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Whistler Blackcomb

Canada · North America · northern hemisphere

SkiingHikingLakes & Coastline

Whistler Blackcomb is at its best for skiing in January to March. Good but not prime in April and December. Crowds peak in February and bottom out in May.

JFMAMJJASOND
Skiing
89
91
91
66
41
13
16
16
16
14
43
68
Hiking
9
13
15
21
21
63
90
90
71
42
8
8
Lakes & Coastline
11
16
18
20
43
63
90
90
71
41
10
9
Crowds

Swipe the table sideways for the rest of the year.

primegoodpossibleoff-seasoncrowds, on this place’s own scale

The short version

One of the longer seasons in North America — lifts turn from the second half of November into May — but it is coastal, not continental, so the snow is heavy and the freezing level moves. The village sits at 675m and rain at the bottom with powder up top is an ordinary day here

What the walking is like

Day walks with lift access to the alpine. No guide needed.

When not to come

Late spring for skiing unless you only want the alpine. Most of November, before the resort opens around the 20th.

Busiest

Christmas and New Year, then Presidents’ Day week and much of March

With children

The village is car-free at its core and everything connects, which is genuinely easy with children. The cost is not — this is among the most expensive lift tickets in North America, and day tickets bought at the window are worst of all.

Where to stay

Staying in Creekside rather than the main village is cheaper, has its own gondola, and skips the walk through the pedestrian core with skis. For summer, Pemberton up the valley is cheaper again.

What can go wrong

Avalanche risk

Backcountry terrain beyond the patrolled boundary.Jan · Feb · Dec

Kept out of the score on purpose. Averaging a rare catastrophe into a monthly number would tell you something false; the warning is the honest form.

Dates that matter

  • World Ski & Snowboard Festival (Apr) — the season’s closing party
  • Crankworx mountain-bike festival (Jul)
  • Peak-to-peak alpine hiking season opens once the snow clears (late Jun)

Walks

  • High Note Trail — the alpine traverse off the Peak chair, and the best half-day in the valley
  • Garibaldi Lake — a long climb to turquoise water; a day-use pass is needed at the Rubble Creek trailhead
  • Joffre Lakes — three stacked lakes; a free day-use pass, and BC Parks closes the park for stretches in summer and autumn

The summer alpine here is as good as the winter and far cheaper. Lift-assisted access means you start at 1,850m rather than climbing to it.

Crowds, month by month

791003914039739150202765

0 is this destination’s own quietest month and 100 its busiest. The scale never compares one destination to another. Source: Wikipedia — Whistler, British Columbia

See everything else at its best in Feb

Elsewhere in North America

Napa & SonomaFinger LakesBig Sur & MontereyOlympic National ParkKenai FjordsLake TahoeChurchillFairbanks