Trip Report: Nine Benefits of Early-Season Skiing in Canada

Our aim of the trip? To get a real taste of what early season skiing is like in Canada and enhance our knowledge of Sun Peaks, Whistler and Vancouver, enabling us to provide genuine personal advice to our customers - something we pride ourselves on!

I was joined for this epic journey across the pond by fellow Canada first-timers Alec, Jade and Josh from our sales team and Toni and Zoe from operations, while our guide for the week was Sales Manager and former Whistler local, Andy Knights.

Keep reading to discover the amazing benefits of being amongst the first out on Canada's slopes before the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

It's hugely satisfying watching the staff in the rental shop peel the plastic off the shiny, new demo equipment and pull out the paper stuffed inside the unworn boots before they hand it to you at the start of your first day.

Getting your skiing holiday in at the start of the winter season means you can expect to have the newest equipment at your disposal and we were all hugely grateful to try out new ski and snowboards in Sun Peaks and Whistler.

No one was more grateful than one of our newest team members, Josh, who is a keen snowboarder and was stoked to be the first to ride one of the box-fresh boards in Sun Peaks:

“If you are in the market for new skis or a snowboard, early season is the perfect time to explore different options and try the latest equipment. In Sun Peaks, I was lucky enough to ride a brand new Yes x Pyzel snowboard, which the ski techs recommended after listening to my riding preferences and they were spot on with their suggestion. I am considering buying the board for my upcoming trip to Whistler in February 2024 after the three days spent riding it. On top of this, the staff were very knowledgeable on all aspects of riding and were incredibly friendly.”

If I’m completely transparent, there are some risks to early-season skiing. Looking at the forecast a few days before we left, it appeared Mother Nature was going to be a little stingy with the snowfall in Sun Peaks. The average base snow depth at the start of December is 18 inches with 36 inches due to fall throughout the month. Whilst we were there, Sun Peaks wasn't scheduled to receive anywhere near that.

Thankfully, websites and forecasts aren't always correct! From the moment we arrived, it didn't stop dumping, so we had plenty of fresh tracks to enjoy.

Although the terrain was limited, we loved every minute of our time skiing or snowboarding and lost ourselves in the magic of being in the mountains. The conditions were even good enough for us to ski through Sun Peaks Village and back to the lifts at the bottom of the resort!

Canada is usually covered in snow by December. Historically, Whistler receives around 98 inches of snow throughout November, which sets up a good base layer by December. However, this year was an anomaly. Whistler only had 14% of its terrain open, but the runs that were open challenged all of the group, whether they were a beginner skier like Zoe or a more seasoned snowboarder like Andy Knights.

The moral of the story is that if you pick a high-altitude resort with modern snow-making facilities, you’re bound to get a fix of the white stuff, despite the forecast potentially painting a bleak picture. Even though this wasn't Canada's best December for snow, we still had plenty to have a brilliant time on the slopes.

After skiing hard in the mornings, we often found ourselves needing a break in the afternoon. This presented the perfect opportunity for us to dive into each resort's non-skiing activities.

A recent addition to Sun Peaks, the Cleavage Axe Co axe-throwing venue is less than ten minutes from Sun Peaks Village via the regular shuttle bus service. We loved spending the afternoon letting our competitive sides out in a tournament, in which Sales Consultant Josh narrowly beat Zoe in the final!

A stone’s throw away from Whistler Village is an old-growth forest filled with trees that are nearly 1,000 years old. What better way to see them and get a birds-eye view of the valley below than by zip lining with Ziptrek Ecotours?

Over two hours, we watched the sun go down over Whistler's iconic mountain and zipped down four heart-racing lines in between hiking over four tree-top bridges. All the exhilarating exercise on and off the mountains resulted in tired legs. Thankfully we had the perfect remedy!

Both resorts are home to world-class spas, which the team took full advantage of most evenings. The slopeside views from the 4* Sun Peaks Grand Hotel's hot tubs and pools were sensational, while the 5* Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s mighty spa had all the facilities we could dream of.

There are two things you need for a successful ski or snowboard lesson: a quiet learning area and an instructor with an abundance of patience that hasn’t been slowly drained throughout the season.

Our Tour Coordinators, Toni and Zoe, had a whale of a time switching from skiing to snowboarding for the first time. In Whistler, they discovered that early December is an ideal time to learn something new because the peak crowds haven't yet descended upon the beginner area, and their instructor was full of enthusiasm!

Here's Zoe's take on her first time strapping into a snowboard:

"I have tried skiing a few times and enjoyed it, but I always felt snowboarding could be better for me. I decided to take the plunge and give it a go in Whistler.

