 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok guys and gals, have read some stuff through search, so now asking my specifics. I havent been on for a while, but would appreciate any help you can give:
Flying into LA, as Emirates dont fly direct to Vancouver from Dubai currently. Best way to get to Whistler from there?
Staying at Fairmont, as my wife works for them. I wont tell you how much we pay;). Is Blackcomb a good mountain for beginner/internmediates? We did a red or two in Kitz, but no more than that.
Nightlife? We will be eating mostly at fairmont, but may fancy one or two nights out. Any good quality bars without a load of drunk 14 year olds?
Any killer runs that we would be able to do? My wife is into runway wide tree runs, as the road width shear drop runs in Kitz freaked her a little.
Best mountain eatery? ;p
Any help you can give would be great!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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dennisp, Dubai-->LAX is a hell of a flight. Flying up to Vancouver from there is your best bet.
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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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| dennisp wrote: |
Any good quality bars without a load of drunk 14 year olds?
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They're quite hot on IDing but you might find wasted antipodean lifties in Merlins on payday night a reasonable facsimile.
Blackcomb is probably better for low intermediates IMV simply because it's less busy generally and has a bunch of tame stuff on the frontside.
in answer to your key questions - YVR first or if its significantly cheaper and that matters and you were planning on driving anyway/connections work better SEA isn't that much further (say 2 hours more).
Best on mountain food - waffles in the Crystal Hut.
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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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DO NOT FORGET YOUR SNORKEL.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| parlor wrote: |
| DO NOT FORGET YOUR SNORKEL. |
Do avoid dodgy estate agents in questionably coloured ski kecks!
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| fatbob wrote: |
| Best on mountain food - waffles in the Crystal Hut. |
that is the only on mountain food worth actively seeking out. the rest are serviceable in the same way that a motorway service station kind of way
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Fly into Vancouver then you can book a limo transfer direct to hotel. Or the cheaper option the bus.
You will have to drive from Seattle.
If you ski back to the Fairmont then the deli does great sandwiches for lunch. There is a mix of restaurant in town for dinner best to book. There is a little tiny place just across from the Fairmont whose name i cannot remember that was good last year.
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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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We stayed in the Chateau last year for our honeymoon and it was fantastic. However, with all the choice of restaurants in Whistler we'd only eat in the Chateau once in 2 weeks.
Both mountains are fine for the two of you, there's every level of slope to choose from and the ski school is brilliant. Let me know if you want a personal recommendation for an instructor.
As Arno says, the eateries on the mountains are not great as they are mass cater canteens.
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SnowMonkey69 - we're off to Whistler for 3 weeks in March.
Could do with a recommendation for an instructor - just looking for a couple of technique improving lessons.
Thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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franga,
Hi there
My wife loves her instructor Marcel Richoz, in fact on return from honeymoon she raved about him so much most people questioned who'd she'd actually married!!! She used him last year also and will be fighting you for him as we're also of to Whistler in March!!
When are you going? we're off 15th to 30th staying at the Westin - be great to catch up over a beer!!!
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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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Yeah the waffles at Crystal Hut are the best lunchtime food on the mountain (I also like their steak sandwiches) but you should also check out the pulled pork sandwiches at Dustys (Creekside).
Crystal Lounge in the main village is great for chilled apres-ski with their 35 cent wings and daily beer specials.
Cinnamon Bear is also a nice place (downstairs in the village Hilton) where they have different specials (e.g. cocktails) depending on the day.
The Brew House (Village North) is worth a visit to try their own micro-brewery beer selection.
If you are in the mood for a bit more of a party atmosphere then head to After Burn night at the GLC (next to village gondola), on a Sunday evening after the Fire and Ice show. That's one of my favourite nights where they have the "Hairfarmers" cover band and various give-aways from beer to heliskiiing.
There's too many good runs to mention but I think you'd like the Symphony area on Whistler mountain. The runs over there are not too difficult and are nice and chilled (especially on a powder day) with some easy tree options if you feel like popping in and out of the gladed areas.
Regarding a flight from LAX to YVR - check out Westjet since they sometimes have good deals.
Oh and by the way it's dumping in Whistler at the moment 
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You know it makes sense.
