ATTENTION SNOW ADDICTS: WHISTLER BLACKCOMB CELEBRATES OPENING DAY WITH A COMPETITION TO END ALL COMPETITIONS
Two season passes, and a chance to head up the gondola first on Opening Day, up for grabs at first ever Whistler Blackcomb Opening Day Pass-a-mania

WHISTLER, BC, Tuesday, November 3, 2009 – If you’re the type that counts boards in your sleep, rather than sheep, gets uncontrollably giddy at the first sign of snowfall, and has been declared a snow addict by your family physician, then you may want to continue reading. Whistler Blackcomb is on the hunt for 20 of the most mountain-loyal male and female competitors in the region for the first ever Whistler Blackcomb Opening Day Pass-a-mania, to be held in the 24 hours preceding Opening Day.

Not one, but two season passes are at stake – one each for the top male and top female competitor – and the opportunity to ride the gondola first, on Opening Day. It’s easy, really. All you have to do is compete in a 24-hour battle of wits and attrition through more than 15 epic challenges. Win the challenges to win points. Get the most points and you’re skiing free this season.

When not competing in challenges, participants will be confined to a PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Sky Cabin stationed at the base of Whistler Mountain. With 20 people in such close proximity for 24 hours, will love blossom? Will pet peeves be ignited? Will our competitors succumb to the dreaded lack of sleep? You’ll want to head over to Whistler Mountain’s base on Opening Day to find out.

In order to get a shot at the gold, head to www.whistlerblackcomb.com, accept the rules and regulations and fill out the application form by Thursday, November 10. Then, Whistler Blackcomb will randomly select 20 competitors - 10 male and 10 female - to participate in Pass-a-mania.

It is up to Mother Nature to determine Whistler Blackcomb’s Opening Day. If the snow flies, this contest will throw down as early as 8 a.m, Friday November 20 or as late as 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 25. The day before Whistler Mountain officially opens, all 20 contestants will gather at the Whistler Village Gondola to begin their 24-hour crusade to the top. At the end of the competition, the male and the female with the most points will ride the first gondola up with the option of bringing along three pals each for the ride. All participants will have the chance to win a number of prizes, and will be able to bypass the lines and head up the gondola, right after the winners and their friends, on Opening Day.

Interested? Fill out the application at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/opening to let us know you want to be a part of Whistler Blackcomb’s Opening Day Pass-a-mania. Entrants who are chosen will be notified by e-mail with further instructions on how to proceed.

For more information on Whistler Blackcomb, including additional upcoming winter events for the 2009.10 season, head over to www.whistlerblackcomb.com. And, while you’re at it, visit our Twitter page at twitter.com/WhistlerBlckcmb for regular tweets about anything and everything Whistler. And, if you’re a local tweeter you may want to mark your calendar for November 26 because Whistler Blackcomb will be hosting its first Après TweetUp. Details on location and time will be released via our Twitter feed.

Consistently ranked as North America's top ski and snowboard resort, Whistler Blackcomb gets ready to welcome the world in 2010 as a host venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With uninterrupted skiing, riding and sightseeing available throughout the winter, season two of the highly acclaimed PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, and the best deals of the season guaranteed before November 15, Whistler Blackcomb continues to raise the level of mountain excitement for its guests. Located a scenic two-hour drive north of Vancouver, Canada up the spectacular, newly-finished Sea to Sky Highway, this resort is home to Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, which boast one vertical mile of incredible skiing and riding. With over 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, 200 trails, and 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, the choices of where and what to ski/ride at Whistler Blackcomb from beginner to advanced terrain are staggering. Joined at the base by a vibrant pedestrian village filled with award-winning après bars, restaurants, patios, cafes, shops, galleries and spas, and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, this four-season resort is spectacular. For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

About Intrawest
Intrawest is a leader in the development and management of experiential destination resorts. The Company has interests in a network of resorts at North America’s most popular mountain destinations including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world. In addition, Intrawest markets and sells real estate at its resorts in North America and at other third-party locations around the world. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia and is a portfolio company owned primarily by private equity funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com