The old railroad town of Revelstoke, B.C., is surrounded by two iconic mountain ranges (the Selkirks to the east, and the Monashees to the west), making its snow-covered playground seem endless and attracting thousands of skiers, boarders and sledders each winter. With an annual snowfall of between 40 and 60 feet a year, it’s no wonder heli-skiing operations like Selkirk Tangiers, Mica Heli, Eagle Pass Heli Ski and CMH Heli have settled into the community.
One of Revelstoke’s newest neighbors is Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Back in 2005, the nascent resort purchased Powder Springs, a small local ski hill on Mount Mackenzie, just on the outskirts of town. Construction started quickly; the resort built a new lodge, expanded the ski hill, and built a village center at the base, complete with shops, condos, restaurants and even a heli-pad. The much-anticipated Revelstoke Mountain Resort opened for business in 2007, becoming the only resort in the world to offer lift, cat, heli- and backcountry skiing from one village base.
With two eight-passenger gondolas and two high-speed quads, it’s pretty easy to get around the resort’s 56 named runs. I don’t care how in-shape you are: Revelstoke’s 6,000 feet of verts will get your quads burning. One run, Golden Spike, is nine-and-a-half miles long!
Now, if you’re looking for a little backcountry experience, you can check out the Outdoor Centre, where you can hire a guide to show you the surrounding backcountry, or book an exciting heli- or cat skiing adventure with Selkirk Tangiers or Revelstoke Cat Skiing.
If you’re a serious sledder, you’ve probably already heard of Revy’s incredible snowmobiling terrain and the Great White North Bar and Grill, which is a sledder hangout
There’s plenty of good eats and lodging in the town, which sits right off the Trans-Canada highway. The Hillcrest Hotel was built with the skier in mind, with great food, incredible rooms, hot tubs and a pool. The Hillcrest is all about chilling at the end of the day — especially with a cold Tall Timber Ale from the local fave Mt. Begbie Brewing Co.
Welcome to Snowlander, Vol. III
Wow! What a November and early December this has been. While we’re less than a month into the season, many avid riders in the region are boasting double digits for their ski day totals with still many days (and months!) of winter left to go. How many do you have?
If coverage or conditions are your concern for having not clocked your first day, there’s no need to have this worry. Conditions and coverage are historically better than many can remember. All ski areas opened within a week of each other, and 100 percent of the terrain in the region is open. Many of the resorts opened earlier than they have in recent history. The rain during the last week of November actually helped the current snowpack, which is why area resorts are still boasting great coverage even without any recent snow. But keep in mind that it is still early season so remember to ski and board with care.
With the shortest day of the year almost upon us and a lingering high-pressure system, valley fog is masking the beautiful sunshiny days up in the mountains. Soon, the days will start to get longer, and we’ll be back to enjoying long afternoons full of sun.
The holiday season is in full swing and the Inland Northwest has the most epic start to the best time of the year — ski season. So what are you waiting for? Get up to the mountains and enjoy the snow, sun and laughter with fellow snow-riding enthusiasts.
Happy holidays and see you on the slopes!
Jen Forsyth
Snowlander Editor
[email protected]
