"The Peak 2 Peak Gondola that connectsWhistler and Blackcomb mountains was considered a glitzy and expensive PR move when it opened in 2007. Today the 1.9-mile span, the longest unsupported span in the world, ferrieshikers, bikers, and of course, skiers and snowboarders tothe slopesthey seek. Best of all, the Peak 2 Peak provides access to alpine wilderness usually reserved exclusively for the athletically inclined. (This is the adventure I take my 83-year-old mother onin Whistler, and she is blown away, as is her 8-year-old grandson.) Flying through the air, 1,431 feet up with hardly a support tower in sight, is a thrill. The 11-minute ride soarsabovesnow walls, wildflower meadows, Fitzsimmons Creek, and several trails down, around, and behind the Whistler peaks."