Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb
4.5
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
About
Whistler Blackcomb is a four-season resort located in Canada’s Coast Mountains north of Vancouver. Proudly holding the title of the largest ski resort in North America, Whistler Blackcomb offers 8171 acres of terrain for skiers and riders of all ability levels. With an average annual snowfall of over 10 metres, the resort enjoys a long winter season that stretches into late May. Glacier skiing on the upper reaches of Blackcomb Mountain is even possible during summer months! A true four-season resort, guests enjoy some of the world’s best mountain biking & alpine hiking during summer months. Events such as the Crankworx mountain biking festival and activities such as ziplining and wildlife tours make a summer visit to the resort a must. At Whistler Blackcomb, passion for the outdoors runs year-round.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Whistler Blackcomb
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
158 within 5 kms
Attractions
48 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Denise D4 contributionsBeautiful Views, but Bring a Credit CardThe views were absolutely beautiful! However, I was disappointed when I went to purchase refreshments and discovered they only took credit cards. Thankfully I had a little cash in my wallet! Be sure you pack your credit card when you choose this experience. If you are there in the summer or early fall, take the hike past the gondola. You will love the beautiful views!Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten September 24, 2023
- Inspire6743828621511 contributionsBeautiful Canada!We went on the West circle Rocky Mountain coach tour. Stopping at Kamloops, Hope, Jasper, Banff and based in Vancouver. The last four days we stayed at the Hinton Hotel in Whistler which was the Olympic venue back in 2010. Overall I love this amazing country.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten September 29, 2023
- CLG TravelsPhoenix, Arizona17 contributionsAmazing trip - thank goodness it was the week BEFORE Christmas!!We came for a family ski trip the week before Christmas. It was unfortunate that the weather had been so warm as many of the runs at the base were closed, so we had to download mid-mountain. I can’t take a star for that however since that is out of the resort’s control. Mother Nature can’t be controlled! The kids (15 and 17) did snow school the first few days and had an absolute blast. The instructors were friendly and classes were kept small. All the lift operators and staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We ate at Christine’s on Blackcomb for lunch on Christmas Day and it was wonderful. The food was absolutely top notch and worth the price. It was nice to have a good meal on the mountain also. Lift lines were short and we skied all day and hit most runs on the mountain, having done many more than once. I’m very thankful we left right after Christmas as the crowds were absolutely insane. I would NEVER come the week between Christmas and New Years. My husband and son skied on the 26th and the lines were 20-45min and 10-15x longer than what we had the week prior. It was so much fun spending our Christmas in Whistler and we brought a little tree and some lights from home to set up in the hotel room by the fireplace. We stayed at the newly renovated Delta by Marriott and it was absolutely wonderful. I don’t know why all the bad reviews as our experience there was nothing but fabulous. Black Tie equipment rental came right to our hotel and we could store the skis and poles right at the base of Whistler Mountain. Overall, a magical trip all around!!Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten December 26, 2023
- Karen Y3 contributionsBest Mountain for Winter SportsEasily the best winter mountain resort for ski and snowboarding in BC, Canada and quite possibly the world if you are a snowboarder. Lots of runs with a wide range of difficulty to keep all types of winter sports enthusiasts entertained at all competency levels within the sport. Lots of amenities in the village and mountain should you want to stay here for a few days to a few weeks. Only negative is the expensive lift ticket prices and hotel accommodations, but Whistler is the best after all.Visited January 2024Travelled soloWritten January 30, 2024
- Travelgirl2171Sydney, Australia355 contributionsInsanely expensiveGood but insanely expensive!!! We have skied here in the past was shocked to see the increase in pricing, especially ski school prices at $405 per day! For a group lesson. We have skied in Japan, Colorado and Australia including Europe but $405 per day for a Group lesson is absolutely insane! Lines are extremely long, and the snow maintenance was poor. What a disappointment!!! Go to Japan!!! Better snow, better conditions, better food and service!!Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten February 3, 2024
