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Hitting the slopes
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The
skiing and snowboarding season
for Whistler and Blackcomb begins in late November, although sometimes earlier if nature permits. While the amount of snow varies from year-to-year, the yearly average is a whopping thirty-feet of snowfall. Blackcomb closes at the end of April, while Whistler stays open until early June. Then the mountains switch places, as Whistler closes and Blackcomb reopens in early June for glacier skiing and snowboarding, staying open until late July. The lifts are open daily 8.30am-3pm, and until 4pm after January.
Lift tickets give you full use of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, and it will take days for even the most advanced skiier or snowboarder to cover all the terrain. Tickets are available from the lift base in Whistler Village, but the queues can be horrendous. Instead, plan ahead and purchase your tickets online from www.mywhistler.com , or in Vancouver from Sport Mart at either 495 8th Ave W (tel 604/873-6737) or 735 Thurlow St (tel 604/683-2433). Your hotel can often set you up with tickets if you prebook far enough in advance. Call 1-877/932-0606 from North America or tel 604/932-0606 from Europe for more information. Prices increase in peak season - over Christmas and New Year and from mid-February to mid-March - and lift tickets are subject to a seven-percent tax. You can save money by purchasing your lift pass before the end of September or, if you plan to ski regularly at Whistler, by purchasing an Express Card . These cost $79 for adults, $67 for youths and $39 for seniors, and are valid all season - scan it each time you ski and it automatically charges your credit card. Your first day skiing is free and then you pay a discounted rate of $35-53 depending on the season; call 1-800/766-0449 for more details.
Intermediate and expert skiers can join the free tours of the mountains that leave at 10.30am and 1pm daily. The Whistler All-Mountain tour departs from the Guest Satisfaction Centre at the top of the Whistler Village gondola. The Blackcomb All-Mountain tour meets at the Mountain Tour Centre, top of the Solar Coaster Express, or at the Glacier Creek Lodge . To explore Blackcomb's glaciers join the tour at the Glacier Creek Lodge , weather permitting.
For
snow conditions
call 604/932-4211 in Whistler or tel 604/687-7507 from Vancouver. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Canada,
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