Whistler 22-23

[gramboh]

Where could the lower mainland foreseeably host competition for WB? Chilliwack?

Living in the S2S over the past few years, the level of traffic that the highway is dealing with just blows my mind. A hypothetical resort in Squamish or Pemberton would choke the corridor even worse.

https://bridalveilmountainresort.ca/

https://sasquatchmountain.ca/development-plan/

[apex dave]

When I switched from WB to Baker I lived in PoCo and it was the same 2 hours in either direction including border crossing although that was before they improved the Sea to Sky.

[altasnob]

https://bridalveilmountainresort.ca/

https://sasquatchmountain.ca/development-plan/

Those look low elevation and wet. Why has there never been plans to develop a ski area at Coquihalla Summit? Would get cold air from the interior that would help with snow quality, similar to ski areas on passes down in Washington, like Stevens Pass and Alpental. And you already have a freeway there. A little bit far from the masses but not too bad, especially with the sprawl to the East.

[thoro]

Those look low elevation and wet. Why has there never been plans to develop a ski area at Coquihalla Summit? Would get cold air from the interior that would help with snow quality, similar to ski areas on passes down in Washington, like Stevens Pass and Alpental. And you already have a freeway there. A little bit far from the masses but not too bad, especially with the sprawl to the East.

Coquihalla conditions are always a hit or miss in winter. Overconfident tourists with little to no serious winter driving experience is a recipe for disaster (have seen several driving all seasons in Whistler). Dug up a proposal for a coq resort that’s been sitting in limbo — https://www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p...roject-details. FWIW brother skied Sasquatch a couple weeks ago — no lines and lots of fresh.

[altasnob]

Dug up a proposal for a coq resort that’s been sitting in limbo — https://www.projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p...roject-details.

Looks like a good idea to me. Lifts would go nearly as high as Whistler. The area isn't pristine as there are already clear cuts on the lower flanks.



I found good conditions on my only trip there.

[t.odd]

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/fa...escription.pdf

[shirk]

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/fa...escription.pdf

Sounds like it had initial approval? But didn't move forward.

https://thetyee.ca/News/2005/01/31/S...ars/print.html

Interesting read from 2005. Would like to see what the updated numbers are since this article.

[D(C)]

Why are there relatively few lift-served ski areas near Vancouver? Growing up in Montreal, there were dozens of ski hills within 1-2 hours drive of the city. What has been the barrier here? I would argue that the current offering of ski areas is not meeting demand. Was the availability adequate when fewer people lived here?

[Maximus Farcisimus]

After the shitshow crowds of Sat it was refreshing to have more snow than them and little in the way of crowds.

Nobody in the slackcountry this afternoon after riding lifts all day.




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[paulster2626]

Why are there relatively few lift-served ski areas near Vancouver? Growing up in Montreal, there were dozens of ski hills within 1-2 hours drive of the city. What has been the barrier here? I would argue that the current offering of ski areas is not meeting demand. Was the availability adequate when fewer people lived here?

Gotta be the climate.

Something tells me if WB wasn't on the Epic pass, it wouldn't be so crazy there. To give Vail credit though (ugh...), they have improved the lift systems to increase capacity, especially out of the base area. Weekends are just gonna be bad, like pretty much every mountain I've ever been to that has a lot of people living within 2 hrs. Like, it's Whistler - it's a great place to ski.

[altasnob]

Why are there relatively few lift-served ski areas near Vancouver?

Down here in Washington I would say it is because of environmental regulation. But my (admittedly uniformed) opinion of Canada is that you can kind of do whatever you want there if you have the money. Ski areas don't get built in BC not because of laws and regulations, but because of lack of financing.

I would say climate is not much of a factor. The mountains outside of Vancouver are amongst the snowiest places on planet Earth. They are also amongst the most savage mountains on planet Earth with some of steepest topography. Straight up glacial head walls all over the place. Landslides are common. The land is just not conducive to major resort development, with majority beginner/intermediate terrain, slope side lodging, and golf courses. In short, it is just too wild for development, which is why I like it.

[phatty]

Something tells me if WB wasn't on the Epic pass, it wouldn't be so crazy there.

Haha. It hasn't even been on the Epic Pass that long. Whistler was crazy long before it was on the Epic Pass. I remember 1hr+ lines at Harmony and Peak 15+ years ago. Heck, Whistler is such a huge part of Vail's business that it's the only resort that gets called out specifically in their earnings reports.

[paulster2626]

Haha. It hasn't even been on the Epic Pass that long. Whistler was crazy long before it was on the Epic Pass. I remember 1hr+ lines at Harmony and Peak 15+ years ago. Heck, Whistler is such a huge part of Vail's business that it's the only resort that gets called out specifically in their earnings reports.

Shit you're right. Dunno what I was thinking - you just unlocked memories of long-ass waits at Crystal, Red, and Harmony that I must have tried to purge from my head. Even Solar could get hairy at times.

Hell, it might even be better now with all the 6-pack lifts. The world just has more people in it, I guess.

[phatty]

Shit you're right. Dunno what I was thinking - you just unlocked memories of long-ass waits at Crystal, Red, and Harmony that I must have tried to purge from my head. Even Solar could get hairy at times.

Hell, it might even be better now with all the 6-pack lifts. The world just has more people in it, I guess.

Yeah, I try to suppress those, too. I would say the newer lifts have helped move things more efficiently. Whistler gonna Whistler, though. It's tough to beat when it is firing. No place in North America combines snow+terrain+vibe like Whistler.

[LegoSkier]

Rime buildup making an inadvertent artistic shot from the 7th Heaven cam this morning.

[The AD]

Shit you're right. Dunno what I was thinking - you just unlocked memories of long-ass waits at Crystal, Red, and Harmony that I must have tried to purge from my head. Even Solar could get hairy at times.

Hell, it might even be better now with all the 6-pack lifts. The world just has more people in it, I guess.

More lift capacity has certainly helped on the mountain, but getting out of the base areas remains to be a problem. I've got to think a new lift out of the Function area has got to be getting more and more attention.

[Bamski]

More lift capacity has certainly helped on the mountain, but getting out of the base areas remains to be a problem. I've got to think a new lift out of the Function area has got to be getting more and more attention.

Cheak gondola up Cakehole!

[robbo mcs]

More lift capacity has certainly helped on the mountain, but getting out of the base areas remains to be a problem. I've got to think a new lift out of the Function area has got to be getting more and more attention.

There is an 8 going in Fitz, which will help a little on busy days. However, the whole resort is basically 3 funnels, coming down to the base. The nature of the resort is there are more lifts up high as the terrain spreads out, and less lefts at the bottom, so uploads are always going to be an issue.

It is a little mind blowing when you think how much lift infrastructure has actually been upgraded in the last 10 years. Not many resorts outside of Europe that have had that much money spent on lift capacity

[The AD]

It is a little mind blowing when you think how much lift infrastructure has actually been upgraded in the last 10 years. Not many resorts outside of Europe that have had that much money spent on lift capacity

True. Crystal realigned and made a high-speed quad. Whistler and Creekside gondola got new cabins and/or capacity upgrades. Red, Green, Harmony all upgraded to six. New Blackcomb gondola and Catskinner upgraded to high speed. And, sadly, Horstman T-Bar removed. That's a lot of summer lift work by any measure.

[gramboh]

Why are there relatively few lift-served ski areas near Vancouver? Growing up in Montreal, there were dozens of ski hills within 1-2 hours drive of the city. What has been the barrier here? I would argue that the current offering of ski areas is not meeting demand. Was the availability adequate when fewer people lived here?

I grew up in Calgary and was chatting with a friend who lives there the other day. Within 2 hours of the city you have COP/WinSport (in the city), Nakiska, Norquay, Sunshine, Lake Louise and then you have KH and Fernie another 45-60min beyond that. We also had Fortress growing up. The population of Calgary was only 740k people in 1990 and 927k in 2000 (1.64M today). Lots of options meant very little crowding. Not sure how the capacity of all those add up compared to Whistler but it has to be better than 3M+ lower mainland (plus tourists) to Whistler.

[phatty]

And, sadly, Horstman T-Bar removed.

Other than the upgraded Crystal, I would trade them all for the Horstman Tbar back. Bkackcomb used to flow so much better with that connection with Glacier/7th. So much great terrain now takes forever to access with long traverse from Jersey to 7th. I know global warming is to blame, but would love to find something to bring that link back.

I also miss the old Solarcoaster chair. Much faster for laps while waiting on the alpine than the new Gondola arrangement. I do like the new gondola when coming all the way up from the base, so I guess it's all tradeoffs.

[Cocximus]

I don't take credit for the idea but I thought it was genius. Tie oil/gas/lng pipelines with transportation projects, preferably trains. That would actually be a tangible green initiative. It could counteract opposition to pipelines. A transportation corridor along the woodfiber LNG would open up some good terrain away from 99.

[paulster2626]

Other than the upgraded Crystal, I would trade them all for the Horstman Tbar back. Bkackcomb used to flow so much better with that connection with Glacier/7th. So much great terrain now takes forever to access with long traverse from Jersey to 7th. I know global warming is to blame, but would love to find something to bring that link back.

I also miss the old Solarcoaster chair. Much faster for laps while waiting on the alpine than the new Gondola arrangement. I do like the new gondola when coming all the way up from the base, so I guess it's all tradeoffs.

I was told by some Whistler lifer that the top of Horstman is actually getting smaller every year, because as the glacier retreats the shale ground just disintegrates. So eventually, I dunno - will there even be a top of 7th if that's the case?

Master plan has a tram from Rendezvous to top of false face - get 'er done!

[Bamski]

I was told by some Whistler lifer that the top of Horstman is actually getting smaller every year, because as the glacier retreats the shale ground just disintegrates. So eventually, I dunno - will there even be a top of 7th if that's the case?

Master plan has a tram from Rendezvous to top of false face - get 'er done!

I wonder if they could do a dinky 4 tower chair on the old horstman tbar line - think paradise on Grouse.

[The AD]

I was told by some Whistler lifer that the top of Horstman is actually getting smaller every year, because as the glacier retreats the shale ground just disintegrates. So eventually, I dunno - will there even be a top of 7th if that's the case?

Probably not enough glacier left to erode much more of the shale.