 Poster: A snowHead
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Helen,
Here's an accomodation map from the WhistlerBlackcomb site, it may be on there. http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/accommodation/map/index.htm
We've stayed in the main bit of the village the last 3 years (once at the holiday inn and twice at the mountainside lodge), next year we're going to be a bit further out in the upper village.
According to their websit http://www.whistler-glaciersreach.com/property/map.asp they are on the far side of the marketplace - that would be about a 10 minute walk to the lifts (in boots!) and is about 5 minutes walk for all the nightlife. I think if I recall rightly there is a regular free bus that stops right near there and goes to the lifts.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 28-05-04 8:54; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Helen Beaumont,
Don't know the place myself. Wouldn't have thought it a problem if it is within the villeage. In 2002 We went there by cars. They even had bus to take us to a drop off point near the lifts to save the a few minutes walk (icy). We also skied to a different villeage and the bus services were excellent. I have taken a few copies of piste map back and can pass to you if you need it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Helen Beaumont, Village North is nice, and should give you much better prices. You can still walk to the lifts from there, but it is not "slopeside". Friends of mine who stay there every year compromise, they walk to the lifts (10 mins or so) but store there boots and skis at the base of the mountin so they dont have to lug it all back and forth. Seems to work out really well. Hope that helps. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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with any luck here is the link from the whistler site to Glaciers Reach
http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/accommodation/hotels/villagenorth/glaciersreach/index.htm
you are a walk from the lifts, no getting away from that, but you are immediately adjacent to the main supermarket, a liquor store(they dont seem to sell wine in supermarkets in Canada), the post office, a lot of shops and the hospital (though hopefully you wont need that). Also Mcdonalds is across the way! You are also 3-5 minutes walk from a multitude of restaurants/bars , though anywhere in Whistler can say that, more or less.If you are up for the walk it will be no poblem. The walk is no hassle if there are no kids in the party, especially if you take the advice to stash your kit at the bottom of the lifts.
If you dont fancy the walk, the free bus will get you there I am sure.
Go to whistler-blackcomb.com for any info you need, it is really good and you can view all the maps etc on there. I recall there is an 0800 number from the UK as well if you want to phone up with questions or you can e mail
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks guys, still browsing, as there's a chance friends may join us there too, so watch this space. Sounds like a good place though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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saikee, I'm up for visiting Vancouver, but don't think I'll get the addicts to leave the pistes. Robbie, maybe we can meet up for a lunchtime coffee (!) or something. Now I've booked via www.alluradirect.com info on ski school, mountain restaurants etc all appreciated.
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Helen,
What sort of thing are you looking for ski-school wise? Pretty much everything is run/coordinated by the Whistler/Blackcomb ski school - fortunately they are very good
I think this is all somewhere else on here but because I'm too lazy to search for it, here it is again...
A good fun more social program is Ski-esprit, it's a three or four day program, I've only done it at the weekend (to avoid the queues which can be long in places at the weekend), my wife has done the weekend and weekday versions and reckons the weekend one is better. The instructors arrange collective apres, so if you have different people in different groups it's pretty handy as you all meet up in the same bar at the end for food/beer. Slight down side of this program is the group size can be relatively large (up to 9 people last year)
If you're a bit more up for rapid improvement the Dave Murray Downhil program (3 days) is great though hard work!! Agian they sort out some much needed Apres afterwards. The coaches (ex world cup/national skiers and/or coaches) are fairly unforgiving but excellent!!
Another good one for technique (bit more pricey though) is the Supergroup lesson on Blackcomb, max group size is 3, but I got an instructor all to myself for the day last time
Their are a vast range of other lessons to do, apparently the Extremely Canadian camp is pretty good if you've got an adventurous (crazy!) streak!! 
see [url] http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/school/ [/url]
Mountain restaurants especially the bigger ones (Glacier Creek, Roundhouse), aren't spectacular, but functional.
If it's sunny the Crystal Hut and particularly the Horstman Hut (great views) on Blackcomb are good places to be. Also Dusty's in Creekside is good after a long blast down the Dave Murray (to be Olympic) downhill.
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Helen Beaumont, Am happy to give any advice you might find useful. I am so addicted to that place. Time to go public i guess - i am currently in the process of applying for Canadian Residency so that i can emmigrate. Probably move to Squamish and work in Whistler. Process takes about 2 years, so dont hold your breath on the outcome!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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IRobbie, it will be our first visit, but I suspect not our last.
