Boxing Day opening delay brings ‘epic’ lineups to Whistler-Blackcomb

Skiers and snowboarders at Whistler-Blackcomb faced Boxing Day lineups and crowds not unlike those encountered by bargain-hunting shoppers, as weather delayed the opening of lifts.

A TikTok video showed people stuck in the lines Tuesday morning, with the poster saying the lineup for the Creekside gondola had reached Highway 99 and joking that its length might qualify for a Guinness World Record.

Many commenters noted the hefty price for a lift ticket, which costs $299 for those without a pass on days during the “peak season” between Christmas and New Year’s. That rate represents a significant jump from last year when a day-of ticket cost around $200.

“$300 a day to stand in line?” said one of the hundreds of commenters. “Sorry, not paying to wait,” said another. “It’s obscenely expensive but look at the lineup!” said a third. “Nightmare,” “No thanks” and “Why?” were other commonly expressed sentiments.

Others commenting on the post noted the slow start to the skiing and snowboarding season in B.C., where warm temperatures and a lack of snow delayed the opening of some hills.

Snowboarder Katie Ujihisa posted photos of what she described as “epic” lineups on social media, saying opening was delayed by two hours and that conditions were far from ideal.

“Can’t win ’em all, I guess,” she wrote.

A spokesperson for Whistler-Blackcomb told CTV News that lift delays are common at all mountain resorts.

“Yesterday’s delays were weather-related: cold temperatures overnight caused ice buildup on our grips. This was a safety issue that required immediate attention and while it did cause longer-than-normal lineups in the valley, we were able to move guests up the mountain quickly and safely once the issue was resolved,” Dane Gergovich, senior manager of communications, said in an email.

“Our teams provided regular updates to guests in the lines, who were generally quite understanding of the issue.”

Whistler-Blackcomb recently added to its accolades by being named to Vogue’s list of the world’s best ski resorts, and the popular destination draws between two and three million visitors per year – nearly half of whom come during the winter months.