Skiing With a Beginner at Whistler Blackcomb
I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the best track record of teaching my oldest daughter to ski. From blowing my knee when our skis got tangled, to having her legitimately run away from ski school, to having to have her ski patrolled off the mountain when I took us the wrong way, to resorting to hiring a (very expensive) private instructor more than once when nothing else was working, let's just say it has been a process. An expensive, painful, tearful process.
Now, it wasn't all bad. She really wanted to ski, she just wanted to ski with me...which took time, especially since we were usually only skiing once a year so progress was slow.
But now after several years, thousands of dollars, and one knee MRI have passed, she is eight, and it was time to again try to ski together. Coincidentally enough, it was time to try to ski with her at Whistler Blackcomb, the exact place where my ACL was torn trying to help her; I ultimately left Canada in a wheelchair as a result.
Use the Beginners Area off the Whistler Mid Station Gondola
I sent my daughter to ski school the first two days of this trip so that I could actually ski more of the mountain and she could hopefully get her ski legs back. Then, on the third day, it was time to ski together for the entire day. Thankfully, she is now advanced enough that we didn't need to spend much time in the Beginner's Area that is found just off the Mid Station Gondola stop (head here to pull up a Whistler Blackcomb trail map). We spent a ton of time there when she was four-years-old, and with magic carpets and very gradual and short ski areas, it is the perfect place for true beginners at Whistler to start their skiing or riding journey.
Ski school classes use that area heavily, but you don't have to be in a ski or ride program to practice there with your kids or by yourself. Once you graduate from that magic carpet zone, the next logical step is the Olympic Chair that is immediately next to the Beginner's Area. This is a chairlift that is designed for those learning, so don't stress out if you are still getting the hang of getting on and off the chair effectively.
The short green run off of the Olympic Chairlift is very simple and straightforward, and a perfect next step from the beginner's area. You will see lots of ski school classes on that run and lift throughout the day.
Check out the Yellow Brick Road on Blackcomb
Another great spot for beginners is on the very bottom of the Blackcomb side where you can take the Magic Chair Lift to the very green short run called the Yellow Brick Road. If we want to get technical, this is exactly where I blew my knee a few years ago, but that certainly wasn't the fault of the run as it is a short, smooth, wide ride for beginners.
This chairlift is also very slow and beginner friendly with attendants really looking out for those who need some extra help. Here is my daughter on that slow and steady chairlift at four years old and again at eight years old.
Ski Lower Olympic from the Mid Station Gondola
Once you graduate from the true beginner areas and lifts at Whistler Blackcomb, my next suggestion is to take the Whistler Gondola to the Mid Station just as you would to get to the beginner area, but instead of walking up the hill to the beginner area, instead ski the green Lower Olympic run all the way back down to the bottom.
This is a green run all the way down, and there is only a small patch or two that requires a bit more turning due to being slightly steeper than the rest of the run. In part because I just never want to get either of us in over our heads again, we didn't go beyond testing our skills on the Lower Olympic run, even though my daughter was begging me to take her all the way up.
Then head further up to Emerald Express
Had we gone a bit further up the mountain, my next target for her on Whistler would have been green runs off of the Emerald Express chair such as Ego Bowl and Lower Whiskey Jack. The Enchanted Forest on that section of the mountain is also really fun, but I believe it is technically a blue instead of a green, so keep that in mind. I think that the Whistler side of the mountain is better than the Blackcomb side of the mountain in terms of finding green runs for those who have just moved beyond the true beginner areas.
I am so thankful that Whistler Blackcomb truly does have something for everyone, including beginners and their parents who aren't always that great at teaching them.
If you are interested in planning a trip to Whistler Blackcomb, here are some other articles and even a video to help get you on your way. If you have skied or boarded at Whistler Blackcomb before, I'd love to hear about your favorite spots for beginners!
Planning a Whistler Ski Trip Using Miles and Points
Things to Know About the Westin Whistler Resort
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.