Tag Archives: Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler-with-kids-trail-map

5 Reasons To Choose Whistler With Kids

Last week I wrote an accommodation primer for planning a trip to Whistler with kids. It seemed natural to follow-up with 5 reasons to choose Whistler for your family ski trip. My kids learned to ski at Snoqualmie near our home in Seattle. As they were taking weekly lessons there we used a trip to Whistler as a high point of the ski season and a reward for their efforts. Why? Read on…

Whistler-with-kids-trail-map

There’s an interactive version of this map here.

1. Whistler with Kids: The Mountains

Size. Terrain. Vertical Feet. Skiable area. These are all terms you’d think more suited to a professional skier than a grade-schooler, but even at eight BigB was able to rattle of Whistler’s impressive statistics. At over 8,100 acres of skiable area on the two mountains Whistler is larger than all the other resorts in North America by far. Even a little kid can appreciate the scale by looking at the terrain map. If you have numbers-crazy boys like mine memorizing the facts became a game in itself. The benefit when visiting Whistler with kids? There is no way your child can get bored here. They can play on the snow, roll in the snow, slide on the snow, ski, ride, ride the gondola, and test themselves on Olympic-standard downhill runs and kid-sized terrain parks. Enough said.

whistler-with-kids-blue-runs

2. Whistler with Kids: Ski Runs for Everyone

A big mountain does not a good family ski resort make. There needs to be a good distribution of runs in each skill level. There needs to be opportunities for kids to try out a tree run safely and barrel down a steep with enough room for you to keep close by in case they wipe out. Whistler’s distribution of beginner, intermediate and expert runs is 20-55-25, Blackcomb’s is 15-55-30. Even from the top there’s a choice between easy green, wide, sweeping blues or sharp, straight black runs down the mountain. When you’re at Whistler with your kids it’s easy to accommodate a daredevil kid or a cautious skier and still have plenty of fun.

whistler-with-kids-tree-fort

3. Whistler with Kids: Mountain Features Made for Kids

Yes, that’s a house-sized tree fort, on the mountain. On Whistler mountain actually. Blackcomb has a magic castle. Even the runs into these are kid-sized – or so they always seemed to me. The view across the valley from in front of the tree fort on a clear day makes you feel like the world is laid out at your feet. Not that your kids will notice mind you, they’ll be too busy climbing and sliding, taking a break from the hard work of skiing to just play in this made-for-kids mountain feature.

4. Whistler with Kids: Food, Glorious Food

If your kids are like mine, they’ll spend their ski day alternating between skiing and eating – with likely at least one badly-timed bathroom break. One of my favorite things about skiing on Whistler with kids is the profusion of food choices on the mountains themselves. I ski with pockets stuffed with granola bars, trail mix and chocolate, but they need real food to keep them going too. The resort charge option on Whistler’s lift tickets means that my kids, now a little older, can be independent about choosing and buying their own food.

whistler-with-kids-peak2peak

5. Whistler with kids: The Peak to Peak Gondola

When the Peak to Peak gondola in 2009 opened I swore I’d wait “a few years” before riding on it. My kids had other ideas. We rode it every day, multiple times a day that season. Another one to chalk up on my list of the things you do with kids. And really, my kids were right. On a clear day the views from the gondola are straight from a picture postcard. You have to admire the engineering and, at 11mins start to finish, you have to admit that it’s a faster way to cross from one mountain to the other than downloading and uploading.

You don’t even have to be a skier or boarder to enjoy this panoramic gondola ride which is particularly good to know for anyone visiting Whistler with very young kids. Make a day of it: ride the Whistler gondola up for lunch at the Roundhouse, take the Peak-to-Peak across to Blackcomb for hot chocolate and stop at the sliding center on your way back down the mountain.

That’s it, there’s my 5 great reasons why Whistler is my pick for families. If you have any questions about this resort, or skiing in kids generally, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer your question, ok?

