Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Life Is Whistler Worth It?
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:36 AM
I mean, right now? This weekend? We've never been, the kid is dying to get on his new board, and there are some good, last-minute deals on Whistler's website. But is it worth the drive? This early in the season? Anyone Sloggers been up yet? Please advise.
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1
My family went a couple times when I was in high school. I loved it (and I don't even ski or snowboard). I think it's well worth it... just stay longer to make up for all the time in the car.
2
I guess I should've read you blog more closely.
... I have no idea what it's like this time of year.
... I have no idea what it's like this time of year.
3
No idea about this year, but I was there in early December in 2005 and it was awesome. The snow report doesn't look fantastic though: http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/weather…
If you just want to get away for this weekend, go forth. If you want an awesome snow extravaganza, wait a bit.
If you just want to get away for this weekend, go forth. If you want an awesome snow extravaganza, wait a bit.
4
the deal with whistler is that if you go high enough, there's usually good snow. You certainly won't have the whole glorious mountain to play on, but if the bowls are open, you're golden.
Whistler has spoiled me for most other mountains - but part of what makes it so cool is its enormous scope - and you won't have that at the moment.
Whistler has spoiled me for most other mountains - but part of what makes it so cool is its enormous scope - and you won't have that at the moment.
5
Here is the link to the cams on the mountain. The road up there is great now that they have widened it for the olympics. Also, even if the snow is bad, the tube park always rocks (they have innertube runs from easy to double black diamond) well worth the admission and fun for kids.
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/weather…
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/weather…
7
Googling *whistler snow report* reveals that they have a 20 inch base with some new snow (four inches? one centimeter? conflicting reports), and they are opening for the season TODAY.
http://www.whistlersnowreport.com/
http://www.onthesnow.com/british-columbi…
http://www.whistlersnowreport.com/
http://www.onthesnow.com/british-columbi…
8
I'm going the weekend of the 10th. An huge number of trails. Lots of verticle. Lots of nice Canadians. My gaydar goes haywire in Canada, though. Perhaps because they all seem more gay.
11
Whistler is hands down the best Ski Resort anywhere. Only gripe is that's it's really expensive. The skiable terrain is massive - you will always find great snow somewhere. Virtually all the lifts are detachable quads so the lines (if any) really move - plus the scenery is spectacular. You will not be disappointed - except when you go back to your regular hill. 8^)
12
7 - Here's how it's done
HERE YOU GO DAN!
http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=%22w…
And you bask in the glory of smug condescension.
HERE YOU GO DAN!
http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=%22w…
And you bask in the glory of smug condescension.
13
The snowboarding won't be great (which is why they are running such fantastic deals right now--there will be exposed rocks, bushes, etc), but it will probably be worth it just for the drive along Horseshoe Bay on the Sea to Sky highway.
But if you want epic powder I would wait until February.
But if you want epic powder I would wait until February.
14
Cool!
You bought DJ a new board to make up for all the time you spend away from him! That way, it makes it all OK!
It's nice having a father who is never there. That way, you get cool shit to make up for the fact that you have only one real "parent".
But hey, you are taking him to whistler! How nice! I am sure he will forgive you for being gone all the time.
You bought DJ a new board to make up for all the time you spend away from him! That way, it makes it all OK!
It's nice having a father who is never there. That way, you get cool shit to make up for the fact that you have only one real "parent".
But hey, you are taking him to whistler! How nice! I am sure he will forgive you for being gone all the time.
16
@14 - honestly, your Dan-attacks are starting to crack me up. At first I was concerned, like, what the hell is bugging ecce homo? but now I realize you are just a fucknut with daddy issues. See a shrink, dude.
18
I did Google it—no, wait. Scrap that. I found my way to their website all on my own. It says they've got some snow, some lifts open, more lifts opening. I was searching for eyewitness accounts from folks who are there now or have been up in the last few days—not that that website isn't hilarious. It certainly is.
