Both mountains are good for different reasons.... Whistler has some great steeps right off the chair and a good variety of terrain. However, Blackcomb was a much more purpose-designed and cut mountain, with runs much more down the fall line. Whistler, while good, has a lot of side-hill runs... and I prefer runs that follow the fall line. Plus... 7th heaven, jersey cream, glacier... fun for the whole family. I'll go with Blackcomb.
Ironically its the purpose/computer cut part of blackcomb that leaves it a little cold for me when comparing the cut trails. I love Whistler's off-camber crazy turns (I'm looking at you, Bear Paw). Of course, on an off piste day that doesn't really matter for either mountain. And for me I'd rank off piste zones on both mountains as (and you'll see I am lazy with any hiking haha): 1. all the stuff off Peak chair. 2. All the stuff off Harmony Chair. 3. Flute Bowl 4. Spankys. 5. Seventh (including the stuff off the back - pakalolo/coulouir extreme etc). Either way its a whistler win for me.
Worked at Blackcomb for a season, so of course I prefer it. Both are great, seriously Whistler has some amazing terrain, but Blackcomb flows better, and has better off piste runs. The whole 7th heaven and glacier areas are some of the best riding I’ve had anywhere.
I began skiing Whistler in 1967 and prior to that had skied Alta (best for steep and deep powder) and Sun Valley (best for groomed), Jackson, Vail, Aspen, Squaw Valley. The problem with Whistler was that it was designed for European skiing which prefers side-hill runs as long as possible.Long enough for two stops for lunch is still admired. Murray-Latta constructed the green chair and one of their guys was a serious skier and the intended placement was determined by keeping the walk for the lifty as short as possible from the Red Chair. Which was away off the fall line. ML pushed it as much to the fall line as they could. Before joining Blackcomb, Hughie Smythe was Mtn Manager at Whistler and a strong skier. He personally laid out the runs on the new mountain to keep to the fall line. That included topog maps, stereoscopic pictures plus "booting" up and down each proposed run. Fall line is everything, but I'm too old now. Sigh,
Thanks for the quick history lesson BOB! Super interesting to learn more about the thought process behind the lifts. I love fall line so I'm always playing on Blackcomb!!
During big storms, Blackcomb is usually better, IMO. The Blackcomb alpine always opens earlier than Whistler, sometimes by several hours, due to the simpler Avi control. When the alpine is closed, especially on a weekend, the lower lifts can get extremely busy, so I’ve found the lines are often shorter on Blackcomb during stormy weather.
This guy is awesome, particularly with his meme's popping up. Been there, I think, 10 times always for a week (5 days on skis). We've stayed on both sides with last several over on Blackcomb. Blackcomb is the NUMBER ONE without question. I have not been there since the Crystal chair opened, but I could ski that chair, Spankies and the glacier all week and be happy. Over on Whistler I do like going off Peak chair all that good stuff to the right (can never find the entrance to Cockalorum) but on the down side it does flush you down to Big Red which then requires two chairs back up. Being a one week a year skier, I don't hike (other than the glacier and spankies). BLACKCOMB #1 all day.
Ha, you forgot one more category.... Terrain parks? That could be the tie breaker!! I'm more of a whistler person. I need to be super confident and wanting some hardcore action to hit backcomb hard.
Before starting this video, I heard (from google) that blackcomb is better on pow days, Whistler for groomers/steeps and chutes. Whistler can be flatter for snowboarders, whereas Comb is more fall line. Based on google maps, I think Whistler looks especially interesting on a bluebird day, as I can ski from the summit down on a blue trail (it looks more exposed than 7th heaven summit on Comb). Also, Whistler groomers look longer and more appreciated by an intermediate skier like myself. I do like to ski glades, so I’m sure I’d be hitting Blackcomb for that. Anyways, can’t wait to watch this long overdue video! Cheers
@@vitaminb4869 black comb runs are more fall line-speed is better for powder. Also, the glades on Blackcomb seem to be better. Still, Whistler looks like my favourite
Blackcomb all the way. It has the glacier. It has Spanky’s. It has the groomers off the crystal chair. It has the straight down the fall line runs underneath the gondola. Seventh Heaven. Blackcomb has better groomers and more fall line skiing. Whistler has bowls with crazy lift lines.
After living there for 5+ winters and skiing everyday, each mountain has it's own specialties, when you think you know the mountains there is always a new mystery ski line to be found. Bottom Line: I like both mountains equally and I am a happy camper doing turns on either mountain.
