Festive Season at Whistler Blackcomb – Know Before You Go

Snow on the horizon, terrain expansion in the works – we’ve got some things to share with you heading into this weekend and the festive season:  

Terrain: weather and conditions permitting, we will start spinning Glacier Express on Blackcomb and Symphony Express on Whistler, bringing our total skiable acreage across both mountains to more than 7,200. That’s over 88 percent of our 8,171 acres open before Christmas!  

Snow: we’ve enjoyed 97cms of snow over the past seven days, with upwards of 96cms forecasted in the alpine starting Sunday, December 22 and continuing through to Boxing Day. Freezing levels will range between 1,200 and 1,500 meters (for reference, our Rendezvous and Roundhouse Lodges are located at 1,850 meters).  

Lifts: Delays in the opening of Glacier Express, Symphony Express and all other alpine lifts may occur as our Patrol team works diligently to ensure terrain is safe to access for all visitors. 

Parking: Our trial carpool program resumes this weekend between the hours of 6-11am in Upper Lot 7 and P1 of the Creekside Parkade for vehicles with four or more passengers. (After 11am, they open to anyone, regardless of the number of passengers!) The program will also be in effect during the peak dates of December 27-30 inclusive. Please, plan your journey and carpool if you can to reduce congestion! 

Dining: Ollie’s will start serving up its legendary grilled cheese sandwiches on Whistler Mountain this weekend and Horstman Hut on Blackcomb is making a comeback on December 23, where guests can enjoy a European-style selection of sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels and mustards.  

Safety: Stay safe out there! Ski and ride with a friend, follow all posted signage and be aware of tree wells when glade skiing. In addition, with expected crowds this festive season, Patrol is encouraging guests who are visiting to start their ski holiday at a slower pace. Avoid the morning rush by coming up later for a few warm-up laps to build stamina. 

Stay close to our socials for real time operational updates and visit our website for information on everything we have to offer. Happy holidays, everyone!  

Photo: Mitch Winton