Bc Interior Ski Areas Get Set For Major Expansions

[SkiFreak]

I don't know if this was brought on by the games in 2010, but a number of the ski areas in BC's interior will be undergoing major expansions in the near future. Here's some of the projects:

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

http://www.discoverrevelstoke.com/

This one may be bigger than Whistler! The resort is being built on Mount Mackenzie, basically taking over the current Powder Springs and Cat Skiing ski areas. When completed, the mountain will have the largest skiing vertical in North America with 6000 ft. This year they are putting in a high-speed quad chair and an 8-person gondola, with more lifts being ready for the 2008/09 ski season. In total, 20 lifts will service the mountain.

Mount Baldy

http://www.skibaldy.com/

Near, Oliver and Osoyoos, the mountain has announced they will be installing a quad chair this spring with more lifts to come.

Crystal Mountain

http://www.crystalresort.com/

Located in Westbank, Crystal is supposed to begin expansions this spring to an all-season resort with a golf course and more lifts.

Kelowna Mountain

http://www.kelownamountain.com/

Located in the Mission area of Kelowna, this is a brand new ski area that is being planned as part of a housing development.

[Guardian]

A bit of that is true, depending on what you believe. However, this winter season alone, the Calgary International Airport has been so busy with travellers from Europe wanting to see snow and ski on it. Some local tourist companies, groups and others in the tourism industry have said that they are "swamped" with them. The city cannot keep up with the demand. That is what happens, when you are marketed to be "the Gateway to the Canadian Rockies." Even some of the Hollywood stars that showed themselves at the Banff Springs for an environmental function last weekend has been reported to say that they enjoyed the skiing in the Banff and surrounding areas and they will return "discreetly" the next time.

As for the Revelstoke resort, don't laugh about this comment, but some have said that this first step could lead toward an Olympic bid by the town. If you think this is a joke, so be it. If I read some source, which I have forgotten but remembered "clearly", is correct, there was talk about Revelstoke wanting to set itself a bid for the Winter Olympics before Vancouver started to even discuss the issue, when Whistler was first created and christened then by another name by the late 1960s, I believe.

[SkiFreak]

As for the Revelstoke resort, don't laugh about this comment, but some have said that this first step could lead toward an Olympic bid by the town. If you think this is a joke, so be it. If I read some source, which I have forgotten but remembered "clearly", is correct, there was talk about Revelstoke wanting to set itself a bid for the Winter Olympics before Vancouver started to even discuss the issue, when Whistler was first created and christened then by another name by the late 1960s, I believe.

I'm actually not suprised. Revelstoke used to have ski jumps there. The old judging tower is still standing to this day but the jump itself is overgrown in brush. You can still see the judging tower from downtown. It's accessible from the Mount Revelstoke National Park Parkway. I think it's the first or second road to the right off the parkway. There'a an interpretive sign there and some hiking trails. Apparently some ski jump recrods were set there when the facility was still being used. It's an interesting place to vistit if you are in the Revelstoke area.

One thing I wouldn't mind seeing some of the ski areas getting involved in is ski jumping and sliding sports (bobsled/luge/skeleton). These are two areas Canada could build a bigger presence in. With all the expansions going on, I'm suprised that a mountain such as Big White hasn't built any facilities to accomodate these sports. I did hear that Big White was interested in building an arena for hockey though, to offer another place for practicing for 2010.

[mr.x]

A bit of that is true, depending on what you believe. However, this winter season alone, the Calgary International Airport has been so busy with travellers from Europe wanting to see snow and ski on it. Some local tourist companies, groups and others in the tourism industry have said that they are "swamped" with them. The city cannot keep up with the demand. That is what happens, when you are marketed to be "the Gateway to the Canadian Rockies." Even some of the Hollywood stars that showed themselves at the Banff Springs for an environmental function last weekend has been reported to say that they enjoyed the skiing in the Banff and surrounding areas and they will return "discreetly" the next time.

As for the Revelstoke resort, don't laugh about this comment, but some have said that this first step could lead toward an Olympic bid by the town. If you think this is a joke, so be it. If I read some source, which I have forgotten but remembered "clearly", is correct, there was talk about Revelstoke wanting to set itself a bid for the Winter Olympics before Vancouver started to even discuss the issue, when Whistler was first created and christened then by another name by the late 1960s, I believe.

Whistler was called Garibaldi.

[SkiFreak]

Whistler was called Garibaldi.

Garibaldi is a different mountain. It's closer to Squamish and it too had a proposed ski resort development for it. However I'm not sure if it is still going ahead or if it is dead.

