Whistler, B.C.

Whistler, the Canadian Ski Resort two hours east of Vancouver typically gets voted by skiers as one of the top ski resorts in the world. It does have a lot to offer. There are two world-class ski mountains there, Whistler and Blackhom. Both offer a variety of terrain for every level of skier.   There are steep bump runs in addition to big, wide-open bowls. Both mountains are easily accessible from the condos and homes where most visitors to Whistler stay.

The town of Whistler is suited to the ski crowd. There are numerous restaurants, ski shops, and stores. The prices are more reasonable than those found in American ski resorts, and the people who work in Whistler seem friendlier than their American counterparts. You don’t need a car in Whistler, another economic advantage, since everything is either within walking distance or a short, free shuttle ride away.

An additional attraction to Whistler is its international flavor. People from all over the world come there to ski. My last trip I met snowboarding students from Korea, a real surprise! As usual there were also people from many other countries such as England, Austria, Australia, Japan, and New Zeeland.

There are a couple of downsides to Whistler that might keep me from returning to ski there, though I would like to hike in Whistler in the summer. Because the area is relatively close to the coast, the snow is often wet, and winter rain is not unusual. At times it can be raining at the bottom of the lift and snowing further up the mountain. Powder snow can be a misnomer, as the snow is frequently heavy and hard to ski through, even with the new “fat skis” which are designed to make that kind of skiing easy.

The other problem at Whistler is snowboarders. Frequently skiing out of control and lacking the fundamentals of ski etiquette, these people can be dangerous. They can cut quickly on their boards, so it’s hard at times to predict what they will do. I have been knocked down several times by unruly boarders. There seem to be more of them at Whistler than other areas I have visited.

Travel to Whistler is relatively easy. One flies to Vancouver and then takes a shuttle bus to the resort. The ride itself is spectacular as a scenic highway follows the coast for a long way before heading up into the mountains. The bus will drop you at your condo.