Can’t do front side alpine laps on Blackcomb. You have to take so many lifts to get back up. Plus you have to hike every lap. Every run on Blackcomb you can not see of the chairs so it’s a blind guess from the top. But saying that. We have two great mountains 🤟
There is no denying how EPIC Peak chair can be on the right days. On big POW days Whistler can be mind blowing but involves more patience/strategy to get it right. I'm to impatient to wait for chairs to open (which is the play on Whistler) I always find myself playing on the Garbonzo and having to suffer a 45minute+ taxi ride back to the base of peak chair and missing the fresh laps. We are so lucky to have so many unbelievable terrain options!!
Met the creator on the Crystal Chair and had a nice conversation so checked out his site. Loved the comparison video. Black Comb is my favorite. Been skiing her for 2.0 years and just think it had more of a comfy at home feel. Whistler feels more sophisticated. Keep the video coming!!
7th heaven...... Cat Skinner... Those two alone make Blackcomb my goto almost every time. Harmony and Symphony but it is never open anymore until mid day, you get a few hours at best.
Both are awesome. But if I had to pick one to ski for the rest of my life, its whistler for me. But you knew that already because I think I post that on pretty much every video you post haha. Blackcomb is just a little bland to me, a little soulless (probably in the way it was computer mapped). I only deliberately chose blackcomb when I was instructing an intermediate group - I'd take them to Blackcomb for the better blue groomers. That to me was its only advantage. EDIT - though I would often pop across the peak to peak to get lunch at glacier creek before skiing out. that was also a big advantage haha
Pre-Covid mountain food was great. For me - keeping my kids fed during the day meant a longer day on the mtn. There used to be Ramen, Cinnamon buns, Saurkraut and sausage, and of course the waffles at Crystal. Yes it was expensive - but to eat a waffle at the top of Crystal chair was worth it. When I’m by myself I definitely pack food and just do laps but with kids or casual skiing friend - food is important. Right now during Covid most mountain food places are closed and the ones that are open have chilli, chicken strips and fries (essentially). So the food right now is terrible.
I raced at whistler for 5 years on Garbanzo, skied every possible powder day on Whistler since then. Iconic spots, Flute Bowl, Air Jordan, Chimney, Club 21. Learned how to ski bowels and drop off cornices, learned how to ski high alpine crap weather on peak chair. Loved every second and pushed myself as far as I could hitting cliffs and exploring pillow lines especially the cliffs under garbo and red chair. This being said, Blackcomb…. Boy oh boy. First time in whistler was at blackcomb, I was 13 on a deep powder day. Fuxking MAGICAl. Changed my life. Have never had a bad day on Blackcomb and now that I am moving towards finding sketchy ass lines off 7th above Jersey Creme, and forcing myself into higher exposure terrain in Spankys Blackcomb kills it: Nothing beats skiing under Crystal Chair too. I love exploration which is why right now Blackcomb is my favourite. I know Whistler like the back of my hand.
The reason why this is controversial is that there is no correct answer - it depends - like a lot of people, I grew up skiing Whistler and I like the variety of the terrain, on a busy weekend, Blackcomb often has the shorter lines, so that's where I'll go. Other days, depending on which way the wind was blowing during a snowfall, one mountain will get more snow than the other. Another factor is snow conditions, even though the mountains are right next to each other snow conditions can be different - because Blackcomb can get more sun it could be softer earlier in the day. Visibility can be variable depending on elevation and on the mountain, and there have been times when visibility was poor on one mountain and not an issue on the other mountain. This is some of the appeal of having two side-by-side mountains with one lift ticket, especially with the addition of the Peak-2-Peak Gondola - it gives us the flexibility to choose the best mountain for each part of the day. After skiing Whistler for 40+ years I am still finding new lines, and believe me, I know how lucky I am to live in this part of the world!
Watching this video gets me going as I have ski most of everything you showed and talked about. The next season can’t come soon enough! But I agree with everything you said. Basically Blackcomb has an edge for Blacks and Double blacks and Whistler a bit better for beginners. But were splitting hairs here. We actually just alternate between each mountain each day. I avoid going back and forth between mountains because your wasting your time and energy “portaging” instead of Skiing.
I'm totally on the same page and also love how you refer to switching mountains as PORTAGING 😂😂😂😂. Always best to pick a side and stick to it for the day!
