Whistler Blackcomb Resort News And Information

New Whistler Blackcomb Mountain High Speed Chair Lift

Whistler Blackcomb has unveiled plans to build a new high speed detachable quad in the high alpine for the 2006-2007 winter season. The new Piccolo Express Lift on Whistler Mountain will run to the Piccolo peak from the bottom of Flute Bowl and will provide access to more than 1,000 acres of the most spectacular high alpine terrain available in North America. The new lift is part of an overall capital investment of $22.1 million in mountain upgrades at Whistler Blackcomb, consistently ranked as one of the world's top winter resort destinations. With 8,171 skiable acres, Whistler Blackcomb is the largest ski resort in North America.

New Whistler Mountain Lift System
The Piccolo lift will complement Whistler Mountain's existing lift network, in particular the popular Harmony Express. Piccolo will be accessed from the top of The Peak Chair or the top of Harmony. To come home, guests will ski/ride out from the top of the Piccolo Express Lift, along Burnt Stew Trail back to the Harmony Express. Piccolo will provide great high alpine skiing and riding in early and late season. Flute peak will remain a hike-in, in-bounds backcountry experience, although the new lift will eliminate the need to hike back out.

1,000 Skiable Acres Accessed by New Lift
The high speed detachable quad will run 2,112 metres (6,929 feet) in length, with a vertical rise of 509 metres (1,670 feet). The top elevation of the lift will be at 2,034 metres (6,673 feet); the bottom elevation will be 1,525 metres (5,003 feet). The over 1,000 skiable acres accessed by this new lift is greater than the average size of all North American ski resorts. And in fact, it's larger than many other resorts in their entirety.

Construction will begin on the lift this spring and will continue through the summer and fall with an expected opening at the beginning of the 2006-2007 winter season. Hiking access to Singing Pass from the Whistler Village Gondola will remain available throughout the summer.

Whistler BC - The 2010 Winter Olympic And Paralympic Games

Vancouver and Whistler BC Canada have been chosen to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games. Here is a timeline of activities and milestones leading up to the Games.

• 2005–2006
  Venue construction begins on all 2010 competition and non-competition sites
• February 10–26, 2006
  2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
  VANOC (Vancouver Organizing Committee) sends an observation team
• March 10–19, 2006
  2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino.
  VANOC sends an observation team
• Summer 2007
  Construction to begin on the Vancouver Olympic Village and the Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village
• 2007
  2010 Winter Games mascot to be selected
  Winter 2007-2008
  Games venues to be available for athlete training
• 2008
  VANOC to begin volunteer recruitment.
  An estimated 25,000 volunteers are required to stage the Games
• August 8–24, 2008
  2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China.
  VANOC sends an observation team
• September 6–17, 2008
  2008 Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing.
  VANOC sends an observation team
• Fall 2008
  Vancouver 2010 Winter Games ticket sales
• Winter 2008-2009
  Official test events for the 2010 Winter Games
• 2008
  Media Accreditation for the 2010 Winter Games.
  An estimated 10,000 media members expected to be accredited.
• Fall 2009
  2010 Winter Games Olympic Flame (torch) Relay
• February 12–28, 2010
  XXI Olympic Winter Games
• March 12–21, 2010
  X Paralympic Winter Games
  
  More information can be found at www.vancouver2010.com.