Whistler Blackcomb is a well known and popular ski area north of Vancouver. It is north America's largest ski resort, 36 lifts, with maximum vertical drop of 1609m (5278 ft). We skied there for the first time during the week of March 4th, 2024.
Given the time difference and long flight, it was a challenge to ski there, and we planned accordingly to reduce the effect of jetlag. We arrived at the Vancouver a couple days ahead of the start of skiing.
Day 1 arrival at Vancouver
We stayed at the North Vancouver hotel, which is about 20km from YVR, Vancouver International Airport. It took us an hour to drive this 20km. We did a bit grocery shopping for fruit, water, snacks and breakfast.
Diner at One More Szechuan Restaurant...good food, neat environment.
The last time we visited Vancouver was in 2009. In fact it was just a stopover for our Alaska cruise and land tour, there was not much change, and we experienced more downside of the city.
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| Leaving Vancouver |
Day 2 drive to Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb is 136km north of YVR. The highway connecting Vancouver and Whistler is BC-99, also called Sea to Sky highway. The highway is mostly along the shore of Fjord Howe Sound, and is a beautiful scenic drive. Due to gloomy sky, we did not make any stop on the way to Whistler.
We arrived at Whistler around 1pm, after parking the car at hotel Aava Whistler, we had a late lunch at La Bocca, and rent ski equipment at Spicy sports per recommendation from the hotel staff. The hotel is about 450m from the lifts and gondola.
We walked around the village a bit, and the Sun broke through the cloudy sky revealing the beautiful surrounding mountains.
We had dinner at the Mexican Corner Restaurant, and got the best seat to watch Sunday night ski jump show at the base of Whistler Village Gondola.
Day 3 Ski Whistler
We had a quick breakfast in the hotel room. With boots on, we walked to the lifts carrying skis and poles around 8:30am. Instead of Whistler Gondola where the line was long, we rode the more familiar chairlifts - Fitzsimmons Express - there was essentially no line!
It had been three years the last time we skied, at Wolf creek, Colorado, so we started on a green trail at the top of Fitzsimmons Express.
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| peak express |
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| Whistler peak |
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| clouds moving in |
We went to every lifts except T bar, no lunch but protein bars - skied ~ 7 hours!
Dinner at Wild Blue - a high end (aka expensive) restaurant, across street from out hotel, food was good, serving was small and plating was great as usual in this type of restaurant.
Day 4 Blackcomb and Peak to Peak Gondola
The second day at Whistler was a beautiful day, and we started at Blackcomb side by taking Excalibur Gondola, and continued further up via Accelerator Chair. This side of the ski area seemed to have less people, and better trail surface condition, with mostly blue trails. Around noon time, we took the peak to peak Gondola to Whistler Mountain. Again we skied until lift closing, got off the mountain at 3:45pm.
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| It's so beautiful, got to stop to take it in! |
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| The valley between Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Peak |
Our goPro black 12 recorded some good actions.
Dinner at the old spaghetti factory...it is in a basement, the food was great, and atmosphere was familial
Dy 5 Ski Blackcomb and Whistler
A bit tired after two day intensive skiing, we took it easy on this 3rd day at Whistler. We started again on Blackcomb, in particular we visited crystal ridge area. after a few blue and black trails and 1 accidental black trail, we took peak to peak to Whistler mountain and we stayed on the long green trails to enjoy the speed and snow in leisure pace. The longest recorded run for us was 7.82km with 1165m vertical drop. We got off the mountain shortly after 3pm.
Day 6 Driving back to Vancouver
It was a sunny day, we stopped a few places along Sea to Sky highway to enjoy the vistas.
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| lake was frozen |
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| river was running |
Visit to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park was a disappointment. This was a small park, with exorbitant admission price, and a lot of decorations that diminished the natural environment.
We were informed later that Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is a much better place to visit. Not only it is free but also visitors can get to the bottom of the canyon walking along the river, as well as surrounding trails.
dinner Pho Japolo
We stayed at SureStay hotel.
Day 7 Vancouver downtown
It was a cold gloomy day with light drizzles from time to time.
We visited Granville Island, and its famed Public Market - no shopping just looking though. We spent a little bit over 1 hour there
Vancouver Art Gallery is a relative small museum, with 3 exhibits
stayed at La Quinta Hotel Richmond, which is ~ 6km away from the airport
dinner at the fishman
Fly home early next morning.
Note
1. Whistler Blackcomb is a good place to ski. Avoid spring break would make the cost for skiing there lower
2. Vancouver is an old city, not much to see, and driving and parking are both difficult
3. Vancouver Art gallery is small but admission is very high (CAD 60/), almost like Capilano Suspension Bridge.
4. Don't go to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. For scenery and hiking go to Lynn Valley suspension bridge
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