Five tips for Whistler
Save time and money and ski more with these tips to getting the most out of a trip to Whistler.
1.
Score free parking, slopeside The Creekside underground parking lot is still free. So if you are pulling into the village fairly early in the morning it is worth stopping in to score parking. These underground lots tend to fill up fast so if you miss nabbing a spot here continue to the village and head up the flank of Blackcomb Mountain to access Lots 6, 7 or 8. These lots are serviced by the mid-station of Excalibur Gondola or you can ski down to the Blackcomb Gondola in the upper Village to load this new 10-passenger lift.
2.
Know your freezing levels
Pay attention to where the freezing level is on the forecast to ensure the terrain you want to ski is within the snow zone when you head up. Generally, you will want the freezing level to be 1,650 metres or less to have snowfall on the majority of the mountains’ terrain.
3.
Consider lunch in the Village The lodges on the mountains can get hectic at lunchtime so consider testing your quads and skiing out all the way to the valley to grab lunch in the village. The Upper Village at the base of Blackcomb has some great options for quaint bites and a mellower vibe, including Fifi’s Bistro for fresh, local and organic eats, and the HandleBar for craft beers and comfort food.
4. Don’t ski chair to chair
With more than 39 lifts to explore, it is easy to feel like you should try to hit as many lifts as possible in a day. Instead, work a terrain pod serviced by your chosen lift and get three runs in before moving into a new zone so you can maximize the time on snow and avoid the trails that feed traffic from one lift to another.
5. Stay for dinner
At the end of the day, traffic back to Vancouver can be intense. Consider staying in Whistler for dinner so you can relax and unwind with a good meal before heading back down. You might as well have a full belly before you go. And there’ll be less traffic.