From when to visit to what to book ahead, here’s what you need to know before you go so you can make the most of your summertime in the mountains.

When to Visit Whistler in the Summer

Summer in Whistler stretches from mid-June through September, with each month offering something a little different:

• June: Quieter, with wildflowers starting to bloom and lingering snow in the alpine, temps are mild and fresh (average high 20°C / 68°F, low 9°C / 48°F).
• July and August: Peak season with warm weather (average high 24°C / 75°F, low 11°C / 52°F), vibrant lakes and the widest range of activities
• September: Fewer crowds, cooler mornings (average high 19°C / 66°F, low 7°C / 45°F) and golden early fall colours

Check out our When to Visit Whistler in the Summer blog for a more detailed month-by-month guide.

Visit Midweek

Weekends and holidays are busy, especially at lakes, parks and on popular trails. Visiting midweek means fewer people, shorter waits and a more relaxed pace.

Book Ahead for Peak Summer

Whistler is popular in summer, especially on weekends and holidays. Booking a few key things in advance will make your trip smoother:

• Accommodation (especially July and August weekends)
• Popular restaurants for dinner (check out our dining guide)
• Must-do activities (like bear viewing, ziplining, rafting, etc.)
• PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola/sightseeing tickets
• Whistler Mountain Bike Park tickets
• Bike rentals
• BC Parks day-use passes (if visiting Garibaldi Park areas)

We want you to have the best time, not a stressed time, and most places have flexible cancellation policies, so if your plans do change, then they’re easy to adjust.

How to Get to Whistler

Whistler is a two-hour drive from Vancouver International Airport. The journey up the Sea to Sky Highway is filled with stunning viewpoints over glaciers, ocean and waterfalls. You don’t need a car in Whistler, so many visitors choose to take a shuttle from Vancouver or the airport and explore car-free once they arrive.

Getting Around Whistler – Why You Don’t Need a Car

Parking at hotels and at Whistler’s lakes is expsensive and it’s easy to get around without driving.

• Whistler Village is pedestrianized (car-free), and most of the accommodation, restaurants and activities are located within the main village hub (some places that are further afield offer shuttles).
• Whistler has a 46-kilometre Valley Trail that weaves in and out of parks, lakes and neighbourhoods, and you can walk, bike or skate to get around.
• There’s also local transit (accessible for wheelchairs and strollers), taxis and a free summer shuttle

Pack for Mountain Weather

Even in summer, conditions can vary between the village and the alpine. Bring:

• Layers (it can be 10°C cooler up top)
• Comfortable footwear for walking or hiking
• Swimwear for lakes
• Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
• A reusable water bottle

Don’t Miss These Whistler Summer Experiences

1. Wander the Village for patios, shops, ice cream and events
2. Head into the alpine for the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, suspension bridge and hiking
3. Spend an afternoon at the lake (we suggest Alta, Lost or Alpha)
4. Do something adventurous, whether that’s whitewater rafting, bear viewing, ziplining or ATVing
5. Bike on the Valley Trail, in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park or on the hundreds of cross-country trails
6. Play golf on one of Whistler’s four championship courses
7. Explore further and head to Creekside Village and Function Junction for funky stores, breweries, galleries and restaurants
8. Go to an event like the Summer Concert Series and Crankworx Whistler Mountain Bike Festival

Take a read of our Summer Family Adventures, Summer Adventure Challenges and 17 Things to Do in the Alpine posts for more ideas.

Beat the Crowds

In summer, the best experiences happen early. Plan to start your day before 10 AM, especially for lakes and popular trails. Things tend to quiet down around 6 PM, when people need to eat – sunset picnic anyone?

Closures

Talking of lakes and parks, Meadow Park’s outside area is getting a remodel this year, and is closed for this summer and fall (the Valley Trail and waterfront lawn will remain open). Whistler Golf Club is also getting a spruce and is closed this summer, reopening in 2027.

Shop Local

If you need supplies—whether that’s trail runners, a swimsuit or buckets and spades for the kids—buy them locally. Not only does this support Whistler businesses, but it’s also a great way to connect with people who live here and pick up a few insider tips.

Safety Information

• Remember that Whistler is bear country, so please dispose of your waste responsibly and read up on how to be bear-aware. If a bin is full, please take your waste back to your accommodation to dispose of it. Let’s keep wildlife wild. 
• If you’re adventuring, be Adventure Smart and remember the Three T’s: trip planning, training and taking the essentials.
• Consider our Responsible Travel pillars: Respect Nature, Think Environment, Don’t Love It to Death and Support Local.
• Wildfires are a very real threat to Whistler – do not throw cigarette butts (of any kind) onto trails, into forested areas, or out of car windows. The fire danger rating gets updated daily by the BC Wildfire Service, and when it reaches High or Extreme, open fires are banned. If you see a fire, call 911.
• Whistler Alert is the official emergency notification system used by the RMOW to communicate with residents and visitors during emergencies via text message, phone and email. We encourage you to sign up for it while you’re here (just in case). When you register, you will be asked to provide your contact number and the date you plan to leave Whistler so that you don’t receive alerts when you’re back home.

Respect the Outdoors

Help keep Whistler beautiful:

• Stay on marked trails
• Pack out all garbage
• Give wildlife space
• Follow local guidelines and signage

Help Whistler with its environmental goals by drinking alpine fresh tap water versus bottled, avoiding single-use plastic, choosing active modes of transportation and using the compost and recycling bins in the Village and at the parks.

Whistler.com also has a handy page with Know Before You Go information, including border requirements, currency, weather, etc. Take a read of our other Know Before You Go posts for this summer on Whistler Blackcomb Sightseeing, Biking and Hiking, and Whistler’s Lakes and Parks, along with our Summer Itinerary for what to do on a week in Whistler.

A little planning goes a long way – book ahead, start early and give yourself time to explore. Welcome to summer in Whistler, where every day is a cause for celebration, yet calm and stillness still have their day in the sun.

