# Not impressed with Whistler/Blackcomb



## deeken

My wife and I decided to go to Whistler for our honeymoon. This was pretty much my idea. Its been rated the top ski resort in world by just about every magazine and a lot of people here spoke highly about it. I was very stoked about the trip and was looking forward to hitting some nice pow. 

We were in Whistler the week of Feb 28 till March 3rd and we boarded for 3 days. I am not looking to trash these 2 mountains nor am I trying to discourage anyone from going but I want to give my honest opinion/review. 

I've never been to a more massive ski resort in my life. The mountains are just enormous. I was completely awestruck when I saw the mountains. From the trail maps it seems like there were more trails than I would ever get a chance to ride. My wife and I hit Blackcomb the first day and Whistler the next 2 days. 

We did most of the blue trails on Blackcomb the first day. It seems like the green tails were a little crowded and some traversing was required. I started off on the Expressway and soon realized it was a waste of time. The blue trails such as Springboard and Ross's gold were a bit more enjoyable but there were patches of ice that you had to watch out for. Yes ice. I only thought this was a North East thing. Never the less we had a decent time on Blackcomb that day. I did enjoy the left side of the mountain and trails like the Ridge runner, Twist and shout and Rock n'Roll. 

Whistler was a little more enjoyable but there were way too many trails that required traversing and moguls. All the Creekside trails had annoying moguls and were just not meant for snowboarders. All the bowls were completely traveled on with not a single area of fresh snow. I made the mistake of taking the Upper Peak to creek trail to the Lower Peak to Creek and had the bumpy ride all the way down. If the trail was nice and smooth it would have been a lot of fun. There were not a lot of people on this trail and I would have enjoyed it. 
The trails on the left such as the Harmony were fun but if you went down Marmot you were stuck and had to get off your board and walk to the lift. You also had to Traverse up top on Harmony as well. Also these trails were quick and over before you knew it. The best run in my opinion was the upper peak to creek to Highway 86 but this required 3 lifts to get to from the bottom. It just seems like I was on the cot damn lift more than I was on the trails. 

On our last day (Friday) the mountain was cloudy. A front came in and cover 2/3 of the mountain with a blanket blinding fog. This lasted till Sunday. You could only ride the middle of each mountain. The top and bottom of the mountains were covered in a fog so dense you could barely see 5 feet in front of you. It was a pretty hairy experience riding through that and we decided that it was best to call it a day after a few runs. 

All in all I left Whistler/Blackcomb underwhelmed with no desire to ever return. Here were my major complaints:
1- Blackcomb snow conditions were not that good with lots of ice patches. (I thought this was supposed to be the best snow on the planet)
2- Several trails on both mountains required traversing and way too many trails with moguls.
3- If it gets a little cloudy it gets dangers and the trails with visibility get very crowded.
4- Too many lifts to get to the top. I don't care what people say their lifts and not fast moving.
5- Fun trails are short.

As I said, this is just my opinion. I guess I was to excited and got my hopes up too much about this resort that I ended up being disappointed. I strongly believe Whistler/Blackcomb is a skier's mountain and would suggest snowboarders save their money and go elsewhere.


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## Donutz

Yeah, I don't need to hear that. You take that back! :laugh:

Seriously, I'm going up there with the family for a week on the 18th. I'm hoping that your issues were caused more by the crappy weather we've been having than anything else. The date range you speak of did in fact have a huge jump in the freezing level for a few days. Don't want to bum you out, but I think your timing may have been a bit off (If it helps at all, I could end up with the same  )

It is _always_ a problem when something gets talked up to the point where your expectations are enormous, and the reality turns out to be at the level of simple mortals. I think there's a thread on right now where someone bought (or tried) a Never Summer and wasn't impressed.

Anyway, reading between the lines of disappointment, I appreciate the pointers of what to try and what to avoid.


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## deeken

You know what, if you go to Whistler without all the excitement and optimism I went with then I think you should be fine. I kinda blame myself. I was looking forward to this trip more than anything in the world and I ended up being disappointed. 

Here is my advice; spend more time on Whistler. The conditions were better than Blackcomb and the trails were more enjoyable. Just be prepared to sit on a lift most of the day. I wish they would just invest money in a gondola that would take you from top to bottom rather than dealing with those lifts.


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## deeken

mpdsnowman said:


> You know one of the biggest fears I have when putting on a meet is the weather. That is something you cannot control and yet the most critical.
> 
> Ive said it around these forums recently that the winter was really shitty for everyone. Sure a few pockets survived no problem but in all honesty every resort had issues this year. From what I read their might even be a drought out west. The east will more than likely have the same similar issue..
> 
> 
> Alot of peoples vacations were effected in this way. I dont think any resort could or should be held accountable for it unless of course they didnt maintain the oonditions best they could.
> 
> The only reason Jay peak made any money was because of their new indoor waterpark. If they didnt have that they were screwed. It was brown 13 days before we all got there...lucky us I guess:dunno:
> 
> I think we should all throw this year out and see what next year brings:laugh:


But the conditions at Whistler/blackcomb were not that terrible. Yes, we here on the Northeast have been suffering through a shitty Winter but they did get some decent snow up there. My major gripe with Whistler/Blackcomb was their ridiculous lift system, excessive traversing and lack of trails catered for snowboarders. Yes conditions were not the best but is was no where near as bad as what we got.


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## killclimbz

If it had of snowed five feet while you were there you probably would have been raving about it. 

