| Author |
Message |
ScottDrummer
|
|
Post subject: THE Whistler Season Thread
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 05:40 PM
|
|

First post: Dec 11, 2006
Total posts: 782
Location: Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
Hi,
As there are a fair few people going to Whistler this season, I thought I'd start a topic to catch discussions and questions/advice anyone wishes to ask/give.
As were now into the season, this thread is probably best used for reference and conversation for people in Whistler , but thanks to everyone that contributed up until now, and finally to put faces to (user)names, it has proven to be quite successful for information sharing and to meet new people.
Have fun reading and have a wicked (and hopefully injury-free) season.
Scott.  |
Last edited by ScottDrummer on Dec 13, 2007 - 09:04 PM; edited 4 times in total
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
lez_s
|
|
Post subject: RE: THE Whistler Season Thread
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 05:57 PM
|
|

First post: Oct 11, 2004
Total posts: 11592
Location: Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
| i can't even play the tambourin |
_________________ 'Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
ScottDrummer
|
|
Post subject: RE: THE Whistler Season Thread
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:05 PM
|
|

First post: Dec 11, 2006
Total posts: 782
Location: Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
|
|
|
 |
matt-j
|
|
Post subject: RE: THE Whistler Season Thread
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:11 PM
|
|
First post: Dec 11, 2006
Total posts: 33
Status: Offline
|
|
| does anyone know how cold it gets compared to european resorts???? |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
ace_mcgraw
|
|
Post subject: RE: THE Whistler Season Thread
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:11 PM
|
|

First post: Feb 20, 2007
Total posts: 4687
Location: That snowboarding hotbed, Norfolk
Status: Offline
|
|
|
|
|
 |
dryslopeboy
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:20 PM
|
|

First post: May 06, 2006
Total posts: 109
Location: Norwich/Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
| They have a night at the Longhorn every Tuesday night called "open mic". I got quite excited by this as i thought it was going to be a weekly M.C battle! However it is actually a band competition where any local bands or seasonaires who meet up can play. At the end of the season they have a proper comp and there are prizes for the winners. A buddy of mine was the lead singer in a band there and they were really good! As far as i'm aware the bar has it's own instruments that you can use or you can obviously bring your own. However if your flying over from the UK and you play Harp or Cello that could be tricky! Apart from the open mic night i don't really dig the longhorn as it is THE most expensive beer in town. |
_________________ Cans get shook, walls get bombed.
www.myspace.com/dryslopeboy
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
dryslopeboy
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:28 PM
|
|

First post: May 06, 2006
Total posts: 109
Location: Norwich/Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
Oh also they have quite a lot of mini jam sessions in the Crystal lounge but that is more for a singer with a guitar rather than a full band.
Any "part time" jobs wth Intrawest have full perks. Exactly how many hours their "part time" work is though i don't know.
In response to the other question about how cold it gets that depends. This season it was an El nino year in the Pacific so most of the weather systems that came in were quite warm and moist. At the very start of the season most of the weather came in from bay of Alaska so it was a lot colder and drier then. The coldest day we had on the hill this season was minus 23!!!! That was pretty harsh but as long as your kits good you can still ride in it. January is normally the coldest month. As a rough rule start of the season at night in the village it is about -8 and during the day up on the hill it's roughly the same. |
_________________ Cans get shook, walls get bombed.
www.myspace.com/dryslopeboy
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
lez_s
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 09, 2007 - 06:38 PM
|
|

First post: Oct 11, 2004
Total posts: 11592
Location: Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
|
Quote:
The coldest day we had on the hill this season was minus 23!!!!
when in les arcs a few years ago it got to -30 at the top. canada is known for being cold |
_________________ 'Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
ace_mcgraw
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 01:43 AM
|
|