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Whistler Canada Accommodation Primer

whistler-village-areas

We’ll be visiting Whistler in February. That’ll make 12 years of fun family ski memories at this expansive Canadian mountain resort. I shared this with a friend here in Seattle who immediately came back and asked for help in planning his first trip to Whistler with his kids. His primary concern was where to stay given that Whistler is a large resort with many different “neighborhoods”. Here’s the advice I sent to him.

whistler-village

The Whistler Village area is where the hotels (Pan Pacific, Westin, Hilton) are located. On this map, “Skiers Plaza” is the area in front of the lift entrances. This is a busy spot before, during and after the ski day. Crowds gather at the Longhorn Bar (#7) from lunchtime on and this, and the Dublin Gate in the Pan Pacific (#16) are apres-ski central. Village Walk, the main pedestrian thoroughfare through the village starts from behind the Carleton Lodge (#7 on this map). It’s about a mile-long walk from here to the edge of the village i.e. the intersection with Hwy-99. The Village Walk is lined with shops, bars and restaurants and is the heart of the village.

The Whistler Kids drop-off/pick-up area is inside the Village Gondola building. The kids load up in the gondola (too cute when all you can see is the top of their ski helmets) and go up to mid-mountain to the Whistler Kids on-mountain base.

With small kids I’d avoid staying in this section of the village since it does get noisy at night.

whistler-village-north

This where we usually stay. The accommodation is mostly condo complexes some with communal pools or hot tubs. You’re still in the thick of the village action but not likely to be disturbed by late-night revelers. My favorites here are the Delta Whistler suites, the Town Plaza Lodge or Glacier’s Reach (this last because they have private hot tubs).

It’s a bit of a hike from say Town Plaza to the Whistler Kids drop-off especially with young kids in ski boots but if you give yourself an extra 30 minutes you can make it.

whistler-upper-village

Whistler Upper Village aka Blackcomb is where you’ll find the really fancy accommodation: the Four Seasons, the Fairmont and Club Intrawest. There are regular shuttles between Blackcomb and Whistler and it’s really only a 15 min walk between the base areas, but the “village” in Blackcomb is much smaller. There is a single street – maybe 500yards – with no more than 10 shops. On the other hand, the Whistler Kids facility at Blackcomb is at the base area which is logistically easier especially with younger children and children who might need a little more time with Mom or Dad before heading off for the day.

Club Intrawest, with a pool and hot tub, a movie room and a games room is a luxury condo experience in the Upper Village.

The Creekside area is actually the original Whistler base. It’s a 5-10 minute drive to the village proper from here. The Creekside gondola can be excellent because the lines are shorter than the other gondolas but there are limited restaurant choices here and limited shopping.

There are free shuttles between all the village areas.

The maps on this post are all from Whistler resort accommodation information.

I’ve had great success finding good accommodation at reasonable rates using alluradirect.com and from specials on the whistlerblackcomb.com website.

If you have questions about Whistler or skiing with kids, leave your question in the comments below.

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Family Skiing: Three Cost Saving Ideas

PowderPigs

I love my junk mail at this time of the year. It seems like every day there’s another glossy photo of mountains and powder with promises of deals and bargains – all of which I read in detail. Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she? Seriously though, the deluge of ski-themed junk mail did make me realize that I owe it to other folks who are interested in family skiing to share some of the cost-saving strategies I’ve been using to get my family out on the slopes without completely breaking the bank.

Gear
Skiing is an expensive sport. Skis, boots, poles and bindings for just one child can make a hefty dent in any family’s budget. I’ve saved a fortune by using ski swaps. In the Seattle area, the best of the bunch is the Newport Ski and Snowboard Swap held annually at Newport High School (Nov 13-14, 2009, Fri 5pm-9pm & Sat 8am-6pm). Much of the gear on sale comes from individuals or families but local ski shops also participate and provide most of the technical sales assistance. Online classifieds and stores which sell or trade used gear are also a good source. I’ve used craigslist and PlayItAgainSports. If you’re in Utah, you can check out the awesome winter gear section on the Snow List classifieds.

