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Whistler Blackcomb is the largest ski resort in North America, with more than 8,000 acres of terrain across two mountains linked by the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which spans 4.4 km between them with the longest unsupported lift span in the world. It hosted the alpine events of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The purpose-built village at the base is pedestrianised and compact, which means you can ski in, walk to dinner and never touch a car. It is also relentlessly busy in peak season and priced accordingly. Off-season, Whistler reinvents itself as a summer destination: the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is the most famous downhill park in the world, and the alpine trails open once the snow clears.
Getting here is part of it. The Sea-to-Sky Highway from Vancouver runs for two hours along Howe Sound beneath the Coast Mountains, passing Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola at Squamish. There is no airport at Whistler, so everyone arrives by road.
Country
Canada
Region
British Columbia, Coast Mountains on the Sea-to-Sky corridor
Population
~14,000 permanent, rising well above 40,000 in peak season
Elevation
670 m at the village, 2,182 m at Whistler Peak
Time Zone
Pacific Time (UTC-8, UTC-7 in summer)
Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Language
English; French is co-official nationally
Nearest Airport
YVR (Vancouver International, 135 km south); Whistler has no airport
Airport to City Centre
2 to 2.5 hours by scheduled shuttle bus or car along the Sea-to-Sky Highway
Typical Cost Level
Expensive
Transport Pass
Whistler Transit day pass; the village itself is pedestrianised and walkable
Spring (Mar-May)
0-13°C, spring skiing often continues into May
Summer (Jun-Aug)
9-24°C, mountain biking, hiking and lake swimming
Autumn (Sep-Nov)
2-14°C, the quietest and cheapest shoulder period
Winter (Dec-Feb)
-6 to 1°C, peak ski season with heavy coastal snowfall
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Entry rules, stay length and passport validity by nationality.
Whistler has two full seasons. The ski season on Whistler and Blackcomb typically runs from late November to mid April, with the deepest snow and highest prices from late December through February. Summer, from June to September, brings hiking, mountain biking on the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and warm days in the village, and is now nearly as busy as winter. Late April to May and October to November are the quiet shoulder periods, when lifts run limited terrain and lodging is at its cheapest.
Whistler is about 120 km north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway, roughly a two-hour drive from the city and two and a half hours from Vancouver International Airport. Scheduled shuttle buses and coaches run directly from the airport and downtown Vancouver several times a day and are the easiest option, since you do not need a car once you are in the village. Winter driving can be slow in snow, and winter tyres or chains are legally required on this route from October to April.
No. Whistler Village is pedestrianised and compact, with the lifts, restaurants and most hotels within a short walk of each other, and the local bus network covers the outlying neighbourhoods. Parking in the village is paid and can be expensive at peak times. A car is only worth it if you plan to explore Squamish, Pemberton or Joffre Lakes on your own schedule.
The Peak 2 Peak Gondola spans the valley between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains and holds records for the longest unsupported span and greatest height of any lift of its kind. In summer a sightseeing ticket includes the base gondolas, the Peak 2 Peak crossing and the alpine chairs, giving access to a network of alpine hiking trails and glacier viewpoints for a full day. Skiers and snowboarders have it included in their lift pass in winter.
Three to four days is the usual stay and lets you ski or ride both mountains without rushing, or in summer combine alpine hiking, the bike park and the village. A weekend works if you are coming from Vancouver, but the two-hour transfer each way eats into it. Ski trips of five to seven days are common, and multi-day lift passes bring the daily cost down noticeably.
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