What are people talking about in Whistler this week? Or, at least, asking the internet about?
Chelsea Handler, apparently.
According to Google Trends data, Canadians' search interest in the American comedian (and part-time Whistler local, for the past few winters) rose by 350 per cent within the past seven days.
Just a hunch, but that spike in search interest might have something to do with a particular video Handler shared to her 4.9 million Instagram followers in honour of her 48th birthday on Feb. 25. In case you somehow missed it, the video shows Handler bootpacking it uphill before shredding down Whistler's slopes, and eventually, taking a break in the trees with a cocktail and a joint, all while dressed in nothing but what appears to be a tiny Canadian/American flag bathing suit, a toque, mittens and ski socks.
It's far from the first time Handler has stripped down in the Coast Mountains—in fact, it's become somewhat of a birthday tradition for the stand-up legend who has previously said her "three passions are reading books, smoking pot and skiing." This year's fit provided the most coverage of any since she first ditched the Gore-Tex kit and base layers for a rip down Blackcomb in 2021, with a margarita in one hand and a spliff in the other. Like the icon she is.
"It’s important to stay hydrated as well as relaxed, and it’s also important to celebrate your body no matter what age or size," she wrote at the time.
While you're appreciating Handler's... turns (what did you think I was going to write?) make sure to check out her perfectly-executed take-down of a few Fox News personalities who considered it a worthwhile use of their time to criticize a comedy video she posted about a day in the life of a childless woman.
Here are a few other trending topics in Whistler:
Buffalo Bills Bar & Grill
Canadians' search interest in Gibbons venue Buffalo Bills was up 180 per cent in the last week, according to Google Trends.
Search volume for the underground staple tended to spike between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.—imagine that!—during what's been one of the busier weeks in Whistler this winter, although a TikTok video posted a week ago that references the nightclub has coincidentally also received about 70,000 views and 3,680 likes within that same time period.
Highway 99
The Sea to Sky highway is always one of Whistler's hottest search topics, but Canadians' interest in Highway 99 was up about 160 per cent in the last seven days, spiking during the snowstorm that hit Saturday afternoon and evening. In particular, queries for "sea to sky highway cam" were up by 1,050 per cent in the last week.
We at Pique want you to know we hear you, we see you, we want to give you the content you're asking for. Check out our new-ish Whistler This Morning update for daily weather, mountain and highway conditions, or take a look at the Commuter Cam for an idea of how that morning's northbound Creekside Crawl is shaping up.
The Garden Party, Air Jordan drops and cat tracks
Search queries for "garden party whistler" were also up 450 per cent in the last seven days, presumably from locals stoked to hear about the return of local DJ duo Case of the Mondays' Garden Party at the GLC after a two-year hiatus. The perennially sold-out event that features "party shirts and party plants" alongside the duo's signature brand of house music is scheduled for Monday, April 11 this year, with tickets set to go on sale March 18.
As for what's trending on TikTok?
The spectacle of watching brave souls drop the iconic double-cliff line off Whistler's peak never gets old, whether you're watching the show through your screen or from the Peak Chair line-up.
TikTok user @sti9us's footage of a skier's epic bail off Jordan, captured from said lift queue and posted to the video-sharing platform earlier this month, has so far earned more than 430,000 views and 51,000 likes.
Meanwhile, on the flip side of the adrenaline equation, @ski.real's video filmed on the road to Blackcomb's 7th Heaven, set to a truly relatable soundbite from B.C. comedian and professional leisure athlete Katie Burrell, has more than 563,000 views and 48,600 likes.
Happy scrolling!
@sti9us Welcome to Whistler.🤯 #skitok #fyp ♬ Bad Reputation - Joan Jett
@ski.real Tag those hungover friends 🤣 #Skiing #Ski #SkiTok #Insta360 #GoPro #Snow #Freeride #Powder #Winter #skiseason #whistler #alps ♬ original sound - Katie Burrell
