Summer Training Camps On Hold At Whistler Blackcomb's Horstman Glacier

Disappointment struck skiers and snowboarders hoping to train on Whistler Blackcomb's Horstman Glacier this summer. The resort recently announced the glacier won't be open for training camps due to unfavourable snow conditions.

"We know these camps are a tradition for many, and this decision wasn't easy," said a Whistler Blackcomb spokesperson. "Unfortunately, this year's snowfall makes safe operations for summer camps impossible."

“Whistler Blackcomb is unable to host camps during the 2024 summer on the Horstman Glacier. This decision was not made lightly – we know these camps, and this experience, have a long history at our resort. Unfortunately, the conditions related to this season’s snowfall prevent summer camps to safely operate this year.”

This closure isn't unprecedented. The Horstman Glacier has faced challenges in recent years. Closures in 2020 and 2021 were primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, even before the pandemic, the resort struggled with consistent summer openings due to melting snow and glacier retreat.

The Horstman Glacier is a glacier located on Blackcomb Peak in Garibaldi Provincial Park. During the ski season at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, it is used for skiing and snow riding. It is one of two glaciers in North America used for summer skiing and riding.

The Horstman Glacier is the site of a pilot project developing methods to preserve glaciers.

• A blue wooden snow fence has been installed on the ridge above the glacier to trap snow.
• In 2015, four snowmaking machines ("snowguns") began adding more snow to the glacier during the winter.
• A 7.5-megawatt hydroelectric dam, installed in 2010, powers the ski resort and the snowmaking operations.

Glacier retreat

The Horstman glacier has receded substantially, with conditions deteriorating.[2] In 2020 the Horstman T-bar, a ski lift at Whistler Blackcomb operating since 1987, was closed down as the glacier receded.

Athletes and enthusiasts will have to look elsewhere for their summer training fix. Whistler Blackcomb is likely to offer updates on the glacier's future operations as the season progresses.