Trip Report: What I Loved About Whistler and Vancouver in December

As someone who’s always wanted to visit Canada, I was beyond excited to have the opportunity to visit Whistler and Vancouver for six days in December, organised by Vail Resorts and hosted in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Destination Vancouver. Joined by colleagues Jess and Katie, we not only skied THE BEST early-season snow Whistler’s had in years, but we also had an amazing time enjoying great food and company and tried some exciting activities off-mountain.

British Columbia is rich with wildlife and stunning alpine landscapes, and has a proud sense of culture and Indigenous heritage. It is also home to the diverse, cultural hub of Vancouver, and as Vancouver International Airport is your arrival point, stopping here to explore for a few days makes the perfect add-on to your ski trip.

Our Ski Safari group consisted of skiers of different ability levels (beginner-intermediate, intermediate and intermediate-advanced), so it’s wonderful to share our recent experience from three different perspectives.

Two things jumped out at me as I wandered through Whistler Village on the evening I arrived. Firstly, the impressive Christmas lights that seemed to wrap around and coat every tree in every direction you turned - they know how to put on a good display!

Secondly, the calm and friendly atmosphere in the village. I’m not sure what I was expecting, perhaps for it to be heaving with people, but it wasn’t. Handfuls of people were enjoying a mid-week drink beside the fire heaters, others strolling to nearby restaurants, and there was a general mellow hum of activity.

I stayed at the 4*+ Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village Suites, based in Village North. A shuttle stops outside, but I preferred to walk, to enjoy the sights. It turned out to be the perfect base during my stay as you didn’t have to travel far to get around on foot. It is less than a 10-minute walk to the Whistler Village Gondola and a five-minute stroll to the pretty Olympic Plaza, shops, restaurants and museum.

A buzz of excitement would ripple through people whenever we spoke about what a bumper start it was to the season with all this snow. From our hosts to the local guides, the message was clear: 'Whistler’s November/December snowfall is the best it’s been in a decade'.

Whistler had received over 2.5 metres of snow before we arrived on 09 December, and a further 60 cm fell in the hours after we left (typical!) but while we were there, daily snowmaking maintained the base on the lower to mid-mountain slopes, which we discovered was wonderfully soft, well-groomed and perfect for smooth turns.

Whistler and Blackcomb mountains have exceptional terrain to suit everyone and it's easy to ski both sides in one day. The best way to mountain-hop is via the Peak 2 Peak Gondola. This world-record-holding longest and highest free-spanning gondola crosses the creek at 436 metres above the ground - and that view never gets old.

It took just over 10 minutes to cross and in total about 25-30 minutes to reach Blackcomb Mountain from Whistler Village. Being midweek, there was a five-minute wait at the Village Gondola and no queue at the Peak 2 Peak. Good news for us, since we only had two ski days ahead so the more time on the mountain the merrier!

Admittedly, I was initially a little apprehensive about skiing. I can count the resorts I’ve skied on one hand so I still considered myself a beginner, especially after a confidence-knocking fall in April. Facing two colossal mountains at the biggest resort in North America, I wondered how I’d handle the slopes.

However, my caution quickly evaporated once I booted up and met my Whistler Blackcomb ski instructors - Andrea and Madalina - who led our level one to three group up to the lower slopes to warm up. They were friendly, calm, patient and encouraging towards the whole group, sharing tips along the way as we discovered Whistler’s green runs at a comfortable pace. The best way to learn! In just two days, I made significant progress with my skiing ability, smoothly jumping to level three.

I skied separately from Katie and Jess - who were tearing it up on the higher, more advanced slopes - which means we have a lot to say about the diversity of the slopes for all ability levels.

Whether you are a first-timer or just a little rusty, if you need space to get comfy in your skis then Whistler’s Olympic Station at Whistler Village Gondola mid-point is the perfect place to start. The corridor of downhill traffic bypasses this wide-open area, so these slopes are quieter. There’s a magic carpet and adjacent is the Olympic Chair, which takes you onto a short, groomed green slope called Fantastic, where boarders and skiers of all ages practise their techniques.