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SnowMonkey69,
Thanks very much - off on the 11th for 3 weeks.
Hired a condo as travelling with 2 young kids - PM me nearer the time, yes would be good to grab a Honey Lager or 2.
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| parlor wrote: |
| DO NOT FORGET YOUR SNORKEL. |
Do avoid dodgy estate agents in questionably coloured ski kecks! |
The snorkel makes it easier for me to spot my victims!?
Anyone want to buy a timeshare?
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Poster: A snowHead
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mountainaddict,
We've never found queues a problem, the lift lines operate efficiently and I've never experienced any long queues, that said my wife and I enjoy skiing as a holiday and are never first in the lift lines in the morning.
Any lines always appear to be civilised, no snot monkey's popping you out your bindings!!!
The village is now well developed with an array of everything from the aforementioned 35cent wings to fine dining, if you go back you won't be disappointed. After our first trip we raved about it to friends who joined us last year and are coming again with us in 2012. We did say after all Whistler had to offer we wouldn't ski in Europe again. That said we're off to the Alps for Christmas! The downside to Whistler however has to be the weather - we have rarely seen the sun but to make up for that we've had some amazing powder days.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dennisp wrote: |
| Flying into LA, as Emirates dont fly direct to Vancouver from Dubai currently. Best way to get to Whistler from there? |
Connecting flight to YVR, then someone to drive you up to W from YVR. There are limo taxis a plenty right outside the terminal. No need to book. C C$350 IIRC.
| dennisp wrote: |
| Is Blackcomb a good mountain for beginner/intermediates? We did a red or two in Kitz, but no more than that. |
Yes. Ish. Canada has green blue, black and double black. No red. You should be fine on the blues.
Blackcomb is (IMO) a faster mountain than Whistler. Many of the W runs are based on logging areas, and there's a noticeable cant left or right to a lot of them. Blackcomb was designed on a computer, and has far fewer canted runs - they are flat, wide, and have a consistent gradient. Easy to pick up speed.
| dennisp wrote: |
| Nightlife? We will be eating mostly at fairmont, but may fancy one or two nights out. Any good quality bars without a load of drunk 14 year olds? |
IDs mean you won't see drunk teenagers. Eat out a lot. There's a Japanese opposite the Fairmont which is VG, as are Sashi Sushi and Sushi Village. The Keg, The Brewhouse (order the beer sampler), Carumba, Bavaria, Dubhlin Gate, Earls (fittest waitresses), 21 Steps, the Longhorn (daytimes) are all worth popping into. Araxi and Umbertos are good for high end stuff.
Oh, and Cows for ice cream. Or Dairy Queen if you're a cheapskate.
| dennisp wrote: |
| Any killer runs that we would be able to do? My wife is into runway wide tree runs, as the road width shear drop runs in Kitz freaked her a little. |
Ridge Runner on Blackcomb will suit to a tee.
Dave Murray downhill and the Ladies DH course on W ditto. Symphony Chair runs for something a little gentler.
| dennisp wrote: |
| Best mountain eatery? ;p |
They are functional. Eating on the mountain isn't like Europe. We often head down to the GLC or the Longhorn or Merlins for lunch.
Crystal Hut is good for waffles, but there's usually a long wait for them and it's hard to get a table.
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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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We've been there over Christmas / New Year and even at these peak times the lift lines haven't been bad, and go outside of those particular days (even by the 2nd / 3rd Jan) the lines are back to practically nothing. Love Blackcomb, but that's just a personal choice. The back bowls on Whistler though are fabulous, and you don't need to be a skilled skier to access some great skiing.
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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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WOW! thank you for all the replies everyone, sorry its taken so long to check the info, we had visitor season here with family, so back into the hunt for Whistler now.
Appreciate all the advice. Flying into YVR and staying one night at Pacific Rim, then 9 nights at FCW, then back to Vancouver for 3 nights at Hotel Vancouver! Hoping to have a perfectly aweomse trip! Will definately frequent all of the above bars and runs, and there seems to be a great deal of everything.
Thank you all again
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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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dennisp, that will be awesome!
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FAQ
- it was mainly the area just near the bottom gondola that was developed) but have always wanted to go back.
