Whistler Blackcomb announced during its quarterly report last week that the ski area would invest $8 million in the upcoming year, and now we have more details on the plans. On the heals of Whistler's highest year-to-date skier visits ever, North America's biggest ski area will upgrade ski and snowboard areas, restaurants, and much more.
The $8 million list of enhancements includes both winter and summer projects.
· Whistler will improve the ski and snowboard learning areas on Whistler Mountain by doing earthwork in the Olympic Station area to open more beginner-friendly terrain. They will also regrade the Olympic, Fantastic, and Upper Whiskey Jack runs.
· You can expect two new covered magic carpet lifts at Olympic Station.
· Olympic Station will also get 25 new energy efficient snow guns.
· Upgrades to the Roundhouse Lodge glacier-view deck will include a new 6,000-square-foot patio, a new heated umbrella bar, and 160 new outdoor seats.
· The Garibaldi Lift Company restaurant (one of our top places to get a drink post skiing) will receive a renovated patio, a small expansion, a new roof, and new heaters and fire pits. This will add 90 outdoor covered seats.
· Summer enhancements include improvements to the Harmony Lake, Peak Express Traverse, and Whistler Summit Interpretive Walk hiking trails on Whistler Mountain, and the Alpine Walk hiking trail on Blackcomb Mountain.
· The Samsung Alpine Theatre will be expanded and relocated to the lower level of the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb.
All of the projects will be complete before the start of the 2016-2017 ski season.