Your munchkins will be champion grumblers rather than champion skiers if they’re cold on the slopes. Layers of warm undies and fleece under insulated, waterproof outwear are a must. There are great deals available right now in the Sale + Clearance section on REI.com – and if you’re a member, they’ll even give you more money off (20%) with the member’s only Fall Coupon Sale. Lands’ End is another good source for reasonably-priced winter clothing. (You can get brand-name, gently-used outerwear at ski swaps, but understandably size selection can be hit-or-miss).

Finally, October is a great time to check out ski shops in your area for sales of last season’s gear and ex-rental equipment. In the Seattle area, I’ve had success with Seattle Ski and Snowboard and Sturtevants. If you’re buying for an older child and expect to use the gear with younger siblings, this is option may be best for you.

Mt Bachelor Cillian

Lift Tickets and Passes
Now is the time to snag early season deals on ski lift tickets. Sales of annual passes for many resorts are heavily discounted if purchased before October 31st with savings still available through Thanksgiving. Similar deals are common on multi-day passes and vacation packages if you book early also. For example, Washington state and Canada residents can pre-purchase lift tickets for Whistler Blackcomb at a 30% discount until November 23rd. If you’re thinking of California, there’s deals on packages at Mammoth and The Village At Squaw Valley (which, btw, has an awesome mountain village feel and great family skiing).

Accommodation
If you’re traveling to ski, accommodation at resorts can be pricey especially during winter vacations. If there’s a resort you’re interested in visiting this season, check out their website now and see if you can sign up for a newsletter or special offer emails. I have consistently found this a reliable source for worthwhile offers. If you’ve rented a house or condo from an individual during a prior season and you plan to return to the same resort this year, contact the owner and ask about discounts for returning visitors.

I realize that some of my fair-weather friends think I’m more than a little nutty about winter sports. But hey, who wouldn’t want one of these:

Mt Bachelor Brendan

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Whistler Trip Report Jan 2009

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We hadn’t actually planned to go to Whistler for New Year, but the whacky pre-Christmas weather in Seattle meant that by January 30th we had spent most of the previous 10 days rattling around the house and everyone was suffering from cabin fever. WanderDad heroically took the boys sledding and we went for some walks in our neighborhood, but the weather was truly conspiring against even these feeble attempts at exercise. The precipitation seemed to be switching randomly between snow, sleet and rain causing us to get sopping wet on each expedition.

Just for kicks, late on January 30th, we had a look at deals and specials on the WhistlerBlackcomb website. Surprisingly, even with the recent economic woes, there didn’t seem to be any significant reducations available for accommodation (our biggest expense on a trip to Whistler). Interesting, but suspicious. I checked a few of the internet booking engines, but again, didn’t find anything which jumped out as a recession-worthy pricing. At this point, the WanderDad, his heart set on a few days of hardcore powder fun, dismissed my obvious ineptitude and took the driving seat. Going straight to Priceline.com he entered a ridiculously low bid price ($150) for a 4-star hotel room in Whistler Village – and it was accepted! For New Year’s Eve!!

It’s exciting to see how Whistler is pulling out all the stops for the 2010 Olympics, starting with the improvements to the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Hwy 99) from Vancouver. Our trip to Whistler took 4.5 hours door-to-door including 20 minutes at the U.S.-Canadian border. More passing lanes and better road surfaces on Hwy 99 are welcome improvements and definitely make the road safer to drive.

CIMG0646Whistler Valley from the Peak2Peak Gondola

The Peak-to-Peak gondola is definitely an exciting addition to the resort. Before our trip, I was adamant that I would wait a few seasons before taking the 11minute ride between the Roundhouse Lodge (on Whistler Mt.) and the Rendevous (on Blackcomb Mt.). As we all know, when you travel with kids, you will do anything to keep them happy and so my terror of unsafe engineering, collapsing gondola towers and almost 2 miles of unsupported span was tossed aside and I marched into the super-sized gondola. We skied Whistler in the morning and Blackcomb in the afternoon and didn’t loose the hour it has taken in prior years to download from one mountain and upload to the other. I’ll just need to work on my worries before we visit again.

