A portion of the slopes near Whistler Blackcomb’s famed Peak Express will remain closed this ski season after a rockslide tumbled down the mountain in March.

Photos shared by the resort around the time of the rockslide showed a large debris pile to the looker’s right of Whistler Bowl. 

A representative for Whistler Blackcomb told the CBC that the Peak Express is still expected to run this season, making alpine terrain accessible, including Symphony, The Saddle, Peak to Creek, and areas adjacent to the closure.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

The closed terrain stems from “necessary mitigation work,” the rep said, which is expected to continue in summer 2027.

“This decision is based on expert recommendations,” they said, adding that they will implement additional safety measures around Whistler Peak.

The rockslide first prompted the closure of the Peak Express and Whistler Peak on March 12, 2026, when part of the mountain cleaved away early that morning before the resort opened to the public. No one was injured.

Get More of Our News on Google

Set The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

Afterward, in a video shared on social media, the resort said the Whistler Blackcomb patrol team was working with geotechnical experts from BGC Engineering—an applied earth sciences consulting firm—and “assessing the situation.”

The Peak Express reopened on March 22, but part of the terrain it accesses remained closed. 

Whistler Blackcomb reported further rock movement in the area in May, the CBC reported. 

A rep said that, according to preliminary assessments, this was likely the result of “hangfire,” an unstable section of rock fractured during the initial slide that later shifted as snow melted and temperatures rose.

“Additional movement … was anticipated as part of this natural process,” the rep said.

Last month, the Daily Hive reported that British Columbia’s permafrost is melting as the planet warms.

Speaking with the outlet, Joseph Shea, a professor of environmental geomatics at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), explained that permafrost acts like a glue holding some pieces of the mountains together.

He said that as permafrost thaws upward in the mountains, rockfalls and landslides will become more common.

Another expert, Pierre Friele, attributed the Whistler rockslide to “unfavorable bedrock structure,” with a period of intense cold acting as a likely trigger, according to the CBC.

On the Whistler side of Whistler Blackcomb, the Peak Express is a key lift, providing access to some of the resort’s most consequential terrain. It hosts Air Jordan, a two-stage cliff that’s seen countless memorable lines over the years—plus many more runs that test skiers’ mettle.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

Related: Against All Odds, Mt. Rose Did It Again: Opening Day Conditions Report