The post Know Before You Go: What to Expect in Whistler This Summer appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

The latter tends to startle my roommates, which is an added bonus on top of the reassurance that I’m fulfilling my duties of stirring up the winter stoke.

And this year, my methods may have paid off (to my roommates – you can thank me later). Much to my excitement, the words La Niña have recently been spoken by meteorologists and appeared in weather and news headlines, which we hope means snow is coming!  

According to the latest report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), there is a 60 per cent chance La Niña will develop this summer and continue into winter 2024/25. Adding to my already premature anticipation, when I got this news, I was over-the-top excited. But why am I jumping out of my seat for a weather phenomenon which translates to the little girl? Let me explain.

What is La Niña?

La Niña is a weather pattern that is characterized by colder than normal waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which has an effect on the weather all over the world.

The phenomenon was given its catchy name by Peruvian sailors who, in the late 1800s, noticed an unusually warm ocean, dubbing it El Niño. This translates to the little boy in Spanish and denotes the Christ Child because it happened right around Christmas. Naturally, when they observed colder than average ocean temperatures, they dubbed it La Niña, which means the little girl. 

Both of these weather patterns are caused by variations in ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific and are opposite phases of the broader El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, with La Niña referred to as the cold phase and El Niño the warm phase. When La Niña occurs, strong trade winds push warm surface water to the west, causing deeper, colder water to come to the surface in the east, displacing the jet stream northward. 

This has different effects on the weather depending on where you are in the world, but for western Canada, La Niña means increased precipitation and colder temperatures, and up here in Whistler that means snow. 

How Much Snow Are We Talking?

While a La Niña winter isn’t an absolute guarantee (this is Mother Nature after all), there are plenty of signs that point to a good winter when she comes around.

In the 1973/74 season, when La Niña came through, Whistler Blackcomb set their monthly snow base record of 504 centimetres (198 inches / 16.5 feet), which still holds to this day. More recently, we’ve seen La Niña years in 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23. During the last fifteen years, the top four snowiest winters have been La Niña years.

When Will the Snow Come?

Once again, the science isn’t exact, but let’s look at some averages. We took the snowfall for each month for the last ten years to see which months are the snowiest in Whistler.

Top 5 Snowiest Months in the Last 10 Years

1. January Average: 245 cm
2. December Average: 216 cm
3.  November Average: 178 cm
4. March Average: 177 cm
5. February Average: 132 cm

Over the past ten years, Whistler Blackcomb has received an average of 10.6 metres (34.8 feet) of snow during the winter season (November to May). Remember, if you’re coming for some spring skiing, those earlier winter months are setting quite the stage, but March is still a snowy time for us here in Whistler.

Top 5 Snowfalls in the Past 10 Years

1. January 2020: 477 cm
2. January 2018: 379 cm
3. December 2018: 373 cm
4. November 2017: 366 cm
5. January 2021: 340 cms

It’s worth noting that all five of the top snowfalls (of the last 10 years) have been in La Niña years.

Whistler Blackcomb’s official Opening Day is November 22, 2024, and we can’t wait to get out there. Follow us @GoWhistler for announcements and use #onlyinwhistler to share your opening day stoke with us!

The post La Niña is Coming to Whistler: Here’s Why We’re Excited appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

Whistler Village slowly returned to its bustling, vibrant self as we welcomed back travellers from all over the world. Events like Whistler Beer Festival, Cornucopia and GranFondo all returned for the first time in several years. The excitement over the return to travel has been palpable and we’re stoked to share with you a snapshot of the thrill and adventure that makes Whistler so unique. 

The photo galleries below are from visitors and locals who explored Whistler this year and gave us permission to share their images by tagging them #OnlyInWhistler on Instagram. We hope that they fill you with excitement and give you some inspiration for your 2023 travel plans. And perhaps your photos will grace our blog in the years to come!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

As we look to 2023, we hope these photos ignite your adventurous spirit and set you off on your journey to Whistler. If you have any questions about coming to Whistler, the Whistler.com travel consultants are the ones to ask. They live and work in Whistler, so they know their stuff and are passionate about sharing their home with the world. See you soon!

The post A Year of Whistler Photos From Travellers in 2022 appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

HEADER PHOTO CREDIT RICK MELOFF

Whistler is home to a hotbed of talented individuals and so it comes as no surprise that many of them are young athletes, pursuing the highest level of their respective sports. These young athletes have grown up in or near a world-class resort town with Olympic venues at their fingertips, but that doesn’t change the energy and hard work required to compete among the best in the world.

With goals like the Olympics and the IFSA North American Junior Championships, much of their time is dedicated to their sports. We caught up with a few sliding and skiing athletes to find out more about their lives as young people in their sports and what they have set their sights on as they move from their home training base of Whistler to venues all over the world, chasing their dreams.

Tirza Lara – Skeleton

Age: 21
Home: Whistler, born in Calgary, AB.

How did you start sliding?

I did ballet for over 10 years until I was forced to quit due to a knee injury. I wanted to stay committed to something, so I decided to look into sliding sports. I was too old for luge and too small for bobsleigh, so skeleton seemed like a good choice. For my 16th birthday, I asked to do the Discover Skeleton experience at the Whistler Sliding Center, and I was instantly hooked. I was invited to stay the following season and the rest is history.

What does a typical season look like for you?

Every season begins on the Whistler track with Team Canada selections. This year I’m traveling on the North American Circuit. The first race is in Whistler, then Park City, UT, and then Lake Placid, NY. When I’m not competing, I’m back in Whistler fine-tuning my skills on my home track. Typically we’re on ice five times a week, with gym three to five times on top of that.

What are some of your future goals?

Competing and being successful at the Olympics is the big dream, but for now, I’m looking forward to getting comfortable competing on different tracks and on my new sled.

Name an athlete that you look up to and why.

Skeleton athlete Clara Hughes. I can relate to her story growing up because she came from a similar family background to me. She faced a lot of obstacles but remained genuine and dedicated to her path. Watching her dominate in competition and witnessing the legacy she’s created inspires me to keep pushing when things are tough. If she could do it, so can I.

