Franz’s Chair Opening Dates
Franz’s Chair is an opening-day lift at Whistler Mountain in most seasons, appearing in every published opening-day list from 2018-19 through 2024-25. Oddly, its record later in the season is patchier — it has been closed through mid-winter in some years.
Where Franz’s Chair sits in the opening order
Franz’s is a slow fixed-grip triple on the Creekside side of Whistler Mountain, serving Franz’s Run and the lower Dave Murray Downhill corridor.
It has an unusual profile: reliably part of the opening-day package, yet frequently closed in mid-winter. Whistler Blackcomb’s own archived status data shows it open through December 2023 but closed on every check between January and March 2023. The most likely explanation is that it is run as an overflow and early-season lift rather than a core part of the network, and staffed when demand or conditions call for it.
Treat it as likely open on your first day of the season and genuinely uncertain in February.
Franz’s Chair at a glance
| Lift type | Three-person fixed-grip triple |
|---|---|
| Built | Sources conflict — either 1993 by Poma, or 1998 using the relocated 1986 Peak Chair triple |
| Vertical rise | 272 m |
| Length | 1,150 m |
| Ride time | About 11 minutes |
| Capacity | 1,405 people per hour |
| Terrain served | Franz’s Run and the lower Creekside and Dave Murray Downhill area, below treeline |
| Speed | 2 m/s — one of the slowest rides at the resort |
Historical opening dates
Whistler Blackcomb does not publish a per-lift opening archive, so these dates come from the resort’s own Terrain Alert announcements and from archived snapshots of its lift status feed.
| Season | Opened | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 22 November 2018 | Opening-day lift |
| 2022-23 | 24 November 2022 | Opening-day lift — but closed on every check from January to March 2023 |
| 2023-24 | 23 November 2023 | Opening-day lift; still running in late December |
| 2024-25 | 22 November 2024 | Opening-day lift |
| 2026-27 | 20 November 2026 expected | Target opening day |
What Franz’s Chair needs to open
Franz’s sits low on the mountain, so it depends on the lower runs filling in. It benefits from the resort’s snowmaking on the Dave Murray Downhill corridor, which is why it can run on opening day when other low-elevation terrain cannot.
What to expect for 2026-27
Whistler Blackcomb has confirmed a target opening day of Friday 20 November 2026, conditions permitting.
Treat every date on this page as a planning window rather than a fixed commitment. Lift openings are decided on the morning, on the basis of snow depth, avalanche control work, wind and visibility.
When does Franz’s Chair close?
Franz’s runs to the end of Whistler Mountain’s season in principle, but given its patchy mid-season record it is worth checking the lift status on the day rather than assuming.
Common questions
When does Franz’s Chair open at Whistler?
It is an opening-day lift in most seasons, appearing in every published opening-day list from 2018-19 to 2024-25. For 2026-27 expect 20 November.
Why is Franz’s Chair sometimes closed mid-season?
Whistler Blackcomb’s own status records show it closed on every check between January and March 2023 despite being an opening-day lift that season. It appears to be operated as an early-season and overflow lift rather than a core part of the network.
How slow is Franz’s Chair?
It is a fixed-grip triple running at 2 m/s, taking about 11 minutes for 272 m of vertical. It is one of the slowest rides at the resort.