5 replies to this topic

[KZ]

Whistler is going to be opening up some 1100 acres of terrain for the 04-05 season.

Here is the article:
http://forum.snowboardermag.com/forum/show...sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[Bill]

Quote

Whistler Blackcomb Invests $14.2 Million in On-Mountain Improvements and
Introduces Peak to Creek and Flute Bowl - Whistler Mountain's Single Largest Terrain Expansion

Whistler, B.C. Friday, June 4, 2004 - Whistler Blackcomb is rated the #1 mountain resort in North America, and is arguably the best mountain resort in the world.  We offer the highest vertical, the most skiable terrain, and the best and most accessible backcountry.  But that doesn't stop us from striving to offer more.  This year Whistler Blackcomb will invest $14.2 million in on-mountain improvements, introduce 1100 acres of new terrain on Whistler Mountain, unveil a fully redeveloped Creekside base, host the 2005 World Snowboard Championships, and launch a Superpipe on Blackcomb Mountain, lit for night skiing and riding.       

Introducing Peak to Creek.  The long awaited west side of Whistler Mountain officially opens this season, featuring four runs, 400 acres and hundreds of lines to choose from in the Peak to Creek area.  Over the course of 5020 vertical feet skiers and riders will get a taste of everything the coastal BC mountains have to offer: huge alpine bowls, glades, and wide runs cutting through big timbers on the way to the valley floor.  Intermediates can carve their way from top to bottom on Peak to Creek, which will be groomed regularly.  Advanced and expert riders can find new adventurous routes to the Creekside on Dusty's Descent, Big Timber or Home Run.

Flute Bowl - an inbounds backcountry experience.  Visitors to Whistler Blackcomb can now venture into the backcountry without leaving the ski area boundary.  After a short hike from the Peak or Harmony chairs on Whistler Mountain, skiers and riders will find themselves in Flute Bowl - scenic and serene, yet still patrolled for safety.  Flute Bowl starts in the alpine with deep snow and rolling bowls and transitions into gladed subalpine terrain.  The area features 700 new inbounds acres, wide-open spaces, fewer people, and natural snow conditions.  Advanced and expert visitors are encouraged to hike up and hike out to discover Flute Bowl.

"Opening Peak to Creek and Flute Bowl is a part of the natural expansion of the mountains," said Doug Forseth, Whistler Blackcomb Senior Vice President of Operations.  "As the number of visits increase, we need to expand to ensure a positive experience for our guests. By expanding Whistler Mountain by 30% into Peak to Creek and Flute Bowl, we will offer a better variety of terrain to give people a truly new and unique experience."

Creekside makes a comeback.  The original Whistler base re-emerges this year after a four-year face-lift as a quiet, more intimate alternative to the main village.  At the bottom of the Peak to Creek runs and the Dave Murray Downhill skiers and riders will find Franz's Trail - a pedestrian-only, family-friendly village with year-round amenities: hotels, restaurants, a bank, a grocery store, retail and rental locations, a liquor store, 1400 free parking spaces, and Whistler's first and favourite après hangout - Dusty's Bar and BBQ.

"Things are coming full circle.  In the '60s, Whistler was built with the Olympics in mind, and the first hub of activity in the resort was the Creekside," said Dave Brownlie, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Whistler Blackcomb.  "Several decades later our Olympic vision is becoming a reality, and we're going to host the Games in 2010.  The Creekside will play a pivotal role in the excitement and animation of the Olympics - prior to the Games families can visit the Creekside to experience skiing or riding on a future Olympic run, and during the Games many of our alpine events will feed right into the Creekside base."




2005 Snowboard World Championships - In January 2005, Whistler Blackcomb will host the first-ever Snowboard World Championships to be held in North America.  400 of the world's best athletes from over 40 countries will travel to Whistler to compete in Halfpipe, Big Air, Snowboard Cross, Parallel Giant Slalom, and Parallel Slalom events.  The Snowboard World Championships are the most important snowboard event next to the Olympics.  The event occurs every other year, and will take place in Whistler from January 15 to 23, 2005.  For further information, visit www.whistlerworlds.com.

The Superpipe Legacy - In preparation for the Snowboard World Championships, Whistler Blackcomb is constructing a new Superpipe on Blackcomb Mountain, on Lower Cruiser in the Base II area.  The Superpipe features impressive World Cup sanctioned specs:  150 metres of effective wall length, and a 5-metre wall height. After the Championships, Whistler Blackcomb will continue to use the Superpipe all winter long.  During the evening the Superpipe will be lit for after-dark action at Whistler Blackcomb's Night Moves.