- HolidayHelen3 contributionsSkiing Whistler BlackcombWe're currently enjoying two weeks at Whistler / Blackcomb. We arrived last week amidst rumours that there was minimal snow. We were really nervous as to what we'd find. To our surprise the skiable terrain on our arrival was vast and fabulous, albeit a bit icy in some places. Then after 24 hours of snow fall last Thursday the conditions became even more enjoyable. Not only has Whistler delivered fresh snow, but also beautiful blue skies, minimal wind and no rain for 8 days straight. Some of the chair lift lines can be long (10 - 15 minutes) but once on the slopes the crowds disperse quickly and the ski runs are so nice and long. Our group is made up of intermediate and advance skiers. We have been able to ski together most of the time, but just take different lines down. The mountain restaurants are enormous and offer a variety of food to suit all dietary needs. We have always been able to find a table, even at peak times. Price's aren't too bad ie a bowl of chips is about $7, a bowl of soup and bread about $9, a vegan pie about $12 (Canadian). One afternoon we booked in to do the bobsled. If it's in your budget it's definitely worth considering. There are only a limited number of sessions open per day. These are largely run by training athletes and the money earned goes to maintaining the facility. Last, but so far my favourite experience, has been the Whistler FREE CIBC mountain tour (there are similar tours on Blackcomb). Groups are divided by ability. I opted to go intermediate level. Our volunteer tour leader, Don took us on a range of runs to suit our group's skill. He explained the local history and geography as we went and told funny stories along the way. He was vigilant, patient, generous with his time and entertaining. If you do nothing else you must do this when in Whistler. The groups run from the top of the Whistler Gondola every day from 11.15 am. Well done Whistler for providing this great service!!! HelenVisited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten February 14, 2024
- Travel25346533585893 contributionsA True 4 Season ResortWe went to the Summit of Whistler in August. Wear good hiking shoes because you will want to walk around once you are up there. After thoroughly enjoying the summit we had a nice snack at the main area. Back on the ground we had a great luch, outdoors on a PatioVisited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten April 3, 2024
- Leigh1980London, United Kingdom256 contributionsOne of my all time favourite Ski Resorts!We love Whistler. This is our 4th visit now. We first came in August 2016 for hiking and sighseeing (saw our 1st Black Bear here), twice in Jan 2022 for skiing, which was excellent, especially The Peak and Blackcomb Glacier. We are here again now to hike, socialise and we will probably ski tomorrow. I have skied for 35 years and have done 2 seasons in Banff so I know late season conditions aren’t great so I’ll be sticking to the top. Tip: Paul from Newbury (a town I actually used to live in) should perhaps do some research and stick to quieter resorts in peak season if he wants full coverage and doesn’t want to have the option to party.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten May 3, 2024
- Ginges_revengeBrisbane, Australia5,347 contributionsWow, wow, wow, an amazing winter wonderland bucket list experience.This was an absolute dream bucket list item of mine, to snowboard at Whistler Blackcomb mountain, the thing of mythical winter wonderland you had when growing up on the beach in the north coast of NSW's, Australia. At the tender age of 50, after doing the kids thing and getting time to ourselves to travel, I finally made it to this amazing winter wonderland to snowboard for a week. It was everything and more than I wanted. Its a massive system of runs and I explored it as much as I could over that week. I preferred the Whistler side of the mountain but still enjoyed the Blackcomb side. You have to see it to believe it, its just an amazing place to witness. It is the largest ski area in north America and you can understand why. I cant recommend the place enough if you want an amazing winter skiing or boarding experience. Just WOW, WOW, and WOW.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten May 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
4,341 reviews
Excellent
3,287
Very good
635
Average
177
Poor
95
Terrible
147
Ginges_revenge
Brisbane, Australia5,347 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
This was an absolute dream bucket list item of mine, to snowboard at Whistler Blackcomb mountain, the thing of mythical winter wonderland you had when growing up on the beach in the north coast of NSW's, Australia. At the tender age of 50, after doing the kids thing and getting time to ourselves to travel, I finally made it to this amazing winter wonderland to snowboard for a week. It was everything and more than I wanted. Its a massive system of runs and I explored it as much as I could over that week. I preferred the Whistler side of the mountain but still enjoyed the Blackcomb side. You have to see it to believe it, its just an amazing place to witness. It is the largest ski area in north America and you can understand why.
I cant recommend the place enough if you want an amazing winter skiing or boarding experience.
Just WOW, WOW, and WOW.
I cant recommend the place enough if you want an amazing winter skiing or boarding experience.
Just WOW, WOW, and WOW.
Written May 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leigh1980
London, UK256 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
We love Whistler. This is our 4th visit now. We first came in August 2016 for hiking and sighseeing (saw our 1st Black Bear here), twice in Jan 2022 for skiing, which was excellent, especially The Peak and Blackcomb Glacier.
