Going to Whistler this summer and want to get a couple days of lift service riding in. Who’s been there? Where should we stay? Where should we rent from? Are there good resorts that provide both? If so, how much will that break the bank or is it far more cost effective and work just as well to stay offsite and rent from a local shop?
I reached out to my riding pal who lives in Vancouver and him and his son are pretty into the Whistler biking scene. Here’s what he texted me: There are numerous rental shops that rent full blown downhill bikes but the trend is Enduro bikes that are downhill friendly. A DH bike is like a tank, plow thru anything like a rock garden that is full of bowling ball size boulders. It’s a mind fuck because you shouldn’t be able to ride it but the bikes make it easy if your brain can compute. Enduro bikes have less travel, weigh less, more lively and more challenging to ride on the gnarly bits but they are 1/2 the bikes of there nowadays because pushing a full blown DH bike at the bike park is like me riding a superbike. I’m going to use 50% of its potential Rental shops are all good and the shops vary by the brands they rent. Norco, Rocky Mountain, Specialized. Pick your flavor to determine where your rent from. Some rental shops will have a few boutique brand bikes at a premium cost. Buy the insurance as it’s easy to dent a frame and be out of lotsa $. I’d highly recommend reserving a bike. A few high end hotels will offer rentals but likely a bit more $ for the convenience of not leaving your hotel. Accommodations are all good. Some of the cheaper places are older in the village. Typical accommodation scenario of you get what you pay for Beauty of the enduro bike is you can pedal it uphill so you can ride the valleys trails- some are more than challenging- for free if you want to take a day off the bike park.
I've been 3 times. The new lift should now be back up and running this season. Last season Fitz lift was down for an upgrade and you had to wait for the gondola, which still wasn't awful, but not as comfy and so now it should be there and faster running. Some of the trails were closed that passed underneath the construction too. Its still fun regardless of any of that, but all that should be in the clear now. Creekside got a bunch of work done to it the last 2-3 years, it def earns its name though and stays wetter than the main stuff. Creekside is quitter, but on the other side of the mountain, so either ride up and hit a connector over to the main side and make sure you end the day back on a Creekside trail, or its like a 2 mile road pedal over to the main village. I stayed in the main village part at the Pan Pacific right near the lifts facing the Crankworx course one time. Last two times stayed at Crystal Lodge. Both were real nice for how much they were. Like $115 a night or something peak season and 4-star. I don't rent bikes, so can't help you there, but 5 day pass gets you like a free day which is nice if you want to make a week of it. Paying for parking at most hotels is a small annoyance if you rent a car, I feel like its never free anywhere. Last year, we flew into Van and took a Whistler shuttle instead of renting a car (or driving our own car from my buddy's place in Seattle since he moved). Worked out pretty well. Hotels all have bike valet so they keep your stuff nice and secure. Be careful of timing. Too early in the season and we got shafted one year with a bunch of snow still on the ground or more rainy days towards end of May and not all the trails open. Too late, or if you go after Crankworx the popular trails are blown out to shit and its more dry and dusty from the bajillion people who go that week. mid-June seems like a good time to be there. I feel like... plane ticket, checking my bike, rental car or shuttle, lift ticket, split a hotel room, food... ends up being like a $2000-2500 event for me for the week going from DC. You won't have to check a bike for your flight, but then you gotta pay the rental, so probably a bit more on your end. you can stay in a hostel and eat PB&Js if you wanna try and cut that down, but that's about what I'd expect.
One of my buddies from SoCal has been 2 or 3 times. I don't think he hangs around here so I will ask him and post up this week.
There are several shops that rent very nice bikes, call around find one you like and reserve it. I’d suggest if you are above average size or speed, a DH bike will buy you some wiggle room. Enduro bikes are fun, easier to pedal and throw around, but at my weight they rarely just work suspension wise. I’ve stayed just outside the village a couple different times and have never been disappointed. Easy walk or pedal to the village and save some dough. I’m not a high expectations kinda guy as far as accommodations though. If you are, you can definitely find what you are looking for too. I can’t remember the name of the place, right next to the main lift in the whistler village, but look for the $30 (no idea now, probably $40) nacho plate. It made my day. Huuuuugeee!
