Alpine Hiking Trails at Whistler Blackcomb Open Ahead Of Schedule And Wildflowers Already In Bloom
Thanks to a warm and sunny spring, the summer season has kicked off early at Whistler Blackcomb with a wide range of summer activities available ahead of schedule. Summer operations are now in full effect, with alpine hiking trails open four to five weeks ahead of schedule and wildflower season already in bloom.
“Guests are really going to get the most out of the summer season this year at Whistler Blackcomb,” says Arthur De Jong, Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager for Whistler Blackcomb. “The alpine snowmelt is a month ahead of average, meaning more time for our guests to enjoy the world-class alpine experiences we have to offer during the summer months.”
Whistler Blackcomb offers over 50km of alpine hiking, walking and running trails, ranging in difficulty from easy (green) to moderate (blue) to advanced (black). As of June 20, all of Blackcomb Mountain’s alpine hiking trails were open, including the signature Overlord and Decker trails. The Peak Chair on Whistler Mountain is scheduled to open on June 27 providing access to Whistler’s extensive trail network, including the Whistler Summit Interpretive Walk, Matthews’, and Pika’s Traverse. The signature High Note trail will be open on, or just before, July 4. The alpine wildflowers, viewable from hiking trails on both mountains, are also about a month ahead of schedule. Full bloom is happening now and prime viewing is from Overlord Trail and Marmot.
New this summer, Whistler Blackcomb has introduced timed hiking trails for hikers, walkers and runners looking to test their fitness. Guests will be able to use Whistler Blackcomb’s RFID technology to track their start and finish times on select trails and save their times using online profiles. There are three checkpoints, located at the Whistler Peak and the top of Emerald Chair on Whistler Mountain and at the PEAK 2 PEAK terminal on Blackcomb Mountain. The Blackcomb checkpoint is open and the Whistler checkpoints will be open soon.
Guests can make the most of their summer alpine experiences at Whistler Blackcomb, including unlimited access to the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, the Samsung Alpine Theatre and alpine hiking, with a PEAK 2 PEAK 360 pass. The PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass includes exclusive perks and discounts, such as 20 per cent off food at the Roundhouse Lodge, 20 per cent off Mountain Top BBQ tickets and up to 20 per cent off merchandise in Whistler Blackcomb retail locations. PEAK 2 PEAK 360 passes are available for not much more than an adult single day ticket and are valid through to October 12. More information can be found at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/discover/360-experience.
Summer Highlights at Whistler Blackcomb
· Summer skiing and riding on the Horstman Glacier: June 20 through to July 26 – open daily with public upload beginning at 11am at the Wizard Express Chair in the Upper Village. Recommended for advanced skiers and riders only;
· The Family Adventure Zone, presented by Nintendo: June 13 through September 1 – activities include mini golf, Go Carts, and the Amazing Maze;
· Steeps Grill and Wine Bar: June 27 through September 13 – open 11am-3:30pm daily for lunch with an après reduced menu from 3:30pm-4:30pm and happy hour reduced drink pricing from 3pm-4:30pm;
· Mountain Top BBQ: June 27 through September 13 – every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:30pm and 7pm on the Roundhouse Lodge patio;
· Whistler Farmer’s Market: May 31 through October 12 – every Sunday from 11am-4pm in the Upper Village. The Wednesday Farmer’s Market will begin July 2 and will run from 3pm-7pm through to August 27.
· Winemaker Dinner Series: August 1 & September 5 – fine dining events at Steeps Grill & Wine Bar featuring full-course wine-paired dinners hosted by vineyard representatives.
Summer Event Preview
· Canada Day Celebrations: July 1
· The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: July 1 – 4
· Ironman: July 26
· Wanderlust: July 30 – August 3
· Bulleit Bourbon Canadian National BBQ Championships: July 31 – August 2
· Crankworx Whistler: August 7 – 16
· Gran Fondo: September 12
· Whistler Village Beer Festival: September 16 – 20
Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/purchase/deals-packages or call 1-888-403-4727.
About Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,163 centimetres (458 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.