LETTER: Whistler Blackcomb lot parking should be for paying guests

On Sunday [Dec. 13] a couple of things happened.

First, on the way up to Lot 8 to park at Blackcomb (since we didn’t want to take a chance on no parking at Lot 6 due to house parking taking out about 60 skier parking spots—see below) we were diverted to park in Lot 7.

First off—again there was no “lot full” sign put out at Lot 6 at that time, but I’m pretty sure it was full. 

We didn’t want to park in Lot 7 and this has never been a problem before this early in the morning (8:15 a.m.). I asked the parking attendant why all cars were being diverted to Lot 7 and not allowed to park in Lot 8. I was told, “It’s to help with social distancing at the gondola. To make sure that not too many people are showing up there at once…” 

This of course makes no sense. In fact you would think that it would be better for social distancing to have day skiers parking at multiple lots in the morning, so they aren’t all crammed together in the same lot. So yes, I’m pissed off that [Vail Resorts is] not allowing us to park at Lot 8 early on the weekend mornings.

A quick poll of the other day skiers and boarders revealed the same frustration. In fact I heard others, unsolicited asking the same attendant the same question. 

Request: Allow day skiers to park at lots 6, 7 or 8 in the morning or provide a good explanation as to why not.

Second—I got new, unverified information about the house-parking-only situation at Lot 6 taking out about 60 spots.

I was informed that house parking is actually staff parking for employee-housing residents. So Vail Resorts, which prides itself on an unmatched guest experience, has given priority for parking to its staff over its paying customers? Seems a bit of an inconsistency to me. 

I get it, Vail Resorts has extra Canadian staff this year that need a place to put their cars since they drove to Whistler from wherever they are from, but why would [Vail Resorts] give them parking in the lot where their cars appear to just be collecting snow and not going anywhere, taking spots from paying customers with their families?

This is one more straw that further angers season passholders from around the Sea to Sky community who already have trouble with Vail Resorts on a number of levels. 

Vail Resorts’ management should realize that this kind of poor decision making will not help endear Sea to Sky passholders to its brand or leadership team. It does the opposite.

Request: Move your staff parking to another location in the valley that is accessible by bus since [staff] do not need their cars in Whistler anyway if they are living in staff housing and working at Whistler Blackcomb.

Ken Bell // Whistler