BC Slopes For Ski Season

For those headed to the Northwest, here’s some pre-season news: (my favorite hotels in the region are the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Fairmont Vancouver Airport- remember Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games)

Whistler Blackcomb Promises a December Debut – PEAK 2 PEAK: Groundbreaking.  Innovative.  An engineering marvel.  Few projects can share such accolades – even fewer can live up to them.  This winter, Whistler Blackcomb’s highly anticipated PEAK 2 PEAK gondola, a daring venture that will unite the two towering mountain peaks that define this destination, is ready to take on that challenge.  Set to revolutionize visitor experiences on the mountain, PEAK 2 PEAK will make its ski season debut December 12 – an unveiling poised for the record books.  Need some stats?  How about 17 (the number of engineers dedicated to the project), 4,344 (the total cubic metres of concrete utilized in the construction), and 28 (the line-up of Swiss-designed Sky Cabins that will boast a bird’s eye view of Fitsimmon’s Valley at 436 metres or 1,430 feet below – the highest lift of its kind).  If those figures fail to impress, then take a moment to mull the expanse to be traversed.  Spanning 4.4 kilometres (2.73 miles) in total distance from mountain to mountain, the Doppelmayr 3S tri-cable gondola promises the world’s longest unsupported span of 3.024 kilometres (1.88 miles) between the furthest length of the two towers.  Total ride time is 11 marvel-filled minutes, with a lift capacity of 4,100 passengers per hour.  And did we mention that two of the Sky Cabins boast glass bottoms?  You’ll be hard pressed to keep your eye to the sky with the views, literally, underfoot.  And while winter will welcome skiers with greater access and even more opportunity to carve tracks in a single day, summer is sure to prove no less spectacular.  Either way, Whistler Blackcomb is set to soar.  PEAK 2 PEAK.  www.whistlerblackcomb.com/peaktopeak

 

At Silver Star Mountain Resort, sights are best seen Cross Country: In BC’s Thompson Okanagan, powder-packed vistas and plenty of cool terrain make for a memorable season on the snow.  And who better to lead the way than the team at Cross Country Ski Camps, a Silver Star Mountain Resort institution recognized for setting nordic skiers on the right track for over 21 years. The goal?  To elevate one’s ability by blending the latest in teaching techniques (classic or skate) with some of the country’s finest topography.  After all, Sovereign Lake and Silver Star are home to the trails that will welcome competitors during the 2011 World Masters Cup.  Set to hit the tracked trails November 29 – December 7, Silver Star’s camps will bring on board a mix of fresh tutors blended with a few seasoned favourites during adventures which include Weekend Warrior, a two-day outing that features 2.5 hours of instruction each day, video analysis and an opportunity to stretch your legs beyond the trails.  For those eager to take it up a notch, Weekend Warrior Plus adds an afternoon session on the track.  Mad Max level?  Go the Distance Faster, Higher, Stronger is a seven-day dedicated program which includes daily instruction, yoga, a stretching session, massage and a National Ski Dinner and Auction. (Go the Distance Plus adds, brace yourself, even more with afternoon sessions on the skis.)  There’s even incentive to gather the gals for Chicks on Sticks – your pick of any of the programs above, coached by women, for women.  All packages feature full programs, on-snow instruction, meals to fuel the fire and plenty of one-on-one time with your coaches.  So suit up.  It’s time to hit the track.  www.xccamps.ca    

 

It’s a New Day (Lodge) at Cypress Mountain:  If settling in to savour a steaming mug of hot chocolate after one final run, or pulling up a chair for an afternoon of après indulgement, complete with a view of the slopes, sounds like your kind of ski day, then perhaps it’s time to re-discover Cypress Mountain.  Situated just 30 minutes from Vancouver’s bustling hub, this North Shore gem promises to open the doors to another season this winter in more ways than one.  Cypress Creek Lodge, a newly constructed 48,000-square-foot timber frame day lodge nestled between the Eagle Express and the new Lions Express quad, will house it all for skiers and boarders in the heart of the mountain.  Featuring a large main floor family restaurant, space for corporate convening and a roomy bar and grill overlooking Cypress’s Super Pipe, some might be hard pressed to leave their cosy corner, and that frothy hot chocolate, for yet another run.  That is until the temptation to take on the same slopes that will host the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding events for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games takes hold.  Indeed, Cypress has been luring adventurists for years, thanks to a host of on-mountain “mosts” – including vertical drop, varied terrain and lifts on the highest skiing and riding peak of Vancouver’s legendary North Shore Mountains.  And should your pursuits be less vertically inclined, Cypress caters to cross country fans with over 19 kilometres of groomed ski tracks (seven lit for night skiing) and an ample network snowshoeing trails.  That is if you can fight the temptation to pull up a chair to sip and savour…and take in the view.  www.cypressmountain.com

 

New Air Service = More Play Time on BC’s Powder-Packed Slopes: Getting to the snow just got a whole lot easier, thanks to new direct air service between Salt Lake City and the Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, BC.  On December 17, Delta Airlines will ready the runway for its first direct flight to the Kootenay Rockies destination – and that means easier access to BC’s bountiful snow at family-favourites Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and Fairmont Hot Springs.  An added bonus?  With Fairmont and Fernie just a 60 minute jaunt away and Kimberley even closer at a mere 20 minutes from the Cranbrook airport, one can fly the friendly skies and buckle the bindings all in one day.  And that’s just the beginning.  For the ultimate road trip, hit the Powder Highway, a scenic circle tour that links some of BC’s best alpine resorts, and the ideal route for discovering even more Kootenay Rockies gems.  Whitewater Ski Resort, Red Mountain Resort, Panorama Mountain Village, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and of course Fernie, Fairmont and Kimberley – along with over 50 backcountry operators offering snow-cat skiing, heli skiing, backcountry touring and nordic adventures – can all be found along the Powder Highway.  Add in fun activities like dog sledding, snowshoeing and igloo dinners, and you’ll understand why the Powder Highway is travelled by devotees the world over.  And why not?  With the world’s highest concentration of powder possibilities like these all wrapped up in one great destination, you’re no more than a flight, a shuttle and a shush away.  www.kootenayrockies.com; www.powderhighway.com; www.skifernie.com; www.skikimberley.com

 

Big White Brings on Big Family Fun in BC: With a host of excursions and shin-digs geared for all ages, Big White Mountain Resort beckons Mom, Dad and even the smallest skier to its family-friendly slopes.  Indeed, with the resort’s abundant lineup of outdoor play, Big White has carved its niche as a kiddie haven, with plenty to keep the folks equally amused.  Here’s a snapshot: Mom and Me and Dad and Me offer a cool way for the young ones to carve their first tracks.  With either parent at their side, these two-hour, semi-private lessons beginning December 7 (Sundays only) supply Mom and Dad with some helpful tips, while utilizing games and fun activities as part of the instruction.  Free Ride Parents allows the folks to tag along with their speed-loving young ‘uns – and mingle with like-minded parents – accompanied by a pro.  Available January and March, only one challenge will be remain: try to keep up.  For entertainment off the slopes, there’re plenty of distractions to tempt at the Happy Valley Day Lodge.  Wii Nights, Big White Idol, roaring bonfires complete with steaming hot chocolate at the Happy Valley Tube Park and even a Carnival Night capped off with fireworks will gather the gang together for a bit of family folic.  And let’