A lucky skier tears through fresh powder at Whistler last week. Photo Credit: Matty Jeronimo

Crazy snowfalls have helped Whistler-Blackcomb destroy the previous snowfall record for the month of November.

The world-renowned ski resort and co-host for this winter’s Olympics has had a record 418cm (165in) of November snowfall as of last Thursday. The snowfall record dates back to 1979, and the previous record, set in 2006, was 416cm (164in).

With a week left in the month, the previous November record should be further ‘blown out of the snow’ with another 23cm (9in) in the last 48 hours and forecasts calling for another 35-50cm (13-19 inches) to fall this week.

“This is an unprecedented start to the season,” said Anton Horvath, Whistler Mountain weather forecaster last week. “The excitement of locals and guests alike is palpable, and the timing of this record breaking event happening this year, as we prepare to be a host venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is just icing on the cake. Whistler-Blackcomb is well known for the copious amount of snow it receives on an annual basis. The fact that we’re only 87cm (34 inches) from reaching the half way point of our annual average snowfall, shows how incredible the start of this season really is.”

The annual average snowfall at Whistler-Blackcomb is just over 10 metres or 33 feet.

“I’ve skied here for over 15 years and I’ve never seen this much snow so early in a season, it seems like every day’s snowfall is topping the last,” say’s Stephen Butt, Communications Coordinator and voice of the Snow Phone for Whistler-Blackcomb. “We have already received one third of our average annual snowfall for the entire season and it’s only four days into the season, it’s unbelievable!”

The heavy snowfall has posed challenges for the operations crews opening the high alpine. With the current blizzard-like conditions there, they have not yet been able to access this area of the mountain. Once crews can get to the alpine, lots of work will begin to prepare the area for skiing and riding, including avalanche control, hazard marking and signage.

Though there is lots of snow, Whistler operators are notifying skiers that early season conditions still apply. The resort’s Ski Patrol has posted “Temporary Boundary” signs throughout the ski area indicating that the terrain beyond the ropes is not yet “ready” to ski or ride, even if that terrain is “normally” within our ski area boundary.  The resort has said that though terrain may look appealing from where the ropes are, the terrain may include hazards such as ditches and exposed rocks, where more snow is needed before the terrain is considered safe.

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