And ecce? I didn't buy him that new board. He won it at snowboarding camp this summer—he spent a week at a snowboarding camp in Oregon, abandoning both his dads here in Seattle. This summer he wants to spend two weeks at snowboarding camp. Can you believe it? It can be hard having a kid who is never there. But, hey, at least he wins cool shit to make up for it.
And ecce? I didn't buy him that new board. He won it at snowboarding camp this summer—he spent a week at a snowboarding camp in Oregon, abandoning both his dads here in Seattle. This summer he wants to spend two weeks at snowboarding camp. Can you believe it? It can be hard having a kid who is never there. But, hey, at least he wins cool shit to make up for it.
19
@5 unless they finished the road project in the last two weeks, I can say from first hand experience that the road is still very much under construction. Several residents I talked to up there said they plan on a 2 hour trip from leaving Lions Gate Bridge to getting to Whistler, and are happy when it takes less.
Take the necessary precautions Dan. Lots of orange cones ahead for you if you go.
Take the necessary precautions Dan. Lots of orange cones ahead for you if you go.
20
Thanks, Joey. ^_^ Anyone can use it to passive-aggressively give any lazy jerk (ie. DAN :P) the web-nerd equivalent of The Finger.
I'm also with you, Christy. At first I was going to comment about how probably I know as much about ecce homo as he does about Dan's interpersonal relationship with his kid. That is to say NOTHING. But then I figured it wasn't worth feeding the troll.
Forum bashing aside, I really hope you have a wonderful vacation hitting the slopes, Dan! I haven't been able to go skiing at all since moving here to Seattle, but I used to all the time growing up in Colorado.
I'm also with you, Christy. At first I was going to comment about how probably I know as much about ecce homo as he does about Dan's interpersonal relationship with his kid. That is to say NOTHING. But then I figured it wasn't worth feeding the troll.
Forum bashing aside, I really hope you have a wonderful vacation hitting the slopes, Dan! I haven't been able to go skiing at all since moving here to Seattle, but I used to all the time growing up in Colorado.
21
Oh, I was posted my last comment while Dan posted his.
I was just joshin' ya, of course. And we're all very proud that you managed to get there all by your lonesome. *clealy doesn't work in IT* >.>
Hell, for all ecce knows you and your son sat down and looked it up together. What a douche.
I was just joshin' ya, of course. And we're all very proud that you managed to get there all by your lonesome. *clealy doesn't work in IT* >.>
Hell, for all ecce knows you and your son sat down and looked it up together. What a douche.
22
I'm in Vancouver and I've heard about 10 friends/co-workers say they're planning to head for Whistler Thurs or Friday for an opening weekend ski-fest. They're pretty confident it'll be great snow.
23
You compare a kid going to camp for a week or two in the summer to you spending almost 75% of your time out of town?
Dan, you are delusional.
Anyone who actually has experience with being a parent, and is gay, recognizes your shallow patronage for what it is. You pay lip service, but you are really just a publicity hound making money off of the perception that you are the average gay parent/family. Well guess what.
Most of US spend real time with our kids. We don't trot them out as a way to make us famous, self important, or to justify our normalcy.
You are a degenerate who gives gay people a bad name. Your bullshit about being a parent is an embarassment to gay parents everywhere.
But hey, go ahead and compare all of that to a snowboarding camp.
Dan, you are delusional.
Anyone who actually has experience with being a parent, and is gay, recognizes your shallow patronage for what it is. You pay lip service, but you are really just a publicity hound making money off of the perception that you are the average gay parent/family. Well guess what.
Most of US spend real time with our kids. We don't trot them out as a way to make us famous, self important, or to justify our normalcy.
You are a degenerate who gives gay people a bad name. Your bullshit about being a parent is an embarassment to gay parents everywhere.
But hey, go ahead and compare all of that to a snowboarding camp.
