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Skiing Whistler Blackcomb is not like skiing other resorts. With one of the longest and most reliable winter seasons on the planet, it's the ultimate winter destination, offering thrilling adventures for adrenaline junkies, unique experiences, and exceptional value, all within an accessible and community-driven mountain paradise.
With more than 200 marked runs crisscrossing its 8,171 acres across two mountains, connected by the remarkable PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, Whistler boasts a fantastic range of terrain from high glacial slopes, open powder-filled bowls and steep challenging chutes, to sheltered tree-lined cruising pistes, pretty glades and gentle well-serviced beginners' zones.
But if your skill set goes way beyond piste skiing, you'll want to know that Whistler Blackcomb is also home to some of the best off-piste skiing in the world. With impressive lift access to much of it, along with great opportunities for cat-skiing, heli-skiing and ski touring, Whistler's backcountry offers seemingly limitless ways to explore everything from short hikes to very long powder runs.
And even that's not all. You don't have to be on skis or a snowboard to get the adrenalin running in Whistler. The breadth of off-slope activities here will surely keep the blood pumping, from sunrise to sunset and beyond. From bungee jumping to ziplining, from snowmobiling and heli-sightseeing to the absolute rush of the Olympic bobsleigh run, Whistler is packed with exhilarating activities to take you well out of your comfort zone.
Where is Whistler BC?
Whistler Blackcomb is located in the Coast Mountain Range, 120km north of Vancouver, BC on the west coast of Canada. The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is approximately 2 hours along the super scenic Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99). The nearest airport is Vancouver International and transfers to the resort are available by shuttle bus, limo, SUV, and even helicopter (weather dependent).
The perfect destination for winter thrill-seekers
For thrill-seeking experiences Whistler takes some beating. And let's start with the skiing, which is the main attraction here, after all. Whistler Blackcomb has the largest in-bounds area of any resort in North America, and there are many ungroomed bowls, chutes and tree runs to get stuck into.
But to really access the best off-piste you need a good guide to show you the best lines and the fluffiest stashes, as well as take you deeper into Garibaldi Provincial Park on a Backcountry Ski Tour: the big-mountain backcountry outside of the ski area offers a multitude of bowls, glaciers and gladed runs to choose from and there are a range of options depending on experience.
Good specialist local operators include Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures, Coast Mountain Guides and Extremely Canadian, whose mountain guides have the highest possible qualifications and will ensure your experiences here are memorable for all the right reasons! Or try a Cat-Skiing Tour: pristine powder, spectacular views and backcountry skiing with up to 10 runs per day.
And there's heli-skiing too: endless backcountry with zero lift queues. Local firm Whistler Heli-skiing offers a great range of packages for intermediate skiers and above, giving access to more than 400,000 acres of untouched backcountry terrain, hosting 173 stunning glaciers and 11 zones. And if Whistler is where winter goes big, heli-skiing is where it goes biggest. Heli-skiing fuels that yearning for extreme adventure, as you embrace the feeling of all that untracked, fresh snow under your boots, but there’s also the sense of peace and natural harmony that can be found in the remote expanse of the mountains – for the thrill-seeker, skiing doesn't get better than this.
And this season is going to be special when it comes to snow depth, thanks to a weather phenomenon known as La Niña earlier in the year, which translates to colder than usual waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which displaces the jet stream to the North. This means all kinds of different things for global weather, but for Western Canada, it culminates in colder temperatures and increased precipitation, which in Whistler equals a lot of snow. Whistler’s top five snowiest years in the last 15 years have all occurred in La Niña years, so we’re expecting something big for the 2024/25 season! Read all about La Niña and Whistler's impressive snow record here.
The best high-octane things to do in Whistler BC
With so many ways to play all day on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, sitting in an après-ski bar nursing a beer is going to seem pretty tame. So here are the best things to do in Whistler if you want to blow off even more steam:
Winter Ziplining
Soar over spectacular landscapes and enjoy the exhilaration of flight. Ziptrek is the original zipline tour company in Whistler. Their tours take place over the Fitzsimmons Valley between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. Guides provide information on the local ecosystem and Ziptrek uses “free range harnesses” so you can lean back and go upside down for maximum thrill, while staying safe and comfortable.
