Snowsure: 4.1
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Whistler Blackcomb is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort
Click here to submit your own review of Whistler Blackcomb
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 15, 2015
JP SKI
JP SKI
December 14, 2014
gp austen
gp austen
Whistler is a beast and it can be soulless at times. The true beauty of the place is the sense of discovery; the slackcountry and backcountry is literally endless and the sticky pow sticks to the steeps making some absolutely gnarly stuff less impossible. Would I come purely as a visitor/tourist? Hmm, prob not. I'd hit powder highway for sure. Less frustrating and instant pow-gratification. Even Baker or Manning Park might be more fun.
The coast mountains have hidden gems, however, that take major skill and patience to discover; we're talking years!
It's a very all-or-nothing zone though and it can be either nuking it and dumping 50cm pow in a single night or it can be dry for weeks. This forces you to be adaptable and hike/tour if it's dry and have a s#@$load of time off designated to snowtime etc. Those that can't adapt have a sh*$#@y time. When it's bad it's bad and when it's good it's heaven. 'Nuff said.
April 02, 2014
Whis420
Whis420
March 27, 2014
Curtis
Curtis
February 23, 2014
The Jig Is Up
The Jig Is Up
Now that the comment of snow friendly forecasts has been brought up, coincidentally an underestimation of the snowfall occurs the following 2 weeks. If this is proof they weren't full of crap to you this whole winter you are naive. P.s on weather stats we were 1/3 of Novembers snowfall, 1/2 of typical December snowfall and back to a third for typically snowy month (as per WB weather stats) in January. February is the typical dry month and it is snowing. Corruption is as obvious as it is in the entire world when money is concerned. But the bottom line, now there is snow. The mountains are not ice and being called hard pack anymore. They are actually soft pack powder as the website says. No one was ever just trying to make WB sound bad, we were simply saying that whether they draw straws or roll dice an honest description of the piste should be reported and if you constantly are going to exaggerate the snow amounts prior to the snowfall it'd be nice to see the odd underestimation. I have a feeling someone was listening ;)
February 19, 2014
Kev Solly from
United Kingdom
Kev Solly from
United Kingdom
After leaving the UK on Saturday 15th Feb at 6am, I arrived on the Sunday 16th Feb at 12am with our coach driver saying we've brought the snow this week and its been snowing since then.
The lift lines, at 9am on the 16th, were 40 plus mins long at the base stations. Yes, it was Sunday so everyone was up and out. We took the Excalibur lift and once up it spreads out there are runs to keep you going.
We said we will do fresh tracks in the morning though we knew what was to come. We arrived at 6.10am only to find at least 250 plus people in front of us in the queue. The queue behind us went back passed Blacks bar by 6.45.
We got to the roundhouse restaurant from the breakfast, which I must say is worth it and we were out the door by 8.35am.
We had good runs and stayed up by Harmony and Symphony instead of dropping down lower. We dropped into some bowls and it was quality.
We decided to do fresh tracks again and meet at the same time only there weren't as many people in the queue; say about 70.
We had some awesome runs as we finished breakfast earlier this time and was out by 8.20am.
There were a lot of the bowls closed but the peak to peak was open so we hopped over to Blackcomb and down to the base station.
We stopped down by Whistler village at 2.30pm and ended up in the Garibaldi Lift Company for a drink and dinner. Whilst we were sitting by the window the snow on top of the outside bar stools was at least 12 to 15 inches and it was still coming down.
We left at 4.45pm, bought 2 more fresh tracks tickets for the morning because we know what's awaiting us.
Like you say, everyone has been saying its been dry for 5 weeks but this week its been awesome. Granted the lift queues are long (10-15 mins) but it's so civilised you don't mind and trust me I've been snowboarding since 1992, to Europe, during all periods; nobody here queue jumps.
For many years I've wanted to come here and like you I would have been very disappointed if it hadn't snowed but you can't predict mother nature.
