Whistler & Blackcomb BC trip Suggestions?? Anyone been there recently??

[MidnightJester]

So for a out West trip a friend planned 2 months ago to Whistler/Blackcomb BC Canada it is a big winner for good SNOW coverage out west. They are just about fully open. Will be going for 7 days for the first time ever. The week before and weekend of MLK weekend of January 12-19. Going Monday the 12th till Monday MLK January the 19th returning home. planning at this point to Ride 4 days. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. 2 Days of Monday travel, Tuesday to look around and EPIC is Blacked out Saturday the 17th only.

Ideas and Suggestions??

I am starting with probably ANYWAY but especially if it has recently snowed at Whistler. Going hour early and getting to morning Gondolas before opening lift time. Standing in line till open seems to save a possible lost hour or more on the mountain to just get on the first Gondolas out of the villages. People posted on some areas they got on back of the line at 9-10 and are were not on midmountain till well after 11.

 

[jaytrem]

We were there a couple years ago in the spring. Nice thing was the lifts didnt open or close exactly on schedule. Blackcomb gondola opened earlier than scheduled most days. Once was about 30 min, usually closer to 15. One day opened a little late. The upper lifts also ran later than scheduled. Catskinner and Excelerator being the latest we saw (Whistler side closed after our first few days there). Not sure if this is still the case, but I was a bit surprised with it being a Vail resort.

 

[takeahike46er]

I live in the Vancouver area and ski Whistler regularly.

Unless conditions dictate otherwise, I would plan to ski the Tuesday instead of the Sunday. I find weekdays much more enjoyable. Even Fridays can be a bit busy, so that could an alternative day to swap out.

For snow reports, temps, lift status, and alerts I suggest www.whistlerpeak.com OR the Whistler Peak Live app on the App Store. It is a much better alternative to the MyEpic app and built by locals.

Definitely agree, start your days early! Lifts start closing as early as 230 this time of year. Midweek lift lineups out of the base are generally no big deal, so I wouldn’t worry too much. On weekends, it’s best to get in line before the lifts start spinning and stay ahead of the crowds. If it’s a big powder day, good luck! LOL.

Avoid the Whistler Village Gondola at all costs. Friends don’t let friends ski 7th Heaven on a weekend (unless it just opened or is about to close).

Whistler is massive. The trail maps cannot convey all the runs available in alpine. If you aren’t hiring a guide, I would spend some time looking over Ullr maps to get a sense of all the runs that aren’t shown on the map. This advanced/expert ski guide is even better and well worth the money. It provides run descriptions and photos of each zone. The only downside, even with these guides you will barely scratch the surface in a week.

 

[urungus]

* Blackcomb Glacier is a majestic trail, be sure to check out the ice cave (location in ULLR map posted above)
* Dave Murray Downhill - 2010 Men’s Olympic course
* Peak to Creek - North America’s longest ski run (7 miles)
* record-setting Peak 2 Peak gondola is a must do although going back and forth between the mountains chews up a lot of time. One of the cabins has a glass bottom if you are not afraid of heights and you are willing to wait
* If you are a strong expert skier, Spanky’s Ladder into the Gemstone Bowls (Ruby is “easiest”) is a must
* There is enough vertical that there can be different climate/weather zones, if it is rainy at the bottom move up, if it’s cloudy at the top, move down, etc

 

[takeahike46er]

* Blackcomb Glacier is an amazing trail, be sure to check out the ice cave (location in ULLR map posted above)

The ice cave is gone, unfortunately.

The Blackcomb Glacier is worth a run if it’s snowed recently, but requires skinning or a hike to access it. The Showcase t-bar has barely run the past couple seasons due to the glacier melting.

Agree, for expert skiers, the short hike up Spanky’s is absolutely worth it. Best to tackle when vis is good since there are lots of no fall zones, especially in Diamond and Sapphire.