We are here again now to hike, socialise and we will probably ski tomorrow. I have skied for 35 years and have done 2 seasons in Banff so I know late season conditions aren’t great so I’ll be sticking to the top.
Tip: Paul from Newbury (a town I actually used to live in) should perhaps do some research and stick to quieter resorts in peak season if he wants full coverage and doesn’t want to have the option to party.
We are here again now to hike, socialise and we will probably ski tomorrow. I have skied for 35 years and have done 2 seasons in Banff so I know late season conditions aren’t great so I’ll be sticking to the top.
Tip: Paul from Newbury (a town I actually used to live in) should perhaps do some research and stick to quieter resorts in peak season if he wants full coverage and doesn’t want to have the option to party.
Written May 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul R
Newbury, UK3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Whistler is party town. I wouldn’t ever go back and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone going as family or a beginner. There are better places. It is expensive to eat out and the quailty of the food average. Lots of noisy bars and nightclubs. Great if you are on a Stag or Hen party or one of the many young employees in the area. Not so good for families.
We were told Whistler is great for beginner skiers. Not the case. The majority of green runs at Easter time were unavailable and is the same every year at that time as too warm at the bottom of the mountain, most runs shut off or slushy with bare patches. This left a handful of runs mid-mountain that were packed with snow school and other skiers using it as a racetrack. The greens at the top were narrow trails and not proper runs.
It was a huge disappointment and very costly.
We were told Whistler is great for beginner skiers. Not the case. The majority of green runs at Easter time were unavailable and is the same every year at that time as too warm at the bottom of the mountain, most runs shut off or slushy with bare patches. This left a handful of runs mid-mountain that were packed with snow school and other skiers using it as a racetrack. The greens at the top were narrow trails and not proper runs.
It was a huge disappointment and very costly.
Written April 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel25346533585
893 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
We went to the Summit of Whistler in August. Wear good hiking shoes because you will want to walk around once you are up there. After thoroughly enjoying the summit we had a nice snack at the main area. Back on the ground we had a great luch, outdoors on a Patio
Written April 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Craig
British Columbia, Canada37 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
A crazy snow year is behind us.
My Brothers and I skied Blackcomb for two days in late March. The ski conditions were good - meaning - > no strong winds, very little fog, temperatures near Zero, several sunny periods during our five hours of skiing each day. Centigrade, friendly ski hill staff everywhere. The hill was not busy - which was surprising for spring break. - Therefore - skiing was not interrupted by crazy snowboarders who seemed to lack 'sharing skills.'
This was our third annual trip, and we have planned to return next year.
We ended each day with tired but big smiles.
My Brothers and I skied Blackcomb for two days in late March. The ski conditions were good - meaning - > no strong winds, very little fog, temperatures near Zero, several sunny periods during our five hours of skiing each day. Centigrade, friendly ski hill staff everywhere. The hill was not busy - which was surprising for spring break. - Therefore - skiing was not interrupted by crazy snowboarders who seemed to lack 'sharing skills.'
This was our third annual trip, and we have planned to return next year.
We ended each day with tired but big smiles.
Written April 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AdQueen
New York42 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Just got back from 5 nights ski trip at Whistler Blackcomb (stayed at the Fairmont Chateau, see separate review for the hotel). Have been skiing for over 20 years at an intermediate level. Some members of my family are more advanced than me and we were looking forward to trying out the huge amount of terrain at this resort.
The Good:
- Feels like a European ski area due to the links (Peak to Peak gondola and the buses at base and other lifts mean you can get around the large area easily and ski lots of different areas)
- Very beautiful views on a clear day, again, very Alpine
- Village is walkable and has lots of shops and dining options. We enjoyed the Tandoori Grill, Earls and Il Caminetto. Make reservations for all places as it gets busy.
- Lowish altitude compared to other mountains we have been to which might be a positive for people who get altitude sickness
- Lot of expert level terrain (for those who are extremely advanced, and have no fear, I imagine this would be a super fun mountain)
- Food on the mountain was decent and priced as expected. The rendezvous (on Blackcomb) has many stations including the usual chicken tenders, burgers and fries but also rice/noodle bowls, burritos etc.) A rice bowl with tofu ran about $22 CAN. Bowl of Poutine runs about $9 CAN. Portions were all decent. Roundhouse on Whistler has a similar set up and same types of foods etc. Vegetarian and Vegan options available.