@@riseandalpine I've been to Whistler 8 times in the winter. The first two times P2C wasn't yet cut. So six times. About 30 days of skiing on those six trips. The trail was groomed and in good condition on just one of those roughly 30 days. That's a shame. It's truly one of the world's greatest long intermediate cruisers. It tops everything I've skied in the Alps and elsewhere in North America. It's an epic trail, and it's a gorgeous trail too. I guess it's just too expensive to groom the whole thing?
so the question is basically seventh or symphony, and i prefer seventh. Plus, blackcomb has the real park. Only reason I spent so much time on whistler last season was the reverse spring closure lol. Dont get me wrong, it was a nice fresh change. But I'm excited to be back on catskinner this spring.
As a Brit who has skied there a number of times over 30 years I would have to go with Blackcomb. I think this is because I skied there in the early 90’s before it merged with Whistler and all the massive development of the villages took place and it was such a fantastic mountain to ski and a lovely place to stay in the evening. I do remember though staying at the Nancy Green Lodge in Whistler - some great memories. For me it’s 7th Heaven and the Saudan Couloir that are burned into my memory of the mountain and although I went there I think 5 times for 2 weeks at a time I kept returning there. Now I’m in my 50’s and my kids are snowboarding I’ll be back there sometime in the near future - joint with Lake Louise/Sunshine the best skiing areas in the world.
Sweet! I always find it changes depending on the day. 7th, Crystal, Harmony, Symphony & Red will always have the worst lines on the mountain... LOL that's alot of lifts haha
The Stoker chair used to be called Chair three and was the biggest lift on the mountain when it 1st opened until the '87-88 season with the opening of the three high speed quads. Also: The 5280' stat came from the &th heaven T-Bar which was only open from '85-87 and terminated higher and to the east of the top terminal of the 7th Heaven chair.
First time trip, we had 3 days. First day Whistler. Second day Blackcomb. Third day we all choose Blackcomb again. Loved Crystal, Glacier, and Seventh.
I too would say Whistler I lived there from 1989 to 2006 . If you like to get out there to fiend the secret spots Whistler is the spot but if you like the fall line then Blackcomb would be your choice. Hahaha other than that I can't really remember 😂 but I do know that there were a lot of party's . I miss those days best days of my life
@@riseandalpine ha you sparked my memories from the old gondala from creakside and then off from the bottom of the old red chair was a river bed or creak bed but it was full of deep snow up to our necks and it brought us down to the village I only ever did it once no need to cheat last luck 🤞 more then once well for that trail at least hahahaha 🤣
Great attention to detail in the comparison categories in the video and I can’t get enough of your positive energy. I ski Blackcomb more often for many reasons. I love the flow of the mountain and find there is less traversing between runs so that you get more runs in during a ski day. The top of the peak is an amazing view on a bluebird day. But I am remain a Blackcomb fan👍🏼👍🏼
Whistler has a better alpine but mid mountain sucks and lines are usually longer. Blackcomb has the better park not even a question and a a steeper cliffier mid mountain… when the alpines closed or snow sucks you’ll find me on Blackcomb but nothing can beat a bluebird pow day on peak… Whistler is my choice
i've grown up skiing whistler so i'm gonna have to say whistler. but when there's powder like last year in december blackomb was much better as there were way less people on the mountain and therefore so much more pow
Blackcomb for pow day because of faster patrol! Whistler for all the days after the first pow day! Whistler for every weekday! Blackcomb for all weekend and holiday warriors! Whistler for entry park rider! Blackcomb for expert park rider! Wax your snowboard before you go to Whistler because of the long flat green traverse! Shred without wax on Blackcomb!
Stats say Blackcomb patrol wins 90% of the time and thanks to the popularity of Whistler all the tourists go there instead. Enjoy Matthews traverse meanwhile we shred Blackcomb baby
Blackcomb, less busy, smaller lines, the couloir extreme, glacier, spankys ladder, 7th heaven, better fall lines than Whistler. Aren't we lucky to have both in our back yard.
yo yo! Love your channel dude! Been living in whis for a year and a half now, your videos have definitely helped me find some sick lines. I'm a ski tech at a shop in the village, if you ever need a wax, mount or a repair, shoot me a line and i'll hook it up for you. Rock on brother!!
Damn whent to W&B a month ago for the first time, really wish this guide existed before! Still had a great time, and I think I enjoyed Blackcomb better myself.
I would say Blackcomb is better in my opinion because it has amazing areas like Chainsaw Ridge, Spankys Ladder, Crystal Ridge, and so many other amazing places to be.
We just got back from a week at Whistler. It pretty much rained for the whole week at the base, but that just meant more snow on the hill. Visibility was almost never good but the snow made up for it. For what we like, deep snow in trees or bowls, both Whistler and Blackcomb home were excellent. We did find the lift lines to always be shorter at Blackcomb. Nothing required a ridiculously long wait except for our initial ride up the gondola to Whistler. I would not want to choose a favorite. And the presence of the Peak to Peak gondola meant that I didn't have to. I enjoyed seeing how your views tended to align with what we discovered.
