Winter In Canada – Snowmobiling In Whistler

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I don’t ski or snowboard. I’m not really a winter sports kind of person. Come to think of it, I’m not really much of a sports person at all. But I do love being outdoors, so British Columbia is the perfect playground. We have so many beautiful places to visit, both in summer and winter. But winter in Canada is something else.

I live in Vancouver, a city that has a temperate climate year round. We rarely get snow, it doesn’t often get too much below zero. All in all, it’s pretty nice living here when I see people digging their car out of snow in the winter in Canada, or places with snow in July. But if I do want snow, I don’t have to go too far to find it. Whistler is the perfect weekend getaway, day trip or longer vacation. And one of the fun activities for non skier/snowboarders like myself is snowmobiling.

What is snowmobiling?

A snowmobile is a motor vehicle for snow. It’s like a sled with a whole lot of power behind of it. Think of it like a jet ski but for snow instead of water. It’s a great way to get around the trails (or lack of them) in the winter, and fun as anything. Most snowmobiles can fit one or two people on comfortably so you can enjoy it even if you don’t want to drive it. Snowmobiles can be fast, I mean they are motor powered after all. You can get up to car speeds or higher on a snowmobile if you’re a) in a big open space; and b) comfortable doing that. If you want to have a go at snowmobiling, when’s better than winter in Canada? Whistler to be precise.

Do you need a license to snowmobile?

I can’t say for other places in the world where you might need a specific license, but in Whistler when we went snowmobiling we didn’t need a special license. We just needed to have a valid driver’s license. If you’ve suffered a winter in Canada you’re probably well versed on how to deal with snow on the roads and icy driving conditions anyway right? When we booked our trip, we did have to pay an additional collision coverage fee of about $20 for anyone driving on the vehicle. Although I would recommend if you’re traveling anywhere you should have your own personal travel insurance. Especially if you’re going to be taking part in potentially dangerous activities.

Is there a minimum age?

With the company we went with, Whistler Snowmobile, a driver had to be minimum 16 years old (license age). Although I would probably recommend older, unless a comfortable driver. For one, those snowmobiles are big and heavy to maneuver. Different companies have different age limits and some require drivers to be minimum 19 years old. We noticed that the minimum age to ride seemed to be about 5 years old. Obviously as a tandem rider. Some tours are more relaxed and for newer riders, and others are more for experienced snowmobile riders. Make sure you read the fine print with whatever company you book with if you’re worried about minimum age requirements.

What should I wear?

Dress as warmly as you can. You’re going to be outside for usually a minimum of 2 hours, and you can pick the sunniest winter day, but it’s still winter in Canada. Snow is cold and if you don’t dress warmly enough you will not be happy later on. Most of the companies recommend you wear the same kind of gear you would wear if going skiing or snowboarding. Thick ski jacket, snow pants and snow boots.

Snow is cold, but it also gets wet so proper snow gear is at least prepared for that and waterproof. A lot of the companies will have extra gear for you if you are missing pieces. I don’t ski so I didn’t have my own gear. I borrowed some from a friend, but got the snow boots at the snowmobile place before we set off. Again, best to check with the company you book with to see if they can provide any gear you might be missing.

How long are snowmobile tours?

That varies on a couple of things: the company you go with, and the tour you choose. Minimum tour length is about 2 hours, but you also usually have travel to and from the tour starting point. For our tour we started in Whistler village, and drove about 15 minutes to get to the trails where we would ride. We did a 2 hour tour since we’d never done this before and just wanted a taste of snowmobiling. But there are 3 hour tours or longer too. More experienced riders will perhaps look at the longer tours which will take you further. Then there are some “fancier” tours now which combine snowmobiling with other things. Like this fondue tour that includes a culinary element.

Is it always a guided tour?

Generally yes. Unless you’re really experienced and have your own snowmobile. The companies you book with in Whistler are providing the snowmobile, and since these are very expensive vehicles and potentially dangerous surroundings they want to make sure you, and the snowmobile are safe. For us as first time snowmobile riders we found it comforting having someone lead us, and we would follow. They will sometimes split the group if they need to by comfort level to make sure everyone is going to be going at a similar pace. Tours are not too big usually. We had about 8-10 people in our group, and since some were tandem riders that wasn’t more than about half a dozen vehicles plus the tour guide. Again, different companies, different times of day/year and different tours may vary.

How much is snowmobiling?

Pricing starts at around $99 CAD per adult, but again it varies by company, tour you take and if you ride solo or tandem. Most times it’s around $120-$150 CAD per person. Usually there are cheaper prices for children 12 and under, and you can sometimes find good deals for shoulder season. There will also be an additional cost for collision coverage per driver which, as I mentioned before, is about $20-$30 CAD.

It’s not a cheap activity, but there again neither is skiing or snowboarding The lift pass for the day is around this price. Whistler is a busy, tourist destination and all about the winter sports. The good news is you get a lot for this money – vehicle, gear if you need it and tour guide. If you want to snowmobile, this is the place to do it. Check out this tour on Viator, a great introductory snowmobile tour.

Do I need to stay in Whistler?

