If you live in Whistler then chances are good that you have raced some friends from the peak to the creek. Different variations exist between different posses; some are no-holds-barred chinese downhill, some have no set course, and some end only after a beer at Dusty’s has been finished, but all are as epic as the next. The Peak to Valley Race is the official version of this age-old competition.
Sponsored by Jose Cuervo, the Peak to Valley Race starts below the Saddle in Glacier bowl, zooms under the Peak Chair and along skiers left of the Reservoir. It follows Old Man, Upper Franz and Lower Franz, merging with the Lower Dave Murray at the top of the pitch and ends at Dusty’s in Creekside. Co-ed teams of 4 race on Friday and Saturday (2 team members race each day) in hopes of claiming ultimate and prestigious victory.
This year, Unofficial Whistler has teamed up with Peak to Valley legend Kyle Lobisser and veteran Kristen Sblendorio to take on the greatest leg workout of the season. The Peak to Valley race has a vertical drop of 1,443 metres, with 180 gates and a course that’s over 5 km long. That’s compared to the average GS race that consists of 35 gates and drops 250 vertical metres. Take that Lindsay Vonn.
Above is a short video of last year’s Peak to Valley festivities. Stay tuned this year to see daily edits from the race and scenes of general fun in Whistler.