Well, we all now know that both mountains are going to open this winter. And we have some details about how riding and skiing on Whistler and Blackcomb are going to happen, but there is still a deep nervousness running through our community like a dark, underground stream.
Obviously, none of us know what is going to happen and we have to realize that while the community can have a hand in its own winter destiny, we are by no means the last word.
We need only look to the experiences of a couple ski resorts in Australia in recent months, which were closed as the region headed back into lockdown thanks to a COVID-19 pandemic surge.
Local ski towns were devastated by the closures as they struggled to survive, but their reality—and ours—is that health policy regulations must come first.
That is why it is, and will remain, imperative for everyone here and our visitors to practice physical distancing and mask-wearing.
Last week, Vail Resorts, Whistler Blackcomb’s (WB) owners, released its operating plan for its North American ski resorts. This included a reservation system for booking days on the mountain, mandatory mask-wearing, physical distancing, pre-packaged dining options and new pass products.
Some of this has already been tested both in the resorts in the Southern Hemisphere but also as the Whistler Mountain Bike Park opened and ran this summer.
While there was definitely not the volume of riders this summer as in a usual summer operation, there were no doubt lessons about the pinch points in the line-ups, staffing, food and beverage and more.
Staffing is going to be a challenge—no doubt about it. WB is working as we speak to recruit and understand what staff housing might look like this year. But it is not doing any overseas recruitment and will rely on Canadian employees. To sweeten the pot for job seekers, WB employees and their dependents will get passes and will not need to use the reservation system to get up the mountains.
After years of complaints from Lower Mainland day-trippers and weekenders, Vail Resorts has created a Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass. This lets skiers and riders buy from one to 10 days on the pass and the more days they buy, the greater the discount. So buying a 10-day pass means you pay about $108 a day. Considering last year’s walk-up price for a day ticket was at least $179, that’s a significant reduction. However, as always, the devil is in the details. If you buy the pass for just one day, your price-per-day would be about $139.
If you are not buying a season’s pass, look carefully at the Edge Card as the 10-day option makes your price-per-day about $86. (An Edge Card comes for two, five and 10 days only and is available to all Canadians.)
Two things to remember as we head into this COVID-19 ski season: You cannot buy any pass product after the purchase deadline (well, except for the Whistler Chamber’s employee Spirit Pass), and you can’t make a reservation without a pass.
Many in the resort are wondering what the winter will bring after observing the sort of micro-tourism we have experienced this summer, with thousands coming here for the day to get out into nature. People were hiking, and biking and camping for the first time in many cases. Will people come and ski for the first time? Even at, say, 50-per-cent capacity, the lifts on both mountains are capable of carrying 50,000 people an hour.
WB will be offering ski lesson programs (which include a ski pass for the day of the program) and those could be a real draw for the visitor looking for new outdoor experiences, as will trying cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ziplining and more.
We hope they do come but preparation is key—think highway congestion and winter weather for a start.
It seems that every time the resort hits a road bump, it’s the rubber-tire traffic that keeps us motoring along.
So let’s get ready to welcome winter visitors back but with full COVID-19 protocols in operation, and plans to deal with winter traffic, parking, and a lot of takeout!
And, oh yes, for all those people who have dreamed of coming to work in Whistler for a season—this is the year to come (bet you never leave…).
