Where to Ski at Whistler/Blackcomb

Whistler and Blackcomb each has its own character. The two side-by-side mountains meet only at their very base. Both mountains have three points of access. On Blackcomb, you can start at Blackcomb Base’s Wizard Chair, or you can jump on Excalibur Gondola either in Whistler Village or at Base II. To get up Whistler Mountain, start either at the Creekside Gondola or in the center of town, where you can catch the Whistler Village Gondola or the Fitzsimmons Chair. No matter which peak you choose to ski first, warm up on the midmountain, then keep moving upward. On Blackcomb, intermediates love scenic midmountain cruisers like Ridge Runner. Advanced skiers dig midmountain’s bumpy trees (try Outer Limits or Arthur’s Choice) and the gnarly terrain of The Bite. Experts have their hands full in Blackcomb’s Alpine with Couloir Extreme, Secret Chute, Pakalolo and the four big, steep bowls accessed over Spanky’s Ladder. Blackcomb’s world-renowned 25-acre Nintendo Terrain Park is a scene worth checking out, even if you don’t try it. Kids love exploring Arthur’s Castle.On Whistler, try peak-to-valley corduroy on Franz’s in the morning. The zone between the Roundhouse and Olympic Station has oodles of offerings for beginners and intermediates who like to cruise. Whistler’s six high alpine bowls have inexhaustible offerings for experienced skiers. West Bowl is always a good bet for powder. Symphony Bowl is readily manageable by confident intermediates.On both mountains, if you think the conditions are crummy where you’re skiing, try somewhere else altogether-you may find the conditions are brilliant. One word of warning: Never go over anything off-piste at Whistler or Blackcomb blind. It might look like a tiny roll, but it could easily be a cliff or a hole.