Summer Season Kicks off at Whistler/Blackcomb

June 30, 2015

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.

Credit: Paul Morrison

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 50 km 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 WhistlerMountain 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.

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 11:00 a.m. 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 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily for lunch with an après reduced menu from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and happy hour reduced drink pricing from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Mountain Top BBQ: June 27 through September 13 – every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. 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 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 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.