Whitlser or Blackcomb, I choose Whistler not because it better (they both are great), I just more familiar with Whistler runs than Blackcomb. You need at least a season for familiar with terrian in Whistler and I just explored the skinny parts of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. This is an excellent guide book with hardcopy available in local bookshop at Whistler 《 Advanced/Expert Ski and Snowboard Guide to Whistler Blackcomb - By Brian Finestone & Kevin Hodder》 So much fun when follow this book for exploring the terrains in Whistler and Blackcomb.
Majority of the time, Blackcomb for sure! But if the alpine is opening after a couple days of avy risk closure, you better believe I'm going to be waiting in line with everyone else at the peak chair!
I like whistler the downhill runs are hectic you got franz' run, peak to creek and dave murrays which are beast. Blackcomb does have the glacier which is killer on certain days and the parks. Fuck cant wait to get back. Plus harmony chair off to the side is probably my favorite runs of all time. Feel like ur in fuckin heavan
I love both. I ski Blackcomb since I live in Alpine Meadows when there - its closer to Blackcomb. I'd rather do a P2P and come back than waste time in the car. That's just me. Great review.
Food: I miss these mountain restaurants of Austrian ski resorts: for 10 euro you can get a huge bowl of goulash soup, fresh bun, salad and drink. Whereas most north american ski resorts offer you mcdonalds style burgers for $25.
Whistler is my favorite side. Familiarity, Peak on a good day, no snowboarding early on. Blackcomb is the better mountain. Consistent fall-lines, more accessible vert, open later.
Intrawest was a real estate developer that ran Blackcomb from '86 onwards. This is why it was considered The Dark Side I'm guessing; it was always more corporate.
I love your videos! We picked up the five pack edge card this year and I'm brand new to Whistler Blackcomb. Your videos are great source of info, hopefully it will help us out a bit on our next visit. Our first day at got pulled into Glacier Express and Jersey cream since the top of whistler was closed and I found it to be breathtaking. Rocks were sketchy in the flat light though hahaha oh well. We could have used this info for the tree runs, your videos are very helpful thank you!
I like to chase really good powder backcountry skiing and some dangerous high alpine skiing. I choose blackcomb because whenever there’s a big dump its a lot easier to predict when the alpine is gonna open and its easier to get fresh turns in my opinion. Flute bowl on whistler is great on a powder day when you get there early enough, but for me nothing anywhere else compares to spankys runs. I know both mountains really well, but i have to say blackcomb because its what ive done the most.
It's tough man ... My first pow day was at Whistler but there is something to be said about those steeper runs at Blackcomb, and 7th heaven in the morning sun is a real game changer
Whistler mountain for me. Better parking and more bowl skiing. I would say the line ups might be a little better too, because of 6 person chairs Whistler has, and the 3 alpine bowl chairs. If you want bowls on Blackcomb, then you're kind of stuck with 7th Heaven and that pre-historic 4 person chair. It used to be that you could just go into single lines and there'd be almost no one there, but I think a lot of people have caught onto that trick and it's not much better anymore, if better at all. I've never seen double single lines before, but now they are becoming a common thing!! Ugh!!! Once Whistler builds that new gondola at Creekside for next season, then the mountain will get even better. And I agree with food...who goes to Whistler-Blackcomb for food??? Waste of time and the food is overpriced and just meh. No food, no water, no bathroom breaks for me while I ski. And when everyone goes for lunch around noon, line ups get so much smaller! Win-win situation!! Oh, and forgot to mention that nothing beats ending a ski day like the Peak to Creek run!!
I'm pretty jazzed about the new creekside gondola and especially turning RED into a 6 person lift. Only thing better would be finding a way to improve the flow of the highway.... A man can dream 😂😂😂
Funny I spent more time on black comb when 1st started skiing Whistler blackcomb mountains but I loved blackcomb better for a long time but when the opened peak to peak I started going to Whistler more and exploring and realized I like both mountains it's great to switch it up but for sentimental reasons blackcomb is in my heart .one big reason is going to crystal hut to eat or sitting on the deck especially when the cook the hamburgers outside or the all day waffle yummy 😋
Hey Matt, It totally depends on the snow coverage to the base! This year I would guess everything above the Excelerator chair will stay open but you will have to download form mid station!
i haven’t been yet but i’m planning to make a trip out there next season and your videos are just so in depth and your quality is so good, keep it up man
