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Heat wave impacting terrain at Whistler Blackcomb

Large patches of slopes 'extremely thin or melted completely'
springskiingmay2023
Whistler's 2023 spring skiing season is quickly coming to an end.

Whistler's hot weather over the past week is having its way with the snow on Whistler Blackcomb's slopes.

The mountain operator shared a terrain update on social media on May 15—another scorcher of a day at 30 C—noting that beginner terrain is now non-existent and several areas are closed for the season.

"Large patches of slopes are now extremely thin or melted completely, with rocks and other obstacles far more apparent after a sunny, warm weekend," read a post on social media.

"The north side of Blackcomb has seen the worst of this accelerated melting—to the point that we've decided to make the call and close Glacier Express, Crystal Ridge and the north side of 7th Heaven for the remainder of the season."

The closures were necessary for the safety of staff and guests, the mountain operator said.

"Aside from these closures, we also want to remind guests that ski runs will look extremely different from a day-to-day perspective this week," the post continued. "During closed hours, our snow surface teams have been working hard to move what's left of the snowpack around the mountain in order to keep runs going (huge thank you to all of these individuals for this monumental task!). Expect runs to be more narrow with each passing day."

The rapid melt also means there is no longer any beginner terrain available for skiing and riding. "Intermediate to advanced abilities are strongly recommended if you're planning to get some final turns in," WB said.

Guests are asked to obey all signage, and stay tuned to WB's social channels for ongoing updates.

The last day for skiing Blackcomb is May 22.