If you’re visiting from Vancouver, you can certainly fit in a snowmobile tour i on a day trip. Whistler is less than 2 hours drive from Vancouver, and I’ve often done the trip in a day. That said, to really enjoy Whistler I always recommend staying overnight. For one, there are lots of great restaurants to try. For another, some of the tours start earlier in the day or finish later so you don’t want to rush yourself. There are lots of other things to do in Whistler and if you only come for the day you might only get to do the tour and then have to leave.

I stayed at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in the Upper Village. It’s a lovely property, and a little more on the luxury side, but I get good deals with my job which I’m grateful for. There are cheaper options in the village like the Delta Whistler Village Suites, or the Crystal Lodge. And if you really want to keep within budget, there’s the Whistler Lodge Hostel, although it’s a little removed from Whistler and I’m not sure the snowmobile tours would pick up there. If there are a few of you, you can also look at getting an Airbnb condo or cabin too. Check out this post for more on spending a weekend or longer in Whistler, including places to stay, eat and other things to do.

Enough already, show me winter in Canada

OK so that should answer most of the practical questions you might have about snowmobiling. So how does the actual tour go? Well we took a morning tour, called Fresh Tracks. In short, you’re the first ones to go out on the snow for the day, creating the fresh tracks.

Transfer and gearing up

We were picked up from our hotel in Whistler village and took a bus to the start of the tour. There were a number of people there but when we arrived we kind of split up into different groups, each with our own tour guide. Dressed to the nines in my winter gear with my too big jacket that belonged to one friend, and my too big pants on loan from another. I looked like orphan Annie with hand-me-downs if Annie loved luxury winter activities. I borrowed the snow boats from the snowmobile company, and we were all ready to go.

Single rider or tandem?

Usually this is something you figure out in advance since it’s usually less money to be tandem riders (only one snowmobile between two people). I decided that I was happy being taken for a snowy ride around the Whistler mountains. I like driving but I wasn’t too comfortable being in charge of my own snowmobile on my first time out. Jeff was more than happy to be the driver, and I was happy to be the passenger. It worked out great.

We selected our vehicle (they’re pretty much all the same, no real selection process required other than getting in line). We met our tour guide for the trip, and learned the all important snowmobiling rules. Safety first, and of course how to start, stop and turn the machine. We all received a snug helmet for safety reasons, mounted our vehicles and off we went.

Incredible views of winter in Canada

We drove for a short distance with our tour guide leading the way. She was really good at checking we were all keeping a good pace and that everyone was comfortably adjusting to life in the snow lane. We stopped along the way a few times at various view points, each more impressive than the last.

We lucked out on a gorgeously clear, sunny winter’s day which just made it even more amazing. Take time to take great photos, but take equal time to actually enjoy the spectacularly unique vantage point you have. We were so high up over the valleys, with snow and mountains as far as the eye can see. Now that’s Canada.

Snack break

We rode up and up, around the trails, alongside edges you would not want to fall off of. The tour was not difficult to follow. There were twists and turns, but none too sharp. It was in large part long, straight “roads” through the trees. Just about halfway through our tour we pulled up to a wooden lodge. Now when I say lodge, it was basically a big hut in a clearing. We parked our vehicles, took off our helmets and ran inside to get warm.

There was a fire crackling in the corner, and we took a seat on the long wooden benches around the hut. Our tour guide gave us steaming cups of hot chocolate and warm cookies to snack on. Now this is a rest stop I can get behind. We talked about our journey so far with the rest of our group and our tour guide checked in to see how we were all finding it. Soon, we had to bid farewell to the warm hut and get back on our snowmobiles.

Journey through the trees

We took off on the vehicles, back in the cold, snow white day which was beginning to get a little cloudy. I was a little worried it would start actually snowing and then I’d get even wetter and colder, but luckily it held up until we got. There were a few flakes of snow as we drove, but not too much. The ride back was mostly downhill now, putting my nerves to the test as we sped along trails, narrowly missing trees.

Jeff was having the time of his life driving this thing and I was holding on for dear life. But it was fun, exhilarating and such an awesome thing to get to do. There were a couple more stops for photos and to take a rest, and admire the views. The second half of the tour, the way we went that day, was a little more covered by trees. The first part had been largely out in the open. But the route you will go will vary each time depending on snow dumping, and safety checks.

Back to base and end of the trip

We pulled into the parking lot area where we had started, and parked our snowmobiles. OK, so more like left them where we could find a space because it’s not like parking a car. But we made it back. A little cold, a little wet, and tired already considering it wasn’t even noon. We gave back our helmets and borrowed gear, and got back on to the bus. It had been a wonderful experience. Lots of fun, and a great Canadian activity. Winter in Canada has it’s perks. This was one of them. The bus took us back to Whistler village and dropped us off at our hotels. The tour was perfect for a beginner. Great tour guide, ample opportunity to enjoy the views, and the cookies were delicious!

Would I go snowmobiling again?

I would for sure go again. I would be interested in driving myself now I know a bit more what to expect. Although I’m also just as happy going tandem, especially if it makes it a little cheaper. The culinary tours sound fun, so I’d like to maybe do one of those to add a little something extra to the already phenomenal tour. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we first went snowmobiling but it was a really great morning, and I’m glad I got to try something new. Click here to book a 2 hour Wilderness Adventure snowmobile tour on Viator.

If you’ve enjoyed this post, leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you been to Whistler or spent time during winter in Canada? What’s your favorite winter activity?