[Guardian]

Thank you, mr.x, for giving me the former name of Whistler. I didn't want to embarrass myself in that regard.

As for Revelstoke, why did its ski-jump venue get abandoned? I hope it didn't go the way Thunder Bay went, when it lost its ski-jumping venue, too. And, to think and I believe, Thunder Bay hosted a Nordic Ski World Championships in the 1990s, just before that "sudden shutdown." Well, it is sad that Canada cannot get its act together to have such a facility maintained and/or upgraded to world standards. The one in Calgary is now so pathetic that it was even amazing that Canada qualified a couple of ski-jumpers and nordic combined athletes for Torino 2006. In fact, the Alberta government had to intervene "to save it" and preserve the continuing legacy of Canada's first Winter Olympics recently, despite having all sorts of money flowing into its coffers.

Anyway, we don't want to go overboard and building these kinds of venues "all over the place." Never mind about the possibility of the Quebec City area wanting to have these kinds of venues, too, leaving Canada with "a possible excess" of these like facilities.

Just for the sake of it, the British Airways direct flight between Calgary and London's Heathrow International Airport that got re-started just last month was an "exponential success." Hence, the reason for my previous post about the European tourists there. You see, if I read some of the related reports correctly and hoping not to boast about it, some travelers and the international tourism industry in general have been reported to be watching the British Airways' next moves in this regard. My local news has stated that the moves made by BA could have a domino effect. What they mean by that is that there could be other highly respectable international airlines in the world making their moves to have direct flights to Calgary because of its place in the world.

[SkiFreak]

Here's a pdf press release that was put out on January 16 by Revelstoke Mountain Resort:

http://www.discoverrevelstoke.com/pdf/news...ease_011607.pdf

[Guardian]

Seriously, how many different transport modes can a winter tourist use to get to the Revelstoke area? In an ignorant sense, I can only see that the town can only be accessed by road, whether by using private car or by bus coach. I would have thought that there would be passenger train service going through there as well.

[SkiFreak]

Seriously, how many different transport modes can a winter tourist use to get to the Revelstoke area? In an ignorant sense, I can only see that the town can only be accessed by road, whether by using private car or by bus coach. I would have thought that there would be passenger train service going through there as well.

I could see Rocky Mountaineer starting up trains to Revelstoke in the winter, like their Whistler Mountaineer.

[Guardian]

I could see Rocky Mountaineer starting up trains to Revelstoke in the winter, like their Whistler Mountaineer.

One would think so here. You see, I did check the Rocky Mountaineer website and found out that they "shut down" from January to March. I think it is ridiculous for them to continue with that course of action, considering that last year the Calgary International Airport received about 11 million passengers overall. Some of that in part to the Europeans that came in to the city directly via British Airways and Air Canada to see the scenery of the surrounding areas. That news was mentioned in my local news program. But, getting back here, what does the train station at Revelstoke look like now?

[SkiFreak]

One would think so here. You see, I did check the Rocky Mountaineer website and found out that they "shut down" from January to March. I think it is ridiculous for them to continue with that course of action, considering that last year the Calgary International Airport received about 11 million passengers overall. Some of that in part to the Europeans that came in to the city directly via British Airways and Air Canada to see the scenery of the surrounding areas. That news was mentioned in my local news program. But, getting back here, what does the train station at Revelstoke look like now?

I don't think they completely shut down for the winter every year but do limited runs, like three or four through the winter. I've seen video footage of their train heading through the Rockies when the mountains are covered in snow, It looks absolutely spectacular - they dfinitely need to expand their winter runs and this Revelstoke resort is a good reason to.

[Guardian]

I don't think they completely shut down for the winter every year but do limited runs, like three or four through the winter. I've seen video footage of their train heading through the Rockies when the mountains are covered in snow, It looks absolutely spectacular - they dfinitely need to expand their winter runs and this Revelstoke resort is a good reason to.

Well, with tourism at our part of the country increasing, there should be more modes of transport to take these tourists to places like Revelstoke. It would be total idiocy not to do so.

[SkiFreak]

I'm actually not suprised. Revelstoke used to have ski jumps there. The old judging tower is still standing to this day but the jump itself is overgrown in brush. You can still see the judging tower from downtown. It's accessible from the Mount Revelstoke National Park Parkway. I think it's the first or second road to the right off the parkway. There'a an interpretive sign there and some hiking trails. Apparently some ski jump recrods were set there when the facility was still being used. It's an interesting place to vistit if you are in the Revelstoke area.

