
3,307 hectares, 305 runs across two mountains near Vancouver. 2010 Olympic venue, PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, Epic Pass.
Whistler Blackcomb's summit reaches 2,284 metres, dropping 1,609 vertical metres to a base at 675 metres across 305 runs spread over roughly 3,307 hectares near Whistler, British Columbia. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 35 per cent advanced, 18 per cent beginner and 7 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 10.8 metres. The resort carries Epic Pass affiliation. Thirty-seven lifts, including eight quad chairs, four six-person chairs, one eight-person chair and nine gondolas, serve the two mountains alongside three triple chairs, ten surface lifts and two t-bars.
Whistler Blackcomb holds a distinguished place as one of the largest ski resorts in North America, spanning two connected mountains linked by the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, and served as a host venue for the alpine and freestyle events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. This considerable scale, combined with its purpose-built alpine village, has built the resort's international reputation as a genuine destination for skiers of every ability.
Whistler Mountain was originally developed as part of a bid for the 1968 Winter Olympics, and although that bid failed, construction proceeded regardless, with the resort opening in January 1966. Blackcomb Mountain, initially a separate operation, opened in December 1980, and the two resorts spent the 1980s and 1990s locked in a rivalry of constant upgrades that pushed both ahead of most other North American resorts.
Intrawest bought Blackcomb's assets in 1986, purchased Whistler in 1997, and fully merged operations in 2003, with the combined resort becoming the first in North America to record two million skier visits in a season by April 1999. Vail Resorts acquired Whistler Blackcomb Holdings for 1.39 billion US dollars in August 2016, while Nippon Cable has retained a 25 per cent minority interest throughout. Adult daily tickets run from 150 to 199 Canadian dollars.
Whistler Blackcomb is one resort in Sanity, covering 305 runs across roughly 3,307 hectares between a 675-metre base and the 2,284-metre summit. That is a 1,609-metre vertical spread over two mountains. The grading is 18% beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% advanced and 7% expert, so a third of the mountain is advanced, though huge areas of cruising terrain remain for intermediates, and expert-rated runs are relatively scarce. Roughly 10.8 metres of snow falls each winter, and the range of aspects and elevations offers something skiable in almost any conditions.
On Whistler, Harmony and Symphony bowls offer wide alpine skiing above the tree line, with Symphony the gentler of the two. Blackcomb's steeper terrain includes Spanky's Ladder and the Blackcomb Glacier, which is as close to backcountry freeriding as inbounds skiing gets. Couloir Extreme and Saudan Couloir are strictly for experts. The PEAK 2 PEAK gondola links the two mountains, making long mixed-ability days easy. It suits strong intermediates, advanced skiers and groups who want varied terrain without leaving the resort, and new visitors should expect to spend a day or two just learning the layout.
The 2025-26 season at Whistler Blackcomb ran from 22 November 2025 to 10 May 2026, a roughly twenty-four-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 10.8 metres. This extended season is regularly cited among the longest in North America, reflecting Whistler Blackcomb's considerable elevation range and glacier-fed terrain.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across both mountains. As the flagship Canadian resort within the Epic Pass system, Whistler Blackcomb draws substantial international visitation from Epic Pass holders and destination travellers alike.
Whistler Blackcomb's purpose-built alpine village continues to draw considerable visitation for its dining, shopping and nightlife alongside the skiing itself. School holiday periods and major weekends bring some of the heaviest crowds in Canada, reflecting the resort's status as one of the most internationally recognised ski destinations in the world.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since hosting the alpine and freestyle events of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler Blackcomb has continued building on six decades of history since Whistler Mountain's 1966 founding. The resort's considerable scale and Olympic heritage remain central to its enduring global reputation.
Whistler Blackcomb sits near Whistler, British Columbia, with a base elevation of 675 metres and a summit at 2,284 metres across a 1,609-metre vertical drop over roughly 3,307 hectares spanning two connected mountains. This setting places the resort within the Coast Mountains, roughly two hours north of Vancouver.
The town of Whistler itself, a purpose-built alpine village established alongside the resort's development, offers extensive lodging, dining, shopping and nightlife directly at the mountain's base.
Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway, provides direct access to the resort from Vancouver, a scenic coastal route that has been substantially upgraded in recent decades. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, particularly at higher elevations, though the well-maintained highway reflects the resort's status as a major international destination.
Vancouver International Airport, roughly a two-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with dedicated shuttle and coach services connecting the airport directly to Whistler for travellers without a vehicle.
Hotels and lodges near Whistler Blackcomb, powered by Stay22.

Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.
Whistler Blackcomb's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from November 20 through May 16. That window is roughly 177 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in British Columbia, Canada often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Whistler Blackcomb lists about 8,172 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 305 named runs (3,307 hectares alongside 8,172 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Whistler Blackcomb breaks down roughly as 18% beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% advanced, 7% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical metres. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Whistler Blackcomb operates 37 lifts across 7 lift types. The fleet includes 10 surface lifts, 9 gondolas, 8 quad chairs, 4 6-person chairs, 3 triple chairs, 2 t-bars, and 1 8-person chair.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Whistler Blackcomb is about 675 m (2,215 ft), with the summit around 2,284 m (7,493 ft), giving roughly 1,609 m (5,279 ft) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Whistler Blackcomb averages about 1,080 cm (425 inches) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Whistler Blackcomb is affiliated with the Epic. Pass holders should confirm current season benefits, blackout dates, and reservation rules on the pass issuer's site. Policies change year to year and can differ between international and domestic products.
If you are not on Epic, day tickets and multi-day bundles are still available; see the lift tickets page for published rates and purchase links.
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans CA$110 to CA$329, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
SnowStash pulls together 7 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Whistler Blackcomb so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Whistler Blackcomb. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Whistler Blackcomb sits in British Columbia, Canada. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.