#WBSnowReady Oct03 Epic Tease

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB CELEBRATES AMAZING EARLY SEASON SNOW BY AWARDING A SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST WINNER WITH THE SEASON’S FIRST HELI-SKI EXPERIENCE 

WHISTLER BC, October 4, 2013 – Every year Whistler Blackcomb sends professional athletes up

Blackcomb Mountain to document their first powder turns of the season but, thanks to unusually large amounts of early snow, Whistler Blackcomb was able to send athletes up earlier than ever before. Yesterday, professional skiers Mike Douglas, Eric Hjorleifson and professional snowboarder Annie Boulanger were flown up to Blackcomb Mountain and the Spearman Glacier by Whistler Heli-Skiing for their first tracks of the season.

In another unprecedented first, Whistler Blackcomb also sent #WBFirstTracks social media contest winner Jeremy Bekken (aka JerBuck) along for the ride for his winning Instagram photo – a powdery smile plastered on his face the entire day. All the while, legendary ski photographer Paul Morrison and Switchback Entertainment captured the action on film and photo.

Reminder:  This coming weekend is the Legendary Turkey Sale at Whistler Oct. 11-13, 2013!

Save up to 70% off Brand names and get yourself sorted for the best snow season ever!  Room rates starting at just $89/night or stay at the luxurious Fairmont Chateau Whistler for a special Thanksgiving Special of just $139/night.  Many of Whistler's restaurants will have some awesome Fall wine & dine specials too plus the various spas will also have some special treats and savings to get you into the spirit of #WinterIsComing.

Call 1.866.787.1966 or visit online at WhistlerBlackcomb.com

Remember to book before Nov. 15 for the best deals of the season! REmind

Reminder: WinterPRIDE is January 26 - February 2nd, 2014. 8 Days, 65 Events, 3,000+ 'Mo's from around the world celebrating diversity in the snow! Visit GayWhistler.com for more info.

The Wait for Winter

The 2013/14 Snow season is less than two months away and our friends at Whistler Blackcomb are

hard at work getting the mountains ready with two new lifts:  The Harmony6 on Whistler and the Crystal Express on Blackcomb.  The mountain team has also been busy with summer grooming and redesign making the transitions to the lifts easier for both skiers and snowboarders something that I am sure everyone will appreciate.

This past weekend, Whistler was hammered by an intense storm transforming the alpine with a massive blanket of snow (Sept. 29) sending the village into feverish anticipation of the coming season.  So today when Whistler Blackcomb released the next installment of "The Wonder Reels" Season 2 - we could hardly wait to share it with you.

Filmed, edited and produced by Switchback Entertainment, The Wonder Reels S2: The Wait For Winter showcases this magical time of October rains that will eventually give way to November storms. As the mountains reveal their first dustings of white, a palpable anticipation begins. Skiing and snowboarding's faithful start a ritualistic foreplay that culminates in the un-matched celebration of another opening day...

Whistler Opens November 28th, 2013 | GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE is January 26-February 2nd, 2014.  Call 1.866.787.1966 or visit online at GayWhistler.com reserve your snow-escape by November 15th for the best deals of the season.

Event Registration Online for WinterPRIDE Men's Event Passes 2014 powered by Eventbrite

Advertise with GayWhistler

Are you looking to reach out to the LGBT community?  Do you have a product or service you would like to launch or promote at one of the leading LGBT Mountain destinations?  GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE is an excellent venue to advertise and to promote your company.

There are a variety of ways in which your company can be promoted at the annual Gay and Lesbian Ski/Snowboard week in Whistler - WinterPRIDE January 26 - February 2nd, 2014.  

• You can place an ad in the 2014 Festival guide (3,000 printed guides and over 7,100 downloads annually)
• You can place an ad on the website of gaywhistler.com 
• You can participate in the Welcome Expo on Sunday, January 26th, 2014
• You can participate in the welcome bag program
• You can have an activation during the festival

Fill out the form below and a member of our team will be in touch with you to fulfill you marketing and activation needs.

Last year's WinterPRIDE 2013 Festival Guide for reference.

Visit

GayWhistler.com

for more information. Booking deadline is December 1st, 2013

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB SKIERS AND RIDERS PASSIONATE ADVOCATES OF RESORT

Key Strengths Of No. 1 Ranked Resort Include Friendliness Of Staff, Variety Of Trails And Sense Of On-Mountain Safety

WHISTLER, BC September 17, 2013 – As the mountains in North America receive their first

Photo by: Paul Morrison | Whistler, Canada

dustings of snow, Whistler Blackcomb is planning for the launch of two new chairlifts in December. While annual accolades from ski and snowboard magazines regularly position Whistler Blackcomb as one of the top ranked ski and snowboard destinations in the world, as the saying goes, “The customer knows best.”