- Coffee on the mountain was amazingly good and served in a large mug. No skimping there! Americano cost just under. $6 CAN. They have oat milk and other non-dairy options.
- Easy & very pretty 2hr drive from Vancouver. Can increase to 3hrs+ depending on Vancouver city traffic. Would avoid driving up on a weekend day, if at all possible arrive on a weekday. Locals say the traffic on the weekends due to ski school & locals skiing is very bad.
- We booked a private instructor for 2 days for our kids. He was very professional and friendly, and kids learnt some new skills. They tag the kids with a wearable device in case someone gets lost. This was new to me but makes sense given how big the mountain is and how many people are up there, even in the food places it would be easy to lose someone. Side note, it is not allowed to book a half day private here which is different to other ski resorts and makes it quite expensive.
The 'know before you go':
There are a few things that I wish I had understood about Whistler before coming which might have made my ski trip easier/more enjoyable. I'm outlining them here not to be a hater but to share information.It is definitely a mountain that you need a plan for in order to maximize your trip.
- The low altitude and location of the mountain means you get cloud cover (and rain on the lower parts of the mountain). The first 2.5 days of our trip there was heavy cloud cover that would move around meaning it was impossible to determine which runs were 'clear'. The runs which had cloud cover were worse than skiing in white out snow conditions. We went to the very top of Blackcomb thinking we would go above the cloud, only to find ourselves on a run with zero visibility. They have special reflector markers (different colors for each side of the slope) because of the visibility issues. Out of 5 days we had 2.5 bad cloud cover, 1.5 days cloud but decent visibility, 1 bluebird/sunny day.
- The mountain is large and not well sign posted. This isn't a problem if you are a local and 'know' the mountain. It's really challenging when you are a first timer here and the map + markers are almost no help. We are by no means complete beginners and have a sound understanding of maps etc, but my husband and I found ourselves in an avalanche warning zone simply navigating to a blue run. We were following the signs. It needs urgent attention and frankly the maps need work too. Unlike other resorts, no maps on any of the chair lifts which makes it harder to plan as you go.
- I saw one ski patrol person the entire 5 days. Top tip (from my kid!) - take a photo of the ski patrol phone number when you get to the top of the mountain so you have it in case you need it. The main result of this lack of presence is that expert Skiers or people who think they are experts.. or people who just want to go fast.... bomb it through the green & blue connectors to get to the lifts. Never seen this before on this scale. You go through the marked family zone where there are small kids and people learning and great volumes of skiers simply don't slow down. Inconsiderate and dangerous, and not understandable given the high volume of black runs available.
- Difficult to navigate beginner and intermediate terrain. If you count, there appears to be lots of green and blue runs across the mountain. However, and this is very important, they are not at all the same quality or level that you would expect if you have skied elsewhere. You need to do your homework and ask instructors who know the mountain. I found an excellent guide online written by a ski instructor and local, which details the best runs per level and tells you which ones to avoid. Our instructor explained to us that blues are very variable here - going from 'light blue' to 'dark purple'. I'm comfortable skiing blacks on most mountains and some of the blues here had sections that veered into black diamond equivalent at other resorts. I thought a lot about this and some of it has to do with a. snow quality (they hadn't had snow for a couple of weeks when we went, so it was pack with a slight dusting - was icy in the morning) b. steepness, both mountains are steep in general c. lack of consistent grooming (they don't groom everywhere every day, so what could be a challenging blue might turn into a steep mogul field over time) and d. volume of traffic. The mountain gets pretty carved up because everyone is flowing into the same mid-mountain areas.
- It is worth noting that some of the greens on both mountains are cat tracks/connectors. As the day wears on, they become narrow, sometimes slushy and carved up. Particularly avoid green line on Blackcomb at the end of the day. It is easier to down load back to the village on the gondola. Similarly, on Whistler, Pony Tail which is labelled the 'easiest way down' and in a designated slow zone has some steep pitches, narrow sections and other skiers bombing it down in between ski lesson groups.
- Our favorite skiing was to be found on the 7th Heaven Express Lift on Blackcomb, lots of wider blues and open piste. Despite lines at the lift, there are enough runs at the top that the traffic thins out.
Hope this is helpful. It's a beautiful mountain and a lot of positives, but you need to make sure it matches who you are as a skier and what you need!