What’s your favourite part of being in Whistler?

It’s such an active, beautiful and exciting community to live in. Everyone I’ve met so far is committed to chasing the stoke, whether it’s carving out snow on the slopes or hitting the trails. It’s a good purpose that unifies people, given how everyone rallies together for events such as Crankworx or simply cheering someone on as they land a jump. As a skeleton athlete that pursues adrenaline for a living, I feel I fit right in.

Where can we usually find you when you are in Whistler?

When I’m not on the track or in the gym you can find me hunkered down at Forecast Coffee working on my bachelor’s degree in Human Science.

Ryder Bulfone – Freeride Skiing

Age: 20
Home: Squamish

How did you start skiing?

My parents got me on skis at the youngest age possible. Our family was based in the ski town of Rossland and skiing was a big part of living there. My parents grew up there, moved away, then moved back to raise us. When they were ready for a change, we moved to Squamish.

What does a typical season look like for you?

Lots of skiing! Most of my teen years were spent skiing and shredding Whistler Blackcomb in a big crew. Whether it was during the Whistler Freeride Club or out during a random weekday, my favourite skiing is in a big group, finding fun lines and things to jump off. It’s fun skiing with a bunch of people and having everyone push each other to become better. I have done many competitions in the past and plan to keep that going on some level; as stressful as they can be, it’s fun to challenge yourself (and get stressed out) once in a while.

What are some of your future goals?

Ideally, I’d like to steer away from competitions and get more involved with ski film projects. I also really like creating my own type of content so I would like to move towards creating and producing projects in which I can also ski.

Name an athlete that you look up to and why.

Mike Douglas. He’s now in his 50’s and completely shreds! Not only that but he’s managed to keep his own professional ski career still going strong. Very inspiring! But Whistler local and legendary skier Eric Hjorleifson and his wife Jen Ashton are also people I have always modeled my turns and style after.

What’s your favourite part of skiing Whistler Blackcomb?

The vast terrain and the variety keeps the skiing fun for years on end. There’s always a new line or stash to find!

Where can we usually find you when you are in Whistler?

On Whistler Blackcomb skiing or biking some obscure line that other people usually don’t see!

Talia Wittenberg – Freestyle Skiing

Age: 15
Home: Whistler, BC

How did you start skiing?

My parents are big fans of the outdoors and started teaching me how to ski at the age of three!

What does a typical season look like for you?

I train with the Whistler Freeride Club on Saturdays and Sundays, and skip school on powder days! For competing I do all the competitions in Whistler and usually, go out to Kicking Horse Resort and Red Mountain Ski Resort.

What are some of your future goals?

My goal would definitely be to compete in the NorAm Circuit which is a series of races put on by the International Ski Federation and gives athletes a chance to go from there to a world stage. I’d also like to spend more time in the backcountry.

Name an athlete that you look up to and why.

I really look up to professional skier Tatum Monod because she is such a rad female skier. She goes out into the backcountry and does epic ski films.

What’s your favourite part of skiing Whistler Blackcomb?

My favourite part about skiing in Whistler Blackcomb is all the different terrain and being part of the Whistler Freeride Club. Lots of my friends are in the club and we all have so much fun together, the coaches are awesome and there is never a bad day.

Where can we usually find you when you are in Whistler?

Unfortunately, I’m at school five days a week but when I’m not you’ll find me on the hill or on the trails.

Payton Spence – Skeleton

Age:15
Home: Squamish, BC

How did you start sliding?

I joined one of the Discovery Sessions at the Whistler Sliding Centre, which are introductory sports programs that let young participants get a taste of sliding sports. I went to a Discover Luge session with my family but was told I was too old to join that program, so I ended up on the Discover Skeleton session. I was also a brakeman for my brother Connor (17) in Bobsleigh, but I loved skeleton the best. I’ve been training for two years now as a skeleton athlete.

What does a typical season look like for you?

Participating in Sniper Winter Camps here in Whistler and Sniper Summer Camps in Alberta. I was just selected this year to join the BCS (Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton) Next Gen team and I’m looking forward to new training and race opportunities.

What are some of your future goals?

Sliding at new tracks and competing for Canada at the YOG (Youth Olympic Games) in Gangwon, South Korea in 2024. Ultimately my biggest goal is the Winter Olympics.

Name an athlete that you look up to and why.

I look up to other sliding athletes like Jane Channell, Mirela Rahneva and Nicole Silverira who are not only incredibly nice, but also help answer questions and go over track lines with me. Micaela Widmer and Joe Cecchini have also played a large part in my success as my coaches.

What’s your favourite part of being in Whistler?

The track. My family and I spend a lot of time here sliding and working. It’s a really great place to work and spend time.

Where can we usually find you when you are in Whistler?

The track. Walking around Whistler Village, sampling baked goods at purebread and snowboarding at Whistler Blackcomb. My favourite trail is the Jersey Cream bowl on Blackcomb Mountain.

If this has you inspired to see some sliding athletes in action check out the Eberspächer Luge World Cup happening at the Whistler Sliding Centre on December 9 and 10, 2022. Athletes from over 20 countries will be hitting speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour as they compete. Tickets are available at the gates on event days at $10 per adult (kids 12 and under are free).

The sliding experiences are not just for young guns, adults can take to the track with the public skeleton and piloted bobsleigh programs too! This post might also have encouraged you to up the ante on the ski hill, and to get you there consider a lesson or camp with pros who can help.

All the best to our young athletes as they push themselves this winter! We will be cheering them on as they go.

The post Meet 4 Next Generation Whistler Winter Athletes appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

For over twenty years, Teton Gravity Research (TGR) has been making ground-breaking films out of their home base in Jackson, Wyoming. While each movie offers a unique storyline, eye-popping snow stunts and an in-depth look at what it’s like to be a professional skier or snowboarder, there’s one thing that never seems to change – they always film a good chunk of their films in Whistler and the surrounding area.