Superfly Ziplines are located about a 10-minute drive north of Whistler Village in the Cougar Mountain area. Superfly Ziplines use a sit in harness and they have a unique system that allows two guests to ride side-by-side, each on their own cable.
Bungee jumping
If facing your fears is your thing, then you'll definitely want to feel the buzz of taking a bungee jump from a 160ft bridge high above the glacial-fed Cheakamus River, British Columbia’s highest year-round bungee jumping venue. Conveniently located close to Whistler Village, surrounded by gorgeous old-growth forest and rugged basalt column cliffs, it'll be another entry ticked off your bucket list.
Ice climbing
Break up your day's skiing with a bit of ice climbing on a winter ice climbing tour with a professional guide on Blackcomb Mountain! No climbing experience is needed, all climbing equipment is included, and the only proviso is that participants must be able to confidently ski or snowboard intermediate (blue) runs to get to the climbing location. This is a full day activity to get a truly unique perspective on Whistler.
Heli-sightseeing
It's like heli-skiing but without the skiing. Whistler heli-sightseeing tours fly deep into the pristine landscape of the Coast Mountains, with panoramic views over knife-sharp peaks, ancient glaciers, hidden lakes and valleys and stunning ice formations. Choose from short scenic flights to more adventurous journeys like heli-hiking or ice-cave explorations.
Snowmobiling
There's a range of snowmobile tours available in Whistler to suit all ages and all abilities, but we'd like to draw your attention to the ultimate thrill-seeker's snowmobile tour: The Backcountry X Tour. Led by experienced and professional backcountry guides this is an extreme mountain ride designed to challenge your skill and push your limits, as well as introduce you to avalanche safety! Conquer the infamous staircase to reach the alpine, and then blast through rolling hills of powder with 360-degree views of Whistler.
The Whistler Sliding Centre
Sounds innocuous, doesn't it? But here's where you get to channel your inner Olympian on a Passenger Bobsleigh run or a solo skeleton luge slide down the world's fastest ice track. On the passenger bob, participants slide in a real four-person bobsleigh, driven by a trained pilot, racing through ten twists and turns at speeds of 125+ km/hr and feeling the acceleration of up to 4 G forces. As you hit the final bend it's like having an elephant sitting on your head!
If you prefer going solo, choose skeleton and slide headfirst down the ice track on your own sled, passing through six corners, and clock speeds up to 100 km/hr.
How to plan a ski trip to Whistler
As a world-class ski resort, Whistler is unsurprisingly popular, especially at peak times, so it's essential to plan ahead. Here are some tips to help you.
Is skiing in Whistler good value?
Absolutely! The epic experiences you’ll have in Whistler are something you won’t find anywhere else, and the memories will last a lifetime. Even though certain parts of your trip can be more expensive than your traditional holiday in the Alps, in Whistler you get what you pay for and then some.
If you're scanning the prices of lessons and lift passes online, remember the favourable exchange rate for British visitors means every Canadian dollar equates to just under £2. So you can roughly halve the prices you see on-screen - and on the mountain!
You can also find some great savings by booking well in advance. Booking early for winter 24/25 direct with Whistler.com ensures the best rates, prime accommodation choices, and peace of mind for a stress-free ski holiday. Book a 2024/25 Winter Package now and save up to 30% on lodging. Plus, you'll receive a free Whistler.com Gift Certificate on stays of 7 or more nights. And be sure to book ski lessons, equipment hire, the best activities and even restaurants in advance, too.
How many days in Whistler is enough?
Short answer: the more the merrier. But certainly the longer your stay, the greater your savings and the more time you'll have to explore the world class slopes and the many other activities that make up ski holidays in Whistler BC.
To find out more about this wonderful destination and to plan your winter getaway to Whistler, go to whistler.com/winter
