Those who are planning on hitting the slopes in Whistler Blackcomb had better be prepared to open those wallets.
Single-day lift tickets once the season begins are $299 — something the ski resort said is due to inflation, resort investments and growing demand.
“A lot of factors go into the resort’s lift ticket pricing, (which) includes inflation, capital investments in the guest experience, visitation demand, and the cost of lift tickets typically increases every year across the industry,” Dane Gergovich, Whistler Blackcomb communications manager, said.
Peak season lift tickets can cost up to $299 when purchased the day of at the window. Purchasers receive a discount when they buy online ahead of time.
“Peak season” is select high-traffic days: Dec. 26 to 31, Jan. 13, and Feb. 17 and 18.
All other day passes, if purchased before the season begins, start at $119 and go up to $139 for peak dates.
A lift ticket can also be purchased for any date during the season and allows the purchaser the option of refunding the pass. Prices vary depending on the time of the season.
Gergovich said although the $299 price may be an eyebrow-raiser, there are ways to save money.
“Our epic passes product suite are non-refundable but offers a bigger discount. So guests can ultimately save money by purchasing lift tickets online in advance versus a day-of at the ticket window,” he said.
“The best value can be found within Whistler Blackcomb’s many pass products that provide an array of options.”
People were surprised to hear the price tag of $299 in the Whistler Village.
“You can almost get a full season pass for that price at Cypress. I think I would be hard-pressed to spend the money on that,” Thomas Boss said.
Whistler Blackcomb is aiming to have its slopes open by Nov. 23.