Although I was apprehensive at first, as soon as I met my instructor, I was put at ease. He let me dictate the pace of the lesson, and I feel I managed to progress quite quickly due to his patience and clear explanations.

I had two lessons during my stay, and by the end of the second session, I was snowboarding unassisted and linking turns. These lessons encouraged me to stick with snowboarding and I am already thinking about when I can take my next trip to continue progressing my skills. I'll always be a snowboarder now!"

Prior to landing in Canada, I’d heard great things about the country’s high level of service and friendly staff. However, I believe paying a visit at the start of the season when the staff are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed helped exceed all expectations. The level of service across both resorts was on a different level.

In every restaurant we visited, the server did an exceptional job looking after us, and you could tell the food had been carefully crafted. Whether it was the nachos at Dusty’s, the mouth-watering steak at Teppan Village, or the burgers at Bottoms Bar & Grill.

On the slopes, the lift attendants were quick and eager to help if they saw you struggling to place your equipment in the holders outside of the gondola (I may have needed help on more than one occasion). Plus, the knowledgeable rental shop staff were always on hand to go the extra mile, ensuring you got the equipment to suit your ability. This helped all of us get the best possible skiing and snowboarding experience.

I couldn’t talk about extraordinary service without giving a shout-out to the staff at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The bartenders would remember your favourite drink, and the reception team were always keen to hear about your day and how they could improve your stay. However, the highlight for me was the room attendant leaving a handwritten note explaining they noticed I was using the expresso machine, and leaving me extra coffee supplies!

Some of us are lucky enough to be heading out to various resorts in January, March and April, so after skiing Sun Peaks' gentle groomer and Whistler’s more challenging terrain, we’ve dusted off the summer cobwebs and are now ready for more skiing throughout the winter.

If you’re in a similar position and thinking about taking more than one trip to the mountains in 2024/25, we highly recommend you consider going out at the start of the season to find your ski legs.

From the beginning of December, Sun Peaks, Whistler and Vancouver are all draped in dazzling festive lights. The addition of crackling log fires and Christmas trees dotted around our accommodations quickly got the team into the holiday spirit.

However, because we were outside of the Christmas and New Year period, we were able to revel in the festivities without the commotion of the crowds. This is a major advantage to visiting a resort in early December, plus it's a lot cheaper!

It’s not the main reason to click into your skis as soon as the first snowflake falls, but I must admit, I did walk into the Ski Safari office on Monday morning with a spring in my step and a smug smile on my face knowing I was one of the first of my colleagues to experience the joy of being on the mountains this season.

I was very grateful to experience the Whistler Peaks Ski Safari in person, instead of having to live it vicariously through social media. If there's one thing you get from going on an early-season ski trip, it's bragging rights amongst your friends and colleagues!

Our journey taught us that December is a fantastic time to visit the popular city of Vancouver. The transfer from Whistler to the city is only two hours, but you fill that time by picking your jaw off the floor because the scenery out of your window is spectacular. Luckily, there’s a rest stop halfway to snap some pictures, spot some seals, and listen to them barking!

Our transfer concluded at the popular 4* Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, which is based in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows gave us epic views of the cityscape and the rooms were incredibly comfortable. If you ever find yourself in the city, don't pass up the opportunity to stay in one of Vancouver's most stylish hotels.

Following a night of excellent food and a table hockey tournament at the hotel, we were up early ready to explore Vancouver. As we’re based in the UK, we’re used to unfavourable conditions, so the rain didn’t dampen any spirits as the team trundled down to the waterfront. 

If there’s one thing we’d recommend you do on a rainy day in the city, it’s the FlyOver Canada experience. The 20ft panoramic screen works in tandem with your motion seat providing an immersive feeling of dipping and diving through Canada’s most iconic attractions. The icing on the experience is the wind, mist and various smells that pour out of the seat to complete an authentic feeling of flying.

Because we were in the city before the Christmas crowds, there were hardly any queues for the FlyOver experience, plus plenty of room to breathe when walking through the streets and the Pacific Centre. This is a top place to browse a wide selection of shops for a bit of last-minute holiday and Christmas shopping before heading back to Vancouver Airport.

There's usually a lot more snow at this time of year in Canada, but that didn't detract from the magnificent time we had on the Whistler Peaks Ski Safari.

With this in mind, I can genuinely say that there are plenty of benefits to an early-season getaway. December is a fabulous time of year to visit Sun Peaks, Whistler and Vancouver, but I know you'd have an equally good time if you were to visit at any point throughout the winter season.

To request a tailor-made price for a Whistler Peaks Ski Safari, enquire online or call our friendly team of ski specialists on 01273 224060.

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