Whistler Blackcomb Named No. 1 Ski Area in North America by Readers of Ski Magazine

Whistler Blackcomb Also Tops Survey For Terrain Variety, Après and Off-Hill Activities

WHISTLER, BC, Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - The 27^th annual SKI Magazine Reader's Poll has named Whistler Blackcomb the No. 1 overall best ski resort in North America. The online survey saw 41,000 resort rankings submitted by SKI Magazine readers and ranks the top 50 North American ski resorts in a variety of categories valued by ski and snowboard enthusiasts. In addition to being voted No. 1 in overall ranking, Whistler Blackcomb also received top marks in the terrain variety, off-hill activity and après categories, solidifying the resort truly has something to offer everyone.

"We are honoured to receive this recognition from the readers of SKI Magazine," says Dave Brownlie, President and Chief Executive Officer at Whistler Blackcomb. "As the longest running and most comprehensive survey of its kind, we know the SKI Magazine rankings influence people's decisions when planning their ski vacations around the world so we are grateful to be recognized as No. 1. Our size, terrain variety and on-mountain experiences combined with our resort lodging, dining and off-hill activities create a unique, unmatched experience in North America for all skiers and riders."

The annual Reader's Poll was revealed today on social media and on SKImag.com, and will be published in SKI Magazine's Resort Guide, hitting newsstands at the end of September. Along with being named No. 1 overall, in variety of terrain, off-hill activities, and après, Whistler Blackcomb also scored highly in a number of other categories, including No. 2 in the lifts, lodging, and dining categories.

"Congratulations to Whistler Blackcomb on this well-deserved honor," says Andy Bigford, SKI's publisher. "Our readers are smart, savvy, well-traveled and consistently blown away by Whistler's vastness and variety, both on and off the hill. I wholeheartedly agree with the reader who wrote: 'Every skier should have Whistler on a bucket list.'"

Whistler Blackcomb also saw huge gains in a number of categories over last year's Reader's Poll. Whistler Blackcomb moved up 13 spots over last year in grooming, 27 spots in value and three spots in the lifts category, likely a nod to Whistler Blackcomb's $18 million investment into the new Crystal Ridge Express and Harmony 6 Express chairlifts in 2013-2014.

In its continuous effort to consistently elevate the guest experience, Whistler Blackcomb will be introducing a number of upgrades and improvements across the resort for the 2014-2015 winter season. Highlights include new eight passenger gondola cabins for the Whistler Village Gondola and new radio-frequency identification ("RFID") technology with lift access control gates on most mountain lifts. For more information about everything new and exciting at Whistler Blackcomb for the upcoming ski season, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/about-us/news-releases/sept-15-2014.

Whistler Blackcomb's official opening day is November 27, 2014, but with good early season conditions the resort can always be counted on to open early.

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages or call 1-888-403-4727.

Video News Release - footage contains:

• Greg Ditrinco, editor of SKI Magazine, stating Whistler Blackcomb has been ranked the No. 1 Ski Resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine.
• Dave Brownlie, President & CEO of Whistler Blackcomb, describing the impact of the award on Whistler Blackcomb as a ski and snowboard destination
  • Dave describes $12 million dollar investments for the resort this season
  • Dave recaps last year's investment of $18 million dollars in two new lifts
• Scenic broll of skiing, snowy landscapes and aerial views of the village.

HD b-roll available for download:
FTP site: ftp://wbfotofile.com
Username: wbbroll
Password: blackcomb
Folder: SkiMagazineRanking2014

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 1,165 centimetres (459 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

Media Notes:  Whistler Blackcomb is pleased to provide high resolution photographs available for editorial use, downloadable at the following link: http://portal.whistlerblackcomb.com/media

Please credit – Photographer Listed, Location: Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia.

SOURCE Whistler Blackcomb