And when they do, they bring along the local skiers who have cut their teeth in the Coast Mountain Range and honed their skills lapping the iconic slopes of Whistler Blackcomb. Make Believe features BC-based skiers and TGR stalwarts Ian McIntosh and Nick McNutt (both call Whistler Blackcomb their home ski hill), alongside newcomer Christina Lustenberger (Lusti), an Invermere local who splits her time between Revelstoke and Whistler.

While most ski and snowboard films stereotypically build-up to an Alaska segment as the peak of their action (typically for its jaw-dropping descents and ideal weather), this year was a little different. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting travel for shooting, the film crew wasn’t able to make it to Alaska during its prime weather window (April and early May), so, naturally, British Columbia’s world-class terrain stole the show.

With huge swaths of snowy mountains to choose from it was an easy choice; arguably making the standby one of the stars of the movie. Nowhere is this more obvious than at the show-stopping end of the film, which sees our athletes tackle countless descents in prime Whistler spring conditions in a high-flying, must-see segment.

Why Whistler?

There’s a reason that so many professional skiers flock to Whistler to earn a name for themselves and even settle down, so what is it about this mountain town that sucks them in?

“There’s huge terrain here,” says McIntosh, who has lived in the area for over twenty years, and now resides in Pemberton. “It’s untamed, but it’s accessible. I could do this for another twenty years and I’d still be saying – I wanna keep doing this.”

 

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A post shared by Ian McIntosh (@ianmcintosh) on Jan 19, 2020 at 12:39am PST

The most senior of the crew, McIntosh has been at it for a while and knows Whistler better than most. A world-class skier, McIntosh is a two-time winner of Line of the Year from Powder Magazine and consistently takes a starring role in TGR’s award-winning movies.

After many years of riding the resort at Whistler Blackcomb, McIntosh always comes back for more because of its ability to test his mettle before he heads into the backcountry.

“After skiing Whistler Blackcomb for 19 seasons, I’m still finding new lines each winter, and that’s just within resort,” says Mcintosh.

As for his favourite place on the hill to ride, the vastness that he adores makes that answer a bit tough.

“It really depends on the day. I’d say I probably ski more Spanky’s Ladder laps than anything else throughout the winter, so it must be Spanky’s,” he says. “That’s a pretty general answer, considering there’s probably a hundred different lines to ski off of Spanky’s, but that’s about as close as I can narrow it down to a favourite run.”

McNutt, another Whistler Blackcomb local, has a unique relationship with the resort – both his parents are ski patrollers for the mountain. After growing up in Kimberly, McNutt moved west for the big terrain that could test his skills as a skier and a mountaineer.

“The amount of access we have here is nearly unmatched, coupled with a strong, coastal snowpack and lots of glaciers to make travel easy,” says McNutt. “It’s such an incredible place to grow as a skier – there’s world-class terrain of every type, from park to big mountain, and no shortage of talent to draw inspiration from.”

 

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A post shared by Nick McNutt (@nickmcnutt) on Apr 13, 2020 at 8:02pm PDT

For Lusti, a former Olympic ski racer turned backcountry enthusiast, climbing huge couloirs in the backcountry (imagine a completely untouched Saudan Couloir) is her personal preference.

“The crew is great and climbing big couloirs with them is definitely the best part about coming to the Whistler area,” says Lustenberger.

Off the hill, it’s the simplicity of Whistler Village that’s most appealing to Lustenberger.

“Leaving your truck at home and biking to the village on the Valley Trail after a day of skiing is the best — it’s part of what makes Whistler so special,” says Lustenberger.

One of her favourite places to ride to is the Handlebar Café and Après, because she often runs into her ski buddies, including McIntosh, who also named Handlebar as his top après spot in the Village.

 

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A post shared by HandleBar Apres (@handlebarbeer) on Dec 18, 2018 at 12:47pm PST

For McNutt, the new guy in town, his go-to spot for après is just a few doors down from Handlebar at RMU Blackcomb; a combination café, ski shop and après bar with tasty food as the icing on the cake. When he’s not on the hill, McNutt is just another avid Whistler local out riding his bike or rock climbing in the area.

 

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A post shared by Mountain Culture Co (@rmublackcomb) on Dec 7, 2019 at 10:39am PST

Or, if his buddy Ian can convince him to do an escape room (Ian’s favourite off-hill haunt), then he might lock himself in a room with his big mountain comrade – but after plenty of time spent in the mountains together, that might be a bit too much of an ask.

No matter how many times you watch a ski movie, one thing never gets old – a good ol’ fashioned 40 minutes of powder smashing is always a good way to get the winter stoke going. Make Believe premiered in Whistler at a drive-in event put on by theWhistler Film Festivalback in September, and we’re still waiting for news as to when the online release date will be; watch this space.

Make your own magic happen and enter Teton Gravity’s Make Believe Contest for a chance to win a trip to Whistler for five snowy days of mountain adventure next winter. Or, make the dream a reality and book with Whistler.com for the best deals, flexible cancellation and amazing service. See you on the slopes!

The post Whistler Athletes Star in Teton Gravity Research’s Make Believe appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

When it comes to sliding on snow, most Canadian kids are experts. From backyard runs to family ski vacations, the combination of snow, gravity and the fearlessness of youth combines for near-endless hours of winter fun here in the Great White North.

But, sliding on snow is as close as most Canadians ever get to satisfying their need for wintery speed. In Whistler however, there exists a faster, more thrilling, more sporting option for kids looking beyond the toboggan. Why slide down a snowy hill when you can rocket down an icy tube, face first, on a glorified cafeteria tray?

The Whistler Sliding Centre, host track of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, is turning a new generation of locals on to skeleton and luge. Here are out next gen athletes.

Meet Tirza Lara: Skeleton Athlete

“I lived in Calgary when I was young and my mom would take me to the track there as a spectator. I have fond memories of that,” says Tirza Lara. “So, when I came to Whistler for my 16^th birthday and had a chance to do the public skeleton experience, I jumped at it. I was definitely nervous at the start of the first run,” Tirza recalls, “but as soon as I hopped off on the outrun I was so excited. The adrenaline kicked in and I was stoked for run number two.”