Every winter thousands of skiers and riders are surveyed on the mountains to help Whistler Blackcomb assess their key strengths as well as their “Net Promoter Score (NPS).” This score determines a customer’s loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend the resort, and to scale their answer from one to ten. With 87 per cent of Whistler Blackcomb’s customers rating the likelihood of a recommendation at either 9 or 10 out of 10, it is clear the resort has loyal customers that are passionate about everything the mountains have to offer.

“We see over two million skier visits every winter season,” says Dave Brownlie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Whistler Blackcomb. “We are the most visited ski resort in North America; that many skiers and riders can’t be wrong! Out of every metric we use to evaluate our success as a business, the NPS is one of the most important things we look at.”

RRC Associates is the third-party company that evaluates and reports the results of Whistler Blackcomb’s surveys. The data is gathered through intercept surveys where on-mountain guests are asked to evaluate the facilities, amenities, employee service, and overall aspects of their visit.

Besides sitting in one of the highest percentiles of NPS for ski resorts in North America, Whistler Blackcomb’s customers also recognized the following attributes as key strengths:

·         Friendliness of staff

·         Variety of trails

·         Overall ski and snowboard experience

·         Sense of on-mountain safety

·         Grooming

·         Snow conditions

·         Terrain park and halfpipe

“Whistler Blackcomb is constantly focused on improving every aspect of our business,” says Brownlie. “The $18 million capital expansion of the New Harmony 6 six-pack chairlift on Whistler and the new Crystal Ridge Express on Blackcomb opening this December are a testament to our commitment to providing the best possible experience for our guests year over year. However at the core of it all are our people. Every Whistler Blackcomb employee works together to exceed expectations, and when the results of our winter surveys tell us a story of success, we can’t be more proud of our team and the positive impressions they make on our guests’ experiences.”

Whistler Blackcomb is scheduled to officially open on Thursday, November 28, 2013. Guests looking to book a vacation at Whistler Blackcomb for the 2013.2014 winter season can save up to 39 per cent by taking advantage of the Early Booking offer. Stay and ski/ride packages start from $97 per person, per night and are available until November 15, 2013. Visit whistlerblackcomb.com/lodgingdeals or call 1-866-787-1966.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,174 centimetres (462 inches)  of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. 

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Twitter: @WhistlerBlckcmb | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/whistlerblackcomb

PEARL Pride Party App World Debut at WinterPRIDE

GuySpy Proudly launches the free PEARL Pride Party App for iPhone & iPad at GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE

Stark Mobile Technologies will be launching their new gay event app at this year’s WinterPride in Whistler BC

The best and fastest growing gay social network app GuySpy, is proud to present

PEARL

the premiere mobile app for all global LGBT Pride events and Circuit Parties, as well as associated parades and activities.

“We had been looking for a way to more efficiently give back to the enormous community that supports and uses the GuySpy app and PEARL was created to do exactly that!” says GuySpy’s Morris Chapdelaine. “To be able to offer a completely free app to world-wide Pride organizations so that they can better reach out to their audience, connect with social networks and promote their parties and sponsors seemed to be something everyone was looking for.”

ads Chapdelaine.

With PEARL, users are able to keep up to date on what’s happening when, build and maintain a personal schedule, share information with social networks, and upload, view and share user photos. Additional features include:

•full event vent and location listings including full schedules, maps, branding and sponsorship info.
•tweet from within the app, check-in and post right to Facebook
•push messaging capabilities for changes, updates or time sensitive information 
•links to event tickets

The official kick-off of PEARL is happening on February 3rd in Whistler, BC.

"GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE is honored to be the world's first pride festival to launch this exciting mobile enabled application.  As a company we have always embraced technology and social media.  We are proud to play a role in being leaders in adapting to the way our guests want to connect and to share with their networks what they are doing and experiencing and PEARL is the natural evolution to help make those connections and sharing possible.”

Says Dean Nelson, CEO & Executive Producer of GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE.

