I woke up feeling dejected by the ski industry this morning. I wasn’t sure if it was because it’s been raining in Bend for three straight days, because I went for a seven mile tour in said rain that made me question if I even like ski touring, or because of the ongoing Ski Patrol strike at Park City Mountain Resort.
Then I saw a real estate listing selling a PARKING SPOT for $70K+ USD in Whistler.
Yup. You read that right. Whistler Real Estate Company has a listing for a parking spot at the Glacier Lodge, which is close to Blackcomb Mountain and Blackcomb Gondola, listed for $110K CAD, or $76K USD.
It’s literally just a parking spot. Roughly 350 square feet of concrete, in a parking garage, and nothing else. $76k is enough money to pay ski town rent for like 3 years, or roughly 46 Jackson Hole season passes (with blackout dates), or 107-ish pairs of powder skis.
Photo: Whistler Real Estate Company
The listing reads: “Never have to deal with the headache of looking for parking when you go skiing, hiking, or biking. Don’t miss out on the fresh powder because you had to drive around to find a parking spot! Here is your opportunity to purchase a fully secure, underground parking stall in the Glacier Lodge, just steps from the base of Blackcomb Mountain and the Blackcomb Gondola. This parking stall is conveniently located by the secure exit making it easy access to start your day.”
Literally the only way my brain made sense of this was to think, well, if you lived in a van that didn’t need plug-ins, it could be kind of cool given that van-living in Whistler can be a bit tough with parking, but even then, $70,000???? Just to have a place to put your van? Which isn’t even a house?
The cost of skiing these days is already prohibitively expensive for a lot of people. Gear, travel, lodging, ticket prices— don’t even get me started on trying to live in a ski town (or do, and I’ll tell you about losing my housing overnight and living in my truck)— are all crazy expensive.
Not to knock anyone’s ski abilities, but I have a hard time believing that the folks who are buying $70,000 parking spots are the same people getting up at the crack of dawn to wait for first chair, or skiing powder until the lifts close no matter how tired and cold they are.
Photo: Whistler Real Estate
So many facets of ski culture are based on the folks who will do anything to make living in the mountains work. There are certainly plenty of issues with this culture (watch Aspen Extreme if you never have), but it still feels rooted in a pure love for skiing and being outside.
If somehow, you’re the person thinking about dropping $70K on a parking spot, I implore you to try waking up a bit earlier and carpooling with your friends to get fresh tracks on a pow day. Spend that money tipping mountain town service industry folks, ski instructors, donating it to an adaptive sports program, some patrollers in need, or an environmental non profit.
Skiing doesn’t need more things driving up the cost these days. It needs more passion and more compassion to keep the essence of the sport alive.
Related: The 6 Coolest Ski Top Sheets of 2024
Be the first to read breaking ski news with POWDER. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing. From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers, we are committed to keeping you informed.
