Whistler Blackcomb is a ski resort located in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It
is consistently rated among the top five ski resorts in North America by Ski Magazine,
due to the combination of extensive terrain, good snow, and a highly-rated nightlife.
Whistler Mountain opened for skiing in February, 1966, with a gondola lift, double
chairlift (the Red Chair) and T-bar, all built by GMD Mueller. The new mountain won
instant acclaim for its vertical drop, good snow conditions, and huge alpine area.
The only problem at the time was the road—it was a dirt logging track, which was
only plowed on Saturday, to the detriment of Friday travelers.
The mountain soon expanded, adding the Blue and Green chairlifts in 1970, as well
as a mountaintop lodge, the Roundhouse, which provided respite for cold skiers
who had survived the long ride up on the Red Chair. After the Sea-to-Sky Highway
was paved in 1969, more people than ever came to Whistler Mountain, which is
located two hours north of Vancouver and four hours north of Seattle.
Blackcomb Mountain opened in 1980, under the partnership of Fortress Mountain
Resorts, then a wholly owned subsidiary of Aspen Skiing Company, and the Federal
Business Development Bank of Canada, with four triple chairlifts (later named
Cruiser, Stoker, Catskinner and Fitzsimmons lifts) and one double chairlift supplied
by Lift Engineering. The competition of this mountain was not initially appreciated by
Whistler Mountain. Indeed, the mountain was considered "new kid on the block" into
the early 1990s.
In 1982, Lift 6 (later named Jersey Cream) opened in the Horstman Creek drainage.
In 1983 Blackcomb acquired a used T-Bar from Fortress Mountain and installed it on
a south-facing slope, in full view of Whistler Mountain. This 7th lift was coined 7th
Heaven T-Bar and gave access to high alpine and glaciated terrain. It also gave
Blackcomb the highest lift-serviced vertical drop of any ski area in North America,
although somewhat less than the company's claim of 1 mile (5,280 ft, 1,609 m).
WHAT TO DO
Skiing - Whistler Blackcomb operates the Alpine ski hills, which have lift service
right out of town up both Blackcomb mountain and Whistler Mountain. Whistler is
consistently ranked as one of the top 3 ski destinations in North America. With more
than 5,000 feet of vertical drop and 8,000 skiable acres, it is by far the largest ski
resort in North America. Whistler Blackcomb offers a steeply discounted "4BUY4"
season pass to university students aged 17-25 studying in BC and Washington who
buy before the season. They also offer adults from Canada and Washington an
"EDGE Card" which offers discounted lift tickets and a variety of discounts on food
and retail items. Another option is to purchase your lift tickets at the 7-11
convenience store in Squamish.
Heliskiing - Whistler offers great heliskiing, with miles of backcountry terrain
available to such visitors.
Hiking - There are a number of hiking trails in and around Whistler. For the casual
walker looking for a pleasant walk through an ancient grove of cedar trees, Cougar
Mountain provides an easy hour loop. More aggressive day hikers might head to
Brandywine Meadows, a six hour trip up much steeper terrain. And multi-day
backpackers also have a variety of options including the Helm Creek trail to Garibaldi
Creek and the Black Tusk. Of course, the ski lifts and gondolas of Whistler
Blackcomb operate in the summer to offer hikers a relaxing short cut into back
country.
Biking/Downhill - During the summer time the skiing paradise turns into a
biker's paradise. Single trails and fast race tracks with spectacular jumps can be
reached comfortably by the chair lift carrying both biker and bike. Some Northshore
elements have also been built and the number of tracks is enough to keep even the
advanced riders busy.
Rock Climbing - Whistler also offers some excellent sport and trad/gear
climbing. Within the city limits there are several small, single pitch crags collectively
known as Nordic Rock. The area offers 23 vertical routes, most of them sport, up to
20m long ranging in difficulty from 5.8 - 5.13a (French: 5 - 7c+). For more information
on the routes in Whistler and area, there is no shortage of quality guide books
describing the climbing in the Sea to Sky corridor.
Outdoor Adventures - There are a number of companies that specialize in
outdoor adventure travel such as whitewater rafting on the Green or Elaho Rivers
with companies such as Canadian Outback and ATV (all terrain vehicle) tours (to
name a few examples). Depending on your particular tastes, some or all of these
can be extremely entertaining and are generally professionally run.
Back country Skiing and Cross Country Skiing - are popular in Whistler
as well. There is cross country skiing around Lost Lake, including night skiing if the
conditions are right, and Back country Skiing throughout the valley, particularly off of
the tops of Whistler and Blackcomb. The Callaghan Valley is just south of Whistler
(turn left before Function Junction)and will host the Nordic Skiing events for the 2010
Winter Olympics. Callaghan Country hosts guided ski touring, snow shoeing, and
cross country skiing tours in this region.
Whistler Backcountry Adventure - tel. 1-888-297-2222,. Offers a variety of
outdoor activities ranging from dog sledding and snowmobiling to fishing and ATV
(all terrain vehicle) rides.
Whistler Tennis Club - Rates start at $32/hour for indoor courts to $16/hour for
outdoor courts.
HOW TO REACH
Getting to Whistler generally involves coming from Vancouver. Greyhound Canada
offers coach service from the Vancouver Bus Depot, 1150 Station Street (at the Via
Rail station), for less than $20 each way. Perimeter Bus offers Coach service direct
from the airport for $65 each way. Greyhound allows bicycles unboxed on this route.
They charge $10 for a bicycle. A bus ride generally takes 2-2.5 hours each way.
Whistler Resort Cabs provides taxi service from Vancouver and Vancouver
International Airport to Whistler for $230.
RideBooker.com operates shuttles between between Vancouver International Airport
and Whistler.
If a number of people are travelling together it is possible to go by Limo for $350-400
with room for between 6 and 10 people.
Helijet offers helicopter service from the airport for around $200 per person each way.
Another good option for travellers is to rent a car and drive up to Whistler using the
Sea to Sky highway. Along the route, you may want to stop off at Squamish or one of
the parks or waterfalls along the route. The view across the bay is particularly
beautiful on the drive back to Vancouver. Renting a car also allows you to explore the
wider Whistler region, including Pemberton as well as giving you access to a
number of outdoor activities. It should be noted, however, that the Sea to Sky highway
is quite windy and may be dangerous to drive, especially in Winter conditions. At the
current time the Sea to Sky Highway is undergoing major upgrades, particularly
between Squamish and Vancouver. Make time for construction delays...2 1/2 hours
should be ample.
