Inside the Culture, Scale, and Operations of North America’s Biggest Resort with Whistler Blackcomb COO Belinda Trembath High above Whistler Village, Whistler Blackcomb COO Belinda Trembath, spent part of her workday the same way she does when time allows during the winter: on skis, moving through lift lines, greeting employees by name, and solving problems in real time. Known simply as “BT” to just about everyone on the mountain, from frontline staff to long-time locals and first-time guests, […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | January 13, 2026 0 Comments
The 9 Busiest Ski Resorts in the World by Visitor Numbers Did you know that there are an estimated 5,764 ski areas worldwide? However, most of that mind-boggling number are mom-and-pop ski areas, with maybe just one or two lifts. If we cut down that number to only include those ski areas with more than four ski lifts to qualify as a ‘ski resort,’ we still have a staggering 1,945 ski […] Brains Julia Schneemann | September 13, 2025 8 Comments
History With SnowBrains: How Whistler, BC, Got Its Name Whistler Mountain was known by the Lil’wat Nation as Cwítima or Kacwítima and Sk̲wik̲w by the Squamish Nation. In 1932, the mountain was named London Mountain because the thick fog surrounding the area reminded the first British settlers of London’s infamous pea soup fog. However, as more and more European settlers flocked to Canada, the name Whistler started to take […] Brains Julia Schneemann | May 26, 2025 0 Comments
The 9 Ski Areas With the Most Lifts in North America When evaluating a ski area, it’s important to factor in the number of lifts that the resort has because that number influences the time that you will spend in line, the terrain that you can shred, and the number of other skiers that you will encounter on the mountain. Here is a list of the nine ski areas in North […] Brains Liam Abbott | April 3, 2025 1 Comment
Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Reveals Plans to Build 1,700 Foot-Long Lift-Accessed Skate Park on Upper Whistler Mountain Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, renowned for its world-class ski terrain and breathtaking mountain scenery, is taking a bold step to redefine its summer offerings. In response to the indefinite closure of summer skiing on the Horstman Glacier, the resort has announced the construction of a massive lift-accessed skate park on the upper slopes of Whistler Mountain. This groundbreaking project, set […] Industry News Brent Glogau | April 1, 2025 0 Comments
March Madness Ski Resort Edition: Vote on Who Will Be Crowned Champion as Best Ski Resort in North America While March may be the most exciting time of year for basketball fans, the month typically sees skiing wind down to a close—until now. To honor the most intense sports tournament on the continent, SnowBrains decided to host a March Madness of its own to find out which ski resort its following would crown champion as the Best Ski Resort […] SnowBrains | March 25, 2025 0 Comments
Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Suspends Summer Ski Camps Indefinitely Due to Glacial Recession Summer camps on the Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, have long been indispensable for anyone who wants to ski and ride in the summer. Located high on Blackcomb Peak, the glacier typically opens from early June to mid-July for freestyle and race camps. It is one of only a few places in North America where you can ski and ride […] Industry News Brent Glogau | March 18, 2025 0 Comments
Heli-Skiers Buried for 10 Minutes After Avalanche Near Whistler, BC, Buries 5 People Five heli-skiers were caught in an avalanche near Whistler, British Columbia, on Monday afternoon, triggering a rescue operation that ended with all individuals safely recovered. Related: [PHOTOS] Idaho Avalanche Claims Season’s First Fatality in North America The avalanche occurred in a backcountry area called The Meadow on Ipsoot Mountain. It was triggered during a heli-skiing trip with Whistler Heli-Ski. The […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 24, 2024 0 Comments
The 13 Largest Ski Resorts on Earth We all know that bigger is better when it comes to ski resorts and many other things. In the USA, a biggest ski resort is Big Sky and it’s 5,800 acres. There are ski resorts in the Alps that make Big Sky look like a kiddie hill. So, where are the biggest ski resorts on Earth? Mostly in the Alps, it’s true, but there are a couple others outside of the Alps in North America. If you’re a true ski freak […] SnowBrains | November 19, 2024 73 Comments
The 5 Western Ski Towns With the Worst Traffic There are few worse feelings than when peak amounts of stoke abruptly vanish as visions of first chair and untouched bowls are replaced with the harsh red of braking tail lights stretched out as far as the eye can see. The euphoria of heading to ski resorts is muted by the dread of highway traffic where you and thousands of […] Brains Jared Roberts | October 3, 2024 0 Comments