First post: Feb 20, 2007
Total posts: 4687
Location: That snowboarding hotbed, Norfolk
Status: Offline
|
|
When I was there (05/06), a lot of the time it was hovering roundabouts 0 in the valley, and dropping to about -10 on top.
THe coldest I had it was when we were on the road and we got to Banff where it dropped to roundabouts -30, with windchill approaching -50. My beard and eyelashes were just freezing up as soon as we got outside! Didn't try riding in it but chatted to instructors at Sunshine who said it was bloody uncomfortable.
I reckon in Whistler you're never gonna get as cold as the Rockies, but take good kit and you;ll be fine. The only weather that;ll stop you in whistler is the rain! |
_________________ Nice Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/ace_mcgraw/
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Timeless
|
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 08:52 AM
|
|
First post: Mar 16, 2007
Total posts: 11
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
|
|
Re the temperature in Whistler. I've been in late January, February for the last three years and the posting about it being 0 in the vill and -10 on the mountain is pretty much dead on, with a few exceptional days where it goes seriously chilly up the peak.
Don't believe the postings about the lift lines. It only gets manic for the first upload in the morning or if the weather closes off the top of the mountain. Tip, use the chairs for the first upload instead of the gondolla and you can pretty much walk straight on and get a close up view of the runs to scope out any sweet spots. Whistler rocks, those mountains are sooooo big. Still finding runs I didn't even know existed.  |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
pricey74
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 06:10 PM
|
|
First post: Dec 19, 2006
Total posts: 141
Location: Derby
Status: Offline
|
|
Great idea for a thread ScottD! As for putting a band together, I struggle to clap in time but I'd be happy to pimp myself out as a roadie for a share in the groupies!
A question I have for anyone who's spent time in Whistler before is regarding a gym, a decent sized pool and a climbing wall? Basically any info on accessibility, location, entry fee's, season pass? etc would be appreciated...
Cheers |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
dryslopeboy
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 06:58 PM
|
|

First post: May 06, 2006
Total posts: 109
Location: Norwich/Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
| Some of the larger hotels have gyms that you can pay to use. There is also a gym in creekside which when i was there last winter they were doing some deals on membership. 10 minutes bus ride out of the village on the Alpine Meadows bus route there is the Meadow Parks Sports Centre it's open from 6am until 10pm daily and has a full size swimming pool and gym. There is an indoor climbing wall and gym in the middle of the village underneath the Telus Conference Centre. You can pay to use the wall per trip or they do monthly passes. A 3 month pass was about $230 i think. You can't use any of the facilites free with a season pass. |
_________________ Cans get shook, walls get bombed.
www.myspace.com/dryslopeboy
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
JIBapproved
|
|
Post subject: how do you get work as a tradesman?
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 08:47 PM
|
|

First post: May 28, 2007
Total posts: 90
Location: appleby
Status: Offline
|
|
| Im an electrician and want to do a winter season but im a bit confused - some say go to the whistler job fair, read local advertisements etc, others say go to an agency here in the uk and they sort it all out for you including accomodation, visas etc - who are these agencies, does anyone have any names of them and contact details? id really like to know - if it could all be sorted out beforehand then life wolud be a lot easier |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
ace_mcgraw
|
|
Post subject: RE: how do you get work as a tradesman?
Posted: Jun 10, 2007 - 10:20 PM
|
|

First post: Feb 20, 2007
Total posts: 4687
Location: That snowboarding hotbed, Norfolk
Status: Offline
|
|
hey
in terms of visa's I got mine through BUNAC (website bunac.org) They do working holiday visas for people under the age of 35 i think! I;m afraid I don't really know much about any other options.
Accomodation: If you're gonna be there for a long time, the way I did it was sort out the first month, then see what your options are after that. After the first month you hopefully would've made a few contacts and had a chance to look around and see what;s available and where everything is.
I dunno for sure, but I reckon you could get a job easy as an electrician. Ther'e prob be a whole bunch of options there. You could prob work on the mountains - the lift ops team have a whole bunch of electricians who ride around on sleds all day, do a bit of lift maintenance, then sit around and get paid a decent wage!
I;d try and find a directory of electricians in whistler and email a few of them and see if they'r elikely to have any work for you. Put your name around and see what happens! |
_________________ Nice Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/ace_mcgraw/
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
ScottDrummer
|
|
Post subject: RE: how do you get work as a tradesman?
Posted: Jun 11, 2007 - 03:40 PM
|
|

First post: Dec 11, 2006
Total posts: 782
Location: Whistler
Status: Offline
|
|
JIBApproved: There are companies such as alpine elements, planet subzero etc.. who provide accommodation, flights, transfer and visa etc... but no job, so thats one route. as Ace mentioned bunac are a company that provide work authorisation forms so you can work in Canada for up to a year legally, They can organise flights, first night hostel and insurance for you but it can be costly, I found flights independantly with Zoom a lot cheaper than what they quoted.
There are also companies such as CCUSA or OWH (which i think are more or less a partnership) you pay a rediculous amount of money (about £300) and they guarantee you a job. which is fair enough if you want to do any crap for next to nothing, they dont give you your visa but i think they can sort accommodation out for you, again this is probably a luck of the draw situation.
Best route is DIY, get your visa with Bunac, sort flights and insurance independantly so you get the best and most customised deal to suite you. go to swap when you land get your SIN, go to resort get a job with either intrawest (and therefore eligible for staff accommodation) or private and beg your way into private accomodation. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|