The mountains are huge, not sure about the catering to snowboarders with the trail lay out. Sometimes the natural features of the mountain make it what it is. I haven't ridden there so I can't really comment on it. 

I do know that it's a Disney Land for traveling snow sports types. For some that is great, for others it's a turn off.


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## antman747

I have been to Whistler 3 times in my life. Once 15 years ago, 5 years ago and last year. I love this place, but the only thing that ruins it for me are the crowds. Any weather sport (surfing/skiing etc.) and your traveling has potential disappointments. I went to powder mountain this year as it was a family vacation and I had 4 young kids that needed lessons and I wanted a low key place. Scored the best day and week of the season last week. I may never go to Whistler again, but I'm glad I went there when I did. Each time was special, but I don't like being one of the many like cattle.


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## srdeo

Any mountain with bad condtion is not going to be good no matter how the runs are laid out.
I think Whistler is rated number 1 resort because of the village and hospitality.
They are rated number 1 resort not number 1 snow. No mountain has powder for 6 month straight. Every mountain has good days and bad days, you happen to pick 3 bad days. I like Whistler for all the stuff you can do after skiing (restaurants, bars, movies etc). At other resorts you are stuck in a hotel rest of the nite. And when it snows the mountain is also awesome and the whole resort has good atmosphere and people. If you want to go somewhere just for the best snow condition, you should go to MT baker or Canadian Rockies, but you will have absolutely nothing to do after skiing.


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## grafta

There is only one problem with Whistler/Blackcomb: people.

They get a shit-ton of great snow (yes some is a little wet/heavy at times) that gets mobbed out so fricken quick by the massive weekend crowds and the hungry locals that is isn't worth it.

The marketing department at WB is genius and draws enormous crowds of holiday people just like the OP.

Sure the terrain is amazing, and if you stay away from groomed and marked trails you can score... but it's unlikely and very much more likely you will discover huge icy mogul hell bumps... oh well


My 2cents


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## deeken

grafta said:


> There is only one problem with Whistler/Blackcomb: people.
> 
> They get a shit-ton of great snow (yes some is a little wet/heavy at times) that gets mobbed out so fricken quick by the massive weekend crowds and the hungry locals that is isn't worth it.
> 
> The marketing department at WB is genius and draws enormous crowds of holiday people just like the OP.
> 
> Sure the terrain is amazing, and if you stay away from groomed and marked trails you can score... but it's unlikely and very much more likely you will discover huge icy mogul hell bumps... oh well
> 
> 
> My 2cents


Dude, I wish I would have gotten this advice before I blew $4,500 on that effen trip. I didn't even board on a weekend and it was still crowded. The rude fucken skiers are everywhere. Did I forget to mention that A lot of people there were dicks? Other than the people that worked on the mountain (lots of Ausie's) just about every person I asked for directions to a trail gave me a snide response. 

To top it all off the Hotel we were staying in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler stuck my wife and I in a shitty room with 2 queen beds. I told the asshole receptionist that this was our honeymoon and asked him to please give us a King size bed he told me that wasn't happening and to deal with the room we got. Assholes. You know what fuck Whistler/Blackcomb!!! The more I think about this trip the angrier I get. 

If I could take back this honeymoon and go to a tropical resort instead I would do it in a heartbeat.


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## grafta

I'm truly sorry for your experience man.

My gf and I have had *some* good days up there but have also been lucky with having a guy we know (with about 40yrs WB experience) show us around some of the stashes.

That said, we were up there on monday and were just thoroughly pissed off by many different incidents during the day. Decided then and there to not bother again.

I did get a good drop on one of the horseshoes over on harmony which would've been the highlight of my day... other than that, nah...

Hope you can find somewhere to head to make up for it. Plenty great places left to see :thumbsup:


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## Argo

Dude. I request twp queen beds so we can fuck in one bed then sleep in the other...


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## campfortune

deeken said:


> A lot of people there were dicks? Other than the people that worked on the mountain (lots of Ausie's) just about every person I asked for directions to a trail gave me a snide response.
> 
> To top it all off the Hotel we were staying in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler stuck my wife and I in a shitty room with 2 queen beds. I told the asshole receptionist that this was our honeymoon and asked him to please give us a King size bed he told me that wasn't happening and to deal with the room we got. Assholes. You know what fuck Whistler/Blackcomb!!! The more I think about this trip the angrier I get.
> 
> If I could take back this honeymoon and go to a tropical resort instead I would do it in a heartbeat.


Agreed. This reminds me of a very bad experience there...

very arrogant and assholish people


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## Donutz

I wonder if the size of the winter crowds just burns out the staff. We went there last summer for a few days and found everyone very pleasant. Didn't have a single complaint. But the crowd size was quite reasonable, about what you'd get walking around downtown on a friday night.


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## SnowRock

Goes to show you how much weather can impact an experience.. I have been up there twice and had amazing experiences. The most recent trip was 6 years ago in the middle of one of those 50+ inch in 5 days cycles. It was unreal. 

We did the first tracks thing one day and then on our last day of riding, met a super friendly local who gave us an early heads up on the peak chair being opened. We got in-line early, watched people hucking off of Air Jordan and followed him left off the chair when most were going right. I remember he lead us to a fun, narrow chute. As an east coaster and one of my first times west it was definitely a new experience. 

My group loved the trip... lone bad experience was me making the wrong call on direction towards a run out and having to crawl my way out chest deep powder.