The PEARL app is currently available for iPhone and iPad. Click to down load for free

If you represent an LGBT Pride Event or a global circuit party weekend/fund raiser, please contact morris (at) guyspy.com for information on getting on PEARL

GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE is from Feb. 3-10, 2013 at the award winning resort of Whistler Blackcomb. For more information visit GayWhistler.com or call 1.866.787.1966

WinterPRIDE on the Air with Global BC Saturday Morning News with Lynn Colliar

Saturday, January 26th - GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE was invited on to the set of the Saturday Morning News with Lynn Colliar at the Global BC Burnaby studio. Dean Nelson, CEO & Executive Producer of WinterPRIDE along with Brandon Hamilton, Winner of the Vancouver heat of the Mr. Gay Canada cross country search. Together they were able to share some of the highlights the viewers on Global TV can expect to experience Feb. 3-10, 2013 in Whistler Blackcomb. For ski packages & last minute deals call 1.866.787.1966 or visit online at GayWhistler.com

Just in Time for US Thanksgiving Long Weekend

In the last 24 hours, Whistler Mountain has received 37cm (14.8") and more snow is in the forecast making way for more terrain to be opened on Whistler and this Thursday (Nov. 22nd) Blackcomb Mountain officially opens for the season, just in time for the US Thanksgiving Long Weekend!

This weekend, Saturday, November 24th is the official kick off to the 11th season of the Vancouver/Whistler LGBT ski/snowboard club - skiOUT!  This is a fantastic way to meet new and old friends out on the slopes of Whistler.

First of the Season - SkiOUT

WHISTLER MOUNTAIN on Saturday 24th November at 10AM SHARP!

Meet the gang @ the Lightboard outside the Roundhouse!  Lunch is 1pm at the Roundhouse, 2nd floor, right side and of course Apres is at Dustys – 2nd floor around 3:30ish.

There will be limited runs open, but there is snow so all is GREAT!  Give yourself lots of time to make it up (approx. 45min from Whistler Village gondola)!  Watch for the rainbow flag!

Stay for the weekend or the night... call 1.866.787.1966 for last minute specials!  November hotel deals start at just $76/night!  Call or book online today!  

WhistlerBlackcomb is GayWhistler's official travel partner.  WinterPRIDE - Whistler's annual Gay and Lesbian ski/snowboard week is Feb. 3-10, 2013.  For more information visit GayWhistler.com  WinterPRIDE's official host hotel is the Aava Whistler Hotel.

It's Official: Whistler OPENS 6 Day Early: Fri., Nov. 18th

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB TO OPEN SIX DAYS EARLY; FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18
The return of La Nina and an incredible snowmaking infrastructure deliver another early opening to Whistler Blackcomb

WHISTLER, BC, Monday, November 14, 2011 – Whistler Blackcomb is thrilled to announce Whistler Mountain will open six days early on Friday, November 18. The return of La Nina, forecasted to bring greater than average snowfall, has skiers and snowboarders excited about the start of the ski/ride season. Blackcomb Mountain will open on Thursday, November 24, Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day.

“Cold temperatures, early season snow fall and the relentless work of our mountain operations teams is what allows us to open early,” says Doug MacFarlane, Mountain Manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Early season conditions apply but we are very happy with the current conditions. Enjoying the first turns of the season is always an amazing feeling and we are very excited to announce Whistler Mountain will open six days early.”

The alpine forecast is calling for up to 35 centimeters of snow in the alpine before opening on Friday, adding to the current snow base of 55 centimeters at Pig Alley. Additionally, the Whistler Blackcomb snowmaking team has turned over 50 million gallons of water into snow so far this season, the equivalent of covering 250 football fields with up to one foot of snow.

Whistler Mountain will open for the season on Friday, November 18, from 8:30am to 3:00pm. Skiing and riding will be open on the Emerald Express, Big Red Express, and Franz’s Chair with upload access from the Creekside Gondola and the Whistler Village Gondola.

Caution should be exercised at all times as the terrain available is best-suited for intermediate to advanced boarders and skiers. With early season conditions it is extra important all mountain signage is obeyed and guests stay within the marked operational boundary. Rope and signage saying “Temporary Boundary” will be used during the early season. With early season snow-pack, guests should be aware of rocks and other hazards below the snow surface.

To ski and ride Whistler Blackcomb, for the best possible price this season, guests can take advantage of Whistler Blackcomb’s early booking offer; book by November 15 and save up to 36 per cent on lift ticket and accommodation packages at Whistler Blackcomb or call 1.866.787.1966

For Canadian and Washington State residents, Whistler Blackcomb offers the EDGE Card, allowing guests to ski/ride from $62 (CDN) a day. EDGE Cards also offer additional perks, including 20 per cent off retail/rental and $35 (CDN) off snow school. EDGE Cards are valid for use all season long, and are available at early bird pricing until November 21 at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/save.

