Welcome to Whistler, a veritable fairground for every type of skier. Whether you’re an off-piste adventurer or still skiing in “pizza” mode, you’ll find easy greens and black runs aplenty in this show-stopping ski town
16 November, 2022
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Is it any surprise that the second-largest country in the world has mountains that are off the scale? The rugged wilderness of Canada's Coast Mountains looks infinite, and with 1,925 hectares of skiable terrain, the skiing opportunities at Whistler Blackcomb pretty much are infinite. We promise it's not just your ski goggles making everything look rose-tinted.
Forget nightmares caused by cheese… the fondue-induced reveries in Whistler are just the tip of the gastronomic iceberg. Throw in a year-round outdoor lifestyle and a roulette wheel of every winter sport imaginable, and it's not hard to see why discerning skiers are leaving European ski resorts behind to ski the other side of the pond.
Photo credit: Tourism Whistler / Guy Fattal
Don't just take our word for it. We've teamed up with Tourism Whistler to offer a lucky reader and their plus one a week-long trip, with flights, accommodation and activities all included. Strap in: here's the ultimate seven-day skiing and snowboarding itinerary that you could experience.
Getting here couldn't be easier. Multiple airlines fly direct from the UK to Vancouver, and regular airport transfers (easily organised in advance) along the Sea To Sky Highway take less than two hours. You'll be swapping your sleep mask for ski goggles in no time.
Whatever your accommodation style (condo, self-catered chalet, luxury hotel), the quality on offer in Whistler means you won't just want to sleep and ski. Our pick is Adara Hotel for its unbeatable location, mere metres from the ski lifts. The heated rooftop pool with views of both Whistler and Blackcomb peaks is very welcome after a day on the slopes.
Photo credit: Tourism Whistler / Guy Fattal; Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova
Warm up on Blackcomb Mountain with the Blue Line run, which, at almost 3km long, cuts across the Horstman Glacier, offering spectacular views over the valley.
All this mountain air works up an appetite, and in Whistler, you won't go hungry. Fancy fine dining? We recommend Bearfoot Bistro, after whetting your palate with a vodka tasting in its Ice Room. The ski town is also famed for the kind of budget bites you'd expect to find at a London market rather than a ski village, with Pizzeria Antico's wood-fired beauties and Chic Pea Hut's sticky cinnamon buns both local favourites.
Fed and watered? Or rather wined? It's back to the slopes to make the most of Whistler's world-class skiing. Keen skiers can, and do, spend all season here. Best of all, with the Peak 2 Peak Gondola running between the two, it would be rude not to ski both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains during the same day. The views as you travel between the two, soaring 436m above the ground, certainly beat a shuttle bus. Then there's ziplining (throughout the winter), snowmobiling, snowshoeing, heli-skiing… need we continue?
Et après, we hear you ask? It's not just mulled wine that warms your cockles; Whistler locals are notoriously welcoming and the après-ski here is an institution. Head to The Longhorn Saloon to compare notes on perfect bluebird days as champagne corks pop and the music reverberates off the surrounding mountains.
Photo credit: Tourism Whistler / Guy Fattal
You're not ready to give up the slopes yet (and who can blame you), but Whistler's cultural scene has enough to tempt even the most die-hard skier into town. Futuristic-looking, the Audain Art Museum sits on a linear plot in the forest and has 5,200sq m of temporary exhibitions and permanent collections. 15 minutes' drive through the trees from the museum, spread across Cougar Mountain, the landscape comes alive after dark with a bewitching multimedia light show among the trees - the Vallea Lumina.
Challenge yourself on your last few days with some of Whistler Blackcomb's gnarliest runs. Daredevils should head to Couloir Extreme, named one of the "most terrifying ski runs in the world". Much of it plummets down at a 42-degree angle, and rewards skiers who manage to stay upright with superb panoramas.
Calm your nerves after with Whistler's finest tipples. The Raven Room has an inventive list of cocktails you'll never have heard of (move over, negroni sbagliato) and plenty of artisan local beers. Canada's craft scene has never been hotter, and some of the most exciting brews are being made in the mountains. For a taste, slide over to Whistler Brewing Company and work your way through a flight of landscape-inspired beers.
Photo credit: Xwalacktun, He-yay meymuy (Big Flood), 2014-2015, aluminum with LED lights, Audain Art Museum Collection, Purchased with funds from the Audain Foundation, Tourism Whistler / Mike Crane ; Tourism Whistler / Justa Jeskova
The final stop on this snowy escape? Your last evening calls for an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience. The Finer Things Tasting Tour includes four courses at four award-winning restaurants, plus a visit to a wine cellar, with a lesson in how to saber champagne (we kid you not). After all the slope-riding, sipping and cultural immersing of your seven-day escape, we'd say a little fizz - Whistler-style - provides the final flourish for your mountain adventure.