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## grafta

Argo said:


> Dude. I request twp queen beds so we can fuck in one bed then sleep in the other...


If i ever have a tagline for my avatar, can I use this?

:laugh:

Classic :thumbsup:


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## deeken

Argo said:


> Dude. I request twp queen beds so we can fuck in one bed then sleep in the other...


If it were any other trip I would be totally fine with this. My wife and I (before we got married) have done this plenty of times before. As a matter of fact I prefer it at times. Its nice having your own bed to sprawl out on. BUT this was our honeymoon and we looked forward to a nice, romantic, luxurious getaway not a room suited for 2 dudes on a ski trip. The place was a sham and I complained to the travel agency and the hotel. 



Donutz said:


> I wonder if the size of the winter crowds just burns out the staff. We went there last summer for a few days and found everyone very pleasant. Didn't have a single complaint. But the crowd size was quite reasonable, about what you'd get walking around downtown on a friday night.


Other than the unaccommodating receptionist at the hotel everybody that worked at Whistler was great. The staff on the mountain, the bar tenders, waiters, etc were are very nice. The assholes were the skiers on the mountains. Not a single one of them was helpful or friendly. 



grafta said:


> I'm truly sorry for your experience man.
> 
> My gf and I have had *some* good days up there but have also been lucky with having a guy we know (with about 40yrs WB experience) show us around some of the stashes.
> 
> That said, we were up there on monday and were just thoroughly pissed off by many different incidents during the day. Decided then and there to not bother again.
> 
> I did get a good drop on one of the horseshoes over on harmony which would've been the highlight of my day... other than that, nah...
> 
> Hope you can find somewhere to head to make up for it. Plenty great places left to see :thumbsup:


Thanks for your sympathy bro. Shit happens and I guess I will have to deal with it. Hopefully my next trip won't be this bad. Thinking Mammoth or Utah depending on the conditions.


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## schmitty34

Sorry to hear that the trip was disappointing (especially with it being your honeymoon), but I gotta say that I love Whistler. Granted I live in Seattle so it is an easier/cheaper trip for me, but I have been there 10+ times and have enjoyed it every single time. The snow hasn’t always been great (no resort can do that) but the combo of the huge mountains and fun village never let me down. 

I have only been there for one “honeymoon type” trip (anniversary weekend getaway with my wife) and that was in August so it was a totally different trip. Every other trip has been a guys weekend in the spring, Bachelor party in July and big group trips with friends in the Feb-March timeframe. These types of trips are much better at Whistler because the village is such a fun place to hang with friends.

One thing I will say about the mountains. They are so big and so crowded at times, it really helps to know where to go. There are so many lame crowded runs, but there are also many amazing runs with a lot of fun stuff off the beaten path, but you have to know where to find those places. If not, you just get overwhelmed and lost on the mountain. And obviously if you are there with a lot of snow….it’s awesome.

Again, sorry the honeymoon wasn't what you were hoping for.


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## poutanen

I've never hit whistler, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I've heard their powder is like boarding through mashed potatoes, while the rockies powder is much drier, lighter, powdery lol

This year I've hit Fernie, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Kimberley, and Nakiska in the Alberta/BC border area, and rarely have I found ice. A few days we've had hardpack this year but there are always runs with some good snow. Also the fact that there are 9-10 really good resorts within a 5 hour drive of Calgary (population 1.2 mil or so) means that the lift lines aren't bad. Mid-week you can ski right on most chairs, and even weekends I move around on the hills and hit lifts that I never have to wait for.

Sorry your trip sucked, I'd hate to plan something for so long, and be so stoked, only to have it not turn out. BTW I've had two Jay Peak, VT trips in the past year and it was great each time. Also quite cheap. Maybe time to do a trip there to make you forget about the honeymoon?


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## grafta

poutanen said:


> I've never hit whistler, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I've heard their powder is like boarding through mashed potatoes, while the rockies powder is much drier, lighter, powdery lol


Ha, yeah that's def a generalisation. Everywhere depends on temps etc. Sometimes snow out here is heavy for sure... not always, sometimes... yes probably most def more so than the interior.


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## roremc

$4500 for 3 days riding?!?! What else did you do? 

Snow is a fickle beast. If you got a foot of fresh each day you would have left with a different story. 

Have not ridden WB but if you look at how close it is to the biggest city in Western Canada that shit will be tracked even when they get pow. Hopefully it does not put you off riding in Canada. Come see us in Banff and we will sort you out!


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## deeken

poutanen said:


> I've never hit whistler, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I've heard their powder is like boarding through mashed potatoes, while the rockies powder is much drier, lighter, powdery lol
> 
> This year I've hit Fernie, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Kimberley, and Nakiska in the Alberta/BC border area, and rarely have I found ice. A few days we've had hardpack this year but there are always runs with some good snow. Also the fact that there are 9-10 really good resorts within a 5 hour drive of Calgary (population 1.2 mil or so) means that the lift lines aren't bad. Mid-week you can ski right on most chairs, and even weekends I move around on the hills and hit lifts that I never have to wait for.
> 
> Sorry your trip sucked, I'd hate to plan something for so long, and be so stoked, only to have it not turn out. BTW I've had two Jay Peak, VT trips in the past year and it was great each time. Also quite cheap. Maybe time to do a trip there to make you forget about the honeymoon?


Ahh no worries man and thanks for you concern. You dudes here have been very understanding about this trip. It was combination of a few things that made this trip go bad. 