The Good:
- Feels like a European ski area due to the links (Peak to Peak gondola and the buses at base and other lifts mean you can get around the large area easily and ski lots of different areas)
- Very beautiful views on a clear day, again, very Alpine
- Village is walkable and has lots of shops and dining options. We enjoyed the Tandoori Grill, Earls and Il Caminetto. Make reservations for all places as it gets busy.
- Lowish altitude compared to other mountains we have been to which might be a positive for people who get altitude sickness
- Lot of expert level terrain (for those who are extremely advanced, and have no fear, I imagine this would be a super fun mountain)
- Food on the mountain was decent and priced as expected. The rendezvous (on Blackcomb) has many stations including the usual chicken tenders, burgers and fries but also rice/noodle bowls, burritos etc.) A rice bowl with tofu ran about $22 CAN. Bowl of Poutine runs about $9 CAN. Portions were all decent. Roundhouse on Whistler has a similar set up and same types of foods etc. Vegetarian and Vegan options available.
- Coffee on the mountain was amazingly good and served in a large mug. No skimping there! Americano cost just under. $6 CAN. They have oat milk and other non-dairy options.
- Easy & very pretty 2hr drive from Vancouver. Can increase to 3hrs+ depending on Vancouver city traffic. Would avoid driving up on a weekend day, if at all possible arrive on a weekday. Locals say the traffic on the weekends due to ski school & locals skiing is very bad.
- We booked a private instructor for 2 days for our kids. He was very professional and friendly, and kids learnt some new skills. They tag the kids with a wearable device in case someone gets lost. This was new to me but makes sense given how big the mountain is and how many people are up there, even in the food places it would be easy to lose someone. Side note, it is not allowed to book a half day private here which is different to other ski resorts and makes it quite expensive.
The 'know before you go':
There are a few things that I wish I had understood about Whistler before coming which might have made my ski trip easier/more enjoyable. I'm outlining them here not to be a hater but to share information.It is definitely a mountain that you need a plan for in order to maximize your trip.
- The low altitude and location of the mountain means you get cloud cover (and rain on the lower parts of the mountain). The first 2.5 days of our trip there was heavy cloud cover that would move around meaning it was impossible to determine which runs were 'clear'. The runs which had cloud cover were worse than skiing in white out snow conditions. We went to the very top of Blackcomb thinking we would go above the cloud, only to find ourselves on a run with zero visibility. They have special reflector markers (different colors for each side of the slope) because of the visibility issues. Out of 5 days we had 2.5 bad cloud cover, 1.5 days cloud but decent visibility, 1 bluebird/sunny day.
- The mountain is large and not well sign posted. This isn't a problem if you are a local and 'know' the mountain. It's really challenging when you are a first timer here and the map + markers are almost no help. We are by no means complete beginners and have a sound understanding of maps etc, but my husband and I found ourselves in an avalanche warning zone simply navigating to a blue run. We were following the signs. It needs urgent attention and frankly the maps need work too. Unlike other resorts, no maps on any of the chair lifts which makes it harder to plan as you go.
- I saw one ski patrol person the entire 5 days. Top tip (from my kid!) - take a photo of the ski patrol phone number when you get to the top of the mountain so you have it in case you need it. The main result of this lack of presence is that expert Skiers or people who think they are experts.. or people who just want to go fast.... bomb it through the green & blue connectors to get to the lifts. Never seen this before on this scale. You go through the marked family zone where there are small kids and people learning and great volumes of skiers simply don't slow down. Inconsiderate and dangerous, and not understandable given the high volume of black runs available.
- Difficult to navigate beginner and intermediate terrain. If you count, there appears to be lots of green and blue runs across the mountain. However, and this is very important, they are not at all the same quality or level that you would expect if you have skied elsewhere. You need to do your homework and ask instructors who know the mountain. I found an excellent guide online written by a ski instructor and local, which details the best runs per level and tells you which ones to avoid. Our instructor explained to us that blues are very variable here - going from 'light blue' to 'dark purple'. I'm comfortable skiing blacks on most mountains and some of the blues here had sections that veered into black diamond equivalent at other resorts. I thought a lot about this and some of it has to do with a. snow quality (they hadn't had snow for a couple of weeks when we went, so it was pack with a slight dusting - was icy in the morning) b. steepness, both mountains are steep in general c. lack of consistent grooming (they don't groom everywhere every day, so what could be a challenging blue might turn into a steep mogul field over time) and d. volume of traffic. The mountain gets pretty carved up because everyone is flowing into the same mid-mountain areas.
