Local Winter Travel Guide: Snowmobiling Plus Fondue Equals a Perfect Night on Blackcomb Mountain

The excitement is inescapable as you prepare to climb aboard your Ski-Doo Expedition Sport snowmobile on a crisp winter night. Not only will you drive 6,000 feet up Blackcomb Mountain on a guided group tour, you’ll also celebrate your glamorous arrival at the Crystal Hut with a decadent fondue dinner.

Whether you imagine this four-hour round-trip excursion playing out to Wham’s “Last Christmas” or Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” it is unquestionably cheesy—in a winning way.

A quintessential B.C. adventure, the Crystal Hut Fondue by Snowmobile experience has delighted thrill-chasing foodies for more than 20 years. It’s a perfect climax to your day of snow sports at Whistler Blackcomb, which is home to 8,171 acres of skiable terrain as Canada’s largest ski resort.

After absorbing a safety briefing and tutorial on snowmobile driving, you can pop on your full-face helmet and get ready to rock. Breathing fresh air beneath a star-dotted sky, you’ll zoom up a forested trail at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour, catching magical glimpses of the Whistler Village lights flashing between powder-dusted pines.

Travelling with your group into the high alpine in a single-file parade, you’ll quickly get the knack of navigating your snowmobile around tight bends and through heavy snowdrifts. The journey offers a fun way to forge bonds with friends and family, whether you all live for helicopter and jet-ski thrills or are complete adrenaline newbies. (Drivers must be 19 or over with a valid licence, but passengers on two-up snowmobiles can be as young as five.)

When you reach the Crystal Hut, a feast of food and music awaits. Relish the warmth in the rustic wood-panelled room as you dip fresh-baked crusty bread into a gooey, mouthwatering fondue that blends emmental and gruyere. Local charcuterie with cured meats and artisan cheeses augments the spread, along with pan-roasted chorizo sausage and IPA bratwurst with Dijon. For vegetarians, tempting alternatives like plant-based Italian sausage and vegan chili are available.

Meanwhile, local musicians enliven the vibe with acoustic guitar-driven tunes. You just might find yourself singing along to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” or Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” In between songs, check out the deck to admire the panorama of moonlit glaciers, and the sight of Fitzsimmons Creek twisting between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.

If you feel a bit like a celebrity as you make your return descent, the sense is legitimate: by taking the tour, you’ve joined ski royalty Ashleigh McIvor, the 2010 Olympic women’s ski cross gold medalist; rock royalty in Kiss bassist Gene Simmons; and literal royalty in King Charles III.

Few winter activities deliver both a heart-stirring adventure and a hearty feed. This one overdelivers—in a winning way.

Tours run December through April. For more details, contact Canadian Wilderness Adventures.

Lift, Lodge, Lounge

If you’re extending your Whistler Blackcomb stay for more than just a snowmobile, the Epic Pass has become the most affordable way to hit the hills as day passes have climbed in price (though the Epic is only available for purchase until late November). Here’s what’s new to the program this year.

Friendly Discounts

Sure, a solo ski trip can be good for the soul, but so is sharing it with friends. This year, the pass includes six Epic Friend tickets, giving your fellow riders a half-price lift ticket for the day.

Sweet digs

You’ll get discounts on local stays: 20 percent off at Lodging Ovations properties including Legends Whistler, Evolution Whistler and First Tracks Lodge or 10 percent off Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Blackcomb Springs Suites and Pangea Pod Hotel.

A little more après

Get a post-snow discount at Crystal Hut, Glacier Creek Lodge, Rendezvous, Roundhouse, Chic Pea, Raven’s Nest, Garbo’s, Harmony Hut, Horstman Hut and Ollie’s Grilled Cheese.