Whistler installs overdue new chairs

24th January 2013, by Abi Butcher

Skiers have been complaining about Whistler's poor lift system for years

At last Whistler is installing its first six-person chairlift. We have been complaining for years that the resort’s fast quad chairs are oversubscribed and outdated and should be replaced by modern six- and eight-seaters.

They are starting to do that from the 2013/14 season when the Harmony chair – we have been complaining about the queues there for years too — is to be replaced by a six-man chair. The lift serves terrain spanning from the edge of the Symphony Amphitheatre over to Glacier Bowl. The six-man chair will increase uphill capacity by a badly needed 50 per cent — from 2,400 skiers per hour to 3,600.

On Blackcomb, the slow triple Crystal chair is to be replaced by a fast quad which will start lower down the mountain and cut out the need from many runs to use the flattish run out all the way the Excelerator chair.  The new high-speed quad will increase uphill capacity by 65 per cent — transporting 2,400 skiers per hour.

The resort is investing $18 million in the upgrades, on which work will begin this spring and finished by next season.

“This lift expansion clearly demonstrates our commitment to continuously enhance the skiing and riding experience on both mountains,” said Dave Brownlie, president and chief executive of Whistler Blackcomb.

Let’s hope this is just the first stage of a major overhaul of the lift system.

• whistler
• lifts

Back to news