Dare to Go Deeper and Win a Winter Trip for Two to Whistler, Canada, Worth $14,000

We’ve teamed up with Tourism Whistler to give one Snow-Forecast reader and their partner of their choice the chance to win an unforgettable ski holiday to one of the world’s great resorts.

Embrace the full depth of Whistler’s winter magic with an incredible trip worth $14,000 to be won.

The lucky winner and partner will get return flights from a major city airport to Vancouver, transfers to Whistler and six luxurious nights stay in a one-bedroom Mountain View suite at the Sundial Hotel, steps from the gondola.

Once there you’ll both gear up in style with premium ski or snowboard rentals to discover Whistler Blackcomb’s vast alpine arena and experience 8,171 acres of terrain with 3-day Whistler Blackcomb lift tickets

Activities on your prize holiday agenda include the chance to snowshoe through the alpine and unwind in a rustic sauna, step into a magical forest with the immersive Vallea Lumina and take the plunge with a thrilling bungee jump.

You’ll also sip and savour with a custom cocktail experience and dinner at The Raven Room, say “Cheers” to good times with a Happy Hour experience at Earls Kitchen + Bar, feast on local flavours with dinner and drinks at Hunter Gather Eatery & Taphouse and indulge in fine dining with a culinary experience at Alta Bistro.

This is your chance to dare, discover and go deeper in Whistler.  You can enter by clicking on the competition pictures below and read more detail on the prize at the end of our article below on why Whistler’s abundant snowfall and phenomenal terrain work together so well. You'll win incredible skiing and riding, savour unforgettable dining, dive into thrilling adventures and explore every layer of what makes Whistler extraordinary.

Big Storms, Bigger Terrain - How Whistler Makes the Most of Pacific Snow

Whistler Blackcomb didn’t become North America’s largest ski area by chance. Well, unless you consider its perfect positioning in the sweet spot for abundant snowfall, as well as its skier-friendly terrain, to be chance.

The resort’s entire identity and its incredible success are shaped by the Pacific storm track: huge, moisture‑rich systems roll straight off the ocean, drop metres of snow, and transform its vast terrain into something few resorts can match.

Meteorologically speaking, Whistler sits directly in the path of the Aleutian Low, which funnels warm, wet air toward the BC coast. As storms hit the Coast Mountains where the resort is located, they rise rapidly, cool, and dump huge volumes of snow. 

These storms are frequent, and Whistler averages 80–84 snowfall days per season. That adds up to seasonal snowfall averages typically between 11 and 16 metres (36 to 49 feet), some of the most impressive stats not just in North America but in the whole world. Even low snow years still exceed 6–7 metres (20-23 feet). The official average is 11 metres (36 feet or 429 inches) per season. 

In other words, the Pacific doesn’t send Whistler occasional storms; it sends production lines of them! And each storm can be huge, with single multi-day storm totals of 65-75 cm (25–29 inches) often recorded in midwinter. These storm cycles are all part of Whistler culture; locals track incoming systems like surfers track swells. 

A Classic Maritime Snowpack

Whistler’s location, directly exposed to Pacific moisture, typically delivers maritime snow, denser, more cohesive and all around more stable than the lighter snow of the Rockies. 

This density is a big bonus for opening steep terrain. The snow sticks to steep faces in a way that the lighter stuff can’t, which allows Whistler Blackcomb to open terrain that would be unskiable with similar volumes of snow in a drier climate.

Pay close attention to snow reports, and you’ll often see this reality, with some centres famed for their steep and deep terrain actually spending a lot of the season with not much of that skiable, when Whistler Blackcomb has most of its black diamond terrain open.

That definitely doesn’t mean Whistler Blackcomb doesn’t get more than its fair share of cold, dry powder, especially up in the alpine. The same storm can (and usually does) deliver different snow types at different levels.

But whatever the gradient of the slope, Whistler Blackcomb’s maritime snow builds deep bases quickly, protecting the resort’s huge vertical from early‑season hazards. 

