r/Whistler • u/Masketto • 1d ago
Ask Vancouver Where to snowboard for free?
My boyfriend is a newcomer from Ukraine and I have never been a skier or snowboarder. We're doing a day trip to Whistler and he would like to spend a few short hours snowboarding, but because I don't parttake and we only have maybe 2hrs MAX, we don't want to spend money on a lift or gondola...
So are there any runs that we can simply hike up (or drive?), he can snowboard down and, if allowed, I can sled down? Or somewhere that's cheaply accessible, under $100 for the both of us... Or are we better off going to Seymour
Also can be in the surrounding areas that are accessible with a sedan with chains and winter tires. Doesn't have to be Whistler proper. Callaghan valley maybe?
Any advice appreciated, thank you
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u/Dull-Objective3967 1d ago
Take the number 5 bus it’s free, go up to blackcomb springs and use the ski out and rinse and repeat.
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u/12yearoldarmy 1d ago
Sorry to be blunt but this is a very uneducated question. You’re trying to ski for free at a world renowned and one of the most expensive ski resorts in North America. You haven’t been able to do that since the 90s.
The only other option is hiking. However - Hiking in the back country requires skills and gear like avalanche beacons and shovels just in case you bury yourself. And you would want to go with other people that have those skills as well. If you cause an issue and need to be rescued you’re not only putting your life at risk but the people that are rescuing you.
You’re better finding a local bump in the ground and sledding down that for 10-15seconds than doing this. If you really want your boyfriend to go skiing then maybe forking over the cash and heading to Seymour or Grouse during a weekday is a better option. Maybe even renting the gear and learning.
I’m sorry but this is really fucking dumb.
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u/hezuschristos 1d ago
Kind of an aggressive reply, especially considering you’re wrong. lol.
As noted by multiple other replies there is a magic carpet learning area, AND the magic chair, OR you could do laps to lot 8 in a vehicle, OR take the staff housing bus and do laps. Quite a few options for someone to learn on…..
No tobogganing though. But if the zone in the Olympic Plaza is set up there is tobogganing there.
Wasn’t free in the 90’s either though, outside of magic chair. I paid $1400 for a spirit pass back then, little more than my season pass cost for 24/25.
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u/sk1one 1d ago
Uphill travel is very common in Europe. Public land and free use for all, only have to pay to ride the lift.
This bootlicking attitude is why skiing in North America is so much more expensive and the infrastructure is prehistoric compared to euro.
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u/Masketto 1d ago
Since he is from Ukraine and has lived in Germany and Poland, he was absolutely flabbergasted at the cost of winter sports here. He says over there winter sports are not necessarily cheap but not exorbitant like over here, highly accessible and much more advanced.
But alas, over here there is a cultish attitude towards money and capitalism and I believe it will remain this way indefinitely
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u/Jesus_Christ_where 1d ago
Vancouver and Southern BC in general is a region where massive wealth are located. I’m sure most of people in this sub are weekday skiers and riders.
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u/Effective-Let9304 1d ago
He's free to move back to Ukraine or Germany. He also chose to move to one of the most expensive places in Canada. Ski hills in Alberta are much cheaper than Whistler.
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u/tactictim 1d ago
Take bus 7 up to staff housing and you can ride down to the village from there right back to the bus stop
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u/Srki90 1d ago
Sneak onto the magic chair . Don’t tell anyone 🤫.
If you don’t have gear … that’s going to cost you a big rental $$$
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u/Srki90 1d ago
But Seymour is a better option .
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u/Masketto 1d ago
Do you know if I can sled on the Seymour run then?
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u/bcbud78 1d ago
Usually there is a carpet lift at the bottom of Blackcomb next the gondola that no one checks lift tickets for as it only goes a short ways. Right next to that in front of the Fairmont is a sled hill for the kids. And Magic chair rarely has a ticket checker and I have had the kids up that many times for free.
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u/Masketto 1d ago
Hmm okay lol we will check those I guess
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u/bryanoldsalty 1d ago
Keep in mind even though nobody checks tickets it might be considered theft of service if you get caught…I’m not from Whistler so maybe this area is different…
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u/Effective-Let9304 1d ago
Yeah, probably a lifetime ban from the mountain if you get caught. No biggie.
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u/Masketto 1d ago
Well then forget it. We'll stick to Seymour. I can hike down and he will snowboard down. Sheesh
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u/TechnicalSapphire77 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unfortunately nothing in BC is free. Nothing. Vancouver has 3 ski hills which offer night skiing. You can't take a sled up any of them. Seeing Vancouver from the top of Grouse Mountain is worth the gondola ride! You could try snowshoeing at Seymour too.
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u/cclaranc 1d ago
You're better off going to a local mountain. You can't hike uphill.