Whistler Travel Forum

Hi Im heading to Whister to learn to snowboard in late February 2006. I have booked accommodation (shoestring lodge) which comes with a 6 day lift pass. I cant wait for the trip is going to be awesome. In the meantime I have a few questions:

- is it best to pre-book lessons online before i get there? having never snowboarded before in my life (I have been skiing a few times though) would one full day lesson be enough to learn most things? to me the 3 day lessons seem like too much

- is it advisable to pre-book snowboard rentals or is it easier to sort it out when i get there? can anyone recommend a snowboard rental place? My accommodation is in a dorm type share place so ideally id like to rent from a place that can store the board overnight between days on the slopes (id rather not take it back to the place im staying cause theres a chance it could get stolen)

Thanks for any advice :)

You do not need to pre-book lessons or rent a board for 3 days. You can do all of this the morning you go on the slopes.
Try the 1 day lesson and if you think you need more get one more.

Flying from Australia to Whistler to learn to snowboard is a but extreme. There are ski resorts in Australia. In any event. You do not need to prebook lessons or snowboard rentals , but it is advisable to make reservations the night before and along with picking up the equipment.There are many places to rent at the base of the lifts. For a beginner they are all the same. There should be lockers at the dorm where the board can be locked up, if not , you can bring the board back to the rental store for the night.Do lessons on a day by day basis. You might be a natural. Our 12 year old son took a day lesson, spent the morning learning the basics and by the end of the day was boarding off the top of the mountain. Right now you should be jogging and doing knee bends with weights on your shoulders to get into shape. Six days of skiing at Whistler , if yo put in six full days,and if there is powder , is a lot of skiing.

Yeah we have some ski resorts down here in aus, but they're crap (ie small). I went skiing at big bear in California a couple of years ago and it was fantastic, and im sure the runs at whistler are much longer than they were there. Im actually going on a round-the-world trip next year and canada is my first stop, so i figured learn to snowboard, why not. Ive been jogging and getting fit in preperation. I guess i should add ive also got another 6 day lift pass at banff/lake louse/norquay. I should be well and truly buggered after that... thanks for the info, ill leave organising rentals and lessons till i get there

Hello mate,

Firstly, I always sort out my lift pass when booking the trip, I used to do the same with my rental and lessons. The last thing you want to do when you wake up on your first day is start hunting for a board and instructor.
Secondly, going to Whistler to learn is like learning to drive on a track day in a ferrari. I am going to Whistler in Jan with my Missus and two mates, two of which can't ride, so i'm making the effort to get them up and running before at the local slope. This is so they don't spend their first three days at the world's premier resort learning to strap their boards on! So get a few lessons in before you fly 'cos you'll be glad you did when you're carving on your second day in Whistler.
And lastly, you won't wanna take your board back to the shop after a tiring day on the mountain when you can just put it in your room like everyone else and head to the bar.
Cheers
Danny