Whistler shatters snowfall records, cross-country skiing trails to open this weekend
Whistler, B.C. - With 11 days still remaining this month, Whistler has already surpassed the record for November snowfall, as more than 430cm (172 inches) of white gold slammed the mountains by Thursday afternoon. The previous record, set in 2006, was 416cm (164 inches).
To check out the latest photos snapped today after the epic overnight snowfall visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gowhistler
And the snowfall party is just getting started, with the weather forecast calling for 65-95cm (26-37 inches) of snow over then next three days. The average annual snowfall at Whistler Blackcomb - ranked the #1 ski resort in North America by Skiing Magazine for the 13th consecutive year - is 33.5 feet (10.2 metres).
Cross-country skiers have reason to smile too, as Whistler Olympic Park and the Callaghan Valley open this weekend. One trail ticket allows you to ski at both locations which, collectively, offer 70km (43 miles) of cross-country ski trails and 15km (9 miles) of snowshoe trails. Hours of operation will be 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily through January (9 a.m. - 6 p.m. in March and April). All trail access is through Callaghan Country base which is accessible via shuttle from Whistler each Friday through Sunday starting December 18 until January 17.
Best of all, www.whistler.com is offering visitors unbeatable deals on accommodation and lift ticket packages all winter long. Ski and stay packages are available starting from about $100 CDN per person per day in November, December and January.
Travel to Whistler from Vancouver has never been easier or more enjoyable thanks to the extensive improvement project to the Sea to Sky Highway which is a few days from final completion with only minor finishing work remaining.
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Whistler is Canada’s premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America for the past 12 years in a row, Whistler is the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It will host more than half of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games events and over 90 per cent of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games events. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 9,000 permanent residents.
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com - Whistler’s official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.