That second run was enough, Tirza — a trained dancer, forced to step back due to an injury — had found her new passion. She moved to Whistler in June 2018 and took a summer job at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Now, at age 17, Tirza is living in Whistler, going to school, sliding three days a week and training hard at her new, favourite sport.

“What I love about skeleton is that it teaches you to stay focused. It’s teaching me how to stay comfortable at times when there is a lot of information being thrown at me. When I’m on the track, the world shuts out and my mind goes into a Zen state of absolute focus. It’s just me, my sled and the ice. I didn’t get that with any of the other sports I’ve tried.”

Currently racing at a provincial level, Tirza balances school and sliding and was excited to get a chance to watch the National Championship races held at the sliding centre on February 1 – 2, 2019.

“It’s all been life-changing for me. Competing builds character off bad runs and confidence off good runs. I’m learning to be flexible and open to whatever happens. And living in Whistler, I love it. People from all over the world are coming and going all the time. I find that makes everyone very accepting and warm. We’re all here in the mountains and it feels like everyone is motivated to be outside living life to the fullest. It’s a great energy and that helps me thrive as well.”

Meet Caitlin Nash: Luge Athlete

That unique Whistler energy doesn’t fade, even if you’ve been here your entire life.

“Coming from Whistler has given me unique opportunities,” explains born-and-raised local, Caitlin Nash, a 15-year-old luge athlete currently competing with the Canadian Junior National team on the World Cup circuit. “I was pretty young during the 2010 Games but my parents took me to the Sliding Centre to watch some training runs. I didn’t get into it until a few years later when I was eight. A friend invited me to a friends and family night and my dad and I went up to try it. I think we did seven runs that night.”

Caitlin started sliding once a week in a recreational program, then got really involved in 2015, competing in BC Cup races, which was essentially just competing against other kids in her club, because Whistler has the only sliding track in the province (there are only two in all of Canada).

“It was fun though because you got to wear the bibs! I did a lot of skiing, mountain biking, all the sports really. I played soccer for nine years, but I think luge is my favourite. At first, I really liked the speed, I’ve always liked going fast, but now I like that I can continue with it. It gives me something to work towards and a goal of being in the Olympics myself.”

The sliding sports are far more popular in Europe (“Germany wins everything,” Caitlin says), but with homegrown programs and young athletes like Tirza and Caitlin coming up, the legacy of the Whistler Sliding Centre is already starting to become apparent with these next gen athletes.

Get Your Slide On

“I think anyone who is interested should just get out and try [these sports],” Caitlin says. “You never know what you can achieve until you try. You might end up like me, one try and you love it.”

Tirza agrees. “I recommend taking the opportunity to do those public runs. These are sports we don’t see or hear about that often but they are growing. There are doors there to be opened and it’s really fun.”

Whistler Sliding Centre offers public bobsleigh and skeleton experiences throughout summer and winter, and kids (ages 14 to 18) can slide for free with a paying adult. For interested young athletes, they host Discover Skeleton, Bobsleigh and Luge Days — check their website for more details. 

Spectators are welcome at all events. Hit up the Whistler Sliding Centre for more information.

The post Next Gen Athletes Find Their Calling at Whistler Sliding Centre appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

However, what makes Whistler Blackcomb stand out is that it combines many of these “got to do it” innovations into one ski or sightseeing pass. Let’s take a look at what puts Whistler Blackcomb at the top of that bucket list for any skier, boarder, hiker, and mountain-lover out there.

13.5-Kilometre Continuous Lift System

On December 14, 2018 a new 10-person gondola is launching that goes from the base of Blackcomb Mountain in the Upper Village to the Rendezvous Lodge, 3.85 kilometres (12,631 feet) up the mountain. It can move a staggering 4,000 people per hour. The gondola drops you at the door of the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which spans the valley between Blackcomb and Whistler mountains, taking 28 people, 11 minutes to cross 4.5 kilometres (14,816 feet). Once you’re over on Whistler Mountain you can then get on a 10-person gondola that takes you back down to the valley to the base of Whistler Mountain, travelling 4.99 kilometres (16,371 feet). This completes a continuous lift system for a total ride of 13.5 kilometres (44,291 feet) up one mountain and down the other.

We’re not saying that you’ll necessarily want to ride the lift system in this way, it just means that there are more options to access the incredible terrain on two mountains and have a nice coffee and a chat along the way in a cozy gondola. It’s part of a 66-million-dollar investment by Vail Resorts Inc., which includes other lift enhancements on Blackcomb Mountain and changes to the popular Emerald Chair over on Whistler Mountain. Take a look at this video for a snapshot of where the new gondola and chairlifts are on the mountain.

PEAK 2 PEAK – Guinness World Record Breaker

The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola opened in 2008 as a Guinness World Record Breaker – it was the world’s longest unsupported span at 3.024 kilometres (1.88 miles). In 2017, it lost out by 189 metres (620 feet) to the Eisbee Cable Cart in Zugspitze, Germany. Still, to put this in perspective the total distance is more than travelling three times the length of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The PEAK 2 PEAK is still the world’s highest lift of its kind at 436 metres (1,427 feet) above the valley floor – you could fit the Eiffel Tower underneath it, but the French might not like that.

Now, the PEAK 2 PEAK is the middle element of Whistler Blackcomb’s new linking gondola system. It travels at 7.5-metres per second and can transport 2,050 people per hour each way. For skiers this means you get access to two mountains, doubling the terrain you can cover in a day, and at Whistler Blackcomb, that’s 3,307 hectares (8,171 acres) and more than 200 trails.

Cloudraker Skybridge

In the summer of 2018, Whistler Blackcomb unveiled the new Cloudraker Skybridge. It sounds like something out of a Star Wars movie and to be fair, it does have the views to potentially feature in one. It stretches 130 metres (427 feet) from the top of Whistler Peak to the West Ridge, crossing over Whistler Bowl at 2,182 metres (7,160 feet) above sea level. At the far end is the Raven’s Eye Cliff Walk, a 360-degree platform where you can enjoy an uninterrupted view of the surrounding mountains. It’s similar to Switzerland’s Peak Walk located at the Glacier 3000 resort, however the Skybridge trumps the Peak Walk by 23 metres. The Skybridge closes over the winter months, although word on the slopes is that engineers are working on how to make it a year-round attraction. Find out more about this incredible experience on our dedicated Skybridge blog.