24
While flipping through some of the GF's take-home research for work last night (seriously, did anyone know that there was a job out there writing internal documentations about what 30-50 year old women like....for a video game company?!), I found Rachel Ray's magazine did an entire article about going Whistler in November. I only glanced through it, but it might be worth a trek down to to the news stand.
25
so, you'll have to ride the gondola to mid mountain and then take a lift to higher elevations to ride. to get off the mountain, you'll have to take the gondola back down... which is sort of un-glamorous.
i'm about as itchy as your kid to get on the hill, but whistler is so epic and huge it's sort of a shame to go when you've got limitations on your riding. if you have the dollars and time to go again later this year, it might be worth it to get some turns in and take the edge off, but it's going to be about a 2 on the whistler 1-10.
i'm about as itchy as your kid to get on the hill, but whistler is so epic and huge it's sort of a shame to go when you've got limitations on your riding. if you have the dollars and time to go again later this year, it might be worth it to get some turns in and take the edge off, but it's going to be about a 2 on the whistler 1-10.
26
"You are a degenerate who gives gay people a bad name. Your bullshit about being a parent is an embarassment to gay parents everywhere."
Dude. Make an appointment with a shrink, you projecting, web-stalking, daddy-issues sociopath. Now.
Dude. Make an appointment with a shrink, you projecting, web-stalking, daddy-issues sociopath. Now.
27
Are all people who have to travel for work bad parents? Or just people you hate?
And I'm going to Chicago on December 12, ecce—for two days. I hope that's okay. Perhaps a committee of gay parents should be formed, and I should submit all my travel plans to them in advance for approval.
And I'm going to Chicago on December 12, ecce—for two days. I hope that's okay. Perhaps a committee of gay parents should be formed, and I should submit all my travel plans to them in advance for approval.
28
hey ecce, just wait till the kid is old enough to be shipped off to his aunts and uncles and thousands of cousins. then dan can be totally rid of the burden of gay parenting for weeks at a time. it's one reason why i won't learn to snowboard. that and being old.
29
Have a kick-ass weekend if ya'll decide to go to Whistler, Dan! It's gorgeous up there, and the drive is really beautiful once you pass Vancouver. Go for it!
30
@10, actually, the exchange rate is very favorable and flavorful right now:
1 U.S. dollar = 1.23139971 Canadian dollars
I guess Canadia's economy's tanking, too.
1 U.S. dollar = 1.23139971 Canadian dollars
I guess Canadia's economy's tanking, too.
32
Ecce, the only way you could possibly know where Dan's spending "almost 75%" of his time is if you were actively stalking him. You're not, though, right? You don't follow him around and take notes to be entered into spreadsheets later, right? Right??
35
Ok I'm confused Dan. Why is snowboarding camp during the summer? Do you ship him off to Argentina or something?
36
Dan, I have to agree with ecce. You're a terrible father and a horrible person.
Oh wait, I've never met you or your son, so I have no fucking idea what kind of parent you are. But anyone that would want to drive 8 hours and spend a bunch of money to support their child's favorite hobby must be a bad parent. And those hardly-qualifying-as-frequent trips you spend supporting a career successful enough to allow your partner to be a full time, stay-at-home parent? Those have got to stop. I'm guessing CPS is on their way to your house as we speak, so you better hit the road for Whistler soon.
Oh wait, I've never met you or your son, so I have no fucking idea what kind of parent you are. But anyone that would want to drive 8 hours and spend a bunch of money to support their child's favorite hobby must be a bad parent. And those hardly-qualifying-as-frequent trips you spend supporting a career successful enough to allow your partner to be a full time, stay-at-home parent? Those have got to stop. I'm guessing CPS is on their way to your house as we speak, so you better hit the road for Whistler soon.
37
whistler is always worth it. summer or winter, it's absolutely fabulous. one of my best memories is skiing on the glacier in JULY! make the trip. have fun with your family. i'll be up there 12/12 after i'm back from hawaii (as part of my excellent weed tour 08).
