for every level, and slopes are dotted with skiers and boarders enjoying the 200 trails, chutes, open bowls, forest runs and gullies of varied steepness. Fifteen percent of the runs are rated beginner slopes, 55 percent are intermediate, 15 percent are advanced and 15 percent are for experts. Snowfall averages 39 feet annually. Two-day lift tickets are $250 for adults, $214 for youths and $126 for children ages 7-12. Adult season passes start at $1,600. If you’re a newcomer to Whistler, then it’s a good call to take the free, 90-minute tour of the mountains. Orientation tours meet at two locations: the top of the Whistler gondola and the top of Blackcomb’s Solar Coaster Express lift. The lift ticket office keeps a list of available times. Once you’re acquainted with the mountains, you’ll feel confident schussing down the beginner Whiskey Jack and Ego Bowl on Whistler Mountain or cruising the wide-open, blue intermediate trails of Blackcomb Mountain. Advanced skiers can up the ante at a Steep Skiing Clinic with Wendy Brookbank, a former star of Warren Miller ski movies. Together you can uncover hidden, challenging trails that don’t appear on maps. Whistler also offers an opportunity to ski or ride with Olympic athletes. For a fee, you can hire an Olympian, such as 2010 ski cross gold medalist Ashleigh McIvor or Canadian downhill legend Rob Boyd, to play tour guide for the day. Up to five people can share the cost of the celebrity ski guide. International visitors and Vancouver residents flock to Whistler on weekends and holidays, crowding the snowy destination. To avoid large crowds, plan a winter getaway in late January to mid-February when there are no holidays or school breaks. Crowds pick up again around Saint Patrick’s Day for spring skiing and for the (sometimes) rowdy après ski parties. If it rains in the village, don’t panic: Take to higher ground. Because the vertical rise of Whistler is 4,966 feet and 5,222 feet at Blackcomb, chances are good that it’s snowing STAY IN STYLE somewhere in the upper elevations. BEING AN INTERNATIONAL RESORT, Whistler offers plenty of accommodations in all price ranges. Approximately 10,000 bedrooms are available at the 24 hotels, townhouses, condos, B&Bs and chalets. The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, located next to the Blackcomb lifts, is one of the highest-rated hotels in the area. It offers elegance in a modern alpine setting with the option to ski in and ski 74 South Bay Accent FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER FOUR SEASONS RESORT WHISTLER FROM TOP: MICHAEL RAFELSON/FOUR SEASONS RESORT WHISTLER; COURTESY OF TOURISM WHISTLER. OPPOSITE PAGE: ROBIN O’NEILL
South Bay Accent - Oct/Nov 2015
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