How and Why to Ski Whistler This Winter

For Epic pass holders, the temptation of Whistler is hard to resist

With some of the world’s greatest ski resorts right here in the Wasatch Range, Utahns can be forgiven for a lack of curiosity about skiing elsewhere. Why would we think about other resorts? But let’s not pretend that we don’t have a wandering eye from time to time. Be honest, you’ve said the word, maybe over beers at the Corner Store after a day on Park City side, leaning in, whispering across the table: “Whistler.” Just saying it feels like you’re cheating, right? 

Nevertheless, you find yourself dreaming of Canadian ridgelines, poutine and ice-cold Molsons. And this is OK. Go ahead and leave that Snowbird season pass dangling on the key peg, grab your Epic pass and slip away to Vancouver for a rendezvous with the mighty mountains of British Columbia. After landing in Vancouver, it’s only a two-hour drive on the Sea-to-Sky Highway (see below) into the Fitzsimmons Range, where you’ll quickly be sitting in front of a roaring fire in your pied-à-terre in one of Whistler’s two base villages, a trail map spread out before you.

Whistler is really Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, and all the space between its two massive, namesake peaks. All told, it’s the largest ski area in North America (sorry, Park City). From the lowest base area at the resort, Creekside Village, the ascent to the top is dramatic: A gondola and lift take you from 2,140 feet above sea level to Whistler Mountain’s 7,156-foot summit. (Blackcomb Peak’s summit is even higher, nearly 8,000 feet, but isn’t served by a lift.)

From Whistler Mountain’s summit, you’ll have the entirety of the Fitzsimmons Range laid out at your feet. Most of what you’re looking at is Garibaldi Provincial Park, a wilderness area unsullied by the development and luxury cabins that increasingly junk up alpine scenery in the United States. Where you go from here is up to you, but, with 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers to explore, there’s no shortage of options.

Don’t worry, Utah never needs to know.

GETTING THERE: Ride the Sea-To-Sky Highway

Whistler Blackcomb is about a two-hour drive north from Vancouver. While renting a car is an option, take a shuttle: You’ll want to sightsee along the well-named Sea-to-Sky Highway. Whistler Connection offers airport transfers to stops in both Creekside and Whistler villages, meet-and-greet services, and more. Make like James Bond and book a helicopter. This will have you in Whistler in a mere 30 minutes (with some detours for the scenery) but, ouch, it’s about $4,500 (one-way). However you get to Whistler, it’s easy to get around here. Go old school and utilize the area’s reliable cab services. Bonus: The local drivers are a colorful lot who speak the Queen’s English with a thick Canadian brogue. Nice one, eh?

GET YOUR ART AND ARCHITECTURE ON

Apart from the quad-burning ski days that are the center of this visit, you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss the Audain Art Museum. Home of a fascinating collection of First Nation artworks, as well as contemporary works by Canadian artists, the 56,000-square-foot building designed by architect John Patkau is itself a work of art. The Audain is a must-see along Whistler’s Cultural Connector, a scenic path that links six of the ski village’s major cultural institutions. On your stroll, also stop into the Maury Young Arts Centre, the home of Arts Whistler, a gallery and hub of local artistic and cultural activity. Check the center’s calendar before you visit to find activities for all ages. The Whistler Museum gives a funky, fun rundown of the timeline from Whistler’s start as a tiny fishing village to its Olympic glory days. Also along the Cultural Connector, you’ll find two notable works of public art—Susan Point’s bronze sculpture, A Timeless Circle, and James Stewart’s Jeri, a compelling figure study of a Brazilian Capoeira fighter ready to spring into action.

BRING IT HOME

Amid the usual resort suspects—gear and T-shirt shops—are some one-off gems, literally in the case of Keir Fine Jewellery. The boutique jewelry store specializes in inspired settings for Canadian diamonds and other stones. If you do find yourself with a hankering for gear, pop into the Whistler Blackcomb Outlet Store in the main village; it requires digging through its racks but finding a deal on something Gortex is part of the fun. Plaza Galleries is that ski town gallery that offers an eclectically curated selection of work by international artists that you won’t find in Utah.

PLAY

Most of your time will surely be spent exploring the vast resort you came to Canada to ski, and there is a lot to explore. Break it down into smaller chunks by joining one of the free mountain tours given daily on each of the two peaks. The colorful volunteers who lead the tours are Whistler lifers who will ensure that you see the best each mountain offers. For a break from downhill skiing, book a self-guided snowshoeing or cross-country ski excursion with Cross Country Connection. Or join a guided zip line, snowmobile or snowshoe tour with The Adventure Group. Finally, ditch the gear and the cold completely and book (in advance) an afternoon or evening at Scandinave Spa. This place is no joke—very hot and very cold pools sit in a beautiful garden dotted with cozy chill-out rooms where you can catch your breath.

EAT & DRINK

Let’s talk waffles—gorgeously decorated with blueberries and frothy whipped cream—served next to a steaming cup of coffee. On a gondola ride, “Have you had the waffles?” is the answer to our question, “Where should we eat?” So, make sure at least one of your ski days includes a mid-morning or mid-afternoon break at Crystal Hut on Blackcomb’s Crystal Ridge.

The après scene at Whistler truly is a scene. Garibaldi Lift Company Bar & Grill is the big show with the see-and-be-seen crowd. For a quieter wind down, try Bar Oso, a tapas joint with an interesting and extensive wine list of Spanish varietals. Wherever you après, try a Bloody Caesar, a Canadian variant on the Bloody Mary made with Clamato juice. The bartenders around Whistler attempt to outdo each other with both classic and ridiculously adorned Bloody Caesars. For the former, stop into Dusty’s Bar & BBQ in Creekside Village. For the latter, clomp those ski boots into Merlin’s Bar & Grill and, with a straight face, ask for “The Jester.” Chances are you won’t be able to keep that straight face: The Jester comes garnished with chicken wings, onion rings, cured bacon and beef jerky. 

REST UP

Whistler is a sprawling ski area with many options for places to stay, including a wide-ranging selection of vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts and a solid lineup of full-service hotels. As you consider the options, know that where you stay is a big factor in determining the kind of trip you’ll have. Creekside Village, which links to the Creekside Gondola, is a quiet(ish) residential community, with a smaller selection of restaurants and bars than Whistler Village. 

Whistler Village has easy access to both the Blackcomb Excalibur and Whistler Village gondolas and is the heart of the resort’s activity and action. There’s a well-run bus system between and around both areas. In Creekside Village, Nita Lake Lodge is perched on the shore of (frozen) Nita Lake. A scenic boutique hotel, it’s a getaway from your getaway, designed in “mountain modern” chic style (yes, there are stag heads on the wall). Whistler Village’s counterpart to Nita Lake is Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Looming over the village like something out of a Disney fairy tale, it’s basically a castle, with turndown service. 

The Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside has rooms with views of the gondola lines. Listel Hotel Whistler is a business-class property with a groovy modern lobby. It’s also home to the Bearfoot Bistro, which has an Ice Room experience, where you can drink ice cold vodka (or whatever) out of, yep, tumblers made of ice. The Blackcomb Lodge has that rough-hewn log vibe and offers reasonably priced rooms right in the center of Whistler Village.

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