Posts
61
Joined
1/24/2014
Location
Sedro Woolley, WA
US
Edited Date/Time
4/17/2025 1:33pm
A friend called to ask why bike park season passes are not available to buy on the website. They were told that Whistler management is worried about the border being closed to Americans this summer and do not want to have to refund any passes if that did occur. Sounds crazy but but unfortunately makes sense. WTF!!!!
that's bonkers if so. but as you said, makes sense given the current state of things.
following
Fuck that, time to fire up the VPN and start digging a tunnel.
Whistler management? You mean Vail, an American company? Not buying this one.
Why would the border be closed to Americans?
(And before you ask, yes, I follow the news.)
If the border was rumoured to be closed to USA there’d be way more talk about it, everywhere, not just on a mtb forum (the best one I’ll give it that) from someone that heard it from a friend. Also WB call centre that used to be run within Whistler/vancouver is now in vail somewhere and is the best place for the wrong WB information these days unfortunately
I don't think the boarder will be closed, but it might be more of a pain in the ass by the sounds of it with more scrutiny and maybe they're worries people won't want to deal with it? Whatever the reason, drugs, unpaid possible tariffs on goods, whatever, I think both sides will be more on it this year.
I know the idea of registering and booking stuff for a couple Cascadia races and NW-tune up with no idea what the exchange rate or border security will be like in July is keeping me north of the line for the summer. As much as I want takeout from the Transition outpost, I don't want my truck full of weeks of riding and camping gear tossed at the border.
Edit: Although, if they're opening in May as usual, it's weird they don't have the passes for sale yet. This is from a Canadian IP. All pre-purchase passes are not currently available.
They are still selling SGC camps for what its worth, which I'd assume they'd nuke as well if this was a policy decision. I am highly doubtful a company like Vail would lose out on making some money because they are worried about the border. The only season pass refunds I've ever seen offered are ones due to medical conditions, and I'm pretty sure Vail doesn't even offer that. A boarder closure, while shitty, wouldn't exactly be a cause for season pass return.
I say all this with the fact that I'm heading up to Canada a bunch this summer and also have already spent a ton of money on my trips.....
Whistler is an American state in Canada, there not just shooting them selves in the foot if they do that they are cutting off the whole leg. 0% of this is true.
Yea totally agree, it is the same thought I had when we we couldn't not purchase the advertised preseason discounted passes. Then my friend called and that was the story they were told. I suppose its possible that the CS representative for Whistler was just making sh!t up, but on the other hand is there a more plausible reason for the embargo?
Well since nobody can buy a pass currently, a guess might be that Whistler/Vail sees the writing on the wall that visit volumes might shift dramatically this summer and coming winter seasons. They might have paused to conduct a quick cost/benefit analysis to see it they can maximize (the remaining, as I'm sure it will be down) profit by adjusting pass prices. Maybe they figure the people who will buy passes at this point are generally locked in and want to figure out how much they can raise the price before triggering mass attrition? A pause and gap in sales would allow them time to figure this price out and also make the adjustment slightly less jarring to the public when it goes live again.
Unfortunately many countries have issued travel warnings for the US, including EU countries that are now issuing burner phones to people attending conferences etc, which was something previously reserved for war zones and hostile nations. The border being shut entirely is really not an invalid concern at the moment.
If were a non-citizen I'd certainly be wary of coming to the US (hell, I'm not sure being a citizen provides much safety), but we're talking about Canada closing TO Americans? If things of that nature start to happen we have bigger problems than bike park access. It's the longest unprotected border in the world.
I'm trying to go to BC and Quebec this year.
Dan atherton winning the Gates prize is more likely to happen than the border closing.
The USA's customs and immigration policies have been hostile to non-citizens for years, but it's now reached a new level (or several new levels) of paranoia.
And anyway, if the border closes (which it won't) it's far more likely to close from the American side...
Your probably right but on the other hand it was closed for almost two years starting March 2021......
Okay we will keep the boarder open and let you guys buy Whistler passes but for the love of God can you bozo's stop driving slow in the left lane on the Sea to Sky. Looking at you WA plates. Keep right except to pass, say with me again but slowly this time. Keep right except to pass.
haha, i always thought it was amuricans who went faster because they were doing 50, 60, 80 or 100 MPH instead of kph on the sea to sky
I thought that was only Ontario drivers who did that and forced us Queber’s to drive like “maniacs” while passing them on the inside while they drive at 95km/h stuck in the fast lane!
the berlin wall was build to keep everyone in. let's see how this plays out
Just saw an article about AI chat bots used for custom service making up false reasons for stuff. What are the odds your buddy didn't know he was talking to an AI bot?
Vail could be selling off assets...
While your at it, stop driving with your high beams on. Drive to whistler for work everyday and 50% if the cars have their highbeams on when it’s dark.
WB is a crown jewel. They have lots of crappy places to sell off before they would consider selling WB.
Bloody Evo drivers usually.
Or big stupid trucks that have been lifted including their lights. It's two little screws people. Easier than tuning a derailleur.
All is well. They still want our money.
Passes are up. 600usd or like 830 Canadian. Day passes are $100 now in the summer. Crazy. I remember when it was like $40 for the day.
If you tell all the Canadians that we drive in MPH not in kilometers. So annoying driving on the freeway and people doing 45mph, but only Canada plates!
Deal, but you gotta tell all the Canadians coming down to raid our Trader Joe’s the same thing.
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