The famous Olympic track at the Whistler Sliding Centre was constructed for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. You can simply take a tour and soak up the atmosphere, or if you book ahead, you can enjoy an exhilarating ride down the track itself.
The track has been cleverly designed to have as little environmental impact as possible, and its location on the southeast slope of the Blackcomb Mountain in the Fitzsimmons Valley also regulates ice maintenance. There is a developed infrastructure around the centre which includes road access, although a large number of preserved trees help to keep the natural feel.
As one of the very few sliding tracks in the world, the Whistler Sliding Centre is understandably popular, and hosts a number of different sliding events. If there is an official competition taking place during your visit, you are welcome to stay and watch, but may be required to pay a small additional fee.
Running from December to March, the public sliding programmes allow visitors to take an adrenaline-packed ride down the track with a professional as your pilot. The really brave can go alone on a head-first Skeleton Slide, although you won’t go quite as fast as the 125 kilometres per hour that you will reach on a bobsleigh. Taking the ride with a skilled professional means you won’t be going at the same incredible speeds as the athletes themselves, but still fast enough to get a thrill!
If you’re visiting in the summer, you can take a free, self-guided tour along the track, and learn about its history and the lives of the athletes as you go.
Located 1.6 kilometres from Whistler Village, you can get to the Whistler Sliding Centre by car or on the public WAVE bus that will take you directly there. If you’re visiting in winter, then take a ride on the Blackcomb Excalibur Gondola which will give you a scenic ride all the way to Base II, from which you can walk to the centre.
If you want to take a ride, then you must call ahead and reserve, especially if you’re in a group. When taking the tour, keep an eye out for bears!
