Whistler Blackcomb
Breaks Ground on New High Speed Quad Chairlift
WHISTLER, BC, May 25, 2006
Whistler Blackcomb has broken ground on the
construction of the Piccolo Express, the resort's
newest high speed detachable quad that was announced
last month. The new Piccolo Express Lift on Whistler
Mountain will be open for the beginning of the 2006/2007
season, will run from the bottom of Flute Bowl to the
peak of Piccolo and will provide access to more than
1,000 acres of the most spectacular high alpine terrain
available in North America.
With a current alpine snow base of approximately two
metres or six feet, the resort is still open for skiing
and riding. Beginning construction while there is such
a significant amount of snow on the ground is a strategic
environmental move. The snow acts as a protective layer
to the ecosystem underneath, minimizing the construction
footprint as much as possible.
The new Piccolo Express Lift will open up a brand
new era of high alpine access for intermediate skiers
and snowboarders as well as the experts. For the first
time, guests will have high speed lift access to this
spectacular terrain, with its legendary vast bowls,
deep snow and exciting gladed sub-alpine skiing. The
new Piccolo Express Lift will provide access to a range
of gentle and challenging terrain including the wide
open upper bowl area, a new high-intermediate gladed
area, and two new conventionally cut trails for low-intermediates.
The Piccolo lift will complement Whistler Mountain's
existing lift network, in particular the popular Harmony
Express. Piccolo Express will be accessed from the top
of The Peak Chair or the top of Harmony. To return,
guests will ski/ride out from the top of the Piccolo
Express Lift, along Burnt Stew Trail back to the Harmony
Express. Piccolo Express will provide great high alpine
skiing and riding in early and late season. Flute peak
will remain a hike-in, in-bounds backcountry experience,
although the new lift will eliminate the need to hike
back out.
The high speed detachable quad will run 2,112 metres
(6,929 feet) in length, with a vertical rise of 509
metres (1,670 feet). The top elevation of the lift will
be at 2,034 metres (6,673 feet); the bottom elevation
will be 1,525 metres (5,003 feet). The over 1,000 skiable
acres accessed by this new lift is greater than the
average size of all North American ski resorts. In
fact, this new area is larger than many other resorts
in their entirety.
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