"The Snowboard World Championships are huge for Whistler and for North America, said Rob McSkimming, Whistler Blackcomb Director of Ski and Snowboard School.  "They are an important qualifying event for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, and the event will be great practice for 2010. The Championships are also an opportunity for us to showcase our world-class facilities and hospitality.  When it's all said and done, the Superpipe we're building will become a legacy for competitive skiers and riders to come."

Parks get a boost.  The Whistler Blackcomb Terrain Park team has an impressive resume: they've won 24 Top 3 Park and Pipe Awards since 1996, which is unmatched by any resort park team in the world.  Each year the team uses its collective expertise to take our terrain parks and pipes to the next level. This year, capital expenditures will aid the process. $40,000 will be spent in the Blackcomb Terrain Park to upgrade rails and create new, progressive rail shapes, including several Whistler Blackcomb signature rails.  A new Zaugg Pipe Shaper on Whistler will increase the introductory pipe's wall height from 10-feet to 13-feet.  Three new Piston Park Bullies will also be purchased for use on both mountains.

"We are all about progression," said Peter Young, Whistler Blackcomb Events Manager. "Many of our guests, especially young people want to ride the park so we ensure quality hits are built in every level. Guests can learn on a small table-top and work their way up through the sizes to become better riders. We know we have guests with varying ability levels so we've constructed parks for every ability up to the Highest Level."

Additional on-mountain improvements.  Hard to believe, but there's even more to the $14.2 million Whistler Blackcomb will spend.  This includes a new winch cat added to our fleet of 28 and a massive amount of summer trail maintenance.  Other improvements are as follows: For beginner skiers:  700 more feet of Magic Carpet at Olympic station, creating a better beginner experience.  For children: Continued development of children's-only tree houses in the Emerald Forest on Whistler Mountain.  Kids will love this private playground.  For youth: Renovations to Base II and 18 Below facilities for use during Schools on Snow trips.  Local and visiting youth will get to choose their own music to play on an entirely new sound system, and the building will undergo renovations for a "cooler" look and feel.  For the environment:  Whistler Blackcomb will test a GMC Sierra gas-electric hybrid truck, and add more fuel efficient, low emissions snowmobiles to our fleet.  We have also purchased a low emission shuttle bus for use on the glacier during the summer.

"This entire package of improvements and amenities for 2004-2005 is a massive added value for our guests," said Stuart Rempel, VP, Marketing and Sales at Whistler Blackcomb. " We're all about creating unforgettable memories for everyone that comes to play on our world class mountains."

Whistler Blackcomb is owned and operated by Intrawest Corporation.  Intrawest Corporation (IDR:NYSE; ITW:TSX) is the leading developer and operator of village-centered resorts across North America. The company owns nine mountain resorts, including Whistler Blackcomb, North America's most popular mountain resort. Intrawest also owns Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida and has a premier vacation ownership business, Club Intrawest. The company has a 45 per cent interest in Alpine Helicopters Ltd., owner of Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia and is located on the World Wide Web at www.intrawest.com.

Site of the proposed alpine and nordic venues for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

[big air]

The peak to creek terrain is great. I've skied it. They need to put a lift in so you you don't have to go all the way to the creekside gondola.

[liftmech]

I've wanted to ski the Peak-to-Creek, but the last time I was there the terrain was 'open with the usual backcountry precautions', i.e. it's out of bounds so it's your dime if you f**k up. I though there was going to be a lift in the lower section, toping out where Highway 86 meets the new trails? There appeared to be a liftline cut to the viewer's right of Creekside Gondola. Also, the press release mentions Flute Bowl but doesn't say if a lift is going in beyond Harmony.
I really need to get back up to BC- I get five free tickets there but now I live three days' drive away...

[floridaskier]

The 'peak-to-creek' is those runs that are cut outside the boundary over the Creekside village, right?

[mbernstein]

floridaskier, on Jun 14 2004, 09:38 AM, said:

The 'peak-to-creek' is those runs that are cut outside the boundary over the Creekside village, right?

Yes you are correct. When looking at the trailmap, the peak-to-creek trails are the ones all of the way to the right, leading into Creekside.