 Poster: A snowHead
|
A PSA for anyone vaguely thinking about going to Whistler Blackcomb (WB) this year: You have about 5 weeks left before Vail Corp stops selling all reasonably-priced passes and lift tickets for their resorts.
It's unfortunate that this is Vail's business model to lock in their revenue before you have a sense of how snow conditions are - but it does mean a very cheap season pass. Vail likes to create FOMO so they a) announce the walkup rate for lift tickets (C$299 for one day of skiing!!!!) and b) don't announce more than 2 weeks ahead of time when they stop selling season passes. The date has varied between Nov 28th - Dec 5th in recent years.
The main options for international visitors:
Epic Pass - unlimited version = US$969 = C$1340. This is a full season pass for Whistler and all Vail-owned mountains. Includes 7 days access to Fernie & Kicking Horse, which makes it a particularly good option if you want to visit multiple resorts in western Canada. Also gives 7 days access to the 3V and Madonna di Campiglio and unlimited access at Andermatt for that matter, so a bit of a hedge in event you decide against skiing anywhere in North America. The pass is nonrefundable (unless you can produce a doctors note saying you have broken your arm etc.)
For shorter visits: 1-10 day WB Day Pass: 10 days inc peak dates = C$1057, outside peak data $893. Peak dates are Dec 26-31, Jan 13, and Feb 17-18. Note: The website is particularly deceptive - if you go to "Tickets and Passes", then "Lift Tickets", you end up with most expensive refundable tickets - US$1325/C$1827, which is obviously a ton more than an Epic Pass. Should you decide in January that you want to go to Whistler in March, this is what you will end up paying, unfortunately.
I just rescued someone on Reddit who had paid $460 for a 2-day lift ticket when they only needed to pay $227 for 2 day WB Day Pass - the first version is refundable, the second version nonrefundable, but can't be purchased after the first week of Dec, typically.
[On the off chance there are any Aussie Snowheads: Epic Australia give access to Whistler the year AFTER the Aussie pass is effective. If you buy the current Epic Oz pass for use at Perisher or Thredbo in July 2024 and turn up in Whistler in Jan 2024, you will be told "come back in a years time!"]
Minor exceptions:
If you are a saisonnaire, you can buy a Spirit Pass through your employers at any time.
If you had a Whistler-specific season pass or Epic pass in 22/23, you probably can buy a new one this year up till the 2nd week of Jan. I just cleaned up my inbox and found an email from the first week of January saying "last chance to renew."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Also Epic local pass gets you 10 days at WB outside the blackout dates and comes in $200 cheaper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Good catch! Can't believe I forgot about that version, when every year I see a couple of folks crying in the local forums that they thought local meant Whistler - and then they've run out of days by late Jan. Very good value, it even gives access to Heavenly & Park City outside of peak dates - but not Fernie/KH.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@AndreaC, for old fogeys like me who had to google it, FOMO= Fear Of Missing Out. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| AndreaC wrote: |
I just rescued someone on Reddit who had paid $460 for a 2-day lift ticket when they only needed to pay $227 for 2 day WB Day Pass - the first version is refundable, the second version nonrefundable, but can't be purchased after the first week of Dec, typically.
|
Thanks for this. Hoping to get a couple of days there in March. Where do you buy this 2 day $227 pass?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@BobinCH,
I think I have some buddy passes (get those with an epic pass and can use them to save quite a bit over the normal window price) that I never use.
I think we don't have to be dont have to be anywhere else in March (March comps in Whistler), so ping me if you're going to be about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| stuarth wrote: |
@BobinCH,
I think I have some buddy passes (get those with an epic pass and can use them to save quite a bit over the normal window price) that I never use.
I think we don't have to be dont have to be anywhere else in March (March comps in Whistler), so ping me if you're going to be about. |
Thanks for the kind offer. Will do!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BobinCH wrote: |
| AndreaC wrote: |
I just rescued someone on Reddit who had paid $460 for a 2-day lift ticket when they only needed to pay $227 for 2 day WB Day Pass - the first version is refundable, the second version nonrefundable, but can't be purchased after the first week of Dec, typically.
|
Thanks for this. Hoping to get a couple of days there in March. Where do you buy this 2 day $227 pass? |
You're welcome! Navigate to "Find Passes" in the Tickets & Passes section (this is what I mean about it's deceptive!!!) and then pick Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass
Should be: https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/plan-your-trip/lift-access/passes/whistler-blackcomb-day-pass.aspx
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thanks for advice we we are going to WB for Feb half-term to escape the madness of clashing national / regional European school holidays this season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The "buddy pass" thing is where I usually end up if I'm there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Just bought our W/B Epic Passes for family for U.K. half term week in Feb before the 19 November price hike. £1,425 for 2 adults and 2 kids under 12. I believe this includes 60pct discount!!! 
