Whistler Trip Planner - to maximize time/skiing/$

Whistler prohibits overnight parking in the day lots during the winter, but I've seen cars left overnight in the back of Lot 5 (nearest to the creek) as well as against the walls in Lot 4. Maybe they got tickets, but they sure weren't towed. In the non-winter months, you can park for up to 72 hours for free in Lot 4 & 5.

The Conference Center and Library garages offer $5 overnight parking, but I don't know how they'd handle someone sleeping in their vehicle: www.whistler.ca/services/transportation/parking

You can park on the even-numbered sides of the streets in the subdivisions between 5pm-9am M-F (and from 5pm F until 9am M), but those spots are hard to come by and I wonder if the RCMP would pay you a visit. Your best bet is probably looking for something just outside of town (e.g. a TH, sno-park equivalent, etc.). I second the suggestion to PM Silas.

As for day parking suggestions in Whistler, depending on when you get up there in the morning and where you want to ski, I suggest parking either at Creekside or Base II. The former gets you on the hill faster and helps you beat traffic on the way out (assuming you skip apres). The latter allows you to ski right back to your car, a rare delicacy at Whistler.

I have a vague memory that Zap, who is known to do some ski-bumming via camper van, may have some thoughts on this matter too - might be worth a PM to him as well.

Any tips on hotels that allow cancellation within a few days for no (or minimal) fee? Hotels are looking quite full this year (due to the exchange rate, I assume) so I'd like to pre-book if possible, but everything I'm seeing is full charge if cancelling within 14 or 21 days. (I think the reason is obvious, but if not: I have flexibility on the timing and don't want to go if conditions will suck).

Book it! The odds of things really sucking up there when there's already a huge base in the middle of winter are quite slim. I'm sure you know it, but it is a big mountain that has north facing, south facing, west facing, east facing slopes from 2,200' to 7,400'. You will find something good somewhere. That's one of the reasons it's full. I just got back from 10 days in Colorado and we found very little powder, we had freeze - thaw conditions - but still had a great time because we had our choice of several areas, and tried to be at the right place in the right time.

If your willing to commute a little - Squamish would be the best possible last minute...even Whistler reservations can get you last minute rooms...I didnt do my last trip final till three days prior to arrival...but then I'm willin to stay in a nice room once in a while...though the basement parking is kinda expensive these days.  Squamish is only 30 minutes out...or options can be found north in Pemberton - much less traffic from that direction.

^^^^ and you an stay in Squamish for WAY cheaper.