I thought I'd post this for those interested, some history about the Revelstoke ski jump. It was open from 1915 up to 1974 when the last event was held there. here's some history about it on the National Park's website, it's an interesting read:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/revelstoke/na.../natcul13_e.asp

Here's the Revelstoke Nordic Club's website with history:

http://www.revelstokenordic.org/history.htm

Here's a nice big b&w pic of the jump:

http://www.revelstokenordic.org/images/skijump_big.jpg

Rossland also had a ski jump club. Anybody know where their jump was? on Red Mountain maybe?

I do hope they keep the jumps at Whistler after 2010 as an alternate training area to Calgary and to help promote the sport more.

[Guardian]

I do hope they keep the jumps at Whistler after 2010 as an alternate training area to Calgary and to help promote the sport more.

Well, the decision on that is not certain. At least, not a definitive one.

[mr.x]

I do hope they keep the jumps at Whistler after 2010 as an alternate training area to Calgary and to help promote the sport more.

me too. we'd be pissing away $50 million if we demolish it.

[Carnell]

Are you sure you guys arn't thinking about the municipality of whistler formerly being called Alta lake?

[SkiFreak]

From today's Province (Feb 28, 2007)

A 'banner year' for ski resorts

Extended season predicted due to phenomenal base

John Colebourn, The Province

Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007

As head of the Canada West Ski Areas Association, Jimmie Spencer lives and breathes snow.

These days he's in his glory, with B.C.'s ski resorts approaching record amounts of snow after a dismal 2004-05 season.

Full article: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...2a-baf69ece5cf7

On a side note. I found out that Mount Seymour used to have ski jumps!

[SkiFreak]

Yesterday I went skiing to Sun Peaks. Great hill if any of you haven't gone there yet. One of their perks they have is that you can ski with Olympian Nancy Greene. I did. Nancy is super nice and I had a good chat with her riding the chairlift back up the hill. Here's some more info if you want to ski with Nancy:

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/winter/skian...ancygreene.aspx

When I was a kid I used to be in the "Nancy Greene Ski League" so it was cool to finally meet her.

It was my first time skiing Sun Peaks. Awesome hill, however it was abnormally warm there yesterday. At the top of the Sunburst chair it was +11 deg Cel! Nancy said it was their warmest day so far this season however they are supposed to be getting a small cold spell over the next few days and some more snow. Sun Peaks is worth checking out if you are in the Kamloops area.

If anybody saw it on GlobalBC news a couple of weeks ago, the Austrian ski team is training up at Sun Peaks. The team has signed a five year contract with the mountain.

[Guardian]

At least, the Austrian ski team has confidence in Canadian ski runs, judging the way they are performing in this season's World Cup events in all alpine disciplines. But, the Canadian team was not shabby at all this year overall. Of course, that will depend on how well they do, without the added external pressures, toward Vancouver 2010.

[SkiFreak]

I've been checking some of the resort websites for updates. Some of the resorts are getting their first signs of snow. Mount Baldy, off the Crowsnest highway between Oliver and Osoyoos is a little behind with their new chairlift. They've got a webcam pointed at the new lift but it looks like the towers aren't up yet, just part of the base station.

Over in Revelstoke, progress is being made on the new Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Looks like they groomed the very bottom run and their new base area is taking shape. However, their website says that both their new lifts, the gondola and chair, won't be ready until December. They were originally supposed to be done it now in October.

Here's links for Baldy and Revelstoke:

http://www.skibaldy.com/

http://www.discoverrevelstoke.com/

I checked Big White's website the other day and they had what looked like maybe 5 or 6 cm of snow right in the village.

[mr.x]

^ same with Whistler.

[Guardian]

By the way, isn't BC going to build a brand new ski resort somewhere, but it is being met by opposition at this time?

[SkiFreak]

By the way, isn't BC going to build a brand new ski resort somewhere, but it is being met by opposition at this time?

Probably Jumbo Glacier near Panorama Ski Resort. Panorama is about halfway between the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort and Invermere. Supposedly the Canadian Ski Team already trains up on Jumbo in the summers.

Panorama:

http://www.panoramaresort.com/index.htm

Jumbo Glacier:

http://www.jumboglacierresort.com/

[Guardian]

Probably Jumbo Glacier near Panorama Ski Resort. Panorama is about halfway between the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort and Invermere. Supposedly the Canadian Ski Team already trains up on Jumbo in the summers.

Panorama:

http://www.panoramaresort.com/index.htm

Jumbo Glacier:

http://www.jumboglacierresort.com/

That's the name I was looking for. Thanks for the answer, SkiFreak.

[SkiFreak]

I read on one of our local news websites that Sun Peaks has 50 cm of snow and they are busy packing the runs. The Austrian team is going to be up there training again this year, starting around the beginning of November.