A rockslide occurred on Whistler Peak at Whistler Blackcomb without causing any injuries on Thursday. The incident took place before the ski resort’s operating hours, confirmed by Vail Resorts, the owner, and operator of Whistler Blackcomb.
Chloe Hajjar from Vail Resorts mentioned that no individuals were present in the vicinity when the rockslide happened. Video footage captured the rockslide extending approximately 100 meters on Whistler Peak, specifically between the West Cirque and Monday’s double black diamond runs.
Following the occurrence, Whistler Peak and the Peak Express Chair will remain inaccessible until further evaluation by the operations team. Vail Resorts refrained from disclosing the cause of the rockslide and stated that no additional details were available as of Thursday morning.
Geological Survey of Canada’s research scientist, Jeff Crompton, assessed the rockslide as medium-sized based on video analysis. Crompton highlighted the ongoing deglaciation and permafrost degradation in the southern Coast Mountains due to climate change as potential triggers for such events.
Crompton expressed concern about the rockslide happening in a populated area and emphasized the impact of recent weather conditions, including rain and warmer temperatures followed by freezing temperatures. He mentioned that freezing water expanding in rocks could have contributed to the rockslide.
Avalanche Canada reported snowfall of 20 to 30 centimeters in the Sea-to-Sky region on the preceding night, accompanied by 40 km/h southwest ridge top winds.