It’s summer, and sunny season operations at Whistler Blackcomb are getting into full swing as the snow melts and the much anticipated (alpine) wildflower season creeps closer.
While the Peak 2 Peak Gondola didn’t start spinning until mid-June, senior manager of planning and business development, Wendy Robinson, told Pique the mountain never really stopped for a break between winter and summer operations.
“We didn’t shut down,” Robinson said.
“We went from winter sightseeing and winter skiing and snowboarding, to spring skiing and mountain biking all on Whistler, plus sightseeing,” she said. Blackcomb was closed earlier in spring to allow for work to proceed on the incoming Jersey Cream chairlift, expected to be operational in time for the 2024-25 winter season.
With the Peak 2 Peak open, and the Peak Chair, Raven’s Eye and Cloudraker Skybridge opening up the appeal of the top of the mountain as of early July, the team at Whistler Blackcomb has a lot on its plate looking ahead.
The weather has been a mixed bag in 2024 so far, starting with a poor snow season that rebounded (just without stellar attendance), which then drew out into a long and cool spring. As such, some of the alpine snow the resort did get is still lingering into July.
“We still have pretty decent snowpack up top despite the winter, so not all of our hiking trails are opened up yet,” said Robinson. “They’re slowly melting out.”
That may change soon: The forecast as of July 2 is very warm weather in the short-term, with the temperature pushing into the 30s by the weekend.
“The weather is getting nice … so that should really push the regional visitation,” Robinson said.
Whistler Blackcomb parent company Vail Resorts recently reported winter visitation at the mountain was down significantly last season, so eyes will be on the numbers heading into summer.
For now, options on the mountain are limited, but hiking is still possible. Keeners can get all the way to Rendezvous on Blackcomb from the valley, and do some exploring up top, while Whistler has some trails available around the top thanks to the team clearing snow and prepping to get the star attractions such as the Cloudraker Skybridge set up.
Robinson said there were a few new items on the go, including a new interpretive trail on Blackcomb along with a new playground for kids.
“We’re working on a new kids’ interpretive trail [on Blackcomb], that will connect in off of Blackcomb Alpine Loop,” she said. “It will be an interpretive and interactive kids trail, and we’re working on the interpretive signage and activities—though it’s still buried in snow. We’ll do a little bit of work and then get that going once it’s melted.”
On the playground, guests over the last few days would have noted a modular new build between Rendezvous and the Peak 2 Peak terminal that will soon be joined by another two pieces. With some more work they’ll be a new playground set for kids on the mountain.
“There are three of these that will come together and be lowered down [so they’re flush with the ground], and they’re movable, so they’re not going to be in the way for winter,” said Robinson, who explained the playground was designed and constructed all in-house, and in a way to fit with the environment on the hill, being made from wood and repurposed materials.
“It’s pretty robust, and something for kids to do up in the alpine environment with an amazing backdrop,” she said.
“We looked at larger structures, and decided that this was the year for it. We planned it through winter, had a few designs and talked to our team here and pulled it together internally.”
The new playground is expected to be available for kids (large and small) in the next few weeks—optimally located within eyesight of the patio.
Over the next few weeks, the Summer Alpine Experience offered by the resort will also expand as the snow melts, giving access to the rest of the 50-kilometre network currently still locked away.
Meanwhile, the bike park is getting into the swing of it, enjoying the first year in a long while with zero interruptions due to construction or pandemics, with the Fitzsimmons Chair done, Red Chair done, Creekside Gondola done, and trails below the Fitzsimmons being returned to operation.
“Obviously the Fitz Zone was heavily impacted with the construction of the lift last year, and then prior to that, the construction of Red [chair] and Creekside Gondola, so three major projects over a couple of years plus the pandemic,” said Robinson, adding officials expect more riders to take advantage now that there are no disruptions.
Notably, trails that tracked below the Fitzsimmons are opening up.
“Everything’s coming back to life and being reinstated following construction, so it’s all coming together,” Robinson said.
“The only piece that's really missing right now is the peak.”
And the peak means the famous Top of the World trail.
“There’s too much snow to reopen the Top of the World at this point,” she said.
“I would imagine next week I’ll be up here on my bike to go and do a recon mission, to go see the snowpack and check out the track and try to find out how much work it will take us to get that open.”
No promises, but Robinson said she hoped it would be open before Crankworx later in July.
