Photo: Whistlerblackcomb.com
The words “first snow” are deserving of equal but opposite reactions. On one hand, it’s a nudge that winter is finally within reach. The days are ripping off the calendar and daydreams of goggle tans are, sooner or later, going to become reality. That’s exciting. But then there’s the reality of “first snow” news, which is to say the air isn’t nearly cool enough in those fall months for anything to stick to the ground and while technically snow did just fall, it was really more of a light dusting than anything else. So it’s with shoulders slumped and your cheeks still stinging and red from a fresh slap of reality that we all retreat to check our calendars one more time. Suddenly opening day feels further away than it did just moments ago.
Well, Whistler’s first snow of the season this week was definitely a touch more significant than some “light dusting.” This is a little late to the party if you’re keeping track of other notable North American hotspots, to be clear. Last month, peaks in parts of the Sierras, the Rockies, and other places around North America were celebrating their first new snow — enough to ring that “winter is coming” bell. But cameras around Whistler showed significantly more coverage and a lot more white than you’d expect in late September.
“Winter conditions at the peak of Whistler. Snow also noted above 6,500 feet in the Washington Cascades,” Powderchasers announced.
In case you’re wondering, Whistler Blackcomb’s opening day is scheduled for November 23, 2023. We still have almost two months to go.
