Whistler summary
Voted the best resort in N.America for the last few years, Whistler offers unrivaled skiing and nightlife. The two mountains, Blackcomb and Whistler should keep you busy for weeks, with kilometer after kilometer of piste. Then there is the off-piste, acres of it, coupled with 33ft of snow a year, one of the biggest/scariest terrain parks in the world and tree skiing you cannot get bored of. One of the team had worked for a season there and reckoned he could still get lost! Off the piste there is plenty to do, just remember to take plenty of cash with you as it is not cheap!
Resorts close to Whistler include:
Chilcotin Mountain Range - TLH Heliskiing (83 km),
Cypress Mountain (84 km),
Grouse Mountain (85 km),
Mount Seymour (90 km),
Mount Washington (169 km),
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Trails (Pistes): 230 |
Halfpipes: 3 |
| Summit: 2284 m |
Toplift: m |
| Beg: 16% Int: 55% Adv: 29% |
Terrain Parks: 2 |
| Vertical Drop: 1609 m |
X-Country: 28 km |
| Lifts: 33 (18 chair lifts, 12 surface lifts) |
Snowmaking: 18% |
| Gondolas / Cable Cars: 3 |
Slopeside accom.: Y |
| Restaurants: 93 |
Acres of ski: 7072 |
| Bars: 93 |
Nearest Airport: Vancouver |
| Nearest Train: Whistler |
Info phone: +1/604/9324211 | Whistler Resort Info Website |
Visitor Reviews of Whistler
Jimbo from UNITED KINGDOM writes:
If you haven't been to Whistler - GO ! But go for two weeks - its a 9 hour flight (from LHR) and that and the jetlag can take its toll in the first few days.
What's the resort like ? Actually a plesant surpised, purpose built (or purpose extended if you prefer) but done very nicely. It's a real pleasure to wander round the town at night.
One the mountain try and avoid the larger restaurents (they're fine - just busy) and go for the samller ones. They often have open air BBQs outside - and you can get a fresh burger and a beer for about ?4.00 !!! (not like the ?18 in Courchevel !)
The mountains themselves are superb - easily as good as the Three Valleys - once you suss that the piste map only shows marked trails - the rest of the bowls are also fair game so go off the pistes and join up with other ones. This casual pisting does mean that some of the mogules can be fairly big (- 3 foot drops) but this just adds to the fun. DO read the signs - if they say 'Avalanche debris' they don't mean small chunks of crud that your skis will glide over - they mean ice bolders the size of small cars. It may seem weird - but these are actually very hard to spot - until you crash into one ! (how are the ribs Si ?). Both mountains are great for all capabilities - Blackcomb generally has the more chalenging terrain. Lifts are all good (apart from one that I can't remember the name of - was on it sooooo long I developed Altzheimers !)
One important point to watch out for if you're going to buy ski gear. Many ski companies off a 'try before you buy' programme - you pay your $70 get some skis - and can then chop and change your skis on the mountain ! One place they'll send you is the Mountain Advaneture Centre (MAC). Great idea and it means you can easily try 9 pairs of skis in the 3 days allowed. BUT..the downside is that they may not stock the ski you want. Say you wanted, oh I don't know, Head Monster 163cm - you hired a pair from them - you like them - but alas they don't stock them in that length. Which leaves you....$70 shorter and still no skis (unless you're prepared to compromise on length - which, as any lady will tell you - is a bad thing!). Avoid MAC and go round the corner to Affinity (sports ?) - locally owned shop (not Intrawest) great range of skis, great service and great deals !
Would I go again - Yup !
2003-09-30 |
Click here to read 6 more reviews of Whistler or submit your own
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Charge of the Goddess: A Week for Women in Whistler running March 1-9. check out www.whistlerblackcomb.com/women details.
Information supplied Mon Mar 03 19:59:57 UTC 2008 |
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