British Columbia - The Best in the World

Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia - The Best in the World

What happens when you have two of the most majestic mountains on earth and you add $600 million in the latest and greatest? You get Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia, the top ski resort area on the planet.

The biggest vertical drop in North America, Whistler/Blackcomb offers every aspect of skiing and snowboarding from beginner to extreme. And charm was not left out. Whistler's village caters to everything a skier or snowboarder could dream up; over 100 restaurants, international stores, cafes, cuisine from Thai to Mexican, Greek to Italian... and everything in between.

What's more, Whistler/Blackcomb has been honored with the staging of the 2010 Winter Olympics!

And when you arrive at Whistler/Blackcomb, they don't give you a trail map; they give you a trail atlas! More runs and trails than you can possibly do in one visit. So here's the recommendations from the pros:

Blackcomb mountain offers more tree runs, more cut trails. Whistler has more Alpine bowls. And if you're facing a snowstorm, after that latte, head to Blackcomb. You can get around much better. On clear days make Whistler your choice for the spectacular views.

And for the snowy days, make sure you ride Big Red and Garbanzo. They are memorable.

All this to say - ski both mountains. They are close enough that you can easily make way from one to the other. And while you're on one, look over at the other to see the runs where you might want to venture.

Don't miss the complimentary tour of both mountains, offered to intermediates and experts. It's the best way to get to know the terrain. Why spend your time trying to figure it out yourself? Tours meet outside the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler at the top of the Village Gondola, and at the Rendezvous on Blackcomb at the top of the Solar Coaster at 11:30 AM.

SKI INDEX:

• Lifts: 33 lifts: 3 gondolas, 18 chaiflifts, 12 draglifts
• Trails: 7,071 acres (20% easy, 55% intermediate, 25% difficult)
• Closest airport: Vancouver 2hrs
• Notes: Prices a little high, some long queues on weekends. Much of the winter precipitation falls as rain in the village and snow higher up. Few "blue-sky" days. Changes in temperature between village and summit can be dramatic.