I started the day at Olympic Station, and it didn’t take me long to find my muscle memory. By the end of the first day, I had migrated upwards, skiing higher slopes (on both mountains), and felt totally at ease whizzing down the long connecting green runs that both mountains have.

Blackcomb has several intersections and adjoining greens that you can cross onto and keep routes long and interesting. So for example, I looped the Express Way several times (accessed as you exit Peak 2 Peak) but I mixed things up by alternating between Easy Out, Last Resort, Big Easy and the newly added Over Easy - these all arrive either side of the Catskinner Express Chair which takes you back to where you started.

The long green runs on Whistler are a little steeper - more like blues in places - like Upper and Lower Whiskey Jack. These gave me the most challenging but exciting run on day two, starting from the top of the Whistler Village Gondola, weaving around the mountain before linking onto Ego Bowl Lower and then onto Olympic Upper.

Not only did this route give me a beautiful sunset, but I shot past the Olympic Chair and beginners area, where I started the previous morning - feeling pretty chuffed with myself.

Katie and Jess were grouped into the intermediate-expert level, so while I was in the mid-section, they took on the upper slopes.

Blackcomb Mountain was explored on day one with a guide, who led the group to locally known pockets of powder, before scooting down fun blues like Hugh’s Heaven. On day two, it was all about Whistler Mountain. The inviting blues and greens around the Emerald Chair proved to be the perfect warm-up area, but their attention quickly shifted to the summit and the terrain from two chairs: the Harmony 6 Express that takes you to Little Whistler Peak (the second highest peak), and the Peak Express to Whistler’s highest peak.

From Little Whistler Peak, you can veer off the long Harmony Ridge blue run (which I’m told was awesome too) where there are some playful and picturesque hidden gems, such as Burnt Stew, a pretty green trail that winds through alpine trees, hugs the resort’s edge, and dips beneath the Peak 2 Peak Gondola as it soars overhead.

From Whistler’s highest point, Jess and Katie had a field day! They tested their limits on The Saddle, a steep, ambitious black run, bumpy with moguls, but they totally nailed it! Then their favourite, the Peak to Creek (runs down the right-hand side of the Whistler piste map), which is one of Whistler’s most loved blues with its playful, flowing terrain - they enjoyed it so much they did it twice!

Jess adds: “Peak to Creek is fun for intermediates and above - this long blue run makes you feel like you're on an adventure with some steep portions and winding, rolling hills. I prefer to ski runs that have multiple facets and Peak to Creek's steep faces combined with the winding, rolling hills were perfect for me.”

A huge highlight of my trip was flying high over Fitzsimmons Creek which divides Whistler and Blackcomb on a Ziptrek tour. Starting just beyond Whistler’s Olympic Station, you zig-zag between the mountains on a series of zip lines via canopy walks and forest trails, until you reach the bottom. IT. WAS. AWESOME!

Glancing down the first wire that vanished through the trees, wondering where the remaining 732 metres (2,400 ft) disappeared to, it occurred to me that this ‘journey’ might be a bit… um… scary! But there was no going back, and before I knew it I was clipped in and my feet had left the platform. A sudden whoosh of adrenaline kicked in as I flew past the canopy, but it was fleeting. Emerging from the trees, the incredible valley opened up in front of me. Dusted in snow, in the sun’s glow, it felt almost serene up there, hurtling 100 metres (approx. 350 ft) over the creek. The whole experience was brilliant, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

While Jess and I were high up in the trees, Katie was firmly on terra firma - or so we thought! She’d joined the snowmobile tour guides, for some whizzing about of her own.

Her small group set off from Whistler Village to a groomed track just outside the resort. This was a self-drive tour, so she had full control of her ride, and her convoy was book-ended by two guides to make sure no one took any wrong turns.

The route meandered along a broad trail, lined by pine forest and took her up onto some pretty pit stops for a photo op. These sessions are run by Canadian Wilderness Adventures.

Four fabulous days in Whistler flew by before it was time to board our Vancouver coach for the last leg of our journey. Vancouver is a diverse, cosmopolitan city, with towering glass skyscrapers, bustling streets, and rumbles of distant seaplanes taking off in the harbour. It's encircled by waterways and bays, nestled in a surrounding landscape of dense pine forests. We had an amazing view of this setting from the 19th floor of The Pan Pacific Waterfront Hotel where we stayed for two nights.

En route, we stopped at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. First built in the late 1800s, this iconic attraction 70 metres above the ground leads you into the temperate forest on the other side. The bridge itself offers amazing views of the forest and a chance to see local wildlife, like the iconic bald eagle we saw perched up in the canopy.

The surrounding park has a handful of treetop walkways and a cliffside path (decorated in Christmas fairy lights), for amazing top-down views of the forest and the creek. The incredible Cliff House Restaurant, built on the canyon’s edge in 1889, was a cosy retreat out of the rain - and served us a hearty two-course meal.

On our second day, we hopped on a sightseeing coach around the city's different districts, learning about the multitude of famous movies filmed there before finishing up at Granville Island Public Market to taste some fresh and local goodies. This bustling market has thrived here since the 1970s and it’s a foodie’s paradise, with fresh, local produce, artisanal cheeses, pastries, homemade pies, pickles, fresh and smoked fish, and other delights. We spent about two hours wandering the stalls, joining a Foodie Tour to partake in some serious nibbling!

Granville Island is also home to galleries, boutiques and craft shops, making it a great place to pick up unique souvenirs - you may want more than two hours to see it all.

With stomachs full, we made our way back towards our hotel which adjoins Canada Place, a hub of events and exhibitions. Towards the back of Canada Place is an experience called Flyover Canada, a virtual flight ride that takes you on an aerial tour across the country - and of course, we went! Buckled in, the seat moves forward and partly suspends you over a wrap-around screen, where you soar from the Rockies to the Atlantic coastline. It’s an immersive and exhilarating way to experience Canada's diverse landscapes in just a few minutes.

The biggest highlight for all of us while in Vancouver was cheering on the Canucks ice hockey team at Rogers Arena. So… the Canucks might have lost 1-5 to the Boston Bruins but the atmosphere in the arena was electric! The score didn’t matter. The roaring crowd, the speed of the game, and the intensity of the players made for an unforgettable evening.

I loved the t-shirt cannon and the ‘Lost Fan Cam’ that appeared during the intervals. It’s easy to see why hockey is such a beloved sport in Canada, and it was so much fun joining in and cheering along with VERY excited Canucks supporters.

For me, Whistler’s slopes were the perfect place to build my skiing confidence and I’ve come away a better skier than I did before I visited. The extensive network of lifts, variety of runs and vast terrain offer all skiers something to really get their teeth into. I can see how Whistler would be perfect for mixed-ability groups with mixed needs.

The village was nice and easy to navigate, and not as busy as I expected. We were there mid-week and didn’t experience any long lift queues, restaurants were never too busy - we always had an immediate seat - and the après was good fun. Everyone we encountered was super friendly.

Plus there’s loads to do there. In just a few days, we’d skied, joined in some fun off-mountain activities, we’d explored, and spent two jam-packed days in the city. I’ve merely scratched the surface in British Columbia and would love to return and spend more time in Whistler now I have my sights on more challenging runs.

So yes, I 100% recommend going to Whistler and make sure you see some of Vancouver too - don’t skip it! I also recommend the Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School. Every instructor was warm and helpful and the ladies who guided us around the slopes were just the best - so engaging, nothing was too much trouble. Since the school offers lessons for skiers and borders of all abilities, even a refresher lesson would be worthwhile.

Call us on 01273 224060 or enquire online today and speak to our friendly team who are ready to answer your questions about Whistler, Vancouver or any of the experiences mentioned above.

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