Whistler finally takes a breather after an epic 2009-2010 season

Despite the ups of the Olympics, and the threat of being auctioned off, Whistler ended its historic 192 day long 2009-10 ski season a couple of weeks ago and has now published some statistics for its momentous 50^th winter which saw the high points of record snowfall and the fulfillment of the resort’s long held dream to stage a Winter Olympics and the low point of owners Intrawest nearly facing major financial problems.

Continue reading ‘Whistler’s 50th year ends on an epic note’

Crud2Mud is the meeting point between winter and summer sports.

Whistler Blackcomb’s Crud 2 Mud race is back this year to celebrate the “transition season” mixing the end of the ski and snowboard season with the start of the bike season.

The event will be staged this Saturday May 22nd, four years after the last Crud 2 Mud race was staged at the resort.

In teams or individually, Crud 2 Mud competitors ski or snowboard from the top of Whistler Mountain to the bottom of the snow line, where bikes and equipment lie waiting. Ski and snowboard boots ditched, competitors clip into bike pedals and race through the Whistler Mountain Bike Park (on a yet to be determined trail).

Continue reading ‘Whistler’s Crud2Mud returns this weekend’

Canadian Olympic hero Alex Bilodeau is going to give some young skiers the experience of a lifetime this summer.

The first Canadian to win a gold medal on home soil will join the roster of coaches at Whistler’s Momentum Ski Camps this year. Bilodeau won gold at the Vancouver Olympics in the men’s moguls.

Momentum Ski Camps will feature some of the world’s best skiers coaching at their summer ski camp at Whistler-Blackcomb, many of whom began their preeminent professional ski careers as Momentum campers.

Continue reading ‘Canada’s Bilodeau to teach at Whistler summer camp’

A barn near Intrawest resort Steamboat Springs in Colorado.

It seems things may be turning around for Intrawest’s after it’s parent company’s rough financial year.

The resort operator of Whistler/Blackcomb announced this week that it has completed refinancing its previously outstanding debt payments.

Owner Fortress Inc. missed debt payments in December that led to a threat of auction from lenders. This auction was scheduled to occur in the middle of the 2010 Olympic Games. Since that time Fortress Investment Group, Intrawest’s primary creditors, have been working with lenders to restructure the $1.4 billion borrowed in 2006 that Fortress used when purchasing Intrawest.

Continue reading ‘Intrawest turns the corner’

Whistler Village.

At the same time as Earth Day was celebrated across the globe, Whistler Blackcomb was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the second year in a row.

Whistler Blackcomb got the nod because it participates in innovative renewable energy projects and encourages its staff and guests to become environmental stewards. The company received special recognition for its involvement in the Fitzsimmons Creek Run-of-River project.

Located in the middle of the ski area underneath the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, this hydro-powered renewable energy plant became operational earlier this year. This project, created in partnership with Innergex Renewable Energy and Ledcor Power Group, produces enough energy to match the total annual energy consumption of the ski area’s operating footprint (including lifts, mountain restaurants, and snowmaking).

Continue reading ‘Whistler nabs second straight green employer title’

The view from Whistler, looking at Blackcomb.

The ten-day long 15th annual TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival is getting underway at Whistler.

The Festival, which runs from April 16 to 25 is traditionally the biggest snow event on the planet in late April each year. This season it has the double bonus of being the ultimate after-party for the Olympics, and it’s also being staged at the end of what is so far the resort’s second-snowiest-ever season, with over 14.3m (47 feet) of snow fallen.

The festival at the British Columbia, Canada ski resort includes daily free outdoor concerts, film, photography, fashion and multimedia events as well as ski and snowboard contests and night time events.

Continue reading ‘World Ski & Snowboard fest kicks off at Whistler’

Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort in British Columbia, Canada.

An estimated 3.5 billion people around the world watching the Games on their televisions and online.

That was a big boost for the already-famous ski resort and Olympic co-host Whistler-Blackcomb. Based on a study conducted by Tourism Whistler in partnership with Tourism British Columbia, awareness of Whistler increased significantly in the key overseas markets of United Kingdom, Germany and Australia.

The study measured awareness of Whistler before and after the 2010 Winter Games. It found that British awareness of Whistler increased from 32 per cent to 45 percent, and German awareness increased from 19 per cent to 42 per cent.  In Australia, already the most aware with 48 per cent of Australians knowing about Whistler before the Games, 62 per cent were aware afterwards.

Continue reading ‘Whistler’s post-Olympics international fame is quantifiable’