There’s a reason Whistler Blackcomb hosted the ski race events during the 2010 Olympics. The Groomers at Whistler are built for carving. From stomach dropping steep to easy cruising there’s a run for everyone’s tastes. Did I mention the panoramic mountain views… Those are nice to.
Listed below are the top 9 groomed runs on Whistler mountain.
You’ll be moving fast when ripping groomers so always wear a brain bucket and a good set of goggles. Here’s a list of my top helmet picks to keep your brain bulletproof or if you looking for some of the best ski goggles in the game, you can read about them here.
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Table of Contents
Upper & Lower Peak to Creek (Peak Chair)
I had to begin this list with the crown jewel of Whistler Blackcomb, North America’s longest intermediate run, The Peak to Creek. Words can’t describe how heavenly it is to ski 5.5km of continuous corduroy. Every so often the Whistler groomers bless us with a day more exciting than a powder day. They groom the peak to Creek from top to bottom. Not only is this run the perfect pitch and width for carving, the views are unbelievable. The Peak to Creek mega run starts at the top of Whistler mountain and winds around the backside exposing unbelievable panoramic views of Garibaldi provincial park. The run circles you around the West Bowl and Bagel bowl and fires you down towards Creekside. Peak to Creek is in its own category and the only access point is from the top of the peak chair, so if you decide to continue past the highway 86 cut-off you will be committing to thigh torture and brain bliss until you reach the bottom. When its fully groomed with a blue sky this one’s a once in a lifetime kind of experience!
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The Saddle (Harmony & Peak Chair)
If you can carve the whole way down the saddle without speed checking you are one hell of a skier! The Saddle is the steepest groomed run on Whistler. Believe it or not Whistler recently changed the Saddle from an intermediate to an expert run. Thanks to glacial recession the Saddle has become steeper over the years. It’s not a long run but if you want to carve hard and fast the saddle is the run for you. The bottom portion mellows out flat so if you want to test yourself and see how fast you can possibly ski, this is the run to do it, just make sure no one is around and keep yourself into the middle in case you eject and go for a long slide.
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Harmony Ridge (Harmony Chair)
If it’s a bluebird day, Harmony ridge is one of the most enjoyable groomed trails on either mountain. The first portion of the run is crowded as it’s an access point to some other fantastic terrain. Once you pass the Pika’s Traverse turnoff the run opens up and gets less traffic. Don’t worry, it’s not so bad skiing slow down the top portion because the views are unbelievable. Enjoy the cruise as you carve down the second portion towards the base of the Harmony Express, just don’t get too distracted by the beautiful mountains surrounding you. One of my favourite run combos on Whistler is to carve hard down Harmony Ridge and jump off into gun barrels to heat up on some soft bumps.
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Upper Dave Murray Downhill & Tokum or Bear Paw (Garbonzo Chair)
Upper Dave Murray Downhill is my all-time favourite carving run on both Whistler and Blackcomb. It was used during events in the 2010 Winter Olympics. I feel stoked just writing about how much I love ripping down Dave Murray Downhill in the morning. The upper portion of the run accessed from the Garbonzo chair is ultra-wide. You can command the entire face of the run with loads of speed and massive turns. The run continues down to the Creekside base, but it’s rarely worth it to ski down to the base until the end of the day. You can choose either Bear Paw (my favourite) or Tokum to connect you back with the Garbonzo chair. I love taking Bear Paw and charging the steep groomed past the trees.
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Raven & Ptarmigan (Garbonzo Chair)
Ptarmigan was designed with ski racing in mind. Raven is groomed black run that is perfect for those becoming familiar with black diamond runs. Raven connects to the top of Ptarmigan and then you are off the races. Ptarmigan is the location of the Dave Murray National Training Centre, this in itself says a lot about the quality of this trail for carving. Thanks to black diamond access from Raven you’ll only find serious carving enthusiasts on the top portion of the run. It’s an absolute blast to carve down with speed from top to bottom. The run is fenced off for race training more often than not, but it’s worth a peek to see if it’s clear to shred the next time you are riding up the Garbonzo Express.
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Banana Peel & Jimmy’s Joker (Garbonzo, Big Red Chair, Whistler Gondola)
Banana peel is another damn good carver that sits just over from Dave Murray downhill. It’s an ideal mid mountain groomer (with no slow signs). It’s a great spot to gain some speed and cut hard into the slope. It links up with Jimmy’s Joker a black diamond which is often groomed and adds an even more exciting finish to an already fabulous run.
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Jeffs Ode To Joy (Symphony Chair)
The Symphony Express chair is the most isolated and arguably the most beautiful chairlifts on the mountain. It’s located on the far side of the mountain and creates super easy access to the Flute Bowl. At the top of the Symphony express you can look over the back of the mountain and enjoy the unbelievable sight of Cheakamus lake and the surrounding mountains. Jeffs Ode to Joy is a steady, long and fun cruiser. It feels extra special when it’s quiet because it makes you feel like you are carving through an alpine backcountry bowl on groomed terrain. The bottom portion of the run branches off into a number of groomed and sort-of gladed tracks through the trees. This is one of the best spots on the mountain to get comfortable with the feeling of skiing quickly between trees. The uniqueness and contrast of the upper and lower portions of this run make it a must try on the Symphony chair. Note: Do not ski to Symphony if it is closed or miss the last chair of the day or else you will have to hike out to the base of the harmony chair.
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Burnt Stew Trail (Peak & Harmony Chair)
The Burnt Stew Trail is the most scenic beginner run in all of north America. You can ski it from the top of the Peak or Harmony Chair. I would recommend skiing it from the top of the Peak chair via Matthews Traverse. Matthews Traverse is just a simple cat track but the views to the right as you slowly snake your way down to Burnt Stew will ensure you won’t get bored. Once you head down Burnt Stew you can gain some speed on the mellow and wide groomed track as you stare out into the backcountry mountains beyond. Stay on the groomed track all the way to the bottom of the Symphony chair or get some fresh powder carving turns on Crescendo instead.
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Ego Bowl & Jolly Green Giant
Ego Bowl is probably the best beginner run on the mountain. It’s a family zone and isn’t meant for ripping but it’s a fabulous spot to cruise. Although its mellow its downright fun to just relax and feel out your turns as you pump up your ego below the Emerald Chair.
Next time you are blessed with a beautiful hard packed and machine groomed day, tune up your skis and head up to Whistler to try out these 8 world class carving trails.
I’m a visual learner and always remember ski areas and zones better when I see them. It might be helpful to check out the Best Carving Runs on Whistler video on my YouTube channel.
Whats your favourite carving run?
Let me know in the comments below!
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