Private lessons eye wartering at £166 / hour compared to £55 / hour in Châtel.
Anyone know if there are private operators providing lessons or guiding or does the lift company have a monopoly? We mostly want someone for a few days to help us explore the full resort. We went to Whistler back in 2000 from Australia and found it to be vast when compared to the Aussie snowy mountains. Will be interesting if I feel the same after having skied PDS and out her euro large resorts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
If it's just guiding you need, Whistler still has the mountain hosts, who give free tours at ~11:15 mid-mountain (ie close to Rendezvous & Roundhouse) where they take you around for 1.5hrs. It's about the only aspect of customer service Vail hasn't cut! There's an intermediate group and an advanced group - so in theory you could go 4x and go on different terrain each time.
Also, Ski Club UK still lists resort reps for Whistler on their website, so that would another source of Vail-tolerated guiding - possibly worth the membership fee?
Re: lessons - as with most mountains in N.America, Vail has a monopoly. There are approved externally operated ski camps, but they use the mountain's ski instructors. I think UK halfterm overlaps with the equivalent here (Family Day - note the poor kids here only get 1 day off and not a week!!) as well as US President's Day, so you have the bad luck of having to get peak period tickets. Crowds should taper off after Monday, but expect a scrum if your first day of skiing is Sunday.
Private lessons are horrifyingly expensive - you could do a full week of ski camp with Yes! or AllTracks for less - ~C$900, with CSIA4 coaches, video analysis etc. And in small groups <6pax I think. What is even more horrifying is that within the Vail context, privates are relatively cheap at Whistler - they run US$1250/day at Beaver Creek!! That's C$1700 at current rates or 70% more...
Also better value if you're advanced skiers and just want guiding for the gnarly stuff is the Extremely Canadian steeps clinics ($300 for 1 day) - tho perhaps only useful if the kids are in ski school or one parent feels comfortable taking the kids around after the tours.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 14-11-23 20:51; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| AndreaC wrote: |
Private lessons are horrifyingly expensive - you could do a full week of ski camp with Yes! or AllTracks for less - ~C$900, with CSIA4 coaches, video analysis etc. And in small groups <6pax I think. What is even more horrifying is that within the Vail context, privates are relatively cheap at Whistler - they run US$1250/day at Beaver Creek!! That's C$1700 at current rates or 70% more...
|
Are the instructors well paid or do Vail resorts creams off a giant profit?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@AndreaC, Thank you this is extremely helpful. I do recall using Yes when we went back in 2000 but was way out of my comfort zone bank then. I assume we need to add 15-20pct for tips?
We will look at the hosting option (my fiends father is retired and splits his time driving busses and mountain hosting).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
[quote="BobinCH"][quote="AndreaC"]
Private lessons are horrifyingly expensive - you could do a full week of ski camp with Yes! or AllTracks for less - ~C$900, with CSIA4 coaches, video analysis etc. And in small groups <6pax>
Instructors get a small fraction of the ~$1000 charged by the mountain. A saisonnaire with a CASI2 qualification (typical for the offspring of Snowheads, I suspect!) might be getting $27/hr. The top instructors would get ~$50/hr or $300/day if the students have booked them specifically by name etc
https://www.wbsnowschool.ca/assets/images/FY-24-Snow-School-Compensation-Plan.pdf
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Agree with the stuff above. Alternatively:
- Questionable legality, but there used to be plenty of seasonnaires looking to make a bit of money on the side happy to show tourists around for $100 per day. Hit up some of the seasonnaire Facebook groups. (You have to use some discretion though as it's certainly not approved of by the resort).
I agree that whistler is big enough that you are probably not going to accidentally stumble on the best stuff. But if you are willing to put a bit of research in the guidebooks are fantastic https://quickdrawpublications.com/product/intermediate-ski-and-snowboard-guide-to-whistler-blackcomb/
There is also the ullr app. Which has all the routes and can do real time GPS without needing any phone connectivity https://www.ullrmaps.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Ozboy wrote: |
@AndreaC, Thank you this is extremely helpful. I do recall using Yes when we went back in 2000 but was way out of my comfort zone bank then. I assume we need to add 15-20pct for tips?
We will look at the hosting option (my fiends father is retired and splits his time driving busses and mountain hosting). |
20% would be very generous! I think with the mix of people doing the camps it's fewer Americans, so the tipping culture isn't as demanding. I did a 2-day womens' camp last season & my classmates had a quick huddle to confer on how much we were tipping our instructor - I think 40-50 was the norm, so more like 10% (which might reflect that 3 out of 6 classmates were local-ish to Vancouver.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
