Whistler - The Slopes
Just one of either Whistler or Blackcomb mountains would be a virtuoso North American performer. Whistler is king of the hill with both.
Whistler cannot boast the same amount of sunny days as other North American resorts, shrouded as it often is in snow (and rain) clouds. The payoff is worth it, however. Both mountains offer perfectly pitched intermediate terrain through the trees that span their glorious mid-riffs, although the architecture at the top is very different. On the Whistler side, the interlocking bowls have made the area famous whereas Blackcomb is more of a gnarly, snarling beast. Here, steep couloirs and jagged cliffs remind men of their mortality.
The joys of Whistler skiing are the wide-open bowls that really encourage a total mountain skiing approach. There are plenty of marked black-diamond and double-black-diamond trails feeding down the bowls but here more than anywhere don't be afraid to jump off the side. Don't miss the Doom and Gloom run through the Whistler bowls. The terrain on Blackcomb's slopes is more challenging.
Intermediates can enjoy gentler routes down through the bowls, particularly when the sun comes out. Check out the great snow and gentle runs on the Horstman Glacier and the divine trials that lead off the seventh heaven chair. There are plenty of different ways down through the trees on both sides of the mountain.
Beginners have to head up to mid-mountain to find the nursery slopes on Whistler mountain which at least guarantees first-rate snow. The nursery slopes situated at the bottom of Blackcomb mountain are less snow-sure. The major problem learning here is that it is not uncommon to spend most of the week in a snowstorm, far from ideal conditions for learning.
If there was a pantheon for powder perfection, Whistler would be a founding member. The bowls on Whistler mountain have enough variation to keep even the most rabid powder hound keen and interested for weeks on end. Once you have exhausted the lift-accessed terrain, short hikes pay rich dividends. Flutes Bowl, out of bounds until 2005, is now a charming member of the Whistler family. To test yourself against the mountain, take the steep couloirs that drop down towards Glacier Creek on the Blackcomb side; the 41° Couloir Extreme needs no further introduction.
Whistler is massively popular with borders and freestyle skiers and really encourages the next generation of Alpine activists. The powder is obviously a huge draw, as are all the cliffs from which you can leap off and take your life in your hands. Another plus point is that when the rain hits the lower slopes, the slush is fun on wide boards and twin-tipped skis. The parks are superb. There are four in all ranging from the Big Easy to the Chipmunk, a rather cute name for a terrifying park with jumps the size of small hotels.
Whistler is somewhat a victim of its own success. On powder days and at the weekends the troops move in from nearby Vancouver and queuing can be a problem, despite the fact that the 15 high-speed lifts outnumber any other resort in North America. Consider visiting out of the peak season or be prepared for the queues at weekends. Midweek is not a problem.
Ski passes change in price depending on the time of season and cover both mountains. You will need to pay extra to take the Fresh Tracks early-bird lifts and also to access the top-level terrain park.
The Children's Adventure Park on Blackcomb has its own Magic Castle and plenty of clowns and other fantastical friends to look after the kids. Alternatively, drop them off at the Great Wall Climbing Centre while you go off and have a meal.