- It is worth noting that some of the greens on both mountains are cat tracks/connectors. As the day wears on, they become narrow, sometimes slushy and carved up. Particularly avoid green line on Blackcomb at the end of the day. It is easier to down load back to the village on the gondola. Similarly, on Whistler, Pony Tail which is labelled the 'easiest way down' and in a designated slow zone has some steep pitches, narrow sections and other skiers bombing it down in between ski lesson groups.
- Our favorite skiing was to be found on the 7th Heaven Express Lift on Blackcomb, lots of wider blues and open piste. Despite lines at the lift, there are enough runs at the top that the traffic thins out.
Hope this is helpful. It's a beautiful mountain and a lot of positives, but you need to make sure it matches who you are as a skier and what you need!
Written March 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne C
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Family
This resort has really gone down hill since Vail bought it. Lift tickets are over priced, food is terrible and too expensive … and the Epic app does not work properly!
Written March 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicholas T
2 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
Don’t be fooled by the hype. Sadly, I couldn’t be more disappointed.
In short:
Negatives:
-long lift lines
-inefficient mountain
-terrible conditions
-poorly marked trails and poor mountain navigation
-seems to be that people just care about the apres scene
-with bad conditions, hardly anyone was attempting the steep stuff
-raging creeks in March
-unfriendly staff, poor quality everywhere, and an overall corporate greed feeling
Positives:
-I can imagine it’s fun with powder and if you are okay with long lines to get short, steep runs then have a super long, crowded blue or green to get back to the chair
-some great restaurants for dinner
I’ll get to the conditions in a little bit, but the conditions aside, this is still a bad ski resort. For reference, I grew up skiing in Vermont and enjoy Vermont double black diamonds and western black diamonds, but not western double black diamonds. First of all, the rental place, G1 rentals, gave us beat up skis, and the staff were rude. The lift lines are long, even in 50° weather (in mid-March!), on a weekday, and with hard pack/icy conditions. The signage on the mountain is terrible. Even studying a trail map, it is very hard to tell where the signs point to and where trails are. Also, some black diamonds have cliffs, others do not. It is very hard to scope out steep trails at Whistler, and the trails are so steep and bumpy that you can’t see down from the top to see if cliffs are present. I’m fine with steeps, but not with unmarked cliffs onto hard packed, bumpy surfaces. Most cliffs are marked, but not all. Also, everything feels super corporate. Vail (the owner of the resort) just seems to not care at all about quality. The food on the mountain is terrible, the rentals are terrible, and the restaurants in town for breakfast and lunch are mediocre at best. Dinner places are good. Seems like people just want cheap drinks in town, hence why everyone raves about the apres scene. Now, the conditions: it’s mid-March, and the groomed runs in the morning are just ice and hard pack. How can Vermont have better groomed runs than Whistler lolololololol. Anything with moguls is icy and hard packed. Bare spots, trees sticking up from the runs, and creeks roaring on the mountain. Again, I grew up skiing east coast conditions, but when you pay two to three times more for a ski trip out west in March, you expect better conditions than the east coast. When there are tons of powder on the slopes, I’m sure this is a fun mountain once you get to Harmony on Whistler or the alpine on Blackcomb. It just takes forever to get to any of these places worth skiing (multiple lifts and long lines). Also, a lot of the mountain is run-out space. Not really a lot of good looping options. A good black diamond like The Saddle will last for 30 seconds (a crowded 30 seconds), then you take a very flat blue and a long lift to do that run again. Lots of greens and blues or extreme terrain that is tough to ski with hard pack conditions. At western resorts, you always see people doing these trails from the lifts. This time at Whistler, I didn’t really see that many people attempting to do the super steep stuff. The talk on the lifts is that it’s just too firm and that this is just another bad snow year for Whistler. If you plan to come here, make sure it will be dumping snow, and be ready to spend a lot of money with a good chance of feeling ripped off.
