Whistler Blackcomb ski resort is only 54 centimetres from breaking the record for recorded snowfall in November with 12 days still to go in the month.
The measured snowfall as of Wednesday morning was 362 centimetres, about double the average for the month (148 cm) and just one or two days of snow away from the record of 416 cm.
The Whistler Mountain forecast predicts 30 to 40 cm of snow in the alpine today with mountaintop winds gusting to 110 km/h.
Though Blackcomb remains closed, Whistler Mountain opened Nov. 14, nearly two weeks before the official opening date of Nov. 26. Mid-mountain runs and lifts are operating daily, but blizzard conditions have prevented operations crews from even entering the alpine area, let alone preparing it for skiing, said Whistler Blackcomb spokeswoman Tabetha Boot.
"We will go over the record, probably by quite a bit," said Boot. "The mid-mountain area is marked and we sweep and check that daily, especially when there is heavy snow."
The challenge of the alpine is getting into the alpine," she said. "We’ve had such blizzard-like conditions that ops crews haven’t physically been able to get there."
Several days of boundary marking and avalanche control will be required after the current cycle of heavy snow eases before the area will be open for guests.
The Whistler Village Gondola, Franz’s chair, Big Red Express and Emerald Express are operational. The Creekside Gondola and Garbanzo Express lift are scheduled to open for weekend skiers.
Some avid skiers chose not wait, according to a release from Whistler Blackcomb.
"I’ve skied here for over 15 years and I’ve never seen this much snow so early in a season, it seems like every day’s snowfall is topping the last," said Stephen Butt, communications coordinator and voice of the Snow Phone for Whistler Blackcomb . "We have already received one third of our average annual snowfall for the entire season and it’s only four days into the season, it’s unbelievable!"
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