Today’s reader question:
Just wondering… what do snowboard bums in Whistler do in the summer? I know some of you guys travel to NZ to do another winter, but what about those that can’t or don’t? What happens to them?
Well there’s actually plenty to do! You’re right, some people travel down south to hit the southern hemisphere winter, but just as many if not more stay in Whistler.
It’s a common misconception that Whistler is dead outside of winter. The reality is many places like Whistler get insanely busy during the summer and some of the residents actually prefer the summer to the winter.
I don’t know about every other resort, but Whistler is sort of a mecca for downhill mountain bikers in the summer which is one of the reasons it stays so busy. All those ski runs and gladed terrain become amazing mountain biking trails that stretch for miles.
On top of that there’s amazing warm and sunny weather, hiking trails, lakes, BBQs, paintball, golf, kayaking and more. Don’t forget there’s also glacier snowboarding and many locals coach snowboarding at one of the glacier camps during the summer.
Whistler becomes a sort of mega outdoor playground in the summer. You could snowboard, mountain bike and golf all in the same day if you wanted.
What about work?
Well for those who rely on snowboard instructing for income some become mountain bike instructors in the summer. It’s very common for many locals to be very good at both snowboarding and downhill mountain biking due to living in Whistler for a few years.
There are also all your standard hospitality/service industry jobs in the village. On top of that, many residents take advantage of the larger summer rental listings to lock in new leases at better homes.
So yeah… plenty to do even if you aren’t snowboarding. I know I sound like I’m advertising for them or something, but it really is an awesome place to live.
- Jed
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