Starting today, the Snow Report, powered by TELUS, will be updated daily and as of Nov 18 the Snow Report will be updated three times daily at 6:00am, 7:30am and 3:00pm, featuring the most current weather and snow information. The Snow Report can be heard online or by calling 604-932-4211 in Whistler, 604-687-7507 in Vancouver, or toll-free at 1-800-766-0449.

Stay up-to-date on what’s open, mountain conditions, temperatures, snowfall accumulation, forecasts and stay and ski/ride deals at www.whistlerblackcomb.com.


Download the App
The free app, Whistler Blackcomb Live, Powered by TELUS, allows skiers and riders to track their runs using GPS; check live grooming, lift status and snow reports; view the trail map; take photos and share them with friends; and view special promotions and information about the resort. Available for iPhone and Android. More info: whistlerblackcomb.com/app



About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, over 8,000 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,090 centimetres (430 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

For more information, visit http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/media



-30-

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE is Feb. 5-12, 2012

Nov. 15th Ski Sale Fast Approaching

Snow continues to fall in Whistler adding to a fantastic snow base and the energy & excitement in the village is at a feverish pitch as everyone anticipates when will WB pull the "pin" and open up the 2011/12 ski season?! We have another storm system moving in bringing heaps more snow... so we anticipate the mountain may open this weekend a week early on conditions I am sure many of us have not seen in years... yes, it is going to be that good! [It is official WB will open this FRIDAY, Nov. 18th - click to read more ]

The real purpose of this entry is to remind you that you only have a few more hours to lock in those awesome hotel deals and ski tickets by Nov. 15th. For WinterPRIDE week we have ski packages starting at just $131/person/night (considering a ticket window ski pass will cost over $100/day) this is really a stellar deal and you need to move quick! Click to book your PRIDE Ski Package today

WinterPRIDE is celebrating 20 years of being out on the slopes of Whistler - where does the time go?! And part of our looking back on time we came across an old TV ad for Blackcomb that I thought you would enjoy. It brings a smile to my face every time I play it... This is going to be a wicked year and really hope to see you OUT on the Slopes this coming season. Our first gay day on the Mountain is on Saturday, Nov. 26th at the top of Whistler near the Roundhouse Light board 10AM - look for the skiOUT gang and carve up some of that virgin snow!

Visit GayWhistler.com for all the latest and greatest info... create a profile and connect with other skier/riders all season long!

Host hotel: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa | for reservations and information call WB Central Reservations at 1.866.787.1966

La Nina is Coming to Whistler! 70+ CM in the Alpine already

Yahooo!! La Nina is approaching the spectacular resort destination of Whistler Blackcomb and has already thrown down 70+ cm in the alpine with way more of that glorious white gold to come! So boyz & gurrlz... get those boards shined up and get ready for one heck of a fabulous snow season! Reminder, book early to get the best deals call 1.866.787.1966 or visit online at GayWhistler.com

Take a look at what La Nina has gifted Whistler Blackcomb already... so what are you waiting for? Can you feel the excitement?!

Oct. 27 Skiing on Blackcomb Mountain from Whistler Blackcomb on Vimeo.

Hotel Room for $35?! Book by Nov. 15th

This year, Whistler Blackcomb is throwing down some epic savings with our hotel partners when you book your vacation by Nov. 15th. With rates starting at just $128/person/night for a 5 night, 4 day ski package... that is like getting your hotel room for $35!

How is that possible? When you consider that if you are one of those last minute decision makers and you just show up a few days before and walk up to the ticket counter to purchase your ski ticket, you can expect to pay $93/Adult per day. So when you consider this, for an extra $35/person you will get a pretty stellar place to stay! Or for an extra $88/person you can stay at our Host Hotel: The Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa - a Four Diamond, Conde Nast Gold List hotel.

So what are you waiting for? Call today at 1.866.787.1966 or book online at GayWhistler.com

Our official reservation partner, Whistler Blackcomb, guarantees to give you the best rate possible. When you make your reservation through our partner we are able to quantify our festival's room night production which means more support in future years, which only helps to improve the value and quality guest experience we are able to provide. So when making your vacation decision we encourage you to book with our official partners which gives back to our community.

