This trip was taken pre-COVID. The Family Trip is not advocating extensive traveling and vacations at this time. Please use utmost discretion when traveling at this time.
This post comes with a huge whiff of sadness, but also hope. Last year, right before COVID hit the world, my brother (the adventure-travel-buddy I have written about) and I squeezed in a trip to Whistler, Canada to ski.Â
It’s funny, because we went back and forth with some considerable agonizing about whether or not to make the haul out there for practical reasons. Whistler isn’t close to either of us. And it isn’t particularly easy to get to after a cross-country plane ride, being 78 miles north of Vancouver. Yet, ultimately, we decided to just do it. After all, we rationalized, when would we get the chance again?
Turns out…
We now talk frequently about how this was a pointed lesson that, really, life is short. We can not predict our futures nor do we have any control over most of what happens. So when we have the chance to do something bold, we should take it.
Today, Whistler looks very different than it did during the experience I had.
There was a major fire in a construction zone, access to the mountain is limited due to COVID-19, and the spa I enjoyed is open, but with different capacity. Top all of these changes off with the fact that getting to Vancouver via plane takes an additional level of risk assessment, and I haven’t been quite sure how to approach this article.
But the current state of the world doesn’t diminish the fact that Whistler is a premiere ski destination for a reason. So I am going to share what I learned and invite you to take what works for you, and to leave the rest…
My biggest recommendation is to ENJOY THE DRIVE. The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is one of the prettiest I’ve ever done (and we live near Skyline Drive, I grew up near the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we’ve driven a lot of highway on our Epic Trip Out West).
The drive takes you on the “Sea to Sky Highway.” This stunningly scenic highway runs north-south for a whopping 254 miles — of course, if you’re stopping at Whistler, you won’t see all of it. You’ll start at the sea of Vancouver and end in the skies of the Coast Mountains.
Plan to enjoy this drive. Do it during the daytime, or at least allow for light.
Yes, sometimes it gets snowy, but we found the highway well-tended to and well-maintained.
Of course, the proximity to Vancouver means that Whistler can get slammed. One of our days skiing was the most crowded I have ever seen a premiere ski area (East coast destinations can crowd up due to lack of acreage, but I have never experienced the Whistler lines and congestion anywhere in Colorado or Utah).
Plus, from what the locals told us, there aren’t a lot of blue bird days on Whistler mountain. So when one gorgeous, sunny day pops up, snow enthusiasts flock.
Further adding to the slope congestion, Vail Resorts bought Whistler in 2017. The epic pass now opens up Whistler alongside fairly cheap airfare to Vancouver, and we were told there has been a huge rush of Americans in particular in the past few years.
We get it. We were part of that.
But our first day of skiing was nearly white-out conditions. Fresh powder fell on the slopes and there was a wet chill.Â
I couldn’t wait to get out there and hit the broad, sweeping slopes. Powder day!!!
Of course, our views were limited, but we didn’t yet know what we were missing.
We didn’t tackle any bowls this day, or get too bold on our skis. Not knowing the terrain, the resort or what the weather was going to bring (remind me to tell you a story about skiing along a ridge in true whiteout conditions and dropping into a bowl at Snowbird sometime… simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating…) we took it fairly easy.
Lucky for us, Whistler has a mind-blowing 4,757 skiable acres, with a top elevation of 7,160 feet. And that’s just one peak!
For the entire resort is actually two mountain peaks: Whistler and Blackcomb. The Blackcomb side is another 3,414 acres of skiable terrain with a top elevation of 7,494 feet. Just looking at the trail map again, nearly a year later, makes me all giddy. This is definitely a skiers paradise.
We really enjoyed this day of skiing, overcast, flat light and all.
The next day, the skies lifted and we got to see Whistler in all her glory. This picture is taken in the exact same spot as the one above, about 24 hours later.
Yet the blue skies also meant, as noted above, lots of people. We headed over to the back bowls and did some of the top terrain on Blackcomb, but after one bowl run we decided to leave. The lift line was incredibly long and the routes and lines down the bowl crowded, to the point where it felt more like people-dodging and less like skiing. I loved the back bowls at Vail so much more, to be honest.
The resort area of Whistler is very well done, successfully demonstrating why it was host of the Olympics. There were children playing in snow banks, an ice skating rink outdoors, bars with techno music for the young 20-somethings, and upscale shopping and dining. There really was something for everyone here but, surprisingly, it wasn’t too large to be unmanageable. Everything felt close, cozy and easy to access. We had so many options during our stay and found it convenient to get around.
I spent one day alone, coddling my pleasantly exhausted body at the Scandinave Spa. I had experienced this spa before on a visit to Mont Tremblant. I love this spa. Based on the model of taking in the hot waters then immediately immersing in cold, then resting the body, I can’t explain how amazing and rejuvenating it feels. If you go, challenge yourself to do this once or twice. It’s fairly tempting to sit in the heat, but do try their recommended method.Â
I booked one of the first massages available in the morning and highly recommend this, even if it means an early wake up call. I was able to enjoy some of the outdoor pools and saunas completely alone and in solitude before the 11:00 am crowd descended. I left, filled and relaxed, once the crowds really started.
As I reflect back on this trip, I have to say that the biggest detractor to all of our experiences at Whistler were the crowds. For the amount of money we paid for our activities, it felt frustrating to be navigating incredibly long lines, wait times, and crowded slopes. Maybe I sound spoiled when I say that, but this resort has won numerous design awards, is constantly and consistently listed in top ski destinations, is one of the top places to see before you die, and hosted the Olympics with great success. I guess crowds shouldn’t be a surprise, but we were a little taken aback with how seemingly unprepared the area was to control the crowds and protect the experience.
Of course, COVID-life has surely changed all of this. I won’t know. I am not sure when I’ll get back, although I hope to some day.
We traveled back down the highway late afternoon and spent the night in Vancouver, readying ourselves for an early morning flight home, where newsstand magazines were starting to alert travelers to a “brand new virus.”
I’d like to explore Vancouver again some day, as well. We were so satiated and tired upon our arrival to the city, that heading down to the water for an early dinner and a beer were about all we could handle.
I am not sure when we’ll make our way on to a plane and out into the big wide world again, but a part of me wants to see what Whistler looks like today. How much fun would it be to swish down the wide, rugged slopes of Whistler’s majesty without the crowds? It would feel like absolute freedom.Â
For more on Whistler Blackcomb Resort visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com
For more on Scandinave Spa visit www.scandinave.com