse fall on the Athabasca Glacier, and has a bowl at Alta named after him. He was inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 2001.

In 2026, Jim turns 100 — and he's here to tell us what almost a century on skis actually looked like.

There are people who work at a place, and then there are people who become a place. Bob Dufour is the latter.

In 1972, a young ski instructor from Quebec's Laurentian Mountains packed his bags and headed west to join the Whistler Ski School, then led by the iconic Jim McConkey. He came for a job. He never left.

When McConkey moved on in 1980, Bob was the obvious successor as director of the ski school. It wasn't a surprise — he'd spent years earning it, achieving top certifications with both the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance and the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation. He didn't just know how to ski; he knew how to lead, how to teach, and how to build something people wanted to be part of.

As Whistler grew into a world-class destination, so did Bob's role. When Whistler and Blackcomb merged in 1997, he took on oversight of mountain operations for both resorts — a fitting evolution for someone who had been shaping the mountain experience since the early days. He served under every president the organization ever had, from its pioneering founders through to the modern corporate era.

What set Bob apart wasn't just his longevity — it was his presence. He was the kind of leader you'd find in a lift line or out on the hill at the end of the day, not behind a desk. The culture he helped build was rooted in a genuine commitment to the guest experience, and that attitude filtered through every department he touched.

He was also a pragmatist who adapted with the times — advocating for snowmaking infrastructure long before it became standard, and traveling internationally to study the latest in resort engineering and mountain management.

After 48 years, Bob retired — leaving behind a mountain that bears his fingerprints everywhere. If you've ever skied Whistler Blackcomb, you've experienced the place he helped build. That's not a career. That's a legacy.

Destination Resort Specialist - 5 decades in North America's #1 Destination Resort, Whistler, BC. 

"I can't predict the future but I have experienced the many changes of growth in a small Community. The road ahead is now far shorter than the road travelled."

Community engaged in the many aspects of a fast growing Community and Resort.

Still living the dream. 

Anton Horvath retired at the end of the 2021-22 season after more than 40 years working for the Whistler Mountain ski patrol. Anton joined the patrol team in 1979 and became a senior avalanche forecaster in 1993. He successfully supervised one of North America's biggest avalanche programs for almost 30 years.

As a senior avalanche forecaster at Whistler, Anton was a constant mentor and leader for his team. His efforts helped keep them and the public safe throughout his career. Anton has been an avalanche rescue dog handler since 1985 and is a past-President of the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association. He is also a current CARDA validator. He is on his fourth validated dog and has been heavily involved with search and rescue.

Anton conducted scene hazard assessments, was involved in the recovery of several avalanche victims, and investigated avalanche fatalities for the Coroner, as well as for the RCMP. He made valuable contributions in explosives handling and avalanche mitigation techniques.

Anton served on the CAA Board of Directors as the Chair of the Membership Committee and as Vice President. He was also a member of the InfoEx Advisory Committee since its inception, and served as an instructor for the Industry Training Program.

Ann Chiasson has been in Whistler since 1977 and in real estate since 1981. With a background in management consulting, Ann brings a unique perspective to the real estate industry.  She is a problem solver, a negotiator, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a volunteer, a RE/MAX real estate broker and a business owner who works hard to ensure her clients, agents and family experience and appreciate all that Whistler has to offer. 

Meet Trudy Alder, a long time Whistler local, who immigrated to Canada in 1966 and came to Whistler in 1968. She and her husband worked as the caretakers at the Tyrol lodge from 1968 to 1970, were one of the first residental developers in Whistler and Trudy's Landing on Green Lake is named after her.

Brad Sills has been a notable figure in Whistler's history since the 1970s. With a background in forestry, he arrived when it was the primary industry, predating the rise of the ski and snowboard sectors. Transitioning to home building, Brad capitalized on the community's growth and established himself as a premier local luxury builder.

Recognizing the need for a skilled Search and Rescue team, he became instrumental in assisting Whistler Mountain and the RCMP in locating and rescuing lost and injured backcountry skiers. Now in his fifth decade of volunteering, Brad has saved numerous lives while also building a successful backcountry lodge.

Brad Sills exemplifies the spirit of Whistler, combining community service with professional excellence.

Living, working and recreating in Whistler is a lifestyle choice for Karen, a two-time Olympian in Alpine Skiing. Her love for Whistler began as a young girl where, even before the first chair lift was built, she was featured in promotional material to attract investors in the development of Whistler Mountain. Her family had a long history and love for skiing with her father owning the very first ski shop in Vancouver.

Following a successful ski racing career Karen went on to university where she received a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. She practiced landscape architecture in the Vancouver area for 20 years before moving to Whistler with her family in 1995. 

On any given day you can find Karen skiing, playing golf, riding her road bike or hiking in the mountains.

Cathy Jewett was in the forefront on many social issues in the 70s & 80s and still is as a Councillor on the Resort Municipality Of Whistler council. She was one of the first females (3 in the 60s & 70s) to become a Professional Ski Patroller with Whistler Mountain and created the conditions for equality for future female ski patrollers at Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains.

It wasn't was an easy, gentle journey but with endless energy and tenancity, she achieved many of her career goals plus having two children and volunteering. 

In 2016, the Whistler Citizen of the Year Award (https://youtu.be/0w2_kFE6Z20?si=EwoBEfUwRPRssoo2) was awarded to Cathy for demonstrating extraordinary leadership and community service outside of employment.  Well-respected in the community, Cathy inspires others with her caring and positive attitude and spirit of cooperation.

Cathy's Volunteer Contributions

• Chair, Communities that Care Whistler
• Chair, Sea to Sky District Parents Advisory Council
• Docent, Audain Art Museum
• Member Board Of Trustees - RMOW Appointee, Audain Art Museum
• Board Member - RMOW Appointee, Arts Whistler
• Board Member - RMOW Appointee, Whistler Museum & Archives Society
• Board Member - RMOW Appointee, Whistler Community Services Society
• Board Member - RMOW Appointee, WORCA - Whistler Off Road Cycling Association
• Chairperson of the Board, Whistler Valley Housing Society

Part two of the interview with John Hetherington, Bruce's Ski Patrol Boss from back in the seventies plus so much more. John was and is an integral part of Whistler’s history and development.  An original Whistler Counciler. An original Search and Rescue volunteer. An original Whistler Heli Ski Owner and Guide. John has done so much for Whistler as a voluneer that he was the recipient of the Governor General’s Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers in 2017. A well deserved honor John!