Whistler - what is it good for?

[Kumapix 0]

 Originally Posted By: Mantas

More Kiwis if anything.

No, lots of Aussies, Canadians from eastern Canada, Quebekers & Japanese.

[Mantas 3]

 Quote:

The tricky bit is fitting in a boy's trip to Niseko in Feb as well!

I have every faith in you RD. You can pull this off.

I hate to brag but I did exactly that last year. Boys trip to Niseko in Feb. Whistler in March.
So there you go. I've layed down the ground work, it's now up to you to run with it.

[Mantas 3]

Looking across from Blackcomb.........Whistler in the distance

 

Blackcomb Glacier

[Mantas 3]

Buggered if I know.....?????????

[nagoid 4]

Here you go Mantas. It has to end in ".jpg", you had extra characters in there....

 

 

 

 

[Rag-Doll 0]

Thanks Mantas, you're an inspiration!

 

Nice photos too - are they your tracks in the second photo?

[invisibleman 0]

How was the snow over there in March Mantas?

 

Whistler is on my "must go in the next 2 years" list.

[Mantas 3]

It was actually April. I got lucky. The season was all but over, the locals were all set to enjoy spring. One guy said to me " It will be a miracle if it snows in the village again this season". Two days later it dumped 40cm up top, and covered the whole village again.

The 2 weeks prior to that were good, though the snow down the bottom half was a bit heavy.

 

This photo was taken mid April on a back country tour.

 

[oo 1]

Mid April - that looks like very good going

[daver 0]

what's whistler good for? check this out!

 

 

PEAK TO PEAK GONDOLA TO UNITE WHISTLER AND BLACKCOMB AT THE TOP

Record breaking lift will revolutionize resort experience

 

Whistler Blackcomb, a mountain resort already renowned for daring innovation, is thrilled to announce its boldest move yet with the construction of the Peak to Peak Gondola, for completion December 2008. The two mountains will be united by a gondola that will set world records for length and height while providing an unmatched experience for winter and summer resort guests.

 

The Peak to Peak Gondola will travel 4.4 kilometres in just 11 minutes, transporting winter and summer guests from Whistler’s Roundhouse Lodge to the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain, giving them unprecedented access to both mountains’ expansive and unique high alpine terrain and spectacular vistas.

 

“The Peak to Peak Gondola will create a dramatically enhanced experience that no other mountain resort in North America, possibly the world, can offer,” says Dave Brownlie, Whistler Blackcomb’s Chief Operating Officer. “This link will effectively double, or more, the options for accessing the highest quality and greatest variety of terrain on any one day, from anywhere on the mountains. We are going to completely revolutionize our guests’ experience.”

 

Skiers and riders will have the opportunity to easily take advantage of 8,171 acres of terrain encompassed by both incredible mountains, via the world's longest continuous lift system. Moving freely between the high alpine areas of both mountains skiers and riders will spend more of their day in the best weather and snow conditions. The adventure for summer visitors will include spectacular views of glaciers and peaks as well as access to an expanded hiking trail network on both mountains.

 

“This lift is the catalyst for a sustainable economic future benefiting both Whistler Blackcomb and the entire resort community,” says Brownlie. “It will solidify Whistler’s position as the undeniable leader of mountain resorts in North America, while increasing our appeal as a top destination in the world.”

 

With 28 sky cabins each holding up to 28 people, total capacity will be 4,100 passengers per hour. The Peak to Peak terminal on Whistler Mountain will be located next to the Roundhouse Lodge and easily accessed from the valley by the Village Gondola. On Blackcomb Mountain the Peak to Peak terminal will be located next to the Rendezvous Lodge and accessed from the valley via the Wizard Express and Solar Coaster Express.

 

Construction will commence in May 2007, with the lift being manufactured and installed by the Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group (Doppelmayr) of Austria The Doppelmayr 3S tri-cable gondola will span 4.4 kilometres (2.73 miles) in total distance from Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain with the world’s longest unsupported (free) span of 3.024 kilometres (1.88 miles) between the two towers furthest apart. The highest vertical point is over Fitzsimmons Creek at 415 metres (1,361 feet) – the world’s greatest distance above a valley floor.

 

 

 

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

 

Check out high resolution photographs video and full details available for editorial use, and are downloadable at the following link; http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/peaktopeak.

[scouser 4]

that looks impressive.

[gerard 6]

First thing I thought was -'Is that really necessary?' --It's not like it opens up any new terrain or anything. I guess it's impressive though. I was surprised to see that the distance is only 4.4 km. I'd have thought it to be a lot longer than that... and the vertical drop to the valley floor to be a little higher too.

[Ezorisu 0]

Each cabin had better come with motion sickness bags!

[daver 0]

i was wondering how they would deal with emergency evacuations.

[gerard 6]

OK. My verdict on the new lift is . It's not necessary. It doesn't add anything. If anything, it will just take away from the experience --spoil the view... detract from the feeling of vastness. Pick a bloody mountain people! They're got 4000 acres each!!! I don't like to think that a portion of my lift ticket price is going towards such a superfluous endeavour. It's overkill --"Yeah, yeah.... We know, already. Whistler's number one. Give it a rest".

