Whistler Blackcomb Ranked as No. 1 Ski Area in North America

Whistler Blackcomb Tops SKI Magazine Readers Poll of Top 60 Resorts

WHISTLER, BC, Oct. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. announced today that Whistler Blackcomb has been named the No. 1 overall ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine. The 26th annual readers' poll ranks the top 60 North America ski resorts in SKI Magazine's Resort Guide, hitting newsstands yesterday. The survey of 20,000 SKI readers is the longest running and most comprehensive survey of its kind in the winter sports industry.

"It's an incredible honour to be ranked the No. 1 overall mountain resort by the readers of SKI Magazine," says Dave Brownlie, President and COO at Whistler Blackcomb. "SKI Magazine's rankings come as very high accolades because they reflect the discerning views of skiers from across North America. Our consistent and reliable snowfall, and size and variety of our natural terrain combined with first-rate customer service make our guests' experiences at Whistler Blackcomb one of the best in the industry. We are looking forward to delivering another award winning experience again this winter."

Along with being named the No. 1 overall resort, Whistler Blackcomb ranked highly in many other individual categories, including ranking No. 1 overall in Terrain Variety, and No. 2 overall in Service, Lodging, Après, Off Hill Activities, and Digital Presence. Whistler Blackcomb also placed in the top five resorts for Challenge of Terrain, Lifts, On-Mountain Food, Dining, Scenery, Terrain Parks, and Overall Guest Satisfaction.

ABOUT WHISTLER BLACKCOMB HOLDINGS INC. Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. owns a 75% interest in each of Whistler Mountain Resort Limited Partnership and Blackcomb Skiing Enterprises Limited Partnership, which, together, carry on the four season mountain resort business located in the Resort Municipality of Whistler, British Columbia.  Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the Olympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America's premier four-season mountain resort, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain are two side-by-side mountains, connected by the world record-breaking PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which combined offer over 200 marked runs, over 8,000 acres of terrain, 14 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receive on average over 1,192 centimetres (469 inches) of snow annually, and offer one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WB".  For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcombholdings.com.

SOURCE: Whistler Blackcomb

Jeremy Roche
Senior Manager, Investor Relations 
Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc.
[email protected] 
604-938-7376