At the time we didn’t know it but this was the last trip we took before the COVID-19 pandemic lock downs started. It was our second trip to Whistler-Blackcomb and we loved it just as much this time as the first. Whistler suits us well as a family, GMac and the kids can get around most of the mountain while CMac prefers more moderate terrain. There is ample supply of both intermediate and advanced terrain on the two mountains. The village is a great size and features a good selection of restaurants and shops, this is key for CMAC. The trip was 10 days total with 8 days of skiing. As with any second trips to the same location we were a little wiser this time.
Getting There
We flew into Vancouver International Airport (YVR), there are lots of flights from within Canada to Vancouver so we had lots of options to get there. We took the bus last time, it’s more economical but it wasn’t very convenient so we rented a car to get us there this time. Daughter#1 was preparing to start University in September so we stopped by at the University of British Columbia before setting off to the mountain. While in Vancouver we also picked up an initial load of groceries, groceries at Whistler are a little more expensive so this saved us a few dollars.
You’ll need to drive through the city to get on Hwy 99 to Whistler. Getting through the city isn’t overly difficult but depending on time of day you’ll face rush hour traffic, especially when crossing the bridge to West Vancouver. Once on Hwy 99 it’s not complicated direction wise, you’ll stay on the Hwy until you get to Whistler. However, the road has lots of twists and turns as well as elevation changes. We recommend that you travel during the daylight if you’re going for the first time. Budget about 2 hours or so if you’re not making stops.
Accomodations
We rented a condo this time since we wanted some more space and wanted to try a different location on the mountain. The major areas to stay include:
- Creekside – About a 5 mins drive from the village. You can load the mountain here and accomodations, at least from our pricing are a little cheaper.
- Village – We stayed in a village hotel the first time. You’re in the action and it’s very convenient.
- Village North – Still part of the village but a little further away from the Whistler base lifts. Still very convenient.
- Upper Village – Located near the Blackcomb base lifts.
- Benchlands – Residences above the Upper Village (This is where Painted Cliff Road is found). Quieter and amongst the trees, ski in and ski out available. Bus access to the village, or a little longer walk.
We used Airbnb to find a spot on Blackcomb mountain off Painted Cliff Road. We weren’t as careful on the the first dates we picked and GMac missed a work conflict. Thankfully the Airbnb was managed by Whistler Platinum and they were able to switch the dates for us. The location was excellent for us. We were right on the hill and could ski in/out onto Blackcomb mountain. The condo was a little distance from the village but buses run regularly so it was easy to get to the village and back. CMac and GMac called out ‘Bus’ everytime one went by the condo which drove the kids crazy but was endless fun for us. We could walk to the village but only did so twice. The condo itself had two bedrooms and was a perfect size for us. The kids had a room with two single beds and we had a room with a queen bed. The kitchen and living area were a good size.
In addition to shops and restaurants the village has grocerie and liquor stores. It was easy to augment our food and beverage supplies during the week. We had breakfast every day in the condo, made basic lunches for the hill and made support every second night. On alternate nites we went into the village to eat at a restaurant.
Skiing
We tried to get on the hill before 9am each day. The lifts open at 8:30am but we didn’t want to rush every morning. Last time we were at Whistler we got onto the hill most days using the Whistler Village Gondola. Since we were on Blackcomb we loaded each morning on the Blackcomb Gondola. Over the course of the week we grew to prefer loading on Blackcomb but we didn’t have strong feelings on the matter. Both Gondolas get you to mid mountain and you can use the Peak-to-Peak Express to cross mountains. It was also easy to get back to our condo regardless of which mountain we ended the day at.
We are by no means experts on Whistler-Blackcomb. In planning for the trip we researched different sites that can provide much better advice than we can. Some of the sites we found helpful are listed below:
- Go Far Grow Close – Some great basic info on the mountains
- Pangepod – Good overview of the mountains
- Locals Guide (mec) – Some good tips from locals
All we can do is share our experience. As mentioned above CMac is an intermediate skier who likes the blues. The kids and GMac are more advanced and can handle, at appropriate levels of caution, most of the terrain on the two mountains. Due to the difference in skill level we spent some time each day as a family skiing with GMac and the kids sneaking in some of the more advanced terrain in spots. Whistler-Blackcomb features an incredibly diverse selection of terrain and it will take you a full weak to explore most, not all, of it. Here is a snap shot pf some of our favourites spots.
7th Heaven – If we had to pick one spot, and there are many, on the two mountains this would be our favourite. It’s tucked on the side of Blackcomb facing Whistler. There are four main groomed blue runs that split their time above and below the tree line. It’s a great area for us since CMac can cruise on the runs while the kids and GMac can either cruise the run or jump and play in some of the snow off piste. Our favourite hut, the Horstman Hut, is also there so CMac can relax while GMac the kids get a couple of fast runs in.
Harmony Express – Located opposite 7th Heaven on Whistler mountain this area we find similar to 7th Heaven. The main run, Harmony Piste, is great for CMac. It’s a groomed run that winds through a wide bowl. There are more advanced runs that drop in to Harmony Piste from Harmony Ridge which GMac and the kids love, especially on fresh powder days.
Spanky’s Ladder (Garnet, Diamond, Ruby and Saphire Bowls) – This is GMac’s and the kids favourite area. It’s more advanced and we wouldn’t recommend it for beginner or intermediate skiers. You can access this area off the Glacier Express lift but it does require a little hike up to a ridge, hence the name Spanky’s Ladder. The hike is well worth it as it gets you access to four massive bowls that end on the Blackcomb Glacier. On fresh powder days these bowls are amazing. Even after a few days after fresh snow they are still very enjoyable. The views from the ridge are incredible as well.
Flute Bowl – The Flute bowl is on Whistler and can be accessed from the Symphony Express, you’ll need to work your way across Whistler to get there. It’s a good area for all of us as it features some nice open Blue Runs but also the Flute bowl which we all like. It’s not as challenging as the terrain off Spanky’s ladder but we’ve had some great powder runs there. The bowl itself empties into some glades which are fun to play in.
We’ve also read great things about the advanced terrain around the Whistler bowl. For some reason we haven’t skied there as much and when we did it was pretty skied out. Something to check out on a subsequent trip.
Magic Memory
Every trip we take usually has at least one or more experiences that stand out. This trip had a few, GMac loved Spanky’s ladder and couldn’t get enough as one example. However, the one family memory was one of our last runs. We timed it so we got one of the last chairs to the top of Whistler peak. It was a gorgeous day and we spent some time at the peak getting pictures. The mountain was clear of the clouds and one of our favourite shots is the picture for this post. We then took our time coming down the mountain got some great pictures. We first made our way from the peak over to Harmony piste, it took a little bit of walking so be warned. However, when we made it to Harmony piste the mountain was empty. It felt like we were the only ones on the mountain. We took our time coming down, enjoying the day and skiing as a group. It was only when we hit mid-mountain that we started to see other skiers emptying for the day. All in all it took us over 45mins to come down to the base but it was a magic memory.