My wife and I are planning one last trip to Stratton with our buddies the last week of March but I don't think its possible now. Cot damn this season sucked.



roremc said:


> $4500 for 3 days riding?!?! What else did you do?
> 
> Snow is a fickle beast. If you got a foot of fresh each day you would have left with a different story.
> 
> Have not ridden WB but if you look at how close it is to the biggest city in Western Canada that shit will be tracked even when they get pow. Hopefully it does not put you off riding in Canada. Come see us in Banff and we will sort you out!


Flight, transportation to and back to the airport and room & board alone cost me ~$3,400. We were there for 6 days so we ate and drank like kings just about every day. I don't want to start doing the math (because it might get me frustrated) but I might have spent close to $5000 all together.


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## wrathfuldeity

Feb 28 till March 3rd...too bad you didn't check out about 3 hours south and you could have ridden like a king with your queen...one of the best weeks of the year and march is looking damm fine also. However we don't have the royal accommodations cause its the holyland...all we gots is the barn.


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## grafta

roremc said:


> If you got a foot of fresh each day you would have left with a different story.


Nah, even with a foot of fresh WB will be tracked to shit before you find anything good... if you're local and know _exactly_ where to go on that first chair then _maybe_


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## Sick-Pow

I would never actually book a location, unless its Revy or Baker. I go where the snow is flying. Pay a penalty for airfare, sure, but there are ways around that too. Beats a crap cycle for sure tough.


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## grafta

Sick-Pow said:


> I would never actually book a location, unless its Revy or Baker. I go where the snow is flying. Pay a penalty for airfare, sure, but there are ways around that too. Beats a crap cycle for sure tough.


Read through the thread. I don't think this is really about how much snow you get...


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## srdeo

grafta said:


> Read through the thread. I don't think this is really about how much snow you get...


But 2 feet of snow would have made up for bad services.
It is really too bad it happened on his honeymoon.
I guess that's why he was more upset. 
Make sure you review online the place with bad services, it will help other people planning on going there. And maybe they will fix the way they do business and train their staff properly.


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## grafta

srdeo said:


> But 2 feet of snow would have made up for bad services.


Not necessarily, i'll say it again: Even with fresh pow, you probably ain't gonna know where to go to find untracked goods anyway.


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## poutanen

mpdsnowman said:


> IDK...from alot of peoples perspective a foot of snow would have made up for a bad time:laugh:


You're thinking of Jay which is fantastic with tons of powder. It's a quiet hill so doesn't get tracked out too quick, and there aren't many flats (except the bottom heading to the Flyer and the Tram) so you can have a blast without getting stuck and wasting time/energy. I haven't boarded at Whistler, but I've hit another large resort with a foot of powder and it was boring, too many flats meant I had to bomb the last 1/3rd of the runs to make it back to the lift.

Of course W/B is going to get the most press, bad and good, because it's been THE resort to go to in Canada for years. Revelstoke is getting in the news more now so that could change, and I'm glad that places like Fernie are known but not TOO known yet...


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## onefutui2e

showed up to jay the week after it got dumped; still pretty great in the glades. gonna hit it up against next week so hopefully the snow will survive past the warm temperatures =\


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## photohunts

Bummer about your trip experience. I left with a much better experience. Of course, I went with a group of 16, rented a lodge 5 minutes outside of the village, and had some ladies to cook us some fine meals. I was there from 3/03 to 3/06. Rode from 3/04 to 3/06. First two days were horrendous for weather conditions. White out with rain the first day. Last day was a bluebird and was just amazing. We got up early enough with only 30 people in front of us at the Blackcomb gondola and got some fresh tracks on 7th heaven. Mostly rode Blackcomb and only went on Whistler to ride the peak2peak. I had a blast on the mountain. I didn't interact with much people on the mountain, but the folks that I did talk to were friendly.

Help me try to understand why you guys decided to spend your honeymoon on snow sports. I'm guessing you both enjoy it that much, but my lady would've voted for the tropical island. Perhaps, you may have a different experience when you visit with less expectations and pressure that comes with a honeymoon. There is so much pressure for it to be perfect. Hope the next one turns out much better for you!


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## SnowboardEve

Sorry about the bad trip but you really picked the wrong time. It's spring break plus the weather is really random around here. Luckily the few times I've gone to Whistler I got lucky and the weather was really nice. Not sure why some people were rude to you, I always make new friends at Whistler and I'm not even a people person. People from whistler are the coolest people I've met. Hope you still had fun despite everything because it's really beautiful there and there's many other fun things to do besides just snowboard.


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## marcdeo

You were grossly mislead if you went to Whistler looking for "The best snow on the planet". this is simply not the case - the proximity to the coast makes for precarious snow conditions. A little research would reveal that you go to whistler for the experience, not the snow. Im not saying that whistler doesn't get good snow, but it's pretty common knowledge the snow quality is average at best (certain times notwithstanding). 

and whistler is BUSY. Any busy resort will lead to tracked out trails. A dumping of 3 feet overnight doesn't stand a chance with thousands of people tracking out the trails - the pow is gone by lunch. If you want mega snow, untracked, there are better options (resort wise - becasue there's always Heli)- look for heavier lighter snowfall in different regions and resort which arent as busy. If I wanna party I'll go to whistler. If I am looking for deep untracked pow - Revy is a good option. Fernie too. AK, japan..... ok now im getting ahead of myself... my point is The further you get away from the west coast and travel inland (or elsewhere) the less likely you'll be traversing the "West Coast Cement".