In short:
Negatives:
-long lift lines
-inefficient mountain
-terrible conditions
-poorly marked trails and poor mountain navigation
-seems to be that people just care about the apres scene
-with bad conditions, hardly anyone was attempting the steep stuff
-raging creeks in March
-unfriendly staff, poor quality everywhere, and an overall corporate greed feeling
Positives:
-I can imagine it’s fun with powder and if you are okay with long lines to get short, steep runs then have a super long, crowded blue or green to get back to the chair
-some great restaurants for dinner
I’ll get to the conditions in a little bit, but the conditions aside, this is still a bad ski resort. For reference, I grew up skiing in Vermont and enjoy Vermont double black diamonds and western black diamonds, but not western double black diamonds. First of all, the rental place, G1 rentals, gave us beat up skis, and the staff were rude. The lift lines are long, even in 50° weather (in mid-March!), on a weekday, and with hard pack/icy conditions. The signage on the mountain is terrible. Even studying a trail map, it is very hard to tell where the signs point to and where trails are. Also, some black diamonds have cliffs, others do not. It is very hard to scope out steep trails at Whistler, and the trails are so steep and bumpy that you can’t see down from the top to see if cliffs are present. I’m fine with steeps, but not with unmarked cliffs onto hard packed, bumpy surfaces. Most cliffs are marked, but not all. Also, everything feels super corporate. Vail (the owner of the resort) just seems to not care at all about quality. The food on the mountain is terrible, the rentals are terrible, and the restaurants in town for breakfast and lunch are mediocre at best. Dinner places are good. Seems like people just want cheap drinks in town, hence why everyone raves about the apres scene. Now, the conditions: it’s mid-March, and the groomed runs in the morning are just ice and hard pack. How can Vermont have better groomed runs than Whistler lolololololol. Anything with moguls is icy and hard packed. Bare spots, trees sticking up from the runs, and creeks roaring on the mountain. Again, I grew up skiing east coast conditions, but when you pay two to three times more for a ski trip out west in March, you expect better conditions than the east coast. When there are tons of powder on the slopes, I’m sure this is a fun mountain once you get to Harmony on Whistler or the alpine on Blackcomb. It just takes forever to get to any of these places worth skiing (multiple lifts and long lines). Also, a lot of the mountain is run-out space. Not really a lot of good looping options. A good black diamond like The Saddle will last for 30 seconds (a crowded 30 seconds), then you take a very flat blue and a long lift to do that run again. Lots of greens and blues or extreme terrain that is tough to ski with hard pack conditions. At western resorts, you always see people doing these trails from the lifts. This time at Whistler, I didn’t really see that many people attempting to do the super steep stuff. The talk on the lifts is that it’s just too firm and that this is just another bad snow year for Whistler. If you plan to come here, make sure it will be dumping snow, and be ready to spend a lot of money with a good chance of feeling ripped off.
Written March 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew R
7 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
Outrageous lift ticket price, 269 plus tax.. 1 hour lineups. Sadly not worth it. So many amazing mountain in BC. Save your money and time.
Written March 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Everly G
Sydney, Australia19 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
A bit disappointing, to be honest. The prices are absolutely insane- yes the village is pretty, but not worth the extreme prices that you pay everywhere. Also, there is a worrying lack of snow- paying exorbitant amounts for grassy slopes. Decent, but not worth the amounts they ask for.
Written March 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
exactement2017
Snohomish, WA2 contributions
what does a Super Senior pass cost for the 2024/2025 ski season at Whistler/Blackcomb ?
Bbwendy
Vancouver, Canada36 contributions
Call 1 (800) 766-0449
icequeen
Ottawa, Canada181 contributions
Why is Whistler being dishonest about refunds? We are out $1500 for passes we couldn’t use because we did the right thing and respected the stay at home orders. Whistler says they’re giving recounts but it’s not true - I’ve been refused and even though they say that stay at home orders now qualify they have ignored my three emails and when I call their insurance company they lie and say they’ll call back and weeks later they haven’t. Buyer beware - don’t go unless you want to be lied to and lose lots of money. Never going back unless we get our rightful refund
Chris-D7878
Spruce Grove, Canada473 contributions
I got my refund for all of our lift tickets 2-3 days after the date we were suppose to ski. Was very happy with the refund process. Didn’t even have to call them. All happened automatically.
Andrei
Portland, OR
Questions about April skiing:
- will the bottom of the main village still have snow to take advantage of booking a condo with (claimed) ski-in/out access to the Blackcomb Gandola (“Lower Merlins” blue run)?
- if all the snow is melted/unskiable in the Green zone (Magic Chair/Yellow Brick Road), where else can I take my 4 year old for green and short runs?
- can my wife take gondola rides as a tourist/not skier without ski pass?
- what’s the average overnight parking cost?
Thank you!
