I am staying at the Westin at Whistler and was wondering what the best deals are for skiing? Do everything online at Blackcomb website? Just buy the lift tickets from them and rent the equipment elsewhere?

Since this query is specific to a specific region, we'll shift this over to the Canada forum for further discussion. Thanks! /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator

I haven't rented equipment from there in a while (since my kids demanded their own equipment) but you could get a pretty good deal from their website. I think you get a 20% discount by booking online and their demo equipment is pretty good. There are several ski shops around as well but we never used them (except to buy gear).

For tickets...How are you getting there? I assume flying in to YVR and driving up? If so you can stop at the 7/11 in Squamish and buy discounted lift tickets. Those are cheaper than anything you would be able to get in town (other than EDGE cards but you aren't eligble for those).

Have fun...I absolutely love Whistler and get there as often as I can. I suggest you ski down and have lunch at the Dubh Linn Gate one of your days (MUCH better than the more popular Longhorn). I could eat their steak and guinness pie every day while I am there (sometimes I actually do ).

Gear available for rent isn't that great (at least the last time I went a few years ago) but if you are the occasional skiier it is more than adequate.

As for ski lifts, another thumbs up for the 7-11 lift passes. They are cheaper than anything else you can buy on the mountain. You can purchase it at any 7-11, not just the one near Squamish.

Squamish just has the last 7/11 before whistler (no 7/11s in Whistler).

For lift tickets may want to check this out:

http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/gold/index.htm

Gets you 5 days for $339CAD plus tax. After the 5 days you get charged whatever the the discounted rate is. I picked one up last season and although it wasn't mentioned as a perk I received the same discounts in some of the village store as the season pass and edge card would get you, so you might be able to save 20% on rental with it.

There is a 7-11 in whistler but like the others said Squamish is the last 7-11 on the way up that will sell you discounted lift tickets.

One more thing, the only reason I went with the Gold Card instead of the discounted lift tix at 7-11 was that when I searched on the internet and also asked Whistler, they seemed to imply the discounted ticket are for BC/WA residents only. Although most people are reporting that no ID was asked for when they went to purchase. May want to take that into consideration.

Have fun in Whistler!!

I have never heard of anyone's ID being checked for the 7/11 tickets.

I didn't know about that Gold card (we obviously use Edge cards as WA residents). Another cool thing about it (assuming it is set up the same way as Edge) is that you associate a credit card with it and can charge at all the shops, bars, restaurants, etc. on the mountain as well as go straight to the lift after your prepaid tickets are gone. The OP should definitely go with that.

Another "tip" is that kids 6 and under ski free and just get a season pass. My youngest has a birthday in September so when she was still 6 we drove up at the end of august and renewed her season pass for the following year just before her birthday. So she was also able to ski for free when she was 7.

I ended up buying a 2 day pass for $168 CAD. Riding the Peak2Peak lift alone is worth that money!!! Amazing!

How were the conditions?

Last weekend was my first ski of the season, plan to ski all this weekend as well. In the Interior as opposed to Whistler.

Season got off to a great start with lots of early snow, just need another good dump now.

Kind of icey... not much powder at all. But the weather was beautiful!!!!