Information for Travelers with a Disability
At Whistler Blackcomb, it is our mission to create wonderful memories for our guests, again and again. All guests deserve the very best mountain experience possible.
The following information is meant to assist individuals with disabilities to access the facilities and skiing/riding at Whistler Blackcomb.
Whistler Adaptive is a nonprofit organization making year-round recreation accessible to people with disabilities. Whistler Adaptive is a centre for learning and sports excellence that has local, regional, national and international clientele—encouraging independence, self-confidence and self-motivation for all of our athletes and participants through outdoor recreation.
Whistler Adaptive currently offers skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking programs.
During winter, Whistler Adaptive operates in partnership with Whistler Blackcomb to deliver skiing and snowboarding lessons to children and adults with special needs through the Whistler Adaptive Ski and Scotiabank Learn to Ride Program.
This program caters to a full spectrum of skiers and snowboarders from beginner through advanced. Our trained and certified instructors, guides and assistants will help those with both physical and cognitive disabilities access the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb.
Please join us to experience outdoor activity in a safe, friendly, therapeutic and fun way. We tailor our lessons to suit your needs.
For more information, please visit the Whistler Adaptive Ski & Ride Program.
Mountain Accessibility (Winter Operations)
Whistler Mountain is more accessible to wheelchair users than Blackcomb Mountain. The Village Gondola can accommodate a person in a wheelchair, with accompanying party members. Guests can ride to the top of Whistler on the gondola and easily access the Roundhouse Restaurant, through a wheelchair accessible door.
Wheelchair accessible washrooms and Pika's Restaurant are located on the first floor. An elevator exists to take you to the upper floor of the Roundhouse Restaurant and to Steep's Grill.
You can leave your wheelchair at the top of the gondola, asking the lift attendants to move it to one side for you, behind the roped off area. You can also request that the lift attendant send it back to the village or mid-station for you at the end of the ski day (and vice-versa). Guests can also utilize the "Rupert Rollers." More information about these devices is available below.
The Creekside Gondola can accomodate a sit skier, or a person in a wheelchair. However, there is no wheelchair storage at the top of the gondola, so guests should either have their chair sent back down to the bottom by the lift attendant, or leave their chair at the base and utilize the "Rupert Rollers" with their sit-ski.
Blackcomb has limited facilities for wheelchair users. There are no elevators on Blackcomb, and the only on-mountain restaurant with a wheelchair accessible washroom is at Glacier Creek (on the first floor). The Rendezvous on Blackcomb can accommodate a wheelchair user in the restaurant.
The Blackcomb Excalibur Gondola does not accommodate sit-skiers or wheelchairs. However, if an independent sit skier has help with them, they can pop off the ski and be lifted into the gondola, in the bucket.
On Blackcomb, it is recommended that sit-skiers leave their wheelchairs in the secured storage areas at the base of Blackcomb and access the mountain via the Blackcomb Gondola.
The "Rupert Rollers" are a specially designed device to enable sit-skiers to remain in their sit-ski when transitioning from their wheelchair or the snow, onto the gondola, and back onto snow/wheelchair again. Guests can request assistance from the lift operator if they wish to use the "Rupert Roller", and then have their wheelchair stored by the lift operator.
These devices are available at the base station of the following gondolas:
- Blackcomb Gondola
- Village Gondola
- Creekside Gondola
For more information please call 604.967.8950
Mountain Accessibility (Summer Operations)
Whistler Mountain is more accessible to wheelchair users than Blackcomb Mountain. The Village Gondola can accommodate a person in a wheelchair, with accompanying party members. Guests can ride to the top of Whistler on the gondola and easily access the Roundhouse Restaurant, through a wheelchair accessible door.
Wheelchair accessible washrooms and Pika's Restaurant are located on the first floor. An elevator exists to take you to the upper floor of the Roundhouse Restaurant and to Steep's Grill.
The Peak Express experience does not accommodate wheelchairs.
Access to Blackcomb Mountain during spring/summer operations is limited and lifts in use do not accommodate wheelchairs.
For people with disabilities, designated accessible parking spaces are located at several locations in and around the Village, Upper Village and Village North. Maps showing the location of all available accessible parking spaces can be viewed at RMOW Accessibility Map.
Please note a disabled parking permit is required for use of these designated accessible parking spaces. Permits issued by any jurisdiction are acceptable. If a temporary permit is needed, one can be issued from the Bylaw Office located at Municipal Hall.
The Municipal Offices can be reached at 604.932.5535
The bus system is operated by the RMOW. They provide specially designed wheelchair accessible buses. All of the Whistler Transit buses have a lower floor with kneeling capabilities, which make all buses accessible. However, many of the bus stops are not currently fully accessible with a sidewalk to deploy onto.
For more info, the transit number is 604.932.4020
When you are being dropped off at the Village bus loop (closest drop-off location to the Whistler Village Gondola), the ramp is located around the west side, beside the Pan Pacific Hotel. Please note, this ramp is a rather lengthy distance to travel from the drop-off point (if the path is snow covered).
Resort Cabs have the only wheelchair accessible taxis in Whistler. Please be sure to specifically request when calling. Resort Cabs can be contacted at 604.932.1515
In general, the local taxi system does not have special cabs or vans that can accommodate wheelchairs. However, they will be happy to assist with any special needs on an individual basis. For more information please call 604.932.3333
There are no ticket discounts for people with disabilities. However, his or her accompanying "ski buddy" can receive a free ticket. Ticket collection must be done in person, at any outside ticket window location or inside, at any Guest Relations location. Tickets must be collected on a daily basis.