West Coast Road Trip: Useful Tips and Photo Tour We like traveling by car and have done numerous road trips in our Subaru, including a couple of cross-country trips from the San Francisco Bay Area to New York City and back. Some may think that flying is more convenient, and we don’t argue with that. For us, it’s more of a personal choice and convenience to get all the […] Claire Weiss | August 8, 2024 0 Comments
Whistler Bike Park, BC, Report: Berms and Jumps Forever Report from July 3, 2024 The Whistler Bike Park is world-famous for a good reason. From the terrain to the meticulously crafted trails, it is top-notch. My boys and I were eager to take some laps after having ridden the park last year during our family vacation. We arrived early, before the 10 a.m. opening, and were first in line. […] Conditions Report Brent Glogau | July 8, 2024 0 Comments
[UPDATED] Search Suspended for 3 Climbers Missing on Atwell Peak Near Whistler, BC, Due to High Avalanche Risk Updated Sunday, June 9, 8:45 am PST: Rescue teams have been forced to suspend their search for three overdue and experienced mountain climbers missing near Squamish, B.C., citing unstable and avalanche-prone conditions in the rugged Atwell Peak area. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated in a media release that “significant challenges due to current unstable conditions have resulted in […] Climbing Leander Walchshöfer | June 9, 2024 1 Comment
The Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Will Not Open this Year for Summer Training Summer camps on the Horstman Glacier, at Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, have long been a staple for anyone who wants to ski and ride in the summer. Located high on Blackcomb Peak, the glacier is typically open from early June to mid-July for freestyle and race camps. It is one of only a few places in North America where you […] Industry News Brent Glogau | April 2, 2024 0 Comments
Pairing Gloves with Ski Areas: What Glove to Wear at Which Resort We have all heard of wine pairing where the perfect wine is matched to your meal, but have you heard of glove pairing? Our experts have paired five North American resorts with the perfectly paired Hestra gloves or mitts to perfectly round out your skiing experience, taking into account conditions, terrain, and local vibe. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY – […] Featured Article Julia Schneemann | March 29, 2024 0 Comments
Get Your 2024 Epic Australia Pass Before the Next Price Hike on April 3 If you were looking for a sign to renew your Epic Australia Pass: this is it! Epic Australia Pass prices will increase on April 3. Buy or renew yours now for only AUD $1,099. The Epic Australia Pass provides unlimited skiing and boarding to Perisher, Falls Creek and Hothamin Australia, as well as access to world-class resorts in the Northern […] Industry News SnowBrains | March 19, 2024 0 Comments
Coming Back From Traumatic Brain Injury — An Interview With Jamie and Jeanee Crane-Mauzy About the #MoCrazyStrong Documentary Jamie Crane-Mauzy was at the peak of her skiing career. She had competed across various Freestyle disciplines, from Aerials to Moguls to Slopestyle to Halfpipe and Big Air. It seemed there was nothing the young skier couldn’t do and wouldn’t give a crack, giving her the nickname Jamie MoCrazy. The young Freestyle skier had successfully competed on a national and […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | March 8, 2024 0 Comments
Search for 5 Skiers Missing Overnight at Whistler Resort, BC, Delayed by Avalanche Warning and Wintry Weather [Update 03/05/2024 from North Shore Rescue: The five skiers in Whistler are out of the field, as are all Whistler search and rescue team members.] The search for five missing skiers at Whistler Resort, British Columbia, has been hindered overnight due to poor weather conditions, with high avalanche risk further complicating rescue efforts. Avalanche Canada issued a special avalanche […] SnowBrains | March 4, 2024 0 Comments
Spuzzum First Nation Look To Open New Ski Resort in British Columbia Highway 5 rises up out of Hope British Columbia and into the snow belt of the Coquihalla, where the Spuzzum First Nation wants to build a year-round recreation resort. South Anderson resort is slated to include 3,000 mixed-use housing units, with cross country and downhill skiing in the winter, golfing, hiking, and downhill mountain biking in the summer. With 11 […] Industry News Ben Davies | February 2, 2024 0 Comments
Boost Your Backcountry Education in 3 Days with Arc’teryx Academy in Whistler, British Columbia One weekend can inspire you to take your backcountry skills from lukewarm to shedding-down-to-your-base-layer hot with Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy. The Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy will be holding clinics in Whistler, British Columbia from February 23 – 25, 2024. When it comes to locations for backcountry exploration, it’s hard to beat Whistler. The B.C. mountains radiate good vibrations that feel palpable as […] Featured Article Lindsay Hayden | November 7, 2023 0 Comments
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