For a list of our partner hotels click here:
Below are starting from rates for a 5 Night, 4 Day Ski Package when booking before Nov. 15th call 1.866.787.1966
HOST Hotel: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa starting from $181/person/night

Preferred Partner Hotels:
Coast Blackcomb Suites - starting from $173/person/night

Pan Pacific Whistler - starting from $180/person/night

Fairmont Chateau Whistler - starting from $215/person/night

Associate Partner Hotels:
Aava Whistler Hotel - starting from $128/person/night

Delta Whistler Village Suites - starting from $165/person/night

Evolution Whistler - starting from $177/person/night

Call 1.866.787.1966 or book online

JC Simon's Aracadia to host the 2011 WinterPRIDE Pool Party

JC Simon's ARCADIA will be touching down in Whistler for the Pool Party at WinterPRIDE on Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2011.

But first... JC will be hosting an Exclusive CD Release Party for WinterPRIDE at the Lookout Bar, 41 York Street, Ottawa, ON on Thursday, November 11th. Hot Ski Boys will be selling shooters all night long plus some hot underwear models from Stroked Ego! Great door prizes!

Hope to see you in Ottawa for this exclusive release party!

WinterPRIDE is Jan. 30th to Feb. 6th, 2011 www.gaywhistler.com
Host Hotel: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa
For reservations call 1.866.787.1966 or book on line...

GayWhistler on the Road - conference Season!

Wow, it must be that time of year again... Ken & Dean are on the road again and October, November are shaping up to be a busy travel month for us.

Our first stop will be to attend the 2010 InterPride Conference & Long Beach Pride Celebrations Oct. 21-24, 2010. If you are in the Long Beach area, please make sure you stop by and say hi! We are so excited to be attending where we can share some of our experiences in producing Whistler's WinterPRIDE as well as the 2010 Olympic Pride House Pavilion and what some of our future plans are. The last time I attended the conference was in Zurich and met so many wonderful people and learned so much on how to improve on what we are doing and how we can support those prides still in conflict.

Our second stop will be to attend the 2010 CMI LGBT Tourism Conference at the Mirage in Las Vegas. Tom Roth and his team always puts on an exciting and educational conference. Ken will be speaking at one of the workshops and sharing some of our experience in producing events. If you are in Vegas, make sure to check out the seminar and of course come by and say hello!

Our third stop will take us North to Toronto to attend Travel Gay Canada's first LGBT Tourism Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel. Here I will be moderating an exciting workshop on “Sport Tourism: The Importance of LGBT Sporting Events” with special guest speakers Greg Larocque, President of GLISA North America and Co-Chair of the Vancouver 2011 North American Outgames Human Rights conference; and Elaine Chick a SITE Crystal Award winner and former VANOC - Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games "Live Site" producer. Together they will lead the audience on an exciting and inspiring journey and give helpful ideas on what you can do for your own destination. If you are in Toronto area we hope you will attend this conference and show your support!

Make sure to check out our Facebook Group to keep track on where we are and what we are up to and hope to connect with you while we are on the road!

WinterPRIDE is Jan. 30 - Feb. 6th with the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa our host hotel.
For more information refer to: GayWhistler.com

2010 Ski Snowboard Shows Visit the WB Booth

It's that season again! The infamous Whistler Blackcomb Turkey Sale has come and gone.. and now the Ski & Snowboard shows are on the road. The first stop is Oct. 15-17 in Toronto, ON and Seattle, WA.

October 15-17, 2010 Seattle
First on the West Coast - Seattle will be hosting the Seattle SkiFever & Snowboard Show at the Washington State Convention Centre. Admission is just $12/adult and if you print your order online you can save $2. Learn all about what will be Kewl this coming season and what is hot in ski fashion & equipment with merchandise up to 70% off! For more info and times refer to
http://www.skifever.org/

Oct. 14-17, 2010 Toronto
In Central Canada - Toronto will be hosting the Toronto Ski & Snowboard Show at Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place
195 Princes' Boulevard, Toronto, ON. Tickets are $17/adult with over 200 Exhibitors including the Whistler Blackcomb booth. Make sure you stop by and check out what is new and exciting this coming season.

Nov. 6-7, 2010 San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Ski & Snowboard Show - Fort Mason Centre Festival Pavilion Admission $20

Nov. 13-14 Silicon Valley, CA
Silicon Valley Ski & Snowboard Show - Santa Clara Convention Centre

Dec. 2-5, 2010 Los Angeles, CA
Ski Dazzle Ski & Snowboard Show - Los Angeles Convention Center


Remember book your Whistler Blackcomb vacation by Nov. 15th for the best deals in accommodation and lift tickets. For WinterPRIDE we have rates starting at just $128/person/night for a 5 night 4 day ski package! Call 1.866.787.1966 or book online.

Host Hotel: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa
WinterPRIDE: January 30th to February 6, 2011
visit: http://www.gaywhistler.com for more details