My mate with me has been here 4 times before and yes, twice it's been like sheets of ice. We are both advanced snowboarders, 37 and 46 years old so we are mature with full time jobs at home and are grinning ear to ear.
If it snows here it's awesome though because it's a holiday period it is busy and it does get tracked out quickly.
Would I come back? No, because coming from the UK it's very expensive to get here and the lift ticket prices are extortionate, though the food is reasonably priced compared to Europe and for it not to snow it's a waste of a holiday. I'm only here until the 22nd but my mate is here until the 27th.
If you live locally the weather forecast seems pretty accurate and you can make your way here. To pre book this as a holiday it hit or miss if the conditions are anything to go by.
The atmosphere is very friendly, the village has everything from expensive to family spar type convenient supermarkets.
I'm staying at the Holiday Inn so it's only minutes to the lifts. It's central so no complaints there.
For me, it's too packed, too busy, too many hungry powder hounds who even take their children up on fresh tracks in the morning. Poor kids must have been up since 5am.
There are too many flat spots for snowboarders if you don't know the runs well or are prepared to hike to get to those stashes.
The backcountry is epic but you need a guide or someone who knows it well. The pistes are long some are bashed well others mogulled.
It's my 4th day tomorrow so hopefully a full day of snow has left a good coverage. Fresh tracks in the morning!
As I'm a college lecturer I can't pick and choose when I can take my holidays but I've been to Banff and Fernie during mid Feb and it's been empty compared to here.
Yes, it's cosmopolitan, it's lively, it's accessible, the staff are fabulous, there are plenty of places to stay, the fun park looks top class but there are some old drag lifts that could do with being replaced with chairlifts.
When the weather's good it's awesome, if not I'd hate to think about it especially as a freeriding snowboarder who doesn't do park and pipe.
BTW I'm up again in 5 hours!
February 15, 2014
Pat
Pat
Whistler local here. I'm enjoying all these bad reviews because every year we have a dry January. Mid February the snow starts. These reviews must have kept the tourists away because the last three days have been dead here in Whistler and 30cm of snow each night, even if the WB website accumulation said there was less. So, in conclusion, WB is the worst resort ever! Never snows! Wouldn't suggest coming here and clogging up the lift lines!
February 06, 2014
Keith
Keith
Hmmm - I suspect the unpredictability of the weather have more to do with the other guys concern that anyone being paid. I was there for 3 weeks in Jan. Off-piste was crap, on-piste was excellent above mid. They predicted 30 cm of snow one night, we got 42 (95 cm in 5 days.) Off-piste, for rest of trip, was as good as it has ever been. I go every year. Compared to everywhere else I have skied, a bad year in Whistler is better than a good year elsewhere. France, Austria, Australia, Korea, Italy, NZ.
February 06, 2014
rediculousalright
rediculousalright
There goes the honest comments and on with more defending WB..hahaha. This forecast isn't so you Whistler people can make money! It's so that the consumer, who spends their hard earned dollars on a weekend of skiing, doesn't get lied to. Conditions are crap, no snow, not WB's fault other than the fact that they and local business owners (full disclosure) are constantly on the cover up. Can't even have a 'no snow' comment on the bottom of the forecast for more than 2 days. If it's real, it's real. It's a review of Whistler by people who visit, not an advertisement from WB or its affiliates.
February 05, 2014
Spring Skiing
Spring Skiing
This season has had a lack of snow but, actually, recently the conditions have been really cold meaning it has stayed better than it does sometimes (due to the low altitude temperate climate can sometimes get melt periods). At the moment it is blue skies and hard packed groomed runs (a bit icy in places admittedly). The comment regarding snow management at the time it was written was justified. Don't know what happened over christmas period but am guessing a few key personnel were on holiday as grooming and snow making were not up to scratch for a good couple of weeks. Since then they seem to have tried to make the best of it making a decent park just down from Emerald, on Whistler mountain, to keep people entertained and good grooming.
Nearest