Whistler: Creating one of the world’s biggest ski resorts

In 2003, Whistler Blackcomb won its bid to host the Winter Olympic Games for the first time.

It was sixth time lucky for the Canadian ski resort which had been opened to the public in 1966.

The mountain – which is named after the high-pitched whistle of the native marmot – has been through a lot of iterations and one man has been there to see nearly all of them.

Hugh Smythe, known as one of the ‘founding fathers’ of Whistler, has been sharing his memories of the mountain with Matt Pintus.

(Photo: Whistler mountain. Credit: Getty Images)