FeiTed
Hong Kong, China27 contributions
Parking depends on where you stay - some complexes don't charge, most do - check their website as parking is available in most complexes. Sightseeing - there is a charge to use the gondola - its not cheap. Child safe terrain - there is a lot more on Whistler than Blackcomb - free buses can take you from near your lodging to the Whistler lifts (use number 5 route) but there should be skiable terrain under the Magic chair.
J_Prizzle
West Midlands, UK189 contributions
Hi all, I'm travelling to Whistler Blackcomb the end of the month and have a couple of questions about my stay (asking for tips really)
Firstly, I'm used to skiing in Europe where it's a case of rising early, getting to the first lift and skiing until late afternoon - if you want the best conditions - However, a couple of people have advised that lift queues in Whistler can be monumental first thing and a lot of North Americans tend to have a large later breakfast, hit the slopes around 9:30 and skip lunch. Is this the norm?
Next (another European comparison) apres in Europe tends to begin early afternoon and can sometimes continue til' the early hours. What is the culture in Canada? Do they hit the drink as hard as Europeans?
Finally, is anybody prepared to offer a few local tips/hacks for making the most of our stay? We're a young British couple on our Honeymoon, we'll be there for 10 days at the end of Jan, we like to have a drink and a good time but also enjoy good food and wine.
Thanks in advance.
MiriamBailey
Perth, Australia70 contributions
I went in December - I got on the first lifts (8am ish) every day. My husband and kids came later around 1030 and the line was 30 -40 minutes long. Definately recommend getting there early as possible and don't come down for food - eat up top so you dont have to wait in line again OR take the excalibur gondola to Blackcomb and take the blackcomb gondola up, usually a lot less crowded
Ale G
Guadalajara, Mexico
Hola!! A partir de qué día de noviembre se puede esquiar? Viajó del 11 al 18.. gracias
WhistlerBlackcomb
Whistler, British Columbia14 contributions
Hi.
The mountain opens for the Winter season the Thursday before American Thanksgiving. This year that date was November 28th.
Thank you, WB.
Hi
I would like to inquire about your 3 and 5 days ski camps. My girl is 7 years Old and My Boy is 10 years old. We arrive Whistler on Dec 23 and Depart on Dec 28. They had previous experience attending Ski School for 4-days last December.
Kindly recommend a program for them
Thanks
Kenneth
WhistlerBlackcomb
Whistler, British Columbia14 contributions
Hi Kenneth
Please contact our reservations team, as they will be able to chat you through the different options. Call: 1-800-766-0449 or email us. You can find a link to our reservations email address on our website, under contact us.
See you on the mountains! WB.
Betzabe Rivemar
Mexico City, Mexico40 contributions
Hola! Sabes cuanto cuesta el pase de un dia para esquiarv mas o menos? En la pagina ofocoal solo encuentro pases anuales de 500 dolares. Ojala te acuerdes y mil gracias por los tips
Carla M
Huixquilucan, Mexico86 contributions
Hola !!
Si vas en inviernonde este año, cuesta alrededor de $110 dólares canadienses x día, pero si lo compras por interet en la página oficial de Whistler (con tiempo) te puedes ahorrar alrededor de 30%.
Si planeas esquiar más de un día obviamente te conviene comprar todos los días al mismo tiempo porque sería más barato....y entre más días esquíes más barato te sale por día.
Y no tienes que esquiar todos los días seguido.
Que disfrutes tu viaje!!
Juliana Machado
Blumenau, SC6 contributions
Olá! Alguém consegue me dar dicas de aluguel de equipamento de snowboarding em whistler ?
WhistlerBlackcomb
Whistler, British Columbia14 contributions
Hi
Thanks for your question.
We have many rental locations for snowboarding equipment, including stores in Whistler Village, Upper Village and Creekside. This means you will have no problem finding a rental location close to your accommodation.
Give us a call on 1-800-766-0449 or check out the rental section of website for more information.
Thank you. WB.
Serene1975
5 contributions
Any idea which ski school should I book from? Do they also have rental for ski equipment and ski jacket/pants?
WhistlerBlackcomb
Whistler, British Columbia14 contributions
Hi
Thanks for your question.
Our goal is always to get you onto the snow as quickly as possible and our ski school is the best way to learn on the mountain.
As well as equipment rental we also offer ski clothing. Renting a ski jacket and pants will keep you warm and dry. We also advise you rent a helmet. We have many retail locations at all three mountain bases and throughout the valley.
Give us a call at 1-800-766-0449 or email our reservation team to chat through some options with you.
We can't wait to see you on the mountains this winter!
WB.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing