Less than two hours away from Vancouver lies the spectacular Whistler Blackcomb resort, which boasts the largest skiable terrain of any resort in North America. Once again voted the top spot as #1 Overall Ski Resort in North America by Ski Magazine it's a great opportunity to discover Whistler for yourself.

With an impressive 8,100+ acres of terrain across the two side by side mountains, making up 200+ marked ski runs, ranging in level from beginner to advanced.

Together with an annual snow fall of over 11.8 metres of white powder, skiers of all abilities are very well catered for in this beautiful winter playground. If you are in need of additional adrenaline, there are also options for heli skiing, an aerial zip track, snow mobile tours and bob sled rides.

But Whistler Blackcomb is not all about the slopes - the pedestrian only village directly at the base of the mountains, offers an extensive range of daytime pursuits with a myriad of shops, restaurants, galleries and day spas plus lots of fun options for your après skiing nightlife.

The rugged mountain ranges offer dramatic scenery and with everything easily accessible, this is a resort for skiers and non skiers alike. With Vancouver now only a single flight away from the east coast of Australia, this conference is perfect for delegates and their families.

Getting Around Whistler:

There are many pedestrian only areas around Whistler. There is also a free Village shuttle service—Routes 4,5 and 6. For other information about buses in and around Whistler see the British Columbia Transit Website for details

General advice about Whistler

At CPE Conferences we like nothing more than to Seize the Day (Hence Carpe Diem) and the folks at Whistler Blackcomb seem to be on the same page. Make the most of your morning by buying a ‘Fresh Tracks ticket’. These are purchased separately to your skipass and allow you to have access to the mountains from 7:15 to 8am (before the general public gets access). It is recommended that you buy tickets the day before if there is snow forecasted as they only release 650 of these tickets daily. You can also have breakfast at the top of the mountain once you get up there. (See the Whistler Blackcomb website for details) Locals come up on weekends, making the village and slopes more crowded than during the week. If you are planning on taking a day off from skiing during the week, we recommend choosing a weekend day for this. Restaurants can also get very busy during Friday and Saturday nights so if you have place in mind, be sure to book in advance particularly on these days. If the sun is shining, the snow gods have been generous and your ski ability is greater than your ego (read: intermediate and above) then the Peak to Creek Run is a must. At 11km, it is the longest run in North America. To get to the beginning of the run take the Creek side Gondola followed by the Red Chair and then the Peak Chair. Once you get to the bottom head to local favourite Dusty’s Bar and BBQ for lunch (Open daily from 11am)

Skiing with Children

Learning to ski as a child is such a great opportunity. However over the years we’ve learnt that there are a few extra things you should consider when skiing with children. Particularly for first-timers and young children, ensure that they have the correct ski boot on each foot. Also, even if you plan on dropping off and picking up your child from ski school, ensure that they have money on them and a copy of your phone number and the hotel you are staying at, all times.