Terrain

A lot of European resorts connect together giving them some impressive terrain figures, for example, Les 3 Vallees (which has just been added to the Epic Pass) in France combines Courchevel, Meribel, and Val Thorens giving them the world’s biggest ski area with 600 kilometres of runs. They have 328 runs, but if you consider that Whistler Blackcomb has over 200 you can see why they’d also be included in this CNN list of biggest ski resorts in the world. They have the biggest ski area in North America, at 8,171 acres, with Park City and Powder Mountain in Utah being the only ones close to this amount of terrain.

So, what do you think now? Are these mountain innovations something you’d want to see in real life? No matter what time of year you choose to come, there’s always something to explore in Whistler.

If you fancy ticking a few things off that old bucket list then give the team at Whistler.com a shout, they can help put all the pieces together for you, so you don’t miss a thing.

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ON THE MOUNTAIN

The mountain opening for the season is always a reason to get excited. This year the November 22 opening date has visitors and locals alike champing at the bit to get a first look at the new lifts on both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

Blackcomb Gondola

I loved the Wizard and Solar Coaster chairs, but one continuous warm ride up Blackcomb has long been a dream of mine. Running from the Blackcomb Base in the Upper Village to the Rendezvous Lodge, the new Blackcomb Gondola, slated to open December 14, is a welcome upgrade to the morning upload.

Just to note – Blackcomb Mountain opens on November 22, and as of today (November 20, 2018) it’s been confirmed that the Jersey Cream Express, Excelerator and Excalibur chairlifts will be open, with downloading via the PEAK 2 PEAK and Village Gondola on Whistler Mountain. For more up-to-date info, visit Whistler.com’s hours of operation page.

Catskinner Chair

Also on Blackcomb, Catskinner Chair has seen a big upgrade for this season. The new high-speed quad will not only get you up the hill more quickly, but because the upload base has been moved to skiers left below the Magic Castle Forest, it will help both park riders and beginners access quick laps of the surrounding Catskinner Glades. This chairlift will be opening as soon as the weather permits.

Emerald Chair

Its close proximity to the Roundhouse Lodge and wide, beginner-friendly runs makes the Emerald Zone very popular. To help move skiers more efficiently, the Emerald Chair has been upgraded from four to six riders. You can try this new chairlift out for yourself on Whistler’s opening day! On November 22, Whistler will have the Village Gondola, Emerald 6 Express and Franz’s Chair open to ski Ego Bowl and Upper Whiskey Jack. For what’s currently open, visit Whistler.com’s hours of operation page.

Umbrella Bar & Deck

The Roundhouse Lodge is known for having some pretty stellar mountain views, and the new deck of the Umbrella Bar is another vista-pleasing location perfect for aprés beers or a warming hot chocolate. If you go into the Roundhouse Lodge, head upstairs, and out the doors at the back you’ll find it – enjoy!

The bar gets its name from the retractable roof that closes down to let the sun in on warm sunny days. If the weather is a bit chilly the “umbrella” stays closed, keeping things toasty warm and creating the ideal spot for a drink before more snowy laps.

SAFETY

On-mountain safety is always a number one priority and to help avoid confusion Whistler Blackcomb is standardizing all their safety-related items to yellow.  From mountain safety jackets, to slow signs and avalanche warnings, if you see yellow, check to see what safety precautions are being given.

IN THE VILLAGE

With all the new additions happening on-mountain it can be easy to overlook the exciting changes to our Village. Learn about new places to stay, shop, and fill your time when you’re not on the slopes.

Ancestral Modern

Whistler is known for having an Aussie or two around town. In addition to meeting their friendly people, you can get a taste of Australian culture at the Audain Art Museum. Their current exhibit, Ancestral Modern showcases contemporary art by Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander artists and runs until January 28. Don’t worry if you are arriving after that date, their permanent collection is worth a visit in itself, and Tales of an Empty Cabin: Somebody Nobody Was opens February 16.

First Nations Winter Feast & Performance Program

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) will be launching a new Winter Feast & Performance on December 13 – a great blend of the culinary and cultural. Happening every Thursday and Sunday at 5:45 PM this family-friendly dinner will feature a Northwest Coast inspired menu, Indigenous World Winery wine pairings, and craft beer from local breweries. As guest dine on traditional dishes such as bannock, cedar plank salmon, braised bison short ribs, and apple crumble served with local xusem berry whipped cream, performers will wear traditional regalia and use storytelling, dance and song to share the rich cultures and histories of their shared territory.

Pangea Pod Hotel

When visiting Singapore, I had a great experience staying at a pod hotel. I loved staying in the heart of the action for a fraction of the cost of a typical hotel, and without having to share a bunk bed with a stranger. I was really excited to hear that Pangea Pod Hotel was opening here on the Village Stroll. Their vibe is young and hip, perfect for solo travellers or groups of friends visiting town. Unlike a hostel, you have your own private space, and the lounge overlooking the stroll is a prime location for après and meeting like-minded adventurers.

Their restaurant is open to the public for breakfast lunch and dinner, so even if you’re not staying there, you can still come check out their food, and enjoy their stroll-side Village views.

Jonathan + Olivia

If you like shopping, there is one more reason to love our world-famous Village Stroll. Contemporary fashion retailer Jonathan + Olivia just opened the doors to their new Whistler location – I recommend some retail therapy as a great way to unwind and digest after filling dinner with friends and family.

The Corner Deli

Sandwiches are some of the best adventure food as they can easily be eaten anywhere. Whether enjoyed in a restaurant or taken as a pocket lunch for later, they fuel you for any challenge. I love a good sandwich myself, so I’ve become a regular customer at the new Corner Deli. I keep coming back because they don’t skimp on quality ingredients, while still keeping the price reasonable. To try their sandwiches for yourself head to Main Street, and you’ll find them across from the Summit Lodge.

