Jamie Barrow’s Canadian Adventure: Whistler

One of the things I was most excited about for my trip to Canada was snowboarding in the legendary Whistler/Blackcomb resort – I’d heard so much about it and couldn’t wait to experience it for myself. After a few days exploring Vancouver, I took the two hour drive to Whistler, which was absolutely beautiful, taking us along the waterfront then up into the mountains.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted at the Summit Lodge, which is situated right in the centre of Whistler Village, so in walking distance of everything. This meant that after we checked in we could immediately go into town and explore!

Even though the resort was experiencing low levels of snowfall I was still excited about going up the mountain, and even though it was around 10 degrees the slopes still ran down to the bottom of the mountain, which is quite unusual in the warmer months. It was also really cool to see the signs leftover from the Winter Olympics in 2010, like the Olympic rings and medal arena.

On the first night we had an amazing dinner at Teppan Village restaurant, where the chefs cooked your meal in front of you and put on a show. It was really impressive to see how the food was cooked, and the tricks they did with the fire were incredible! I’d highly recommend this restaurant.

I was so excited to head up the mountain the next morning, especially after everyone had told me such good things about this resort. At the top of the mountain the snow was perfect! Even though it was quite busy because I was visiting at the weekend, the queues moved quickly thanks to the single lanes, ensuring that every lift was full. This is definitely something European resorts should use more!

The terrain is huge and has everything from beginner slopes to steep moguls, and some powder up top too. The Peak2Peak gondola is amazing, connecting the two mountains together and making it really easy to get from Whistler to Blackcomb, and back again. The lift itself is impressive too; it’s the highest lift of its kind, with 436m between you and the ground – it’s not for the faint hearted!

Although the après ski was a little more tame than in Europe, it was still a lot of fun. There are so many places to go and have a drink, although most of the time we visited the bar right at the bottom of the mountain. Everyone in Canada is so nice and easy to talk to, so I met loads of new people – and a lot of Brits too!

Each day I spent in Whistler I explored more of the mountain. I spent a lot of time in the snow park as well as ripping up and down the slopes! You honestly couldn’t ask for better snow up the top of the mountain – I stayed up there speeding around, enjoying the slopes and powder. I had a massive smile on my face during every run and totally understood why so many people recommend this resort.

During the second part of our trip I stayed at the Crystal Lodge, which was also right in the centre of town. Our room was fantastic and the staff were so welcoming; it was also really nice to be able to jump in the hot tub at the end of a long day on the slopes!

My trip to Whistler was everything I hoped it would be. I had a great time exploring this legendary resort – from its slopes and snowparks to its après and restaurants, it’s easily one of the best resorts I’ve ever been to. I hope I have the opportunity to come back again soon, and maybe next time there’ll even be a little more snow!

Watch more of Jamie’s adventures in Whistler and Vancouver here:

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