 

Now.... a high speed lift across the Pacific. THAT would be useful.

 

(Actually, we scammed a bit on the lift tickets while I was there recently. One day we bought promo passes from a guy who offered them to us as we were waiting in line. Another day, we noticed that they weren't checking up top so when one of us got up there, I skied the pass down to a third person who was waiting down below. Despicable behaviour -- I know.... but I really can't feel too guilty for scamming Intrawest when they're charging twice as much as the best resorts in Japan.)

[smellyfeet 0]

Glass bottoms to the gondolas please.

 

I agree though it is not necesary.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

glass bottoms? that would make having sex in them a lot more thrilling.

[thursday 1]

what's this with you always wanting to hump in a gonjula

[Mantas 3]

 Originally Posted By: ger

I really can't feel too guilty for scamming Intrawest when they're charging twice as much as the best resorts in Japan.)

Yer. No need for that lift. Overkill is right.
Has anyone ever sat through an Intrawest promotional time share presentation to get some free stuff ? We did. It was pretty grueling. But they looked after the kids for us, gave us food and drinks and 1 1/2 hours later, we had $175 can. to play with.

[daver 0]

they might be charging twice as much as the best resorts in japan but then again they are at least 5 times as big and easily 50 times better.

over kill? hmmmm IT'S A SKI RESORT!!!! over kill, as long as it is logical, serves a purpose, and well thought out, is the industry. from its first inception intrawest has always embodied over kill.

 

but yeah, pretty pointless. they say skiers will be able to choose the resort according to conditions and weather, but when has it been storming on one mountain and not on the other? and even so, what are the chances of the lift operating during a storm?

 

none the less, it is an incredible feat of engineering.

[grungy-gonads 54]

 Quote:

and easily 50 times better

Wow. That has peaked my interest. That good?

[thursday 1]

I reckon it's only 49 times better

[gerard 6]

 Originally Posted By: daver

over kill? hmmmm IT'S A SKI RESORT!!!!

Yeah.... OK.

About Intrawest, the company that owns Whistler.... They hit the nail on the head and discovered what the masses want and expect out of a ski vacation. Actually, they probably defined it! In recent years they bought a ski resort called Mt. Tremblant in Quebec. Since then, Tremblant has appeared on ski resort top-ten lists. (Not consistently, but I've seen it.) Previously the whole ski-apres-ski-accomodation experience might not have been as seamless as it is now, but the ski resort had character, culture and charm. Intrawest ripped it all down and built a mini-Whistler village with vamped-up the lifts. They kept just enough of the old village so that they could advertise the French Canadianness of it, but it's become nothing more than a gimmick. --Contrived - like a theme park. Meanwhile, the mountain itself is very average of Eastern North America and certainly pales behind the most medeocre of Western resorts. And get this--their average annual snowfall is less than 4 meters. Even if the mountain kicked all ass, there's not enough snow to ski it! With smoke and mirrors, Intrawest has turned it into a major destination resort. All flash and no substance. Actually, the company did the same thing with a place in Ontario called Blue Mountain. There's much better skiing in Australia than Blue Mountain. Obviously, Blue Mt. isn't on any top ten lists, but I think it's doing very well since Intrawest bought it. Lots of time share condos, etc. Again --they just built a mini-Whistler village. The place never had much character beforehand though anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

Whistler mountain, on the hand, delivers. It's the best. But Intrawest is like the New York Yankees... Starbucks.... Britney Spears. It's just a formula. Of course.... that's not what goes through your mind coming down the backside of Blackcomb though.

The rumour I've heard is that Intrawest has a big stake in Hanazono (Niseko) along with the Aussies. If you think that Niseko is a marketing giant now (Actualy, the travel agents in Australia are the real marketers), wait till you see what intrawest does with it.

[daver 0]

i hear you on the intrawest's quest to gentrify everything it touches.

i remember tremblant pre intrawest. it was a dieing resort, but it had character. actually it is the second oldest resort in north american behind sun valley. i remember the Octobar, sooo awesome as an apres ski bar. but it has all gone.

 

intrawest in Niseko? wow. that will be something, and when it happens you can be sure japan will finally be placed on the globe as a first class ski destination.

you know to be honest, (i've never been to niseko so i can't speak for that area well) japan could use an big investor like intrawest to re-invigorate the ski industry.

[gerard 6]

I have to check my facts on that one. I heard an Aussie company bought the Hanazono side and thought 'OK. What do Aussies know about developing ski resorts?' Then I heard they asked Intrawest to develop it. The lift system would finally make sense, for one. As much as people complain about flatness, the Hanazono side has some fine lift-served terrain already. If you add a lift or two to the summit, it would be great! (Though there wouldn't be the same sense of satisfaction standing on the summit after a hike obviously, and it would be skied out by )

 

Then, imagine the village. Picture the N.American generic ski village but with a Japanese twist -- plastic compound 'Japanese' tiles on the roofs... hourly taiko performances by fat men dressed like sumo wrestlers... a 'zen' garden, tended by 19 year old ski bums earning 900 yen an hour and living in staff housing. Intrawest would exploit the f*** out of it. And I have a feeling the Japanese would love it as much as the Aussies. They'd probably be able to convince a few N.Americans to check it out too.