Blue Groomers at Whistler Blackcomb?

[fscott]

Anybody know which trails are the best Blue groomers at Whistler Blackcomb? I'm headed there Mid December. Thanks.

[C5 Golfer]

Maybe I'll see ya -- I am there the 16th thru the 21st

Anyway to your question... One of my favorites is straightdown Solarcoaster and also the Learning Center the other side of the all terain park before 9:30 or 10. Others high on the list is top of Seventh Heaven - go left around the hut and down into the glacier, head right to Ridge Runner run all the way to bottom - try and do that without stopping along the way, if you can your legs are in great shape cuz that is one helluva long run. those are on Blackcomb. If you go to Whistler there are several good ones but more populated after 10:30 or so but top of the must do list is go to Peak Chair and take off to the left down the Run called Peak to Creek. It is a 5,300 ft vertical drop - about 2 or so miles long. Totally Awesome .. need more info email me. The Blackcomb runs I mentioned are great on a squaretail/race type board and the Peak to Creek on Whistler best on a Prior 4WD 179. If you have time besure to get to Chris Prior's factory and demo many of his fine boards. He is also a great rider and is on Blackcomb quite often - his company has a 20cm rule I believe.

I can tell you good food places too.

[Guest GeoffG]

Now, I thought I replied to this earlier...

On Blackcomb, there is Rebagliati's Gold, which I enjoyed a fair bit the last time I was there, a few years ago (I only go to Whistler/Blackcomb if I have to). It was well groomed, with a relatively steep and consistent pitch, and not crowded. However, it feeds into a "main artery" and I'd find myself hurtling into heavy traffic and dodging the tourists!

Personally, I prefer resorts in the BC interior. Sun Peaks has some great carving areas--the Sundance chair serves an area which is pretty much separate from the rest of the mountain, which has lots of blue groomers. Because most of the "good terrain" is elsewhere, Sundance doesn't get too crowded (keep in mind, "crowded" at an Interior resort would be considered almost deserted at Whistler...) The runs aren't as long as what you'll find at Whister/Blackcomb, but unless you have quads of steel...

If you're coming to BC, do yourself a favour and research resorts other than Whistler. Sunpeaks and Big White are the two currently trying to become "the next Whistler," with tons of development occurring--Silver Star is sort of in there too. There are lots of less ambitious ski areas too, such as Fernie, Kimberley, Panorama, the new Kicking Horse, and of course my local hills Red and Whitewater. While none of these has quite the grandeur of Whistler/Blackcomb, I'd argue they give a better all-round experience (less crowded, less upscale, with better snow--they're more about the actual skiing/riding, and charge less, too)

[philw]

Yeah, that's all good stuff. The interior resorts have dryer snow and I like their character more, but Whistler/ Blackcomb is the only serious-sized resort from my Euro perspective.

As far as W/B in December... I think I won't get there until the end of the month and I'll be playing in the cats if there's powder to be had, but you can't really go wrong. If it's warm then the main thing is altitude. If the vis is bad then you'll maybe want to favour the trees. But the whole place is basically rippable.

[fscott]

I'll be there from 12/11-16! I'll be riding an F2 Silberpfeil and my wife will be on an Oxygen Ltd. Be sure to say hello if you see us!