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Helen,
here is a cut and paste from another reply I did earlier this year to a similar question
"I have done the Dave Murray camp twice and the Ski Esprit twice, once with Meesh and once with Margie, as referred to by Stuarth. I did a Supergroup in January this year which was meant to be 3 but come the day it was just me so I had a 3 day private lesson with Margie, best skiing investment I have ever made.You could not in my view fail to have a good time. The Dave Murray camp is also good value, with a good social aspect to it. They are tough, dont expect some ego massaging comments as these guys/girls are either ex World Cup racers or trainers of that standard, so they have seen a lot better than the likes of me coming along, but you will come out a lot better than you went in, in my experience "
Like Stuarth I have heard good things about Extremely Canadian, if you want to go on the edge a bit, as with the Dave Murray the coaches are serious experts in their field so they can go as extreme as you want to (and that they think you are up to). There is plenty of suitable terrain in Whistler for them to take anyone to, without crossing the resort boundary into the backcountry (as our Canadian frends call it).
Mountain restaurants rather overstates where you will eat, functional cafeterias is more like it. Look on it as refuelling, resting and getting inside for a while. Eating out in the evening is a different ball game entirely, most types of cuisine, levels of service from Mcdonalds to about as good as you will get anywhere.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Next question- I'm sure I'll have more. Have had some depressing info from a friend(?) who has just read the Where to SKi guide' and he reckons I won't get my teens into any of the restaurants except the fast food places as they are under 19. We had no problem in Banff, but that's in Alberta not BC. Anyone shed any light on this. Don't fancy a diet of pizza KFC and MCDonald's.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Helen, that is silly and wrong. What he meant was that your teens cannot go in to the bars, and that includes the bar areas of restaurants while waiting for a table. Most of the larger restaurants have a family room/area to wait in (if there is a wait for your table), as well as a bar. Or book your tables in advance and avoid the waiting problem altogether. Dont panic, of course they are welcome in any, and all, restaurants 
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Robbie, thats what I thought, and it was similar in Banff, except in a couple of bars they were allowed in until 9.30. I didn't expect them to be allowed in the bars, he just got me all panicked when he said they weren't allowed in most of the restaurants either. Thanks.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Robbie, thats true, might leave them in with a pizza one night. Nice that they are old enought to leave behind sometimes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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My teenage sons have been there twice with me and there is no problem so long as you dont want to go on a pub crawl with them!! There are some very good pizza places, who deliver, our favorite being behind the Helly Hansen shop, cant recall the name . Robbie makes a good point, there are a load of good family restaurants where you can all eat together, but there are a number where you might want to go adults only.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Colin, depends how stroppy they are at the time, if this week is anything to go by, they'll be staying in UK
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm going to Whistler in October and staying for the whole season. Its my first-time there so if anyone has info on long-term accomodation or the best places to go for employment then it would be appreciated.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Those that I spoke to who were living out there for the season tended not to stay in Whistler village itself because of the cost factor. I think Pemberton, which is beyond Whistler if you are coming from Vancouver, is a favourite or Squamish which is between Whistler and Vancouver.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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WaistDeepInPow, you lucky thing, perhaps we can meet for a Broon Ale or three!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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WaistDeepInPow,
I had a look at long term rentals through AlluraDirect - they range from about $2000 in Creekside to how-much-have-you-got!! In blackcomb a ski-in/ski-out (more or less) place will set you back about $3000 to $3500 per month.
I believe workers (who stay in Whistler) tend to stay in the worker accomodation (if working for intrawest) or further out (in areas like blueberry hill), I was speaking to an instructor about this last year, and she reckoned you could get a place for about $1500 a month, it's pretty difficult to get hold of as you can imagine there is a lot of competition.
I believe they hold an employment fair just before the season starts for all the intrawest jobs - you might be able to find out details on the Whistler website.
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WaistDeepInPow, What sort of wrok permit do you have, what work are you looking for? What is your age/experience (not being nosy - promise), do you want staff housing (if you are young and want to party a lot) that will be quite likely available thru a job with intrawest as a first year employee.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Robbie I'm going with my g/f and we both have 12 month working visas. We are in our mid to late 20s and have experience in a number of industrys, including sales, catering/hospitality, and IT. We are always up for partying but its probably no longer the main objective. Although we are constantly looking for alternatives, at the moment the plan is to go out in the middle of october and attend the Intrawest job fair.
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WaistDeepInPow, Then i would certianly think that the easiest way to get accomodation is to get a job with Intrawest, as they then are set up to help you find housing. IMHO do not go for the housing that is like a halls of resdince, it is party city, full of 18 year olds, put try for a shared house maybe? I think you would be unlikley to get a place for just the two of you for a reasonable price being first year employees. But, if you are looking independently then what you want to be looking for is a "suite" under/attached to a locals house. Hope that helps. I saw your ad in the pique, i think! Nice planning
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Robbie Thanks, great info. Will try for a shared house with Intrawest i think. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
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FAQ