NEW EXPERIENCES

The Blue Room

Living in a town brimming with bucket list experiences, it is rare for an activity to give me so much FOMO from seeing just one picture of it. Hosted in a cavern of deep blue glacial ice, The Blue Room by Headline Mountain Holidays, and the Four Seasons Resort Whistler combines a helicopter ride and a truly unique venue (an ice cave) with incredible food. If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime experience or the most romantic place you could ever propose, you need to check this out.

For more information, or to book call 1.800.944.7853

New Snowmobile Tours

Going on a snowmobile tour is always high on the list of activities I recommend to visiting friends. They are insanely fun, and they take you to some of the most scenic parts of Whistler.  Over the summer, our snowmobile tour operators have been busy creating new and unique experiences for you to try this winter.  Canadian Wilderness Adventures is now offering a Sproatt Steak Dinner Tour where you will sled out at sunset to a cozy wood-fired hut where you will enjoy a delicious steak dinner. If you take a ride up Blackcomb Mountain, then you’ll get to enjoy a mug of hot chocolate in an igloo, with the glittering lights of the Village twinkling below you.

If you have little ones or would prefer not to drive a sled, you can join a Snowcoach Scenic Tour. Your group will enjoy a heated ride, climbing to elevations with 360-degree views of Whistler’s pristine backcountry. Kids can try riding their own mini snowmobile, toboggan, snowshoe or build a snowman, and lunch is included in a rustic, remote cabin.

New Snowshoe Tours

Surrounded by quiet snow-laden trees, a snowshoe through Whistler’s winter wonderland can be a pretty magical experience. This winter you can look forward to some new and exciting Snowshoe Tour options. Whistler Snowshoe’s new Trappers Trail and Wild Spirit Tours take you on a guided walk to an exclusive backcountry teepee where you can refuel with a hot drink and snack. There’s also Mountain Skills Academy’s new Half-Day Snowshoe Tour option will take you to some off-the-beaten-path locations exploring old-growth forests and frozen lakes. For some on-own exploration, take a read of this post by contributor Nikkey Dawn: Insider’s Guide to Snowshoeing in Whistler.

New Heli-Accessed Backcountry Touring Adventures

I love human powered adventures. When touring it feels so good to earn your turns, but sometimes just getting to the ski zones can be a bit of a slog. Extremely Canadian has found a way to combine the best parts of heli-skiing and touring with their Heli-Accessed Backcountry Adventures. You’ll get a lift to a pristine zone in the Coastal Mountains, and their knowledgeable guides will be there to help you find the best lines and dial in your skills before you get picked up after a day of peaks and pow fields.

Whistler Craft Crawls

I think we can all rejoice that our options for beer have greatly improved over the last ten years. Gone are the days of drinking generic tap lager as we now enjoy a wide range of craft brew options (being home to two local breweries certainly helps). To help you join in our love of beer, Whistler Craft Crawl offers a tour of four Whistler locales, where you get to sample sixteen tasty brews and meet some other like-minded beer lovers.

EVENTS

Whether you plan your whole trip around one, or an event or festival just happens to coincide with when you’re here, our calendar is crammed with incredible events for all. Here are a few more to add to your wish list.

Rogers “Hometown Hockey” Presented by Scotiabank

Canadians and hockey go together like pancakes and maple syrup. To help celebrate the love of the game, Rogers “Hometown Hockey” presented by Scotiabank is rolling into Whistler February 9 and 10 at Whistler Olympic Plaza. There will be hockey-themed family-friendly activities, music, and a live broadcast of the Toronto Maples Leafs v New York Rangers NHL game. If you’re not already a hockey fan, this might just convert you.

Viessmann Luge World Cup

Gone in a blink of an eye. On November 30 to December 1, Whistler is hosting the Viessmann Luge World Cup, and all tickets are trackside to this show of speed versus ice. When you watch the luge on television, it can be hard to get a sense of the speed and scale of this crazy sport. Standing right beside the giant track when a racer blurs by at up to 130 kilometres per hour really puts it into perspective. Throw in a beer garden, food trucks, and music, and it makes for an incredible experience. If you missed this event, be aware that there are other training and competing events to see at the Whistler Sliding Centre throughout the season.

North American Biathlon Champs

Combining cross-country skiing with shooting, biathlon is a pretty cool sport to watch. At the Whistler Olympic Park on January 18^th the fastest skiers and sharpest shooters North America has to offer will be duking it out at the North American Biathlon Champs. Come out with friends or bring the kids, with food and tobogganing also on site you can make it a full day out.

So there you have it, a rundown of what’s new for Whistler this 2018/19 winter season. However, it’s good to note that tour operators and activity providers are innovating as the season goes on, so give the team at Whistler.com a shout to see what else is on offer during your stay. 

The post What’s New in Whistler for Winter 2018/19 appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

On Saturday, April 14, 2018, right at the climax of Whistler’s annual World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Russell and Jelena Kling opened the doors of Pangea to the public for the first time. The event, an open house/sneak peak at Canada’s first boutique Pod Hotel, was intended to give Whistler a feel for the Pangea concept. The Klings expected a hundred people, maybe two hundred.

Things didn’t go as expected. With a DJ and disco-helmeted gogo dancer holding it down on the rooftop patio, the Pangea open house quickly became an event, drawing scores of festival-goers into line to sign waivers, don hard hats, and enter the almost-completed 88-pod hotel.

“It was super successful,” Russell says. “I’d guessed that we would have 100 people, and thought 200 would be amazing as that would mean more than one person checking out the Pod we’d prepared for every minute of the 180 minutes we had the doors open. We had north of 400 people turn out. It was radical.”

So is the Pangea concept. “I love staying in a hotel with my family,” Russell says. “But when I am travelling alone and I get a hotel room, there are a lot of components I don’t need. For the single traveller in Whistler, the important stuff is a bed, secure storage, and a washroom.”

Russell and Jelena’s vision started in 2013, when they began discussions to purchase a run-down timeshare hotel just off the original Whistler Village Square. “People come to Whistler to play,” Russell says, “so location was critical – walk to the slopes or bike park, walk back to shower, then back out to the watering hole or restaurant.”

The Pangea Pods are organized into “Suites”, clusters of between 6-18 pods that are locked off from the rest of the hotel. There’s even a female-only suite for women still getting comfortable with the idea of travelling solo in a shared space.

But don’t confuse the Pod Hotel concept with a hostel, not that Russell has anything against them. “Hey, I met my wife in a hostel,” he laughs. “I’ve got nothing against hostels. But what we wanted to do here is build something that fits into that gap that exists between a hostel and a 3-star hotel. Something for active professionals that isn’t beyond their price point. Jelena and I were fortunate enough to spend a few years travelling together and we stayed in tons of properties that inspired us. We tried to bring over the best ideas we saw over those three years on the road.”

Those “best ideas” are on full display. The attention to detail at the Pangea is incredible. From the tiles to the windows to the drainpipes along the rooftop patio, everything has been carefully considered for style, functionality and economy of space. The Pangea pods on display at the open house featured a double bed, a fan, clothes hangers, secure storage, a mirror, and USB and standard charging points.

For the Whistler-essential outdoor gear, Pangea has a space called The Toy Box, a secure room of private lockers and gear racks for skis/bikes/boards/whatever.

For socializing, an ultra-swanky bar/lounge/coffee shop called The Living Room dominates the second floor of Pangea and looks out over the Village Stroll. The Rooftop Patio is unlike any other spot in Whistler, a little bar set high above everything with clear sightlines to the Village Square and the ski hills.

Shuffling through the interested participants of the open house, listening to the Klings respond to the litany of questions, it’s easy to see the Pangea concept working in Whistler. This place is an outdoor paradise with enough natural beauty and adventure to fill any length of stay (or a lifetime).

“I think there is a new understanding and acceptance of shared spaces these days,” Russell says. “People come here to play, I think there is a good sense that you don’t need 10,000 square feet to be happy.”

Designed exclusively for single travellers, The Pangea Pod Hotel will open their doors sometime this summer. Until then, the team at Whistler.com can help you find the perfect accommodation or package to suit your needs.

The post Whistler’s New Pangea Pod Hotel: Sneak Peek appeared first on The Whistler Insider.

Local sit-skier Alex Cairns is a beast of a freeskier—he’s already knocked off first sit-descents of classic Whistler steep lines like DOA, The Coffin, and Five-O. But over the past four years he’s been focusing on racing and “learning to make real turns” and this week he is in South Korea representing Canada at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

“It feels weird to go,” says the 26-year-old. “It’s just this feeling of the end of a process. We train in four-year chunks and at the end you either make it or you don’t. I am the last pick for the guys team so it was a surprise, but there are so many people who have supported me over the years it’s cool to be able to call them up and say, ‘It worked. The racers let me in!’ ”

Alex has been paralyzed below the knees since birth. His parents are adventurous mountain people, and when he was young his dad devised a Velcro system to attach Alex’s feet to his bike pedals so the 7-year-old could ride around Squamish with his buddies. Alex mountain biked until he was 16, when a knee injury put his bike career to the sidelines. Sit-skiing was not his idea.

“My mom and grandma signed me up for a lesson with Whistler Adaptive Sports,” he recalls. “I was reluctant because I hated the idea of disabled sports. It was cold and hard to learn and falling over on the flats and not being able to pick yourself up is really frustrating. I think I had a big head from my success mountain biking and all of a sudden I was cold and miserable and stuck in a negative headspace. I can’t tell you why I kept going.”

But he did, something drove Alex to master the sit-ski. He came back the next winter for more lessons, and the winter after that. “After I graduated high school I had to go back and do math so I’d do one class in the morning and ski in the afternoon,” Alex says. “I did 85 days that season, just ripping with a buddy for 60 of them. We would just go and try stupid stuff and learned what I could do on this little machine. It’s a gravity fed sport so that means you can still push it and do ridiculous things. I like that.”

As he tore up the Whistler mountains (check the video below) Alex found himself eventually drawn to racing, almost against his will.  “I just wanted to ride park and do steep stuff. That’s what my friends were doing and it was cool. No one wanted to race. But in 2009 I watched the Provincials and saw how fast they were going and realized if I really wanted to learn how to ski I’d have to make proper turns. There were no organized avenues to advance his skills in the freeskiing world.”

A year later, he was invited to join the national prospect team and by the 2014 Winter Games Alex began to feel like he belonged. “I knew some of the guys that went to Sochi and I had a buddy on the reserve team with race times close to mine. I felt like, hey, this is maybe doable. I was still freeskiing but wanted to give racing a real go.”

At the 2015 World Championships Alex placed 16 in GS and nearly got 8^th in Slalom, had he not missed a gate. “I didn’t even see it,” Alex admits, “But that was cool to almost get a top ten in a World Champs.”

In PyoengChang, Alex will stick with the GS, Slalom and Super G events. “I am not in the Downhill because it is way too fast and I am not that good of a driver. I have 8 days over there to train and get comfortable and then it’s go time.”

Alex says he is not putting too much pressure on himself and is not expected to medal, “but if it happens we will have a lot of fun that’s for sure. It’s weird, I never thought it was attainable for me to compete at this level. I put in a lot of effort but you hear about gymnast kids who have trained since they were 4 years old or something. It’s easy to think that the Olympic Team is far-fetched but I’m proof that if you just keep skiing and find things to keep you playing and motivated, it can happen.”

Best of luck to Alex, his teammate/Whistler Ski Club alumnus Mollie Jepsen, and all the athletes at the Paralympic games this month -find the schedule for the PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games online. To find out more about Whistler Adaptive Sports and Accessibility in Whistler go to Whistler.com

Header Image by Jimmy Martinello.

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