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## grafta

Well done dude. You just said the same thing everyone else did... months ago


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## marcdeo

grafta said:


> Well done dude. You just said the same thing everyone else did... months ago


Right. It was redundant (I read it quickly and replied without seeing others post). Yet as pointless as it was, it still managed to grab your attention, and elicit a response from you. Well done dude.


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## Nolefan2011

Shit, I don't care if it's too months late, because hopefully people are using the search function to answer their questions anyway, since there is a wealth of info out there, so I'll add to it.

I did a Kicking Horse / Revelstoke trip. One of the best experiences I have ever had on a mountain. I did see you mentioning enjoying trails - which I would say can be limited here, as it's all about making your own trail. But for sheer powder, varied terrain, and endless possibilities, these two resorts were amazing. It would dump, and you would still find stashes 3 days later, and you didn't have to know the mountain that well to find it.


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## poutanen

Nolefan2011 said:


> I did a Kicking Horse / Revelstoke trip. One of the best experiences I have ever had on a mountain. I did see you mentioning enjoying trails - which I would say can be limited here, as it's all about making your own trail. But for sheer powder, varied terrain, and endless possibilities, these two resorts were amazing. It would dump, and you would still find stashes 3 days later, and you didn't have to know the mountain that well to find it.


This is like Fernie to me... I'm still a Fernie noob (did 10 days there this year I think) but even I can find stashes days after it's dumped.

I'm stoked because I have a season pass for Kicking Horse this coming year! (and Fernie, Kimberley, Nakiska and Lake Louise) SHAZZAM!!!!


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## grafta

marcdeo said:


> Right. It was redundant (I read it quickly and replied without seeing others post). Yet as pointless as it was, it still managed to grab your attention, and elicit a response from you. Well done dude.


:laugh:

Sorry dude my tone in that post was uncalled for


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## blunted_nose

damn it, went to revelstoke mtn. in BC last year for 5 days. I did the same mistake and watched every, and i mean EVERY SINGLE ONE, video of pros riding pow there and actually bought a gopro for it aswell. Needless to say it was that one week that it was a warm week after a pow week. i almost cried. took me 2 years (im 18 now but only now did i get a job before it was every penny i could get i saved for that week) to gather that money to go with friends and we even timed it so we would hit a storm. The stom hit the resort one week early and all i got was run down moguls with sweaty temps. We hiked to get 1cm of slushy pow and since it was so slow we had to hike out of the runout aswell.... i think i lost about 20 pounds that week... im going to stick to mtn's i can get to in about 2 hrs, incase theres a pow day i can just jump in the car at 5 and catch the first chair...


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## Alt_Reality

blunted_nose said:


> damn it, went to revelstoke mtn. in BC last year for 5 days. I did the same mistake and watched every, and i mean EVERY SINGLE ONE, video of pros riding pow there and actually bought a gopro for it aswell. Needless to say it was that one week that it was a warm week after a pow week. i almost cried. took me 2 years (im 18 now but only now did i get a job before it was every penny i could get i saved for that week) to gather that money to go with friends and we even timed it so we would hit a storm. The stom hit the resort one week early and all i got was run down moguls with sweaty temps. We hiked to get 1cm of slushy pow and since it was so slow we had to hike out of the runout aswell.... i think i lost about 20 pounds that week... im going to stick to mtn's i can get to in about 2 hrs, incase theres a pow day i can just jump in the car at 5 and catch the first chair...



Man that was painful to read. Don't be discouraged forever though - the more trips you take (esp to Utah), the more you increase your odds. You'll make more money to do that when you get older.


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## Alt_Reality

So yeah, it's a few months late like grafta said but heck, I'm gettin the itch to ride early and just happy to talk about this stuff!

Unless I missed it, I'm surprised nobody has really said that a 3 day trip is not a good enough sample to judge a mountain. A few points:

All mountains are susceptible to bad conditions at any given time, even Alaska. That's the risk you take with a short trip.
It sounds like you (original poster) stuck to groomers and like some of the others said, they'll get tracked out on a powder day. The good stuff can often still be found in the trees or really high up on the mountain where temps don't flex into high temp/low temp cycles (which causes the crap conditions)
Hope I'm not unfairly judging your skills but it sounds like you haven't ridden big mountains much which means if there was pow, it coulda been a challenging situation for ya. So in some ways, on a short trip, hardpack can be fun - avoid the crowds by getting on the steeper slopes, bend those knees, get high up on edge, lean downhill into your turns and watch the magic of your sidecut do the work! Or point it straight down and blast away. On mountains the size of WB, you can often find a different way to enjoy it in many different conditions.

My overall point is that I wouldn't want peeps getting discouraged from Whistler or any other mountain based on one very short trip and I did see some others posting something to that effect. Just go and pray for good weather!


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## deeken

Ok after several months, I have had more time to really think about this and here is what I have to say about Whistler. And I want people to understand it not just about the conditions, it is about the total experience. 

My trip was not as enjoyable because:
1- The hotel. Supposed to be a 4 1/2 start resort but could barely pass for a 3 star. Also they were not very accommodating. 
2- The price. It cost a small fortune for a 5 day trip. Totally not worth it. I purchased everything at a discounted rate so I got it at the cheapest price possible.
3- Conditions. Icey at some parts, overcrowded (even though we went during the weekdays), snow was shitty and visibility was poor.
4- People (not the staff but the skiers) there sucked. I've never met more arrogant and rude people in my life. Worse than the NYC Subway. I thought Canadians were easy going and nice people but I was wrong. Canadian Skiers are the biggest pricks I've ever met. 
5- Distance. It took an entire day just to get there. Just not worth it.

