| Product: |
Whistler |
| Date: |
24/10/01 (842 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Huge amount of terrain, Excellent terrain park, Wide range of shops and bars
Disadvantages: Expensive, A long way from the UK
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lula153@yahoo.co.uk
Whistler is very proud of its rating as North America's top ski resort, and so it should be. It offers some of the most varied and high quality terrain in the world. I've spent a few months snowboarding there over the last couple of years and thought I'd share a bit of info about the place.
HOW TO GET THERE
Whistler is a two to three hour drive from Vancouver along the gorgeous Highway 99. This journey is a treat in itself - hugging the shoreline of Puget Sound (which looks like the Scottish Highlands in many places), before heading into the mountains and through small logging communities. There are regular buses from Vancouver airport and from downtown Vancouver.
The airport bus, the Perimeter Whistler Express is quite pricey - about £25 each way - but it does drop you off at your hotel. You should book this in advance by phone or on their website. However, if there are a few of you, it may be cheaper to get a stretch limo to take you Whistler - a very popular and glamorous way to start your holiday!
THE MOUNTAINS
There are actually two mountains to ski and ride in Whistler. Between them there are more than 7,000 acres of skiable terrain and more than 20 trails. Each one is so big you could spend a couple of weeks on it and still not try all the runs! Both mountains offer free escorted tours twice a day by locals to show intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders the best runs.
Whistler mountain is more popular with visitors. It mas more easy runs, a faster gondola and a huge beginner's area half way up the mountain. If you go to the very top of Whistler (on the scary, almost vertical Peak Chair) you get the most amazing views over the u
ntouched glaciers and snowfields behind the resorts. It is well catered for with a huge selection of restaurants and cute hut-hideaways so you're never too far away from a warming hot chocolate!
Blackcomb tends to attract more locals and snowboarders. It is a bit more challenging but tends to be groomed less - meaning lots of lovely pow pow for us snowboarders! It also has a huge, fantastic terrain park. The t-bar runs at the top of the mountain are usually untouched after a big dump and offer easy access to some fantastic snow. There's also the Blackcomb glacier which offers year round skiing and always has a decent snowpack, regardless of conditions elsewhere on the mountain. It is, however, the first thing to close when visibility gets really bad.
If you're looking for something a bit more adventurous, the off piste terrain is the best in the world. Heliskiing is huge (and hugely expensive) and you can hire local guides by the day to show you the best of the backcountry. There are also daily free avalanche awareness courses. It's really worth spending a couple of hours at one of these before going backcountry - it could save your life.
RENTALS
Basic and high quality rentals are available from the resort itself and at a large number of rental and retail shops. Many offer trial days when you can try out a few pairs of the latest skis or snowboards throughout the day (they'll store them at the top of the mountain for you) and then they'll knock the rental price off the cost of the equipment if you decide to buy it. That, and the demo days held in April, are a great way to test the latest equipment before investing.
LESSONS
The ski and snowboard schools are huge and highly popular so it's best to book in advance if you can. They cater for all levels, from complete beginners to professionals wanting to perfect their technique. The kids school looks especially fun - they have their own t
eaching areas and buildings. You can buy lessons by the day or half day. There are also packages including hire and lift passes which can work out pretty cheaply. A group day lesson usually costs around £50 but it's worth checking out the resort's website for the full range of deals.
I can also highly recommend their clinics (especially the female only Roxy snowboarders camp) for experienced skiers and snowboarders - they use video tuition and it's really useful (and weird) seeing yourself on screen!
LIFT PASSES
Passes in Whistler are more expensive than in Europe but cheaper than many places in the US. A one day pass for both mountains costs about £30 but it obviously works out cheaper if you buy one covering several days. Check out their website for a full list. The lift queues tend not to be too bad (apart from the busy school holidays) and they employ singers to entertain you while you wait!
OFF THE SLOPES
If you fancy a day off your plank(s), then there are some other great things to do. Snowmobiling tours are really exciting and fun (but expensive). There are also a wide range of companies offering snowshoeing tours and sled-rides. I can also recommend trying out cross country skiing at the nordic skiing centre - keeps you very fit!
ACCOMMODATION
Whistler has everything from five star hotels such as the luxury Chateau Whistler down to hostels like the Shoestring Lodge where you can get a bed for about $30 a night. Chalet deals are only just starting to take off in Canada so most people opt for self-catering apartments. Again, there's a huge range - many with their own pools and hot tubs.
GETTING AROUND
There's a free bus service operating round Whistler village (which is actually pretty spread out) but you do have to pay to get to some of the further out residential areas. Many hotels and complexes have their own shuttle buses and there's an excellent
taxi service.
SHOPPING
Needless to say, the range of ski and snowboard equipment on offer is huge. It's all much cheaper than in the UK (try the end of season sales for the best bargains) and the staff really know their stuff. It's a great place to get some properly fitted boots as fitters in the Whistler stores are used to looking after professional and Olympic athletes. There are also a huge number of gift shops selling Cuban cigars (for the American visitors), Canadian nonsense and local art. High street stores like the Gap, Guess and Lush have also made their way into the village.
FOOD
Since visitors to Whistler come from a huge range of countries, there is an equally varied range of places to eat. There are a couple of great sushi restaurants (Whistler is HUGE with the Japanese), lots of Italian places and a few really swanky places which will set you back hundreds of pounds. There are some great, cheap cafes though and (of course) the usual McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway and Domino's Pizza set.
NIGHTLIFE
Whistler is a great place to party if you have any energy left at the end of the day. There are numerous bars and pubs - ranging from posh hotel bars to Irish pubs and scruffy local haunts. My favourites are Cittas (popular with locals, quiet and serves great food) and the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) which you can ride/ski into at the end of the day for a beer and a huge plate of nachos.
The legal drinking age in Canada is 19 (they can be strict) and you can't smoke in most bars now due to new legislation. However you can smoke on the patios - many bars have those big gas heaters). Most bars have specials on certain drinks every night so make sure you ask for the best deals.
There are a few clubs in town too - Maxx Fish is the main snowboarder haunt (regular hip-hop and drum and bass nights). Garfinkels plays a bit of everything (locals night on a Thursday is particul
arly wild) while it's grab-a-granny-night every night at Buffalo Bills. Tommy Africas, with its African beach hut interior and go-go dancers is also pretty cool - it has a great, packed 80's night very Monday.
If you fancy a quieter night, there's a cinema, theatre and a couple of video shops. The local recreation centre is also a great, cheap place to relax - you can have a swim, ice-skating session, sauna and jacuzzi for about £5.
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.whistlerblackcomb.com - The resort's official site - has some great webcams and all the information you'll need to plan a visit
www.piquenewsmagazine.com - Very modern and informative local newspaper (I used to work there!)
www.whistler.net - community information and news
I'll shut up now but if there's anything more specific you want to know, drop me a line. Enjoy!
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