Revelstoke Ski Resort
Hot on the heels of the success of Kicking Horse, 2007 saw the first season of Canada’s new ski resort, Revelstoke. Canada is managing to export one natural resource more successfully then ever – the cold. Global warming is making conditions further south more and more unreliable, making Canada an attractive option for winter sports facilities. (The next resort proposed is the Jumbo Glacier Resort, though this has run into hot opposition from environmentalists).
At Revelstoke amazingly the developers only needed one summer to start putting (as they famously put it at a meeting with local residents) ‘iron on the hill’. The old ski area of Powder Springs was completed refurbished and vastly expanded. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2012, when the aim is for 20 lifts reaching nearly 140 trails. Accommodation in the ski-village will consist of over 2000 hotel units, and 1500 condominiums.
Now into its second year, the actual figures are 5 lifts and 32 runs. Though the resort’s motto, ‘The Longest Skiable Vertical in North America’ is already true – skiing off the summit all the way to the bottom comprises more than a vertical mile. Revelstoke also claims to be the only resort in the world offering lift-skiing, cat-skiing and heli-skiing straight from the ski-village. (Though I’m personally sure this phrase as a selling point is a complete blunder, sounding <i>terribly</i> anti-green, and should be dropped).
When you ski Revelstoke BC you’ve got some terrific skiing in prospect.
There is a small space set aside for Beginners with a magic walkway lift, located above the Day Lodge. The well-reputated ski school runs comprehensive beginners lessons, and should have you skiing down the green Long Spike run (in total 8 miles in length, but you can join near the end) within a few days,
The choice for Intermediates is better, with a number of exhilirating runs. Particulary gripping is Critical Path, off the summit station.
Experts love Revelstoke. There are 4 brilliant bowls to choose from. North Bowl can be reached from a lift, but the other 3 need a Cat ride, of a bit of a hike.
Accommodation is all in nearby Revelstoke town. It’s a pretty town some attractive Victorian buildings, well known for the friendliness and welcome of the locals. Interesting shops, cool coffee bars and enjoyable restaurants are all located in town. If you’ve young kids, be sure to visit the salt-water aqua center, which features slides and rapids.
Best Ski Resorts’s (from 100BestEverything) rating (out of 5 stars) 5-expert,3-intermediate,2-beginner.
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