When is the best time to come?

The busiest times are Christmas break, President's week and March. Sunny weekends can also be busy with Saturday typically being the busiest day of the week. As a rule Whistler is busier on Mondays and Blackcomb is busier on Tuesdays.

If you are looking to escape the crowds and get cheaper rates then January is the best time. After the kids go back to school the resort is very quiet until mid February.

If you are looking for sunshine and warm weather then March and April are good times. It can be busy depending on the school break schedules however during the week you probably won't have to wait in many lines. 

You can get any type of weather at any time of the year so it is hard to base travel plans on mother nature however Whistler typically gets more snow December through February while March through May are typically sunnier and warmer months.

Does Whistler make snow?

Yes Whistler and Blackcomb make snow on the middle and lower mountains to build up a better snow base so that the ski season can last longer at the lower elevations. Because Whistler is so near sea level it tends to get quite warm during the days in the spring.

Is Whistler good for beginners?

Whistler and Blackcomb are generally considered to be steeper than most ski areas in North America. That being said there are quite a few designated beginner run on both mountains. Whistler is generally considered to be more beginner friendly than Blackcomb. 

The Olympic chair and adjacent beginner magic carpet lifts form an excellent beginner novice teaching and practice area. once skiers have sufficient confidence and skills they can challenge some of the green (easiest) runs on the Emerald chair. On sunny days strong novice skiers can go up the Peak Chair and ski the Burnt Stew Trail all the way back to the bottom of Emerald. This trip takes most people an hour and a half or more.

What is the weather like?

The first big snowfalls of the season are usually in late October or early November. By the middle of November the snow is starting to stay in the alpine and temperatures are usually cool enough to allow the making of snow. The mountains open for skiing at the end of November. 

December is traditionally very snowy with large storms coming off the Pacific regularly. By Christmas most of the runs are open in the high alpine and you can ski out. Mot people think that January is the coldest month and most years it can be however it has also been known to be both warm and wet and warm and sunny for prolonged periods. 

February is usually a good snow month and tends to gradually get warmer and sunnier as March closes in. March is usually a mix of intense but usually short storms followed by clear sunny days. Even though its usually quite warm in the valley but still great conditions on top.

By April spring is close at hand in the valley but you can still have winter conditions in the alpine until well into May. By the middle of April you have to download the last part of the mountain (mid station down).