Big Terrain Made Accessible By Big Storms

Whistler Blackcomb’s terrain is uniquely suited to heavy Pacific snowfall. The resort’s high-Alpine Bowls are wide, open, wind‑loaded. The likes of Glacier Bowl, Harmony and Seventh Heaven fill in quickly during storms. Maritime snow bonds well to steep alpine faces, enabling iconic terrain like Spanky’s Ladder to open.

The resort’s two‑mountain layout (Whistler and Blackcomb mountains) lets skiers chase the best conditions as storms move through. Whistler Blackcomb’s vast vertical (from 650 m to 2,284 m) means snow types vary from the valley to the glacier-capped alpine up high, again delivering a huge choice and epic descents.

Whistler is famous for storm skiing, staying skiable even in heavy weather, thanks to its vast array of terrain options, including sheltered aspects, trees, and a carefully considered lift layout.

The mid‑mountain tree-skiing zone gets consistent, dense snow that clings to branches and fills gullies. Indeed, storm days are often best spent in the trees where visibility is better, and the snow stacks up fast.

Locals know how to work the mountain as storms roll through, usually starting in the trees, then moving to the alpine as the storm clears and finishing with late‑day refills as wind transports snow.

When’s Snowiest?

Whistler Blackcomb has one of North America's and the world’s longest ski seasons, running from November through to late May. Most years, maritime snow builds a thick, resilient base early in the season. 

December and January are peak snowfall months, each averaging around 178-188 cm (70–74) inches of snowfall. But snowfall data shows that March is a ‘sleeper month’, often delivering over 150cm (60 inches).

Average base depths in midwinter are 160-210 cm (63–83 inches) in January–February at mid‑mountain and climb to 256-372 cm (101–148 inches) in March. That’s usually the deep point of the season, even though there are still two months left to run, whilst other resorts are calling it a day on winter.

This depth allows Whistler Blackcomb to open and maintain its massive 8,171-acre footprint, even in variable years. Whistler’s bowls, chutes, and glades aren’t just enhanced by heavy snow; they depend on it.

In conclusion, Whistler Blackcomb thrives because the Pacific delivers relentless, snow‑laden storms that build one of the deepest, most reliable maritime snowpacks on the planet. This consistency unlocks its vast bowls, steep alpine faces and sheltered tree zones, keeping terrain open and skiable for an exceptionally long season. Big storms, heavy snow and big mountains combine to define Whistler’s unmatched winter experience.

Dare to Go Deeper and Win a Winter Trip for Two to Whistler, Canada, Worth $14,000

Go beyond the ordinary and embrace the full depth of Whistler’s winter magic. Stay six nights in luxury accommodation at the base of Whistler Mountain, steps from the gondola. Discover vast alpine terrain, savour unforgettable dining, dive into thrilling adventures and explore every layer of what makes Whistler extraordinary. This is your chance to dare, discover and go deeper in Whistler.

The Grand Prize Includes:

Transportation & Accommodation

• Round-trip flights from a major city airport to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Round-trip shuttle transfers between Vancouver International Airport and Whistler courtesy of Whistler Shuttle.
• Six luxurious nights in a one-bedroom Mountain View suite at the Sundial Hotel

Winter Activities

• Experience 8,171 acres of terrain with 3-day Whistler Blackcomb lift tickets
• Gear up in style with premium ski or snowboard rentals courtesy of Black Tie Ski Rentals.
• Snowshoe through the alpine and unwind in a rustic sauna with Canadian Wilderness Adventures.
• Step into a magical forest with the immersive Vallea Lumina experience by The Adventure Group, courtesy of Gibbons Whistler.
• Take the plunge with a thrilling bungee jump courtesy of Whistler Bungee.

Dining

• Sip and savour with a custom cocktail experience and dinner at The Raven Room
• Cheers to good times with a Happy Hour experience at Earls Kitchen + Bar
• Feast on local flavours with dinner and drinks at Hunter Gather Eatery & Taphouse
• Indulge in fine dining with a culinary experience at Alta Bistro