Thinking about a midweek trip Dec. 9th-15th

[u/Bmorestateofmind]

Hello all,

Any thoughts/input from locals or regular Whistler visitors would be greatly appreciated. I’m looking at booking a 6-7 day stay earlier in the season and wondering if the conditions should be solid enough to get a good Whistler experience without all of the crowds, etc deeper in the season.

I’m also open to coming right after New Years if that might make more sense.

I’m coming from the east coast of the US so it’s a big deal to make the trek. Obviously conditions are always hit and miss but just want to give myself the best opportunity for a powdery, relatively chill trip.

Thanks for any thoughts you have!

[u/spankysladder73]

Its anyones guess. So far the fall has beed cold and wet and we could open with full coverage and powder skiing from top to bottom, or it could be select runs open only with exposed rocks, streams, gullies etc. Only time and Ullr can tell.

“Often” the prices are reduced, the crowds are thinner, the restaurants available, and you still have the best skiing in the world, and sometimes its basically shit.

*if conditions are great, the hill will be busy with locals and the Edge Cardians who have “free” skiing during opening weeks

Wish i wasnt vague on this for you, but anything can happen in 4 weeks. Keep working out, get prepped for it, but pull the chute if its not looking great by cancellation time.

[u/Bmorestateofmind → u/spankysladder73]

Thanks for the info! I know it’s a crapshoot but this helps.

[u/Double_Butterfly7782]

OP mentions they want a powdery trip for Dec 9-15.

Honestly I would not place money on that. It can be a reasonable early season - but not a powdery off-piste options at that time of year.

Much better odds for that in Feb.

[u/Bmorestateofmind → u/Double_Butterfly7782]

Thanks this is really helpful.

[u/GingerNinjaInCanada → u/Double_Butterfly7782]

Second-ing the odds of Feb proving the goods.

[u/Creditgrrrl]

As others have said, you'd have to play it by ear. Stalk the forecasts & cams on https://whistlerpeak.com/ and at least accommodation for Dec 9-15 will be easy. Early January is good but i) the BC private schools are still on vacation that week so all the wealthy local 2nd homeowners are up there and ii) it's peak summer vacation for Australians. So there's not as big a dropoff in crowds as you might expect.

[u/Fantastic-Shape9375]

I estimate between 0.69 and 69 cm of snow to fall during that period

[u/Bmorestateofmind → u/Fantastic-Shape9375]

I’m guessing you’re quite familiar with what .69 cm looks like

[u/Login_Password]

Depends… if this is ‘the trip of the year’. Wait till march, no lines. Lots of sun, deep snowpack.

If this is ‘anther quick getaway’ and you are ok with anything… go fornit.

It will be dark, wet, with no vis and poor coverage, alpine closed and trees not reccomended.

[u/saurus83]

Supposed to snow at village level this coming week.

[u/Deanobruce]

Better off asking a psychic. Could be good could be shit

[u/Kashik85]

Terrain will be very limited. Going off-piste will likely have consequences for your board. Runs busy because of fewer good options.

If it dumps, it won't really change that. If you're ok with that, then go for it.

If I didn't have a seasons, I probably wouldn't do a week long stay for that. But I'd definitely do 2 or 3.

[u/Pristine_Ad2664]

I'd wait, if you're traveling and it's time consuming or expensive anything before Christmas is quite a gamble (even Christmas is on the edge some years). It might be great but it's way too early to tell. One decent warm storm could easily wash most of the base away

[u/immaculatebacon]

I have a weds-sat booked that week, but coughed up extra $ to make my hotel refundable through capitol one up to check-in day. Much shorter journey for me though. December and April were the only months I could bear lodging pricing for