2013/2014 Whistler Blackcomb - South Coast - Duffey Lake Thread

**t.odd** · 01-23-2014, 10:14 AM

I don't know, I've heard sledding sucks the money out of ones bank account like a shopvac

**LeeLau** · 01-23-2014, 11:55 AM

Decker slots update http://acmgmountainconditionsreport....ntent=FaceBook

**xyz** · 01-23-2014, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by t.odd

I don't know, I've heard sledding sucks the money out of ones bank account like a shopvac

Living and working in Whistler in general is a wallet vacuum. Considering the high cost of living and below average wages you've already decided to accept you might as well go all in and become a full on sledneck.

**GoNads** · 01-23-2014, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by t.odd

I don't know, I've heard sledding sucks the money out of ones bank account like a shopvac

Yeah it is expensive, but you can get pretty decent deals on 2nd hand machines and if you pick and choose your days its really not that bad. If you compare it to buying a seasons pass, gear, commuting (like most of Colorado, Utah, Vancouver do to ski hills) and accom, meals etc vs the machine, upkeep and gas/oil its slightly more expensive, idk if you can put a price on being alone on top of peaks with buds, god only knows I moved back home and do mind-numbing data entry while in uni and sleep in a closet while maxing out student loans to make it happen. I'm hooked, drink the kool-aid. These glaciers wont be around forever at the rate they're retreating every season, doubt the next generation will be able to get up the access points to some areas in 20-30 years.

**TeCeBe** · 01-23-2014, 06:35 PM

The cost of home ownership aside is Whistler's cost of living really any more expensive than anywhere else in BC?

Gas, Food, Liquor are all basically the same anywhere you go.

I live here because we could never afford to vacation here. How an average family of 4 drops that much ca$h per day to ski for the week boggles my mind.

Accepting not owning a lot/home is step 1. If that is important to you Squamish, Pemberton and beyond are somewhat viable options. It is all about priorities.

/rant

Fuck me I want a sled.

**xyz** · 01-23-2014, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by TeCeBe

The cost of home ownership aside is Whistler's cost of living really any more expensive than anywhere else in BC?

I think food is generally more expensive in Whistler. A Costco would be nice.

**GoNads** · 01-23-2014, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by TeCeBe

The cost of home ownership aside is Whistler's cost of living really any more expensive than anywhere else in BC?

Gas, Food, Liquor are all basically the same anywhere you go.

I live here because we could never afford to vacation here. How an average family of 4 drops that much ca$h per day to ski for the week boggles my mind.

Accepting not owning a lot/home is step 1. If that is important to you Squamish, Pemberton and beyond are somewhat viable options. It is all about priorities.

/rant

Fuck me I want a sled.

Gas is 20c a liter more here in Whistler than anywhere else in the province save Vancouver and the Island (GVA has 18-20c in metro gas tax, Squam/Whistler do not have this tax but they charge the same anyways and price gouge everyone)

Food here in Whistler is ridiculously more than anywhere else in the province, have you bought milk lately anywhere else? It's ridiculous.

Housing prices here compared to the interior are thru the roof, same with rent, etc. The poverty line is like 19$/hr in BC, (for 40hr week 1 job no OT) if you're making less than that you're probably not keeping your head above water with regards to a house/food/living expenses.

Camp jobs that do shift work (trades) are the way to go, 3 on - 2 off etc. Seems to be what most of my buddies are doing. I worked construction/site safety around here in Whis and door at night clubs but still was barely scraping by. The way I see it I probably only have 1 or 2 winters left before losing my life to work, moving back home kills your social life but hey, closets aren't that bad! People find ways to make it happen. Not having kids is a great money saver to start with, but that's not for everyone. It seems like everyone I know has 'em now, at least dogs are generally less expensive. Either way, we're all pretty lucky we're not living in Syria getting shot at in the streets or being starved by military blockades.

I feel like getting in on the WHA list and a muni job would be the way to go for settling down long term. Comes with the bonus of vehicles (depending on position) and arcteryx jackets!

**LeeLau** · 01-23-2014, 08:00 PM

Food in Whistler is approx 20% more expensive than in the Lower Mainland. Other expenses eg prop taxes, dental can range from to 25% more.

Meanwhile wages are, for the most part, 5 to 20% lower. Bottom line is it's an economically moronic decision to try to make a career in Whistler and one that can only be justified by intangibles

**shirk** · 01-23-2014, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by GoNads

The poverty line is like 19$/hr in BC, (for 40hr week 1 job no OT) if you're making less than that you're probably not keeping your head above water with regards to a house/food/living expenses.

I think your poverty line number is a relative based number. For more realistic calculations on actual costs of living look at the BNL as defined by Sarlo.

**powder11** · 01-23-2014, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

one that can only be justified by intangibles

Which is something the Asian mind cannot comprehend. Must be a Dr, Lawyer or Accountant and drive a Benz.

You know the season is fucked when people start arguing demographics in January in a ski forum!

Slednecking is the only thing keeping me sane right now!

**Atrain505** · 01-23-2014, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by powder11

You know the season is fucked when people start arguing demographics in January in a ski forum!

Slednecking is the only thing keeping me sane right now!

Surfing for me. I could use a pow fix though.

**powder11** · 01-23-2014, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Atrain505

Surfing for me. I could use a pow fix though.

I'm heading out to Hawaii next week. Variety is the spice of life! Hoping it ramps up again while I'm away, but that mother fucking high off the coast is looking like a big deflector shield for some time.

**Shaggy** · 01-23-2014, 10:19 PM

Don't worry, that high will start to break down sometime around June...

**t.odd** · 01-23-2014, 10:49 PM

great spring skiing on lower dave murray this aft

**DanCudlip** · 01-24-2014, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Bottom line is it's an economically moronic decision to try to make a career in Whistler

Bummer. And I did so well in school.

**t.odd** · 01-24-2014, 09:17 AM

it took a few years, but I managed to carve out a decent life here, I'm not making mad bank, but I don't have to live in a big city that would suck the soul out of me within weeks. the GF and I have a sweet 1 bedroom with storage for our gear, it's only a bit more than 800 a month, and I work in my field (I understand that's a rarity in these part however). But we don't go out partying, and that makes the slight increase in groceries completely bearable and really not that bad. Plus it's 2 minutes to covered parking and a gondola ride up the mountain, I can ski out to my house if required and it's 5 minutes on my bike to work in not winter with amazing trails within minutes of home and work, so yeah, 'intangibles'.

**xyz** · 01-24-2014, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by GoNads

Gas is 20c a liter more here in Whistler than anywhere else in the province save Vancouver and the Island (GVA has 18-20c in metro gas tax, Squam/Whistler do not have this tax but they charge the same anyways and price gouge everyone)

Food here in Whistler is ridiculously more than anywhere else in the province, have you bought milk lately anywhere else? It's ridiculous.

Housing prices here compared to the interior are thru the roof, same with rent, etc. The poverty line is like 19$/hr in BC, (for 40hr week 1 job no OT) if you're making less than that you're probably not keeping your head above water with regards to a house/food/living expenses.

Camp jobs that do shift work (trades) are the way to go, 3 on - 2 off etc. Seems to be what most of my buddies are doing. I worked construction/site safety around here in Whis and door at night clubs but still was barely scraping by. The way I see it I probably only have 1 or 2 winters left before losing my life to work, moving back home kills your social life but hey, closets aren't that bad! People find ways to make it happen. Not having kids is a great money saver to start with, but that's not for everyone. It seems like everyone I know has 'em now, at least dogs are generally less expensive. Either way, we're all pretty lucky we're not living in Syria getting shot at in the streets or being starved by military blockades.

I feel like getting in on the WHA list and a muni job would be the way to go for settling down long term. Comes with the bonus of vehicles (depending on position) and arcteryx jackets!

youth is terrible thing to waste on some career. i say blow yer wad in your 20's. ski your ass off get a haircut and a real job when you're 30. otherwise you'll end up as some pent-up middle age douche trying to relive his/her youth at 45. there's nothing worse than an aging hipster...

**el hefe** · 01-24-2014, 11:44 AM

idk if you can put a price on being alone on top of peaks with buds,

Amen! No you can't.

**Judo Chop!** · 01-24-2014, 11:47 AM

Squamish life for the win!
Affordable real estate & cost of living. Rad people. Better access to city careers... especially if you can pull the work-from-home gig.
Ski weekday mornings in winter (if we ever get winter). MTB lunch breaks in fall/spring. Kite afternoon breaks in summer. Closer to ferry for surf than Whistler.

**LeeLau** · 01-24-2014, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by DanCudlip

Bummer. And I did so well in school.

but the intangibles of ease of access to groomers Dan

Originally Posted by Judo Chop!

Squamish life for the win!
Affordable real estate & cost of living. Rad people. Better access to city careers... especially if you can pull the work-from-home gig.
Ski weekday mornings in winter (if we ever get winter). MTB lunch breaks in fall/spring. Kite afternoon breaks in summer. Closer to ferry for surf than Whistler.

Squamish is ideal. Just a tough place to raise kids but getting better

**LeeLau** · 01-24-2014, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by powder11

Which is something the Asian mind cannot comprehend. Must be a Dr, Lawyer or Accountant and drive a Benz.

Let's both of us not get too smug. We both had soul-crushing workloads before we checked out of the race.

**powder11** · 01-24-2014, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Let's both of us not get too smug. We both had soul-crushing workloads before we checked out of the race.

Sorry forgot to add the smiley face winky to let you know Im just fucking with you!

**LeeLau** · 01-24-2014, 12:25 PM

No worries! I always assume it

**Judo Chop!** · 01-24-2014, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Squamish is ideal. Just a tough place to raise kids but getting better

True. Seems like all of my friends are cruising around with new strollers instead of new gear these days though. There are signs of hope for the next gen to grow up here.