Sno Limo - Skiing for Non-Skiers
Whistler-Blackcomb Resort showcases a way for non-skiers/riders to get the big mountain ski and snowboard experience.
For those who can't or won't ski or snowboard, Whistler Resort Blackcomb's Sno Limo has created a sage, fun way to slide down the slopes.
Ever wanted to try skiing or snowboarding but were afraid? Or perhaps you or a friend are physically unable top ski or snowboard?
Here's an answer for you.
Sno-Limo—a limo service for the slopes, offred at Whistler Blackcomb Resort in British Columbia.
Indeed, if boarding requires a bit too much bravado, or skiing proves a tad heavy on the technical, then Sno-Limo is just the mode of transport for you.
New to the resort last season, Sno-Limo provides its participants the opportunity to experience a snowy mountain trail (or two), and a flurry of slope-side scenery aboard a customized, non-motorized sled. This fast-moving adventure sees the rider secured to a surprisingly comfy chair on skis that is driven by, you guessed it, a trained chauffeur.
And the best part? You won’t need to muster the style or grit of an Olympian to make some tracks. With the Sno-Limo excursion, you can check your desire for challenge at the door and focus on one the ride—and the incredible scenery.
Sno-Limo’s one-hour Bronze Tour includes a ride up the Peak Chair and a glide down Whistler Mountain. The Gold excursion includes a rider’s choice of vistas on either Whistler or Blackcomb during a three-hour session. Their Platinum Tour brings a full day (five hours) on the mountain.
Approximately 15 percent of Whistler winter visitors don’t ski or snowboard. The idea came for this Sno Limo service "came from my brother, who is the president of the company and has 20 years of experience as a ski instructor, the last 10 of them in Whistler," Guy Auger told Pique Newsmagazine’s Andrew Mitchell last year. "There are a few types of person we can see using this service. There are people who can’t ski and would like a tour of the mountain, and we can take them to the most scenic places as well as give them a sense of the history and ecological makeup of the area. Then there are people that come here with a group of skiers, who don’t ski themselves and want to be able to keep up."
The Augers’ mother was used to test the prototype of the sled, according Pique. By using the service she was able to come up the mountains and watch her grandchildren ski.
The sleds are designed to be easily loaded and unloaded from chairlifts, using the same basic principles as adaptive skiing devices, Pique reported. They are also designed to be stable, easy to steer and easy to stop for the chauffeurs.
So—no more excuses for failing to discover the great thrill of downhilling, eh?
