I can see the stars as we wind up the dark, icy path, but my attention is quickly pulled back down to earth as I squeeze the throttle. Underneath me, the snowmobile charges forward up the mountain trail. Where the skiers carve their turns in the day is now a deserted playground, and at the top is the promise of a dinner so synonymous with and celebrated in the mountains, you forget its humble origins. Far above me, at 6,000 feet, a pot of fondue is waiting; all I need to do is get there.
Fondue originated in the Alps, particularly in Switzerland and neighbouring France, in the 18th century as a clever way to use aged bread and cheese in the winter, when fresh food was scarce. The cheese was melted with white wine, garlic and other seasonings, creating a warm communal dish. If you speak to people from Switzerland and France, they’ll tell you that each small mountain town has its own recipe using regional cheeses, adding things like a splash of kirsch (cherry brandy). But in Whistler, a place that has happily adopted this European tradition, they like to serve their fondue with a side of adventure.
For more than 30 years, Canadian Wilderness Adventures (CWA) has been taking people up Blackcomb Mountain to the Crystal Hut to enjoy fondue in the alpine. Although the type of cheese and the additions have fluctuated over those three decades, what hasn’t changed is the tour’s popularity. It’s been recognized by the Canadian Tourism Commission (also known as Destination Canada) as a Canadian Signature Experience. (Blackcomb Snowmobile offers a similar backcountry tour, with a fireside fondue in a log cabin in the Brandywine and Callaghan Valley.)
CWA recently had to reupholster the snowcat they use to transport guests who would rather skip the snowmobile and opt for a glass of wine and a ride instead. Allan Crawford, founder of CWA, smiles as he thinks of how many people that means they’ve taken up the mountain.
“I guided the first tours we did, and I was always counting how many people were with me,” remembers Crawford. “One night, when we got in the hut, I realized I was missing two. I looked out of the window in a panic, only to realize one of them was down on one knee. I was there for our first proposal. I love helping people create these kinds of memories.”
The fondue — catered by Whistler Blackcomb — is made with Gruyère, Emmental and cheddar blended with white wine and German kirsch. The mix of Gruyère and Emmental is typical of a Swiss cheese fondue, but the cheddar adds a bit of an Anglo twist. It gives the overall flavour profile a sharper, more robust character. Alongside the traditional rustic-style bread and potatoes to dip into the cheese, there’s charcuterie, with a selection of cured meats and artisanal cheeses, as well as pan-roasted chorizo sausage and IPA bratwurst served with hot Dijon mustard.
Around the table, strangers become friends as we twirl our prongs through molten cheese and laugh about the ride up. Maybe that’s the real magic of fondue at the Crystal Hut — not just the food, but how it brings people together on top of the mountain. And the best thing about it is that the experience isn’t finished. I’ve still got to ride down.