All in all, Whistler is more like a Disney world rather than a ski resort. Yeah, its huge and you get 2 mountains to chose from but if they were busy on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday then I don't even want to know what it would be like on the weekend. 

I would never go back to Whistler. I experienced the hype that it was. With the amount of money I spent on this trip I could have gone to Antigua for a week followed by a week at Utah or Tahoe. If you live in the Northwest I suggest that you go for it, but if you live anywhere else save your money and go somewhere else.


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## poutanen

deeken said:


> 4- People (not the staff but the skiers) there sucked. I've never met more arrogant and rude people in my life. Worse than the NYC Subway. I thought Canadians were easy going and nice people but I was wrong. Canadian Skiers are the biggest pricks I've ever met.


I imagine this may have more to do with it being the "it" hill to go to than us Canucks in general! In the Canadian rockies you do meet some pricks but generally I've met great people on the hills here.

Also, it's been our culture for a while now that we are perceived as weak, easy going Canada, vs. the perception of Americans as in your face, aggressive and strong. There has been a shift to try to get us to be more assertive as a society and maybe you saw a bit of that? Maybe we're going too far? IF SO FUCK IT!!!!! lol :cheeky4:


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## timmytard

poutanen said:


> I imagine this may have more to do with it being the "it" hill to go to than us Canucks in general! In the Canadian rockies you do meet some pricks but generally I've met great people on the hills here.
> 
> Also, it's been our culture for a while now that we are perceived as weak, easy going Canada, vs. the perception of Americans as in your face, aggressive and strong. There has been a shift to try to get us to be more assertive as a society and maybe you saw a bit of that? Maybe we're going too far? IF SO FUCK IT!!!!! lol :cheeky4:


I've heard and always thought that Canadians were supposed to be super nice easy going people.
I went to Mexico a couple years ago & I couldn't believe how rude & obnoxious almost all the Canadians that I encountered there were.
I was very embarrassed to be Canadian, even though the Mexicans still disliked Americans far more than Canadians. I don't think I came across one American douche bag. I went as far as getting a Canadian flag painted on the side of my neck.
But I can say that the Mexican women sure like blond hair, blue eyed guys.

TT


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## poutanen

timmytard said:


> I've heard and always thought that Canadians were supposed to be super nice easy going people.
> I went to Mexico a couple years ago & I couldn't believe how rude & obnoxious almost all the Canadians that I encountered there were.
> I was very embarrassed to be Canadian, even though the Mexicans still disliked Americans far more than Canadians. I don't think I came across one American douche bag. I went as far as getting a Canadian flag painted on the side of my neck.
> But I can say that the Mexican women sure like blond hair, blue eyed guys.
> 
> TT


Maybe we're so damn nice all the time we have to let it all out on vacation?!? lol 

I've had good days and bad days on the slopes all over North America. Some of the best vibes I get from people are at Jay Peak, VT and Fernie, BC. They both feel like hippy towns where people are more worried about having a good time than causing a scene. I find the opposite at Blue Mountain, ON and Sunshine, AB where it's every man for himself!


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## timmytard

You didn't happen to see the new Burton board with Animal on it did chya?

TT


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## poutanen

timmytard said:


> You didn't happen to see the new Burton board with Animal on it did chya?
> 
> TT


Yup unfortunately it's not the stiff camber stick I like  I might get my topsheet painted to match though it looks great!


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## grafta

deeken said:


> Ok after several months, I have had more time to really think about this and here is what I have to say about Whistler. And I want people to understand it not just about the conditions, it is about the total experience.
> 
> My trip was not as enjoyable because:
> 1- The hotel. Supposed to be a 4 1/2 start resort but could barely pass for a 3 star. Also they were not very accommodating.
> 2- The price. It cost a small fortune for a 5 day trip. Totally not worth it. I purchased everything at a discounted rate so I got it at the cheapest price possible.
> 3- Conditions. Icey at some parts, overcrowded (even though we went during the weekdays), snow was shitty and visibility was poor.
> 4- People (not the staff but the skiers) there sucked. I've never met more arrogant and rude people in my life. Worse than the NYC Subway. I thought Canadians were easy going and nice people but I was wrong. Canadian Skiers are the biggest pricks I've ever met.
> 5- Distance. It took an entire day just to get there. Just not worth it.
> 
> All in all, Whistler is more like a Disney world rather than a ski resort. Yeah, its huge and you get 2 mountains to chose from but if they were busy on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday then I don't even want to know what it would be like on the weekend.
> 
> I would never go back to Whistler. I experienced the hype that it was. With the amount of money I spent on this trip I could have gone to Antigua for a week followed by a week at Utah or Tahoe. If you live in the Northwest I suggest that you go for it, but if you live anywhere else save your money and go somewhere else.


Holy crap. Someone shut down this thread please.

Yes yes, people have a bad time at Whis. We know... and people will continue to go there.

