Well here we are again... It's Whismas. This year though, things are running a little differently. With the Fitzsimmons chair being replaced, riders will be using the Whistler Village Gondola OR the Creekside Gondola to access the bike park. In this video, Christina Chappetta takes us to school and goes over everything you'd need to know for the 2023 Whistler Bike Park season.
I live in Poland. I ride mtb for 20 years now. I grew up watching NWD's and Kranked and Roam and Collective. I "know" Whistler from the movies better than a lot of mountains here. Thera aren't many bikeparks here, National Parks are usually closed for biking with few exceptions, the trail network isn't any nea to Czech or Austria not talking about Alpes. Not even a 1% of Canadian I suppose. And the feeling I had all my life is like longing and unfulfillment if I will ever be able to see this mythical Canada by myself, with my bike. Probably not. One way air ticket cost like monthly wage, and then car renthal ecc. I found it kinda destructive. Recently I, finally, changed my approach. I decided that it's better to go even for 2 days in small Polish hills than to dream about a road trip around Canada. It's nice there, but it's nice here too.
@SickEdit: for sure will, it just amazed me how the feeling build up through the years, with growing mtb media, commercials, filming, as if riding anywhere else 'doesn't count'. Learned my lesson and escaped the matrix, wanted to share.
@SickEdit: Nope, did a lot of french bike parks, in the Alps, some in Italy, fi.ale lights etc etc. Nothing beats BC in term of riding. Didn't like the long line in whistler last summer compare to 10 years ago. But sun peaks or silverstar are super good and 0 lines. And there is nothing like the north shore or squamish is the alps (unfortunately).
Dude you really should do the best you can to save up for that dream. Even if you make an account and put in 50 bucks a week aside, that will take you 4 years to save enough for a really good trip or 3 years and you can just afford flights and then bum the rest which will be fine, you can apply for a working holiday visa until you're 36th birthday and then you can spend winter too and work, it's great. I don't know your financial situation so I can't say its easy to save, Infact it would be hard for me to go. But trust me, it is absolutely worth it.
Some of the French and Austrian bike parks look insane. Maybe it's not Whistle but it's probably still an incredible experience. And far more doable. Good luck!
The thing about Poland is simply not true. While there aren't any Whistler sized bike parks here and a lot of places in Europe have more trails, the network down south is pretty amazing. Obviously, if the only place in the mountains you know is Zakopane, you could think there's nothing here, but just have a look around Bielsko Biała on Trailforks. What you can see in there is only the official stuff and about half of the trails in the area. There are a few more examples of this and we wouldn't have Sławek Łukasik without any trails to train on
I mountainbike and wavesail and there are plenty of great places for both of them in Europe, but I,m glad I have surfed Hookipa-Maui and been to Canada and Whistler. Yes pure rationally there might be similar spots elsewhere, but not that much so centralized to 1 place as at Whistler and windsurf wise Maui. Besides that If you dream half your live of doing that, the experience is often way better as you would say just based on facts. It is a feel or vibe that is hard to describe when it materialize and something that makes me still happy when I think back to it after years.
@pooceq: hey, I've been here and there in Poland and know a lot more than Zakopane Sure there are some decent trails. I was just talking about the feeling of 'unfullfiled dream' of riding in Canada as the 'only place that counts' which became toxic for my joy of riding anywhere
@hpman83: I am a native from Savoie and i have 300 bikepark days in the PDS ( Portes du soleil) and 250 in Whistrelia. I prefer the PDS and the Alps, way cheaper, easy to commute, have better food, less industrial. Whistler used to be good 10 years ago, now its too busy and it is like a lineup simulator. Le Chablais (Swiss and Savoyard) is like Squamish but with cheap chairlift and transit to go up. Also, you can afford your life style because if you work in Switzerland can't say the same for BC, Vancouver, Whistler unless you make more than 10 k a month.
Franchement Squamish c'est sympa mais y a mieux dans les alpes et tu te fais large moins chier.
Its honestly not worth it imo. Europe has more variety, way more parks including all the dirt jump specific centers, all within driving distance. The bike parks in Europe are also a lot more bike focused - they are in remote locations in the mountains, whereas Whistler, you feel like you are in a shopping mall in the village surrounded by people with too much money.
If you are going to save up money to travel, go to a place like New Zealand, in the winter (because its warm there in the winter months).
@bikes-arent-real: 38 here and not as dirtbag capable as I used to be, but wise words. It sure is hard but doable. Just tried to rebuild fun from riding in the meantime i guess.
