©Brad Kasselman
With the Canadian winter set to get officially underway in Whistler on November 22nd, snow worshippers are dusting off skis and snowboards ready for another epic season. Whether new to Whistler or planning a return trip, here’s an insider’s guide to what to expect for winter 2018/19.
Axe throwing is the new Après-Ski trend
It seems Forged Axe Throwing are mixing things up when it comes to après-ski traditions, attracting skiers and snowboarders to test their aim in the most Canadian of ways – by hurling axes down an alley in the hope of sinking a bullseye! Formerly reserved as an entertainment source for woodland lumberjacks, axe throwing has firmly established itself as a popular timber sport and one of the leading indoor group activities in Whistler. Group bookings are a Forged specialty, and the team will provide all the guidance and training you need.
You can dine in a cave
©Four Season Resorts
Much more glamorous than it first sounds, The Blue Room is the ultimate addition to the Whistler dining scene; the result of an exciting collaboration between Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler and Head-Line Mountain Holidays. After arriving by helicopter and enjoying a guided tour of the natural ice sculptures, you’ll enjoy a five-course menu in the ice cave, swilled down with Krug champagne. Think caviar served on snow and delicious oysters sourced locally from Vancouver Island.
Snowmobiling, Log Cabins & Steak
©Canadian Wilderness Tours
What better way to arrive for dinner at a cozy log cabin, than by snowmobile? Another brand new experience for this winter, you’ll explore the Callaghan backcountry with Canadian Wilderness Adventures before arriving at a log cabin on Sproatt Mountain where Angus beef sirloin will be served with garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and an indulgent dessert.
Meatless Mondays are a thing
©Joern Rohde
Vegetarians and vegans are in for a treat at the ever popular Aura Restaurant this winter. The new three-course vegan dinner is brimming with beautifully prepared, local produce. Whether you eat meat or not, everyone can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at Aura’s Cure Lounge that also features a craft cocktail program creatively themed around ‘Riddles’.
A hotel that thinks “outside the pod” just landed…
©Pangea Pod Hotel
Brand new to Whistler for 2018, the Pangea Pod Hotel has somewhat redefined shared accommodation, targeting solo travellers who seek the leading edge design of a boutique hotel with the social vibe of a hostel. Affordable and comfortable, eight custom suites are available alongside 88 independent sleeping pods. Bathrooms are all located within the suites themselves breaking with the rather outdated tradition of shared dormitory-style facilities. Communal rooms including a living room, rooftop patio and toy box enhance the social experience for guests.
©Pangea Pod Hotel
There’s a new high-end retailer in town…
Whistler Village welcomes brand new high-end retailer, Jonathan+Olivia, which opened its doors for business in August 2018. The store is Whistler’s first multi-brand fashion lifestyle boutique carrying global brands for men and women from runway to contemporary. Designed to appeal to the appetites of international travellers, this is a welcome addition to the Whistler shopping scene.
There’s a new gondola, and lift upgrades too…
©Mike Crane
The opening day of the winter season (Nov 22nd, 2018) will not only see the first day of skiing and snowboarding, but also the unveiling of the much-anticipated 10-passenger Blackcomb Gondola. The new gondola will keep guests warm and dry as it ascends from the base of Blackcomb Mountain to the top of the mountain adjacent to Rendezvous Lodge and the existing PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. Together – the new Blackcomb Gondola, PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and Whistler Village Gondola – form the first three-gondola connection in the world.
For more information, head to whistler.com