Oh and deeken, you probably didn't encounter many Canadians. Not sure they have them up there any more


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## schmitty34

grafta said:


> Holy crap. Someone shut down this thread please.
> 
> Yes yes, people have a bad time at Whis. We know... and people will continue to go there.
> 
> Oh and deeken, you probably didn't encounter many Canadians. Not sure they have them up there any more



Pretty sure Whistler is 90% Aussie/Kiwi :dunno:


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## blunted_nose

schmitty34 said:


> Pretty sure Whistler is 90% Aussie/Kiwi :dunno:


This might upset some people, but when i ride i get stoned with my friends and then i just dont care anymore. I enjoy riding by myself at my tempo and i found that most people dont bother me in canada. They are just as stoked to ride as you! I dont even get how can someone make you mad snowboarding, unless you spend more time drinking beer and caring about other people's bussiness?


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## blunted_nose

Alt_Reality said:


> Man that was painful to read. Don't be discouraged forever though - the more trips you take (esp to Utah), the more you increase your odds. You'll make more money to do that when you get older.


Im guessing because IM HORRIBLE AT writing on forums(sentence structure,grammar ect).... But i try!

Im deff not done with revelstoke, actually if you would encounter a good pow day there it would be insane....


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## Alt_Reality

blunted_nose said:


> Im guessing because IM HORRIBLE AT writing on forums(sentence structure,grammar ect)


Ha - no, cuz u sacrificed like hell and got a mediocre week! 

Ok Grafta, close it down now


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## Sassicaia

I went to whistler for a half a dozen or so 2-3 night trips and I ALWAYS had a blast. Great weather and snow, eating at Hys and he Rim Rock, staying at my favorite hotel and always seem to meet groups of single girls.

I dont get all the fuss. Its rated in the top 10 resorts in the world for a reason, and I find that reason every time I go there.


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## blunted_nose

Sassicaia said:


> I went to whistler for a half a dozen or so 2-3 night trips and I ALWAYS had a blast. Great weather and snow, eating at Hys and he Rim Rock, staying at my favorite hotel and always seem to meet groups of single girls.
> 
> I dont get all the fuss. Its rated in the top 10 resorts in the world for a reason, and I find that reason every time I go there.


Sounds like your pretty lucky.


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## deeken

Sassicaia said:


> I went to whistler for a half a dozen or so 2-3 night trips and I ALWAYS had a blast. Great weather and snow, eating at Hys and he Rim Rock, staying at my favorite hotel and always seem to meet groups of single girls.
> 
> I dont get all the fuss. Its rated in the top 10 resorts in the world for a reason, and I find that reason every time I go there.


You sound like someone that works for Whistler trying to promote the joint. You keep going buddy and I'm sure in your imaginary world you will meet these groups of single ladies.


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## blunted_nose

deeken said:


> You sound like someone that works for Whistler trying to promote the joint. You keep going buddy and I'm sure in your imaginary world you will meet these groups of single ladies.


HEHE, maybe a group of men?!?


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## pencap75

I had my snowboard honeymoon at Banff and it was awesome.
Stayed at Fairmont Banff, and because it was our honeymoon, they went the extra mile to satisfy us, even updraged our room for free. 




deeken said:


> Dude, I wish I would have gotten this advice before I blew $4,500 on that effen trip. I didn't even board on a weekend and it was still crowded. The rude fucken skiers are everywhere. Did I forget to mention that A lot of people there were dicks? Other than the people that worked on the mountain (lots of Ausie's) just about every person I asked for directions to a trail gave me a snide response.
> 
> To top it all off the Hotel we were staying in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler stuck my wife and I in a shitty room with 2 queen beds. I told the asshole receptionist that this was our honeymoon and asked him to please give us a King size bed he told me that wasn't happening and to deal with the room we got. Assholes. You know what fuck Whistler/Blackcomb!!! The more I think about this trip the angrier I get.
> 
> If I could take back this honeymoon and go to a tropical resort instead I would do it in a heartbeat.


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## poutanen

pencap75 said:


> I had my snowboard honeymoon at Banff and it was awesome.
> Stayed at Fairmont Banff, and because it was our honeymoon, they went the extra mile to satisfy us, even updraged our room for free.


Our neighbours are getting married at the Fairmont this December and we're going for a few days in the middle of the week. Should be a blast snowboarding all around a wedding party!  Heading to Lake Louise every day as that's one of the resorts covered on our pass.


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## Sassicaia

deeken said:


> You sound like someone that works for Whistler trying to promote the joint. You keep going buddy and I'm sure in your imaginary world you will meet these groups of single ladies.


You live Brooklin NY...i live in Vancouver BC. You sound like someone who never goes to Whistler that speaks out his ass...as apposed to me who has spent roughly 10-15 nights a year in the winter and 10-15 nights a year in the summer up there every year since the early 90s.

You want to see groups of single girls?...go to whistler in the summer. Its one stagget after another. I was there just last week and they had "wonderlust" which was a world wide Yoga convention. Yea...its easy to meet groups of single girls. 

I dont work for there, and to be honest the less people who go the better in my opinion...so I take back everything I said. The boarding sucks, golf is terrible, food is cafeteria grade and its 90% gay men. Dont go you'll hate it.


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## timmytard

Sassicaia said:


> You live Brooklin NY...i live in Vancouver BC. You sound like someone who never goes to Whistler that speaks out his ass...as apposed to me who has spent roughly 10-15 nights a year in the winter and 10-15 nights a year in the summer up there every year since the early 90s.
> 
> You want to see groups of single girls?...go to whistler in the summer. Its one stagget after another. I was there just last week and they had "wonderlust" which was a world wide Yoga convention. Yea...its easy to meet groups of single girls.
> 
> I dont work for there, and to be honest the less people who go the better in my opinion...so I take back everything I said. The boarding sucks, golf is terrible, food is cafeteria grade and its 90% gay men. Dont go you'll hate it.