@8a71b4: Whistler/Squamish/North Shore has an obscene amount of variety and countless km's of traiils. I would be surprised if Europe could match the quality, accessibility, and amount of trails found in this corridor.
@Ba1rog: Yes it's cheaper in Europe, yes the line in whistler are very annoying and I prefer whistler from 2010 compare to whistler 2022. I went to the PDS 2 years ago, didn't like it at all. I like the tech stuffs way more than the jump lines. And in PDS it was all jump lines or super steep rooty stuff for chatel or for some hidden line in Morzine. I was super disappointed by the place. In the alps I prefer the Oisans region. La meige is for me the best ridding I could find in the Alps. To have tested riding in the northern Alps and the southern Alps, I prefer the southern Alps. I love squamish because with not a ton of vertical (Alice lake) you have tons of very interesting trails, very technical with short climb back. I'm not a fan of long alpine ascent, I get bored after 45min of climbing.
@rrolly: I'm not sure many people realise how big the PDS is. I can ride Les Gets WC track in the morning in France and Champery WC track in the afternoon in Switzerland, with 1 lift pass to get me all the way there and back, no cars required. Theres about 12 different lifts between the two, each with a whole network of amazing trails running from them. You can easily ride a new set of trails every day for an average 2 week trip. And thats all on a DH rig. Bring something that pedals and the amount of stuff you can access doubles. Bring a van and it would take you multiple seasons to ride everything available.
@gabriel-mission9: In term of area, yes the PDS are huge. But it takes some times to transfert from les gets to chatel for example with the lifts. But in terms of number of trails, it's impressive the number of trails packed in Whistler. Each bike park in the PDS don't have so many trails. You have to travel between the different places to add up the trails. And honestly I'm not a big fan of transfert between valleys because when the weather is not so great (thunderstorm) you always have the risk to be stuck in the wrong valley. And if you have to take the taxi to come back, it could be a huge long detour and very expensive.
Too late for you for working holiday visas unluckily. Otherwise it makes more sense to spend a year around. I'd not justice the costs for a short few weeks trip. Not worthy
For 3 years, I rode the Whistler Bike Park most summer weekends. Now I live in Italy. The bike park development in Austria (and I'm sure elsewhere - Dyfi in the UK looks absolutely nuts) for jump trails is incredible. Whistler will always be a total classic, but here the lift lines in the alps are shorter, there are far fewer braking bumps, and it's generally more affordable (esp. medical care). Plus, you have many more legendary spots which are close to each-other and can be grouped into a road trip.
@hpman83: Super steep rooty stuff is what dreams are made of. Yeah there are loads of jump lines in the Alps, and yeah they get boring fast, but as soon as you leave the main pistes there is so much tech to be found. And how can you not be a fan of long descents?! Just buy a lift pass dude
Well edited. Quiet opening day fwiw. Lineups were short. Gondola usage was efficient. Dirt was in fine shape too and dry. Well done Bike Park and kudos to trail crew for the work
Even if there isn't going to be a World Cup on the 1199, which I hope there is. There should be a Stevie Smith Memorial DH Race, put up a big prize pool and run it like the Goodwood Festival of Speed or pikes peak where you have classic divisions so riders can run old 26 inch bikes, make the prize money for the 26 inch's higher than the 29r's so the pros ride 26s.
Been to Whistler every year for the past 5 seasons, every year the customer service gets worse and most riders there are just pigheaded. Rather go ride any European bike park, views are way prettier and villages are spectacular!!
To talk of lift queues being 30 mins is kinda ridiculous. Last year in July we were often waiting 45+ with all lifts running. Fitz takes way more riders than the gondola. For sure queues will be way over an hour, so sadly our crew are skipping it this year - I think 2023 is the time for other parks to have a moment in the sun.
All cabins on the gondola are being used for bikes, so capacity on the gondola is now 4x what it used to be. I walked past the gondi at 4pm today, literally less than 10 people in the line.
@kingtut87: I want to believe that it won't be an issue. The pessimist in me believes that everyone was hanging back because they were afraid of lines, so opening weekend is not a true representation. We'll see I guess
Was there a view of the lineup? (I breezed through the video and didn't see anything).
Whistler is great, but it's starting to get hard to pick yourself up and go for the day. You know you're going to get caught in long lineups and that pizza place isn't that great.
Yes first world problems for sure and I'm probably spoiled since I live in North Vancouver. I do like the tech trails... and you know ALL the tech trails will be empty because everyone will be riding A-line and Dirt Merchant.