For various reasons, making the pre-season ski swaps and sales didn’t quite make my list this fall, so we found ourselves packing the car for our trip without any equipment for our boys. Without time to check out local retailers, we decided to rent at the resort ‘just this once’. So, here’s a quick summary of this year’s equipment rental pricing:
The resort offers rental packages which can be booked in advance with a 30% discount at Equipment Rentals. You can ignore this. The rates – with discount – are higher than rates for comparable packages at rental locations in Whistler village. We used Summit Sports paying $60 for a four-day skis/boots/poles package + a 10% discount since this outlet was in the hotel where we were staying. Affinity Sports has slightly better pricing ($50 for four-day rentals). For comparison, a weekly rental for the same package costs $30 at the Joe’s Sports store in Seattle. (Guess where I’ll be this coming weekend.)

When you ski with kids, it takes longer than you think it should to get out in the morning; they need take an unbelievable number of food and potty breaks; and if it’s too windy, too cold or just too something, you may end up coming down the mountain early. But on a good day, it’s so worth it. We committed to learning how to ski and teaching our children to ski ten years ago when we first visited Whistler – inspired by the many multi-generational family groups we saw out on the mountain together. Our investment is finally paying off. On this trip, we were definitely playing catch-up to our kids.

If you’re visiting the Whistler area soon, here’s our choices for ‘run of the day’ (chosen by BigB and CAM):
Day 1: Whistler Mt. Roundhouse to Creekside: Pony Trail to Franz’s – a long, long run to get your ski legs going.
Day 2: Blackcomb Mt: Wishbone to Zig Zag – fun, fun, fun. Some wide sweeping sections, some narrow steeps and a long curve around to the Excelerator chair.
Day 3: Blackcomb Mt: Dragon Alley (Kid’s Terrain Garden) to Connector. This is what makes Whistler such fun for families: kid-sized gladed tree runs – groomed, no less. Dragon Alley and it’s pair run Black Forest both let out onto Connector for a lazy swoop down to the Solar Coaster Express.

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Top of Blackcomb Mountain 11/25/07

Whistler for Thanksgiving

The Washington State DOT website showed that wait times for crossing the Canadian border were 10 minutes. Set with optimistic expectations for a speedy border crossing, we bundled into the already-packed car and set off. The drive from Seattle to Whistler, BC is 215 miles. It can take anywhere between 4.5 and 6 hours: depending on general freeway traffic, lines at the border and the number of times your kids need bathroom stops. It is not for the faint of heart. But, the destination is truly worth the effort – especially in winter. Whistler is the largest ski resort in North America (measured using skiable area): two mountains and 8,100 acres of skiing pleasure.

I signed up for the snowreport  in mid November. Yes, some people may think this is a form of self-torture. Knowing that it’s snowing in Whistler doesn’t help when the family planner is full as far out as the eye can see! But Lady Luck was on my side: we did not have any Thanksgiving plans and the first snowreport came in with exciting news that the resort was likely to open before Thanksgiving. I opened my web browser to WhistlerBlackcomb.com and started planning a trip for the Thanksgiving weekend. Although I usually do find the planning tools available on this website the best place for trip planning, this time I ended up calling the booking agents at Whistler Central Reservations. With their help, I was able to take advantage of two different early-season deals: free ski passes for the kids (one per adult ski pass) and one night free accommodation. Yoo-hoo!

We stayed at the Delta Whistler Village Suites ($187/night for a 2-bed suite with a full kitchen). Our boys loved the pool and the hot tub. The kitchen was big enough for us to host Thanksgiving dinner for 8 with some friends. The shuttle that Delta runs all day long from the hotel door to the base of the gondolas was a welcome surprise on our first day out: coaxing sleepy boys and all their ski paraphernalia, rushing to get to ski school on time.

Snowsports in November are a rare and wonderful thing: you know that you’re lucky to be able to get out on the snow so early in the season; and yet the conditions can be challenging (bare rocks, tree stumps & ice). That said, the sun was shining and the snow-making machines were on every day. Even better: the lift lines were non-existant. The on-mountain photographers were busy every day, taking photos likely intended for holiday cards (see below!). Having tried Thanksgiving in Whistler once to such success, it may become a family tradition for us. 

Top of Blackcomb Mountain 11/25/07

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