Industry News
Located in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, Whistler Blackcomb is Canada’s largest and most famous resort. With more than 8,000 skiable acres, over 200 runs, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers, 35 lifts, and two mountains, the resort has something for every skier, no matter their age, skill level, or interests.
Whistler’s 2026-27 season starts in less than two months, with the resort scheduled to open November 20, 2026, as long as conditions permit. The opening date marks the end of the off-season at the Canadian resort, and this off-season was a busy one.
Over spring and summer, the resort conducted numerous upgrades and improvements on both the mountain and in the base area. From lift upgrades to new food items to new passholder benefits, Whistler employees worked hard over the offseason to prepare the resort for the upcoming season. Here are some of the biggest updates and improvements skiers and snowboarders at Whistler can expect this season.
A New Chairlift
The biggest physical change on the mountain this season is the new Showcase Chair, a fixed-grip quad replacing the 1988 Showcase T-bar. The new chairlift will provide faster and easier access to the Showcase and Blackcomb Glacier areas. Built by Skytrac, the new lift will carry Whistler’s skiers up 148 meters (486 feet) of vertical, with a ride time of about four minutes and a capacity of 2,400 people per hour. The lift replaces the old Showcase T-bar, which was built in 1988. It had a capacity of just 1,362 people per hour — about half the capacity of the new chairlift.
An Improved Dining Experience
Whistler also improved its on-mountain culinary offerings by investing significantly in its food-and-beverage program. Skiing classics like chili, burgers, pizza, fries, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and mac and cheese have all gotten overhauls, with higher-quality ingredients and upgraded preparation. In addition to upgrading classic ski food, Whistler has elevated dining across the mountain. Guests can find breakfast food at Dusty’s, a renovated Pika’s at the Roundhouse featuring a new coffee bar and elevated comfort fare, and enhanced outdoor patio experiences at both Steeps Grill & Wine Bar on Whistler Mountain and Christine’s on Blackcomb.
The improved dining experience is part of Vail Resorts‘ new Epic Experience, a multi-year plan that shifts the company’s focus from pass sales and resort acquisitions to enhancing the on-mountain guest experience. Food and beverage upgrades are a major part of the strategy, with updated menus and higher-quality ingredients added across 15 of its destination resorts.
Wonder Routes
Whistler also introduced the resort’s new Wonder Routes. The Wonder Routes are a network of trails, waypoints, and stops designed to help guests discover some of the resort’s best trail routes. This season, the resort will offer seven Wonder Routes, each color-coded on maps with turn-by-turn directions in the resort’s Wonder Routes Map.
Dawn Patrol
Dawn Patrol is Whistler’s new guided, early-morning experience led by experienced, professional guides from Whistler Heli-Skiing. Starting at 8:30 a.m., guests meet with guides for exclusive access to freshly groomed runs, local expert knowledge, and lift-line priority all morning.
Heli-Skiing
According to Vail Resorts, heli-skiing is “the pinnacle of the Whistler winter experience.” Whistler’s heli-skiing operations offer access to 432,000 acres of exclusive terrain, including more than 170 glaciers. In total, the heli-skiing area is 50 times the size of Whistler Blackcomb. Every heli-skiing group will have two highly experienced guides to ensure guests and terrain are safe to ride.
Ski or Ride with an Olympian
Whistler Blackcomb has an Olympic connection that spans decades. The mountain served as a primary alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and many Canadian Olympic athletes prepare for competition at Whistler. The new Ski or Ride with an Olympian program gives guests an active way to experience the Olympic-Whistler connection. As part of Whistler’s Snow School, young skiers and snowboarders can share the slopes with former Olympic athletes, learn from their expertise, and hear firsthand stories from the biggest stage in snow sports.
Other New Features
Whistler also offers plenty of other new features. The Extremely Canadian program offers legendary coach-led clinics that help skiers confidently unlock Whistler Blackcomb’s steep terrain, hidden lines, and powder-filled zones. New Signature Events, including the World Ski and Snowboard Festival, will be held at Whistler this season. And rounding out Whistler’s new 2026-27 offerings is the debut of “HOME,” a new film that captures the spirit of the resort through the moments, people, and experiences that make it more than a destination.
With the new Showcase Chair, expanded dining options, new guided experiences, and additional Snow School programs, Whistler Blackcomb will enter its 2026-27 season with several changes waiting when the lifts start turning.