38
@23 Stop policing other people's parenting skills. It's non of your business and do you know it's exactly 75% does Dan punches his card with you each time he is traveling for work. You are pathetic.
@ 27 Dan, I am sure you are a better parent than most. And you are doing things, important things in your life, so your kid can be proud of you. It's better having a smart, accomplished, busy parent than a stupid, looser parent that's always home. (like ecce homo)
@ 27 Dan, I am sure you are a better parent than most. And you are doing things, important things in your life, so your kid can be proud of you. It's better having a smart, accomplished, busy parent than a stupid, looser parent that's always home. (like ecce homo)
39
Usually you're better off waiting until at least the 2nd week in December - if you want real snow, go to the Rockies in BC right around now - but very few runs will be up.
40
Considering the warm temperatures we have had the conditions on the mountain were WAY better than I had anticipated. WB's snowgoomers have done an amazing job in getting the terrain open giving us the skier a good early ski experience. Hope you enjoy Whistler and you do have to come back in February and experience WinterPRIDE Feb. 1-8/09 http://www.gaywhistler.com so much to do, see, and experience including the Travelocity "Never Roam Alone Ski Guides" exclusive for WinterPRIDE will ensure that you get the most of your ski days! Hope to see you back up here or perhaps this weekend. Cheers, ~D
41
You're one of my heroes, Dan, but please never use the sentence "Please advise" ever again. It's a redundant, passive-aggressive command that I only used to hear from dickbag salespeople with poor communications skills, but now I'm seeing it more often in common usage and it MUST be stomped out.
42
What the fuck? All you losers who only come here to Dan-bash need to get lives and fuck off. How pathetic do you have to be to spend so much time bitching to and about someone you apparently hate so much? Man do I feel bad for your kids (if you even have any).
43
Hey Dan, hoping to head up this weekend myself. What I can tell you from having been there for early openings the past 4yrs. It is recommended to be an advanced rider. Conditions are generally crap by Whistler standards, very few runs open, lots and lots or rocks and unmarked hazards. Trashed a board a couple of years ago on unmarked rocks, but hey that's what PTak is for! Also ass over tea kettle (as my Gramma would say) on stump in the middle of a run. If the kid is chomping at the bit that hard he'd be happy with a bag of ice spread across gravel.
Dean is up there now and has the inside track likely more than most, despite the shameless plug for his event ;-)
we love you in Canada btw.
Dean is up there now and has the inside track likely more than most, despite the shameless plug for his event ;-)
we love you in Canada btw.
44
Whistler is amazing, but expensive. It would take you a whole season to explore everything. If you go, talk to the folks waiting tables or working in the shops to get the inside info for current conditions.
I suspect that the snow isn't ride-able all the way down to the village this time of year, which is half the fun for me at whistler. The drive there is long, Vancouver is just past half way, and the second part is narrow and twisty and dark if at night, but they've improved it some for the games.
I use an older board this time of year when rocks and branches are exposed everywhere, but if he won the board I guess it's his to trash.
I went to Big White on Thanksgiving a few years ago, amazingly cheap and great for families with kids, not really any gay folks that I noticed. Got a condo with a fireplace that was ski in/ski out and a lift ticket for under $100/night!
I suspect that the snow isn't ride-able all the way down to the village this time of year, which is half the fun for me at whistler. The drive there is long, Vancouver is just past half way, and the second part is narrow and twisty and dark if at night, but they've improved it some for the games.
I use an older board this time of year when rocks and branches are exposed everywhere, but if he won the board I guess it's his to trash.
I went to Big White on Thanksgiving a few years ago, amazingly cheap and great for families with kids, not really any gay folks that I noticed. Got a condo with a fireplace that was ski in/ski out and a lift ticket for under $100/night!
45
Ecce-Homo's point should be taken at face value. Gay Parents should be every bit as neglectful and abusive as straight parents, no? I guess it's up to Dan to figure out if he travels too much. My kids fuck with me when I am out of town and make it very clear that they're not happy. This started when they were 5.
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