I went skiing in Sun Peaks this last winter and man-oh-man, awesome mountain. I plan on checking their bike park for sure this year.
Oh yeah, about Vancouver... yes, it has become a mess. I lived there for over 10 years and it has deteriorated.
Going up to sun peaks this year for my birthday weekend in July. Hoping I'm not the only one there that tries to avoid the potential chaos at Whistler!
Everything they've done or are doing, from trail closures, upload options, calendars, reworking a-line is to support building the new chair, which makes sense, but also makes this a great year to skip Whistler and explore other bike parks or riding areas, of which BC has a ridiculous volume. This is actually going to be a really refreshing and exciting season.
Loads actually, especially if you have 4x4. There is 1 legit camp ground IN Whistler (Riverside) and 1 just south of town (Whistler RV). There is also a BC Rec site just south of town and more options in Squamish too.
Whistler is awesome, spent some time there and it really is like being in a dream. My local stuff is cool too, nothing like whistler but tons of heart in mouth stuff.
No Grizzlies on Whistler mountain and the Black bears are so mellow it's basically a non issue. Don't be an idiot and give them plenty of space and you'll be fine.
A couple of years ago I really wanted to go to Whistler. Now I feel that its overrated,way too expensive and its in Canada. So all negatives. Not really worth it.
Nope, did a lot of french bike parks, in the Alps, some in Italy, fi.ale lights etc etc.
Nothing beats BC in term of riding.
Didn't like the long line in whistler last summer compare to 10 years ago.
But sun peaks or silverstar are super good and 0 lines.
And there is nothing like the north shore or squamish is the alps (unfortunately).
www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/eligibility.html?selection=pl-wh#selection
I mountainbike and wavesail and there are plenty of great places for both of them in Europe, but I,m glad I have surfed Hookipa-Maui and been to Canada and Whistler.
Yes pure rationally there might be similar spots elsewhere, but not that much so centralized to 1 place as at Whistler and windsurf wise Maui. Besides that If you dream half your live of doing that, the experience is often way better as you would say just based on facts. It is a feel or vibe that is hard to describe when it materialize and something that makes me still happy when I think back to it after years.
Franchement Squamish c'est sympa mais y a mieux dans les alpes et tu te fais large moins chier.
If you are going to save up money to travel, go to a place like New Zealand, in the winter (because its warm there in the winter months).
Yes it's cheaper in Europe, yes the line in whistler are very annoying and I prefer whistler from 2010 compare to whistler 2022.
I went to the PDS 2 years ago, didn't like it at all. I like the tech stuffs way more than the jump lines. And in PDS it was all jump lines or super steep rooty stuff for chatel or for some hidden line in Morzine. I was super disappointed by the place. In the alps I prefer the Oisans region. La meige is for me the best ridding I could find in the Alps.
To have tested riding in the northern Alps and the southern Alps, I prefer the southern Alps.
I love squamish because with not a ton of vertical (Alice lake) you have tons of very interesting trails, very technical with short climb back. I'm not a fan of long alpine ascent, I get bored after 45min of climbing.
In term of area, yes the PDS are huge. But it takes some times to transfert from les gets to chatel for example with the lifts.
But in terms of number of trails, it's impressive the number of trails packed in Whistler. Each bike park in the PDS don't have so many trails. You have to travel between the different places to add up the trails.
And honestly I'm not a big fan of transfert between valleys because when the weather is not so great (thunderstorm) you always have the risk to be stuck in the wrong valley. And if you have to take the taxi to come back, it could be a huge long detour and very expensive.
Go on trailforks, look at the squiggly lines around Whistler/Squamish/North Shore. There are trail centers, but spread out.
Then look at Europe. The alps are covered in squiggly lines.
The trails are not only more numerous, but also there are much longer trails in Europe, with a lot more variety.
Whistler is great, but it's starting to get hard to pick yourself up and go for the day. You know you're going to get caught in long lineups and that pizza place isn't that great.
Yes first world problems for sure and I'm probably spoiled since I live in North Vancouver. I do like the tech trails... and you know ALL the tech trails will be empty because everyone will be riding A-line and Dirt Merchant.
I went skiing in Sun Peaks this last winter and man-oh-man, awesome mountain. I plan on checking their bike park for sure this year.
Oh yeah, about Vancouver... yes, it has become a mess. I lived there for over 10 years and it has deteriorated.
I don't miss this season if Schleyer is closed
They are very good, cheaper and no lines.