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ELLEN CREAGER Detroit Free Press

WHISTLER, B.C. — Eight snow competitions in the 2010 Winter Olympics will take place in the mountain ski resort of Whistler, two hours north of the comparatively balmy Vancouver.

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’You’re going constantly,’ Bremerton bobsleder Bree Schaaf says of the Whistler course’s 16 curves in Whistler, Canada. ’They’re just coming at you like fire.’

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“We represent the winter experience,” says Breton Murphy of Tourism Whistler.

Expecting 55,000 people to converge on the alpine town, organizers are ready. The bobsled-luge-skeleton runs at the Sliding Center are still under construction, but Olympic Park, where the ski jump, cross-country and biathlon events will be held, is already open.

Up to 130 buses will transport people back and forth to Vancouver daily.

Whistler was created in the 1960s as a ski resort. Now it’s a city with its own post office, though one with snowboarders strolling in June, chi-chi shops and expensive lodgings.

Two fine new tourist attractions are worth seeing beyond the Olympics:

The new Peak-2-Peak Gondola is a 2.7-mile scenic trip linking Whistler Mountain (the site of Olympics downhill events) and Blackcomb Mountain ( www.whistlerblackcomb.com, 888-858-4530).

The new Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre showcases two First Nations tribes from the area, displaying a gorgeous 40-foot canoe, baskets, clothing, rugs, musical instruments and more.

“We are really fortunate to be here at the same time as the Olympics,” says guide Tanina Williams, who sees it as an opportunity for people to learn about Canada’s native tribes ( www.slcc.ca, 866-441-7522).

If you visit before the Olympics, take a venue tour, such as the four-hour tour offered by Whistler Eco-Tours ( www.whistlerecotours.com, 604-935-4900).

Eco-Tour guide Ian Legris says he’ll be in Costa Rica on vacation during the actual Olympics weeks.

“I would have preferred the X-Games,” he says.