24 Mar

VIDEO: Sunny Spring Skiing & On-Mountain Patios

TAG:

Posted by: Pip Campbell

As of March 20 Spring is officially here and in Whistler the signs are all around. We’ve spotted the first few flowers peeking out from under the snow, there’s reports of bears crossing the golf courses and people are pulling out their cruiser bikes for the first spin of the year on the Valley Trail.

But spring isn’t all about skunk cabbage and snow melt – the days are longer and the temperatures warmer, sure, but we’re still skiing and riding hard as ever. We’ve had a whopping 292 cm / 115 inches of snow (and arguably some of the best pow days of the entire season) in the month of March alone. And when the sun’s out like it was last week, we’re ready to cruise the slopes all day and soak up the glorious spring vibes.

March 17, 2016 – Sunscreen, sunglasses, sun stoked. BRIAN HOCKENSTEIN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Just in case that isn’t enough for you to keep the skis out of the closet for some cruiser laps, here’s a few more reasons to hit the slopes this spring:

1. Snow (and sunshine) – See video above.

2. More snow and sunshine – Good news, everyone! We’ve had so much snow this season we’ll be able to ski Blackcomb Mountain all the way to May 30, 2016 (that’s after the scheduled opening dates of the golf courses and Whistler Bike Park – hello Triple Play days !)

3. Spring après-ski – Whistler’s got a seemingly endless supply of sunshine-filled patios. The only way to find your favourite? Try ‘em all!

4. Sleep in and reap the rewards – The beauty of spring skiing in Whistler is that it doesn’t require you to be on the first chair – if anything, the conditions keep improving through the day as the sun softens the snow. Read more about the Crack-of-Noon club in our Whistler Insider guide to spring skiing .

5. The World Ski and Snowboard Festival (April 8-17) – the unofficial end-of-winter-and-start-of-spring festival features art showcases, photography showdowns, a huge lineup of live music – both on an outdoor stage and in various indoor venues, a massive on-mountain demo park of the latest ski and snowboard equipment where you can get the jump on next year’s gear and of course on-mountain competitions with more flips, tricks and twists than you can shake a ski pole at.

6. Prime Time for Carving Turns – Spring tends to be chilled out, laid back, low key with fewer lift lines and less people on the slopes meaning everyone’s spread out across the terrain, taking in their favourite cruiser runs.

7. T-shirts and Goggle tans – What could be better than skiing in T-shirts? Your goggle tan, that’s what! Temperatures on the mountains average around 5°C in the alpine from March to May and between 8-17°C in the village. Sunscreen, sunglasses and mirrored lenses for on the mountain a must!

8. Long weekends (and statutory holidays) – Head to the slopes on these weekends and you’re practically being PAID to SKI. There’s the Easter long weekend, plus later in the spring Victoria Day (coincides with GoFest, how handy) and Memorial Day late in May for our neighbors down south. Insider tip: Extend your stay for a less busy and hassle-free commute – or ditch the weekend altogether.

As the sun’s warmth gets stronger, anticipation for summer is only going to grow. But you’re mad to miss out on the months of spring skiing and riding in between – so get out there and earn your goggle tan and bragging rights, of course.

If skiing isn’t your jam, then don’t worry – we’ll have lower elevation hiking and biking good to go in the coming weeks, not to mention the culinary and cultural delights that happen all year round. Keep up to date at Whistler.com