• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

Whistler/Blackcomb

Smac79

Diva in Training
Hi Ladies! Longtime lurker, first time poster! I recently got back into skiing after a long hiatus, and have been having blast (can’t do what I used to, but at 39, I feel like it could be a lot worse!). I’m heading out to Whistler/Blackcomb for the women’s clinic the weekend of March 9. I’m going to get there on March 6, plan to ski 3/7 and 3/8 then with the clinic on 3/9 and 3/10. I’m in the middle of a breakup, and will be traveling solo - while I’ve done that plenty before, never for skiing. Looking to see if anyone here may be out there when I will, or maybe even anyone joining the clinic! I will probably spend most of my time on front side blacks, off piste a bit as well, love skiing in big bowls and glades too. I would say I’m on the lower end of advanced skiing. Also wondering if anyone has solo tips for whistler or skiing generally. Excited about the skiing but a little nervous about the rest of the stuff! Sara
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
You will do fine!! @kiki and our other Ski Diva's out there....help this lady out!!

Are you doing the North Face Camp?
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Is it your first time at WB? If so consider doing a (free) mountain tour. It's just so dang big and the blacks there tend to be on the more serious side (it's all relative of course--what is your home mountain?). Also since it's so big conditions can be different depending on where you are. I like to find a mountain host and ask what's skiing well. You want to watch the freezing level; if it's been high that means the lower slopes probably have frozen/thawed and the runs on the lower half of the mountain can be not fun. And you want to watch visibility too--if the top is hung up in clouds and you don't know your way around the alpine (or even if you do) it can be tough to see up there. Poor light is when I head to mid mountain (like the runs off Garbanzo or Crystal chairs).

This is a great little book for advanced/expert skiers. I have it though at my best there were probably only a handful of Whistler blacks I could do.
https://www.quickdrawpublications.c...oard-guide-to-whistler-blackcomb-2nd-edition/

I've done the women's camp there and it's great for the company/camaraderie. When I've done it they included apres, which was nice.

Araxi is a nice spot to dine solo at the bar--they have an oyster happy hour if that's your thing (it can be hard to get into on weekends).
 

kiki

Angel Diva
Hi @Smac79!
The ladies camp is fabulous! The prefect thing to do on a solo weekend away! The Saturday night apres is fun and social with some good nibblies and lunch is a big fun gathering too. Don't wear yourself out skiing those two days before hand as they will wear you out on those teo long days of skiing with the group.
Any particular questions?
 

Smac79

Diva in Training
Is it your first time at WB? If so consider doing a (free) mountain tour. It's just so dang big and the blacks there tend to be on the more serious side (it's all relative of course--what is your home mountain?). Also since it's so big conditions can be different depending on where you are. I like to find a mountain host and ask what's skiing well. You want to watch the freezing level; if it's been high that means the lower slopes probably have frozen/thawed and the runs on the lower half of the mountain can be not fun. And you want to watch visibility too--if the top is hung up in clouds and you don't know your way around the alpine (or even if you do) it can be tough to see up there. Poor light is when I head to mid mountain (like the runs off Garbanzo or Crystal chairs).

This is a great little book for advanced/expert skiers. I have it though at my best there were probably only a handful of Whistler blacks I could do.
https://www.quickdrawpublications.c...oard-guide-to-whistler-blackcomb-2nd-edition/

I've done the women's camp there and it's great for the company/camaraderie. When I've done it they included apres, which was nice.

Araxi is a nice spot to dine solo at the bar--they have an oyster happy hour if that's your thing (it can be hard to get into on weekends).
Thanks! The mountain tour sounds like a great idea...the last time I was there was in 1999 and I remember how impressively huge the mountain is!
 

Smac79

Diva in Training
Hi @Smac79!
The ladies camp is fabulous! The prefect thing to do on a solo weekend away! The Saturday night apres is fun and social with some good nibblies and lunch is a big fun gathering too. Don't wear yourself out skiing those two days before hand as they will wear you out on those teo long days of skiing with the group.
Any particular questions?
Awesome, thanks so much! Very helpful - I was actually thinking of doing a steeps clinic those two days before if I was worried about skiing solo, but you have a REALLY good point about getting too worn out! I’m also curious about where to stay (I’ve narrowed it to 3 hotels) and good spots to go out :smile: I’m so excited!
 

Smac79

Diva in Training
What are the 3 choices.?
Westin, pan pacific mountainside or four seasons. Surprisingly all 3 are relatively comparable in price. Normally, given that fact, FS would be a no-brainer, but traveling alone, I’m wondering if I would prefer something else closer to everything and maybe a bit more lively? I am clueless. Also considered that pod place!
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
Does the camp still meet at Merlin's? It's at the base of Blackcomb. Pan Pacific is definitely on the Whistler side. I found Whistler noisier than Blackcomb. Last time out I stayed down near the IGA, Marketplace. But I wasn't doing a camp and the group was meeting daily at the base of Whistler. Buses are good though.
 

kiki

Angel Diva
Does the camp still meet at Merlin's? It's at the base of Blackcomb. Pan Pacific is definitely on the Whistler side. I found Whistler noisier than Blackcomb. Last time out I stayed down near the IGA, Marketplace. But I wasn't doing a camp and the group was meeting daily at the base of Whistler. Buses are good though.
Yes on day 1 it meets at merlins. The four seasons is quite close to there and has a great spa facility --that would be my pick ;-)
 

kiki

Angel Diva
Awesome, thanks so much! Very helpful - I was actually thinking of doing a steeps clinic those two days before if I was worried about skiing solo, but you have a REALLY good point about getting too worn out! I’m also curious about where to stay (I’ve narrowed it to 3 hotels) and good spots to go out :smile: I’m so excited!
Skiing solo can be fun, and you could do the mountain tours both days you are not in the camp, one day on blackcomb and one day in whistler--they are at 11:15 daily from the alpine
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I've never been to Whistler, but this season when I'm solo on a new mountain I've been doing the mountain tours as well. Great way to get more comfortable getting around and it also has the potential to find others solo skiers that are doing the same thing you are, that way you might have someone to continue skiing with after the tour and/or grab a bite with later on if your skiing styles and personalities mesh! I had that happen on one of my trips this season and it was really nice.

The only other thing I'd advise when traveling alone to ski is to plan ahead of time how you will get all of your stuff from point A to point B. As in the super basic question of can you manage all of your gear alone through the airport as necessary as well as on shuttles when you arrive etc. Sounds silly perhaps, but the first time I did this without a partner, but with my usual setup, I realized I had way too many wheeled items that usually I'd split with the other person but was a disaster on my own. For example, I had a wheeled large suitcase, wheeled carry on and wheeled ski case.. hmmm only two hands and my large bag is too floppy to place the carry on on top if it.. really difficult to try and maneuver! I'm much more mindful now that I can in fact carry/wheel everything on my own in a comfortable fashion when traveling solo. :becky:

Have a great trip!
 

kiki

Angel Diva
I agree, when i travel witth hubby i rely on his braun to help move my crap. On my own i have to pack a lot different.

Don't feel shy going in to restaurants and bars alone. If you feel self conscious play with your phone. You'll get used to it.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,237
Messages
497,697
Members
8,503
Latest member
MermaidKelly
Top