Whistler Inbounds and Out of Bounds Conditions 2025/26

ChrisC said:

How can this be possible for interior British Columbia? A month without meaningful snow in mid-winter?

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That happened in 2005 after that infamous Tropical Punch rain where I skied at Great Northern (see pic in #284 above), very similar circumstances. After Great Northern I skied Kicking Horse, where it had snowed only on the top quarter of the mountain, and Lake Louise, the only place that got all snow. With gateway airport Spokane we had to ski Red Mt. on the way back, all groomers with anything off piste bulletproof. We drove by 49 Degrees North on the way to Spokane and it was half dirt so we passed. It was by now the end of January. Whistler, Big White, Whitewater, Kicking Horse and the Banff areas all had less than 20 inches snowfall in Feb. 2005.

jamesdeluxe said:

Why haven't we seen runnels in the East (where one assumes that mid-season gully washers often fulfill this ^^ requirement)? Is it because an atmospheric river is a different animal, i.e. several times more water? Interesting how I've never run across that word before.

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Purely speculation on my part, but I suspect you don’t see rain runnels in the east because the snowpack is so shallow and therefore more sensitive to temperature changes. Deeper snowpacks like those found in the Coast Range are cooler, more insulated and less likely to melt down quickly.

Another factor could be the trees. Trees warm the snowpack, making the snowpack around them more sensitive to temperature changes. The runnels were substantially smaller or non existent where trees were present.

takeahike46er said:

Deeper snowpacks like those found in the Coast Range are cooler, more insulated and less likely to melt down quickly.

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I think you're the right track. Deep snowpacks have a subfreezing refrigerated core that water can't get through. That's how natural late season pond skims form, like Lake Reveal at A-Basin and as I skied at Mammoth in 1982 and 1991. So I say the rain can't get though that core and if heavy enough is forced to run off the surface.

Hopefully James can keep his Colorado trip as short as possible and get in some quality skiing at home. I'm sure Harvey could help him out in that department.

With approximately a foot of new snow in the last few days, the rain runnels that were widespread in the Whistler alpine are now a thing of the past. Thank goodness. I caught first tracks in the Secret and Spanky’s, and other than some avi debris poking out at the bottom of Diamond Bowl, there was no sign of the carnage from before.


Fresh tracks in Secret Bowl

Freezing levels continue to be hugely problematic for the region. It was raining all the way up to 1900m on Blackcomb on Saturday. The ski outs are starting to look rough. A lack of precipitation isn’t the issue (it rarely is). We need colder temps, stat.

FINALLY a storm with adequate moisture AND colder air. Whistler picked up 2ft with snow to the valley bottom with a bit more incoming this week.

With clearing skies on tap for Saturday, it should be a banger of a weekend in the backcountry. Touring has been limited to higher elevations for much of the season, so this will open up a lot of options regionally.

With a recent refresh in the Sea to Sky corridor and some sunny weather on tap for the weekend, it was a great time to get out in the Whistler backcountry.


Blackcomb from across the valley


Mt. Garibaldi and Black Tusk loom in the distance


Mt. Weart and an unfrozen Green Lake

EMSC said:

The really crazy part of this winter has been the warmth.

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Indeed. The warmth across the west has been a constant feature, regardless of whether regions were getting normal precipitation levels or not.

On a more local level, I’ve lost count how many times it has rained to the Whistler summit this season. This will also be the 3rd season in a row where low elevation snotels around SWBC are either below the 25th percentile or at their historical mins. Water resource managers and firefighters are going to have a tough go this summer.

With all the recent snow this week and a beautiful day on tap, yesterday was the day to get out in SWBC before the snowpack gets…ugly.

I hit up the backcountry off of the Sea To Sky Gondola. It seemed like every backcountry skier in Squamish had the same idea. The morning queues were unlike I had ever seen with staff saying it was their busiest day of the season. The vibes were great though, and the stoke was high.

We were hoping to hit one of the couloirs in the area, but the queues meant other groups arrived first. Instead of waiting our turn to ski a tracked out couloir, we skied the low-hanging fruit in the Ledge Basin.

A sun crust was starting to form on solar aspects, but north facing slopes and those in the shadow of Ledge held great snow. It was a great day out in a strikingly beautiful zone.


Me ripping down the upper Ledge basin


Ledge Mountain and the Ledge Couloir to the left

Home Run with Mount Habrich above


The Sky Pilot and Co-Pilot zones from top of the gondola


The Sea to Sky Gondola

Being entirely unfamiliar with the backcountry off Sea to Sky Gondola I looked on Google Earth and that looks like a fairly hefty slog over to Ledge Mountain area from the top of the Gondola. At least for a day trip. Is it nearly all on-snow trekking right now? (I assume so given the suspension bridge pic).

EMSC said:

Being entirely unfamiliar with the backcountry off Sea to Sky Gondola I looked on Google Earth and that looks like a fairly hefty slog over to Ledge Mountain area from the top of the Gondola.

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It’s not much of a slog at all, especially compared to what we are accustomed to in the Sea to Sky region.

The approach is groomed regularly and takes approximately an hour to get to where you exit the logging road and begin the steep ascent. It takes approximately 30 minutes the other direction where a nice lodge awaits for celebratory drinks. The gondola hours have been extended to 8pm so there’s plenty of time to explore.

Tony Crocker said:

Rain into the alpine like Jan. 7-8 is fairly rare.

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This week it’s raining into the alpine for 3-4 days straight followed by a rapid cool down. I feel bad for folks who are here for spring break.

Coincidentally, I have another hut booked for this weekend (have to book months in advance). Unless we get some snow on the backend (not likely), rain runnels will likely be on the menu. That would mean 6 out of 6 hut days this season were skiing rain runnels. Quite the stat

If I hadn’t had a reservation at the Kees and Claire hut, Saturday would have been a great day to do anything BUT ski inbounds at Whistler. After raining up into the alpine for four days straight, conditions were about as bad as I’ve ever seen them.

The mountain warned the alpine would be slow to open over the weekend as a consequence of the storm, and we needed at least Harmony if we were to avoid potentially rough travel below treeline en route to the hut. Sure enough, Harmony didn’t crack until 1pm on Saturday. The lack of enthusiasm for the conditions meant that we easily got first chair, something I’ve never managed to do. Yay?


First chair for fresh crust

The alpine was a mess, littered with avi debris. The entirety of the Harmony Horseshoes slid. Any slope capable of sliding seemed to have released in this storm cycle. Ski patrol recommended that all guests stick to the groomers.


Crusty conditions heading to the hut

The tour out to the hut was about as expected. It was survival skiing most of the way with a mix of crust, breakable crust, and rain runnels. On the plus side, it made for easy skinning.


The snow depth at the hut is now well above the second floor

Had we been out for more than one night and brought our crevasse rescue gear, a visit to the high alpine would have been the call. Above 2000m was caked in fresh snow. Since it was late in the day, we opted instead to enjoy the comforts of the hut.


The next Spearhead hut will be below the peak on the right

As we ate dinner, we watched out the window as a group skied down Whirlwind Peak. Instead of skiing the usual route onto the pocket glacier, they took a spicier line dropping off a cornice making for free entertainment for all watching from inside.


Fully equipped kitchen paired with stellar views


Three skiers about to drop off the cornice while we ate

Flurries overnight improved conditions considerably. We did some morning laps around the hut and found decent snow where the wind had deposited it.

Even inbounds was drastically better. What a difference a little bit of snow and another night’s grooming can make. With additional snow in the forecast this week, hopefully it resets the mountain, buries all the debris, and marks the last time I ski rain runnels this season. Good riddance!


What a difference 2cm and some wind can make