Ski Resorts

Whistler to Tourists: Come For the Games, Stay for the Fresh

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m likely giving my annual trip to Whistler a pass this year due to the Olympics. Instead, I’m going to head to Colorado. I suppose that’s good for me, as I do have a snowboarding blog, but most of my riding has been limited to Whistler, Ontario, Quebec, Vermont and Australia.

But am I making a mistake? The Olympics guide on Whistler’s website certainly thinks so. “Prior Winter Olympic hosts have experienced an ‘aversion factor’ in the year of the Games and guests stayed away,” the guide says. “People assume the mountains will be closed or too crowded or still under construction when in fact, none are the case in Whistler.”

Here’s an overview of what’s really going to be impacted by the Olympics coming to town. Note that the resort is impacted by both the Winter Olympic Games (February 12-28) and the Winter Paralympic Games (March 12-21). I have to hand it to the resort, as they have put together quite a detailed FAQ on their site.

• Creekside gondola will be closed as of February 1. You can still ski out via Creekside, but you can’t get back up. Instead, you have to take a bus back to the main village. This is because much of the Olympic action will be happening at Creekside base. Having one of two gondolas on the mountain closed will likely not help lift lines. Catskinner chair on Blackcomb will also be closed early January through early March.
• Beginning at varying points in January and February and lasting until late March, a variety of very good runs will be closed. The resort points out that only about 10% of runs will be closed at any given time, but fails to mention that their best runs will be among them. This includes Dave Murray Downhill, Bear Paw, Tokum,  Raven/Ptarmigan.
• Details are still a little thin but it would appear traffic flows on the Sea to Sky highway will be modified to deal with the increase in traffic. How this will affect tourists trying to reach Whistler from Vancouver is still unknown. A more detailed plan is due next month, though the resort’s FAQ does advise that “travelers will be asked to avoid peak Olympic travel times in order to minimize the traffic on the road during peak hours.”
• Parking is likely to be more complex and scarce. This is more an issue for day-trippers/locals than tourists, though.

Am I just being a wet noodle?

The resort certainly thinks so:

“Picture this.

• Plentiful fresh tracks off Harmony (or any chair for that matter) on a powder day.
• Hiking into Spanky’s with just the “locals”.
• Christmas Trees all to yourself. (Well, almost. Your friends who can keep up are with you).

If groomers are your thing, enjoying more terrain groomed each night than anywhere else in North America and still enjoying the precious corduroy at noon.

Pretty epic, eh? Basically, skiing Whistler Blackcomb next season, particularly in February, will be what dreams are made of. Yes, there will be some additional effort required to get to the base but man, will it be worth it.

Stay tuned for season pass details as Whistler Blackcomb helps you plan for the most epic season EVER.”

I could be making a huge mistake. I realize I will likely get few opportunities in my life to ride where the Olympics are taking place. But I also like consistency and knowing what to expect in my vacations! So to those of you who do brave it, enjoy it, as it will be a once in a lifetime experience.

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