Summer Activities Are Heating Up At Whistler Blackcomb

New 360 Pass, Timed Hiking Routes, Flightseeing Tours, E-Bikes And More!

WHISTLER, BC May 12, 2015 – Summer is in the air and Whistler Blackcomb is turning up the heat with an exciting list of updates and additions to its summer program. The new cabins on the Whistler Village Gondola will continue spinning straight out of winter operations into their first summer, carrying guests into the alpine all summer long.

“Summer is back and we are welcoming it with open arms and some exciting new products,” says Rob McSkimming, Vice President of Business Development at Whistler Blackcomb. “It is a whole new world in the alpine during the summer months with so much going on up there. Our goal is to welcome every single person who visits Whistler during the summer to the pristine high alpine environment at Whistler Blackcomb.”

Here are some of the changes guests can expect to see at Whistler Blackcomb this summer:

The New PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass and the PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Experience

Whistler Blackcomb has rebranded its unlimited summer sightseeing pass this year to better encompass all of the mountains’ summer offerings. The PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass provides guests with unlimited access to Whistler Blackcomb’s PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Experience all summer long, including access to the Guinness World Record breaking PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, over 50km of alpine hiking, running and walking trails, the Samsung Alpine Theatre in the Roundhouse Lodge and the PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery on Whistler Mountain. The PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass also provides guests with access to exclusive perks and discounts, including 20 per cent off at select food and beverage and retail locations and access to special lodging offers.

The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola will open for summer operations on May 23 and will be open daily through to October 12. More information about the new PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass and the PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Experience at Whistler Blackcomb is available at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events-and-activities/summer-activities/peak-2-peak-gondola.

Flightseeing Tours From Whistler Mountain

Whistler Blackcomb has teamed up with Blackcomb Aviation again this summer to offer epic sightseeing tours from a bird’s eye view. The helicopter tours will depart from Whistler Mountain this summer with an information desk located across from the Roundhouse Lodge. Blackcomb Aviation will be offering The Whistler Explorer Tour, a 15 minute tour that carries guests over the Blackcomb Glacier and the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, followed by a spectacular flight to the Cheakamus Glacier, and the Peak Experience Tour, a 20 minute experience that will take guests to the far reaches of Garibaldi Provincial Park for an awe-inspiring view of the iconic Black Tusk. Tours will run daily from late June to early September and can be booked through Whistler Blackcomb Reservations at 1-800-766-0449 or by visiting www.blackcombaviation.com.

Timed Hiking Trails

This summer Whistler Blackcomb will be challenging guests to push their fitness to the next level with the introduction of timed hiking trails. Using the company’s new RFID technology, guests will be able to track their start and finish times on select alpine hiking trails. Guests can save their times using their online profiles, allowing them to track personal bests and compete with friends. Whistler Blackcomb will set elite running and walking times on select timed trails to provide a benchmark for guests to compete against. There will be three timing check-in points, one at Whistler Peak, one at the top of Emerald Chair and one on Blackcomb Mountain near the PEAK 2 PEAK terminal.

Enduro & E-Bike Rentals

Whistler Blackcomb will be introducing some exciting new additions to its mountain bike rental fleet at select rental locations. A new line of Santa Cruz, Devinci, Scott and Norco Enduro bikes will be available for guests to rent from the Salomon Store at the base of Whistler Mountain and the new Demo Centre located in the Whistler Heli Ski office in the Carlton Lodge.  Electric Pedal Assist E-Bikes will also be available for rent at the Salomon Store and at CanSki Blackcomb. Two styles of E-Bikes will be available; one suitable for riding the paved Valley Trail and the other will be a cross country model with full suspension. A new fleet of GIANT Downhill and Cross Country bikes will also be available for rent at Whistler Blackcomb rental shops.

Steeps Grill & Wine Bar – Open This Summer!

With construction well underway on the highly anticipated renovation of the Rendezvous Lodge, there will be some changes to Whistler Blackcomb’s summer alpine food & beverage offerings. Steeps Grill and Wine Bar atop Whistler Mountain in the Roundhouse Lodge will take over for Christine’s Restaurant as Whistler Blackcomb’s high alpine fine dining restaurant during the summer months. Usually only open during the winter season, Steeps Grill and Wine Bar offers a stunning patio with a view of the Whistler Peak and a British Columbia inspired menu and wine list. Steeps will be open daily as of June 27.

A snack kiosk will be available outside the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain while the building is under construction this summer. The kiosk will offer grab-and-go snacks and drinks to keep hikers and sightseers energized and hydrated.

New Seating Times at the Mountain Top BBQ Series

Whistler Blackcomb’s ever popular Mountain Top BBQ Series returns this summer with new seating times designed to better suit diners’ schedules and to capture the breathtaking alpenglow. Two dinner seatings will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at the Roundhouse Lodge. The first seating will run from 5:30-7pm and the second from 7pm-8pm. Guests can chose between Whole Hog Fridays, Slow Roasted Prime Rib BBQ Saturdays and Pacific Seafood Grill Sundays. Each night offers up mouthwatering gourmet BBQ on the Roundhouse Lodge patio overlooking the beautiful Whistler Valley.

The Mountain Top BBQ Series will run every weekend beginning June 27 until September 13. Tickets are available at Guest Services, online at www.whistlerblackcomb.com or over the phone at 1 800 766 0449.

Mountain Tours

Whistler Blackcomb’s educational mountain tours will return for a second season this summer, providing guests with a backstage pass to understanding the history, operations and hidden secrets of Whistler Blackcomb. The ‘Two Peaks, Two Pasts’ Geology & Ecology Tour takes guests on a journey through Whistler’s fascinating geological milestones, highlighting the environment and the effects of climate change at Whistler Blackcomb along the way. Local professional photographers will guide the Alpine Photography Tours, taking guests up the mountain in the evening to provide instruction on how to capture the best images of Whistler’s iconic landscapes during the soft dusk light. Guests looking for more information or to book a tour can visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Guests can now book their PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Experience with lodging and receive a free upgrade to the unlimited PEAK 2 PEAK 360 Pass. More information is available at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/plan-your-trip/deals-and-packages/p2p-package/index.