You probably know that Whistler Blackcomb (in Canada) is a top ski resort.
You may even recall it hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Medal ceremony in the Women’s Super-G in alpine skiing – photo Wikimedia
But if you’re a first-time visitor, you probably want to know one thing.
Whistler or Blackcomb?
Which of these two mountains – Whistler or Blackcomb – is better for skiing and snowboarding?
Record snowfalls and award-winning ski resort
Well, before we get into that, know that both mountains consistently record great dumps of snow. The average snowfall is more than 38 feet a year.
Some years have been over-the-top; a staggering 52 feet of the white stuff fell in the 2010-2011 season.
In a word, the skiing and riding is epic!
For detailed snowfall stats by month and season, check out this Whistler Blackcomb page.
SKI Magazine also named Whistler Blackcomb the best overall ski resort in North America (2016-2017) for the third consecutive year. Forbes rated it one of the “Top 10 Ski Resorts in North America for 2018.” You can’t go wrong choosing Whistler Blackcomb for a ski holiday. We know; we’ve skied there many times!
Acres and acres of beautiful snow! photo Brigitte Werner, Pixabay
Remember too that your lift ticket includes riding on the Peak 2 Peak Gondola between both mountains. So you don’t have to choose between Whistler or Blackcomb.
Your ticket gives you access to over 8,100 acres of skiable terrain on both Blackcomb and Whistler mountains. You can cruise down more than 200 awesome trails and shred the gnar on six terrific terrain parks.
Tip: Discover the mountains with a mountain host on a free orientation tour.
Okay, now here’s the quick and dirty…
Skiing at Whistler or Blackcomb – both are great!
Blackcomb Mountain
- Top elevation of 7,494 feet and a vertical rise of 5,280 feet
- Runs are generally steeper
- More tree runs and more cut trails
- In a snowstorm, Blackcomb is often easier to find your way down the mountain
- On a bluebird day, there’s no better place to be than Seventh Heaven
- Christine’s is the finest on-mountain place for lunch (in our opinion) – a white table-cloth restaurant for those who deem wine with their lunch an essential part of their day
Whistler Mountain
- Top elevation of 7,160 feet and a vertical rise of 5,020 feet
- Lots of green runs high up the mountain
- More alpine bowls
- Some of the steepest terrain in North America can be pounded from the Peak Chair, which climbs up to the summit
- When the sun shines, Whistler offers great views from the bowls
Want to learn to ski? The adult ski school will get you sliding down the slopes! photo Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb boasts a long ski season
Blackcomb and Whistler usually open for skiing and riding in November. Whistler’s ski season ends in April, but Blackcomb often continues with spring skiing until May.
And then it’s still not over, because Blackcomb Glacier is open for summer skiing in June and July. How cool is that!
Fancy skiing in your skivvies? Blackcomb Glacier is open in July and August
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Update December 23, 2017: Ski season is here again! Whistler Blackcomb received its first dusting of snow in September. Whistler opened early (on November 17) for the 2017-2018 ski season, and Blackcomb opened on November 23. So we thought we’d bring you up-to-date with the latest snowfall and awards info. Happy skiing and boarding!
We’re Janice and George Mucalov, professional award-winning travel writers, sharing tales of luxury travel with a twist of adventure.
It’s skiing and you’re in the mountains. Cold is part of the adventure. I’ve been out in about -30 C…and loved it.
I haven’t tried any one of these ski resorts yet, although a few years ago we were very close to going to Whistler. We always end up in Lake Tahoe, California, because it is much closer and the temperature is milder. I’ve heard that Blackcomb can get very cold.
Blackcomb and Whistler are pretty mild – compared to, say, Sunshine and Lake Louise in Alberta. When we lived in Calgary and skied there, we would always freeze! Don’t know how temps between Whistler/Blackcomb and Lake Tahoe compare though…
Gorgeous! Mountains out west are fantastic, would love to go skiing there sometime.
Frank (bbqboy)
And it’s not as cold as Sunshine and Lake Louise in Alberta :-). We used to ski there before moving to B.C. Brrrr!!!
I’ve not done either, so I wouldn’t be the best person to ask, but I hear nothing but amazing things about the powder in Whistler…
You’d enjoy Whistler! Even non-skiers love Whistler in winter. Its pedestrian village is charming, with many top restaurants – not to mention the spas and other activities (e.g., bobsledding anyone?).