Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Do the zip trek - it's ace!!!
Apart from that, Crystal lounge does great wings, Cheetahs (or something similar!!) is good & the Keg for a good steak.
I loved the runs off the 7th Heaven lift on Blackcomb.
Whistler is a fantastic place - have a great time!!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I will give them all a try. Still trying to decide where to start on sunday morning Blackcomb or Whistler mountain?
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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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I suggest having a ski lesson or two. They'll show you all the best bits. Note the best ones are not necessarily marked on the piste map - you have to know where to look!
Best bars - Dubh Linn Gate and GLC at the bottom of Whistler, Merlins at the bottom of Blackcomb, the Brewhouse down the village stroll or Cittas and the Amsterdam Cafe, also down the village stroll.
Try and get to the lifts early or you'll be queueing. If you go to the top of the Whistler gondola, that's a good start for a morning warm up - most runs from there if you turn left out of the gondola station will take you down to the Emerald Chair or if you turn right will take you down to the Red Chair. Try not to go straight down to the bottom of the mountain first thing because that's where all the queues will be - and the snow is better off higher up.
Then keep an eye on the light board by the top of the Whistler gondola for the peak chair and the harmony chair to open. They're both good zones for beginner to expert skiers/boarders.
Most of the black and double-black runs are un-piste-bashed areas rather than pistes as such which is why I suggested a ski lesson to do some guiding.
Blackcomb and Whistler mountains each have their own personalities too. The blackcomb glacier is an interesting area of blackcomb and all the boarders seem to like 7th Heaven up there.
No real places to avoid. It's all good.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I believe they still have Ski Hosts, who will show you round the mountain free of charge. They certainly helped me when I first arrived. You just need to find their meeting place and time.
Have they not this season got a new lift that links Whistler and Blackcomb, rather like the ill-fated Les Arcs - La Plagne link? Is there any feedback on how it's going and whether it's really useful or not?
There are so many highlights in Whistler, it's hard to list them. Wherever you ski there, you'll have a great time. The only drawback is the jetlag...
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So may runs - so little time!
I might be getting the name wrong, but I seem to remember the newly opened Symphony area being pretty amazing.
The final run down to the bottom of the chairlift takes you through a (signed) gladed area - and you really do feel like you're James Bond, zipping through the trees.
As the others have said - get up early to avoid the queues, and then take an early lunch.
You could always pay a few extra dollars and buy yourself a 'fresh-tracks' ticket, which gets you up on the gondola an hour or so early and includes a cooked breakfast at the restaurant at the top of the Gondola.
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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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stephen buck, the cable car between Whistler and Blackcomb is opening next season.
They've got quite a lot of good gladed runs.
I'd tend to start on Whistler (unless you've been skiing recently) as there's a bit more getting into the groove terrain. Blackcomb has become my favourite of the two (it wasn't when I went the first time) because it has got absolutely everything - lots of bumps (I renamed it Mt Mogul last season), gladed runs, open powder (7th Heaven), steeps... Then of course you've got the bowls at the back of Whistler mountain.
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Give "Fresh Tracks" a try.
You will be jet lagged anyway and it can be a good start to the day.
Cost is about $20 .
Early up the lift around 7:30 with breakfast served at RoundHouse. During breakfast they open some lifts and you get some fresh tracks......
this time of year lifts close about 3pm or 3:30pm so an early start can be good.
You can pick up your lift tickets and passes the night before.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Echoing stephen buck, ski with the ski hosts. They meet at 11am each day. They're a bunch of great people and they can't half ski.
They're (apparently) not allowed to take you down any double-black terrain, but in my experience, they'll give you a good workout. It's a great way to spend your first couple of days, and learn the lie of the land.
Then sign up for one of the instructional programmes - Ski Esprit and the Dave Murray camps are both excellent.
Blackcomb Glacier on a bluebird day (ideally after an overnight dump ) is a must.
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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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Good reading for me as I am headed to Whistler on Sunday for my first time. There are several in our group who have skied there before frequently, including one from Vancouver and one who lives in the UK but wintered there last year. I'm counting on them for local beta. If you want to link up for some runs, send me a post back and we'll figure out where to meet. Happy skiing!
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If you like fun trees, hit Bark Sandwich on Blackcomb, especially after new snow. Nothing wild, but I always enjoy it ...
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You know it makes sense.
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Quote: |
If you like fun trees, hit Bark Sandwich on Blackcomb, especially after new snow. Nothing wild, but I always enjoy it ...
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and 'In the Spirit' also on Blackcomb - again nothing wild but fun
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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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must do's are
on blackcomb
spankys ladder
blackcomb glacier
'everglades' on 7th Heaven
couloir extreme
on whistler
peak to creek
west cirque
i like 'in deep' and 'unsanctioned' tree runs which are best lapped on garbonzo chair
dave murray downhill and lower franzs
avoid symphony chair, its pretty tame terrain.
a good bar is the cinnamon bear located in the Hilton hotel
good nightclub is Garfinkels and Tommys
if you plan to rent skis or snowboards you should book online ahead of time, save some money
Ski rental in Whistler
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Poster: A snowHead
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wbsr, I agree - unsanctioned is great fun, but you need a lot of low down snow for that, don't you. Therefore it's a rare treat!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Neilski, That'll be Dusty's in Creekside, good apres - i'm surprized no ones mentions going in there for wedges and butt rub mayo! quality! tastes much better than it sounds tho!
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bones, Ahhh dunno though those wings were good too! Not mentioning the Kokanee (sp?)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Liam, get up early, do the peak to creek, then have one of those big brekkies with the very very thick toast
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rayscoops, By the time you get down Peak to Creek breakfast well out the window, it's at least lunch by then
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We enjoyed Blacks - beer was interesting, and being older and fartier, didn't like the hubub of the Cinnamon Bear [though it seemed awfully popular with the young crowd, what what]. Amsterdam was good too - still suffering from the giant nachos serving...
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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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