& there you have it.
Spoken like a true Vancouverite.

TT


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## Sassicaia

timmytard said:


> & there you have it.
> Spoken like a true Vancouverite.
> 
> TT


A Vancouverite that also has a placa in Aura Switzerland, and Big White. No biased here my friend  Just calling it like it is...


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## deeken

Sassicaia said:


> You live Brooklin NY...i live in Vancouver BC. You sound like someone who never goes to Whistler that speaks out his ass...as apposed to me who has spent roughly 10-15 nights a year in the winter and 10-15 nights a year in the summer up there every year since the early 90s.


I'm the one that started this thread and I was there in February.



Sassicaia said:


> You want to see groups of single girls?...go to whistler in the summer. Its one stagget after another. I was there just last week and they had "wonderlust" which was a world wide Yoga convention. Yea...its easy to meet groups of single girls.


I'm not going all the way up there in the summer to meet single girls. You can find them any any beach, resort, clubs, bars etc all over the planet. Besides I'm married so unfortunately (for the single ladies) I'm taken. The only possible reason to head up there would be to play golf. I hear the courses there are amazing, yet over priced. 

I would rather spend time in Vancouver over Whistler in the Summer. As I was driving past it I was amazing how beautiful of a city it was. Damn shame I couldn't spend a day or two there.



Sassicaia said:


> I dont work for there, and to be honest the less people who go the better in my opinion...so I take back everything I said. The boarding sucks, golf is terrible, food is cafeteria grade and its 90% gay men. Dont go you'll hate it.


LOL See, I knew the truth would come out. I'm glad you came to your senses. :thumbsup:


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## deeken

pencap75 said:


> I had my snowboard honeymoon at Banff and it was awesome.
> Stayed at Fairmont Banff, and because it was our honeymoon, they went the extra mile to satisfy us, even updraged our room for free.


I spoke to a lot of people that told me that Banff would have been the right choice. Ohh well, live and learn.


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## poutanen

deeken said:


> I spoke to a lot of people that told me that Banff would have been the right choice. Ohh well, live and learn.


Banff certainly has it's issues too. It's very touristy, but as a honeymoon it would probably be fun. Lots of different things to do. Plus as others have said, there are 4-5 resorts within day trip driving distance so if one doesn't have the snow or atmosphere you want, try a different one!


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## Karasene

Alright so... Banff is now a possible honeymoon idea for me, thanks thread.

and I'm sorry this was such a blow out. I feel like there isn't a single mountain that would have been a good honeymoon choice last season.. so you were most likely damned no matter where you picked. I rode 20 different resorts last Sept-May and I could count on one hand how many days I rode without seeing a patch of grass or dirt... North east to west coast last season just straight up sucked.


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## poutanen

Karasene said:


> Alright so... Banff is now a possible honeymoon idea for me, thanks thread.
> 
> and I'm sorry this was such a blow out. I feel like there isn't a single mountain that would have been a good honeymoon choice last season.. so you were most likely damned no matter where you picked. I rode 20 different resorts last Sept-May and I could count on one hand how many days I rode without seeing a patch of grass or dirt... North east to west coast last season just straight up sucked.


I'll post pictures of my 30 days in the Canadian rockies last year (and surrounding mountain ranges)... There were a couple days that weren't perfect, but I had fresh powder at least 10 of those days, and great groomed conditions the rest!

We had a great year! :cheeky4: I started boarding mid November and my last day was mid May!

edit:
Lake Louise had between 8-9m (27-30 ft or so) of snowfall depending on where you measured.
Fernie had over 11m of snow (37+ ft)
Sunshine had 10m or so


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## Karasene

poutanen said:


> I'll post pictures of my 30 days in the Canadian rockies last year (and surrounding mountain ranges)... There were a couple days that weren't perfect, but I had fresh powder at least 10 of those days, and great groomed conditions the rest!
> 
> We had a great year! :cheeky4: I started boarding mid November and my last day was mid May!
> 
> edit:
> Lake Louise had between 8-9m (27-30 ft or so) of snowfall depending on where you measured.
> Fernie had over 11m of snow (37+ ft)
> Sunshine had 10m or so


I didn't ride in Canada.. I stand corrected it looks like.. The only place I heard of doing well last season was Alaska. Good to know you got more powder days than down here.


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## kdia

Well, it's a kind of overstatement that Whistler Blackcomb would be the best ski resort in the world, but it is definitely in the Top 10 for me. The weather of course is an important factor, but this is something that is highly unpredictable in the mountains.

Anyway if you haven't been Whistler, check out some great photos here:
Whistler Blackcomb pictures


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## wrathfuldeity

Karasene said:


> I didn't ride in Canada.. I stand corrected it looks like.. The only place I heard of doing well last season was Alaska. Good to know you got more powder days than down here.


ahem....we had a good year and not in Canada


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## Jed

Well this thread got bumped out of nowhere.

Sounds to me like the OP just had bad luck with weather and hotel staff, but telling snowboarders to avoid Whistler on those conditions is kind of silly.


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## Triple8Sol

I've been up to Whistler/Blackomb probably something like 20 trips and never had a bad time. Not when it was icy, not when I sprained my wrist and got a concussion, not when we made the mistake of ducking a rope and getting stuck in a valley for 2hrs, not ever. Sucks that you didn't have a good time and overspent, but that is not the typical experience there.


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