Whistler Ski Resort Information
- Resort Altitude: 675m
- Slopes Altitude: 650 - 2285m
- Pistes: 8171 acres
- Lifts: 37
- Nearest Airport: Vancouver (135 km)
- Blue Runs: 40 km / 20%
- Red Runs: 110 km / 55%
- Black Runs: 50 km / 25%
Skiing in Whistler is legendary, offering some of the best terrain and snow in North America. As the largest ski resort in Canada, Whistler Blackcomb spans two mountains—Whistler and Blackcomb—linked by the famous Peak 2 Peak Gondola.
Beginners are well-supported with designated learning areas on Whistler Mountain, including covered magic carpets and gentle green runs that encourage confidence-building progression. Intermediates, who make up a significant portion of Whistler’s visitors, can enjoy more than half of the resort’s terrain, with wide, scenic blue runs spread across both mountains.
Harmony Ridge on Whistler is a fantastic intermediate area, boasting wide-open runs with breathtaking views of Garibaldi Provincial Park. The Seventh Heaven zone on Blackcomb is another favourite, with blue trails that wind through glades.
Advanced and expert skiers have endless opportunities to challenge themselves, including black and double black diamond runs, 16 alpine bowls, and expansive off-piste areas. The Dave Murray Downhill, used in the 2010 Winter Olympics, is one of the standout slopes, running down to Creekside and providing a thrilling descent for experienced skiers.
Blackcomb Mountain is renowned for its steeps, featuring double black diamond runs like Spanky's Ladder, which opens up to four large bowls, each providing a mix of steeps, cliffs, and powder stashes. Whistler’s Peak Chair also provides access to thrilling expert runs, including the famous Whistler Bowl and West Bowl, which are not groomed and offer deep powder and exciting terrain features.
Whistler's gladed areas, such as the Symphony Amphitheatre and the Blackcomb Glacier, are also popular for advanced skiers looking to tackle open bowls and expansive powder fields. Symphony Bowl, on Whistler, is known for its natural half-pipe formations and powder stashes, while the Blackcomb Glacier requires a short hike but rewards skiers with long, untracked runs and stunning views.
Heli-skiing in Whistler is one of the most thrilling ways to experience the untouched terrain of the Coast Mountains. Numerous heli-skiing operators in the region provide access to vast, snow-covered peaks that are only reachable by helicopter, and with over 432,000 acres of terrain, 173 glaciers and eleven zones, the opportunities are endless.
The ongoing investments by Vail Resorts continue to enhance the experience at Whistler Blackcomb, reducing lift wait times and improving access across the expansive terrain. Notably, the 2024/25 season brings a new high-speed, six-person chairlift at Blackcomb’s Jersey Cream area, which will cut down on crowding in the busy mid-mountain zone. Additionally, the Fitzsimmons chairlift at Whistler Village base was recently upgraded to an eight-person high-speed lift, dramatically increasing capacity. These improvements have been implemented to minimise queuing times and maximise time on the slopes, particularly beneficial during the busy holiday periods and weekends when Whistler attracts large numbers of skiers from nearby Vancouver and Seattle.
