Pros and Cons: Whistler Blackcomb

Credit: 900Steve

1. Mountain/Town vibes:
Its a tourist town, not just a ski town. This is a pro and a con, it makes it so much more than just a ski town with various other activities and different people coming and going but it can lack the small community feel at times. Being close to Van and Seattle you get a lot of weekenders which does add to the atmosphere of the place and it also means you can escape the bubble easily for a break and to see/experience more.
Two mountains! If you get sick of one after a couple days just go ride the other, then change back and be stoked all over again. In two seasons I was still riding new lines yesterday and I probably have a list of a dozen or more obvious things which I never got to do (partially because of this shitty season).

2. Crowds
It gets busy! Population of the town fluctuates in the order of 30-60k people throughout the year with up to 28k people on the mountains during peak periods. Saying that, this weekend was one of the best of the season and there was barely 7k. Lift lines can get a bit ridiculous at times like any resort but there is A LOT of terrain and its a long season (mid Nov - late May) so you just accept there are some days where you might not get the best of your favourite line. The quality of riders here is obscene, this will really push you to progress but it means even the 10 year olds are riding double blacks and dropping water falls. Just means to get the best out of the day it can be best to have a strategy. Lining up for an hour before the lift opens is often done and well worth the wait.

3. Nightlife
You will never be bored! Lots of pubs/bars/clubs each with their various nights and then house parties. Too extensive to detail but the size and nature of the town means it is likely you will plan you 1 or 2 nights off per week rather than nights out…

4. Working
Bar jobs are prized for the tips and the nighttime hours so therefore hard to get. Lots of mountain jobs going which are great as you get you pass and lots of discounts which can literally save you thousands over the season. Otherwise there are lots of hotels, restaurants, shops, cinema and various other activity tour groups (dog sled, zip line, snow mobile)

5. Finding Rent
Its been said in the other threads but this season it was hard and expensive for most! Be prepared to either get here early, settle for something pretty mediocre, get a mountain job and hope for staff accomm or just hope to get lucky. Based on this year, I would advise to be prepared to pay up to $800/month for shared rooms or $1200/month for private - yes this is the top end in the best locations but it is worth knowing.

6. Staff Housing
Disclaimer: I never lived in staff myself but spent enough time there to get the idea
Do not rely on this, there is not enough for all the workers for the mountain! Even many returning staff were turned away this year. If you are here early enough you should be able to find a room or just keep hassling them. Rent is about $330/month for shared bunk bed rooms to $550/month for a private. Typically 2 or 3 bedroom apartments with 4 people, small basic bathroom and kitchen (often no oven) and living area.
There are 3 locations, Glacier, Brio and Westside. Glacier has the most buildings and the rooms are the smallest and Westside is the furthest away where you ill need a bus pass (65/month or $300 for the season).
Major benefit of living in staff, particularly for your first season, is the people you are constantly surrounded by, Glacier is pretty much its own little sub-community of whistler. There will always be someone doing something and most people are in the same position as you, looking for new friends and good times.

7. Making Friends.
Easy - work mates, house mates, staff housing, apres, nights out… Even with a small amount of effort you should always be able to find a riding or drinking buddy. Again, everyone is here for the same reason which generally simplifies down to outdoor activities and getting fucked up in one of the most beautiful environments in the world.

8. Locals
Listen, learn and RESPECT those who have been here longer than you and the place they call home! It seems to be a pretty big deal here and rightfully so. Everyone can get a bit sick of the seasonaires who come for a short time and with little care about the place they are living.
Having said that, everyone is generally really friendly and all it requires is common sense and courtesy.

9. Living Expenses
See above for accomm. Drink specials roughly $16/jug, $4.50-$5.50 shots/singles. Cheese is expensive. El Furniture Warehouse (aka Furnies) has all food $5 all the time. WB staff meals are $7 every night which includes drinks. You can live quite comfortably relatively cheaply, just watch what and how much you consume on nights out.

10. Activities/Sightseeing.
So much to do. Lots of walking/hiking trails or cross country biking trails when they are clear of snow.
Vancouver, snow mobiles, dog sleds, bungee, Bounce (indoor trampoline place), cinema, tube park, Meadow Park Rec Centre, squash, indoor tennis, ice skating, indoor rock climbing, cat skiing (~$600), heli skiing (~$1200), golf courses in summer.

Credits: Rider26

If you’re on Facebook I’d encourage you to join these two groups we recently created: BW Community and BW Whistler.

I’ve spent several seasons living in Whistler and I worked as a snowboard instructor for a few of them. Whistler is an amazing place. It’s become like home. I’ve only ever worked as an instructor but I really did enjoy working for Whistler Blackcomb. It’s a great experience, you’ll make a ridiculous amount of friends, and it’s a lot of fun.

The town has it all… from bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, tourist attractions, and more. Whistler is quite multicultural with people from all over the world — international visitors, international workers, and there’s also a good amount of Canadians and Whistler locals.

The mountains are epic. There’s a reason people love riding here. WB is the biggest mountain resort in North America and there is a lot of terrain for all ability levels, and a vast amount of backcountry. When it’s good, Whistler is hard to beat.

The location is pretty sweet too, being so close to Vancouver. It makes travelling quite easy.

Also check out the Whistler thread to see what we get up to: https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/17908

I’ve been to Big White twice (never worked there). It’s a really cool little town. A lot quieter than Whistler (good or bad thing). The mountain has some really good terrain and the snow quality can be very good. You’re a little bit further away from civilisation when compared to Whistler.