Whistler ski resort rockfall shuts peak express lift as crews assess damage on whistler peak

A rockfall on Whistler Peak has forced the closure of a major lift at Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.

The slide occurred early Thursday morning before the mountain opened to visitors, according to reports from CBC.

The rockfall took place near the Peak Express chair and spread across an area about 100 metres wide between the West Cirque and Monday’s ski runs.

Resort officials said no one was in the area at the time and no injuries were reported.

In a statement, Whistler Blackcomb confirmed the closure of both Whistler Peak and the Peak Express chair while crews assess the situation.

While the exact cause of the rockfall has not been confirmed, geologists say the region is known for geological activity.

Steve Quane, head geologist at the Sea to Sky Fire & Ice GeoRegion, told Pique News Magazine that the Sea to Sky corridor in British Columbia is among the most active landscapes in Canada because of tectonic forces that continue to push the mountains upward.

He said natural weathering processes also play a role in shaping the terrain.

“Freeze thaw weathering and gravitational instability are what make these jagged, beautiful peaks look the way they do and what happened on Whistler Peak today was a snapshot in geologic time where erosion won the war with uplift!” said Quane in an email to Pique.