Peak Experience
Two mountains with 8,171 acres of Alpine bowls, tree runs and cut trails begs the question, where to start? Good news. You do not have to choose between Whistler and Blackcomb before heading to the ski lifts. The two behemoths are no longer an either/or proposition.
Making this possible is a staggering feat of modern engineering known as the Peak 2 Peak Gondola. Spanning the distance between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains (and breaking three world records along the way), the Gondola ferries you 4.4 kilometres (2.7 miles) to either peak. Open all year long, it opens up countless possibilities for skiers, summertime hikers and sightseers alike.
So after zipping up the 3,800 vertical feet of Whistler via the Village Gondola, you can still schuss down Blackcomb’s 7th Heaven Express. An intermediate trail, it’s favoured by sun lovers. Whistler-ascendant snowboarders can drop into Blackcomb’s Blowhole, a mettle-testing double black diamond halfpipe wind-carved between a glacier and a rock wall. Likewise, if your starting point is the base of Blackcomb, you can still jump onto one of the many wide runs on the west side of Whistler that cut between monster trees.
If ego powder runs on both Whistler and Blackcomb pique your interest, have Four Seasons’s exclusive Ski Concierge arrange for a dual mountain pass. Be advised that locals still get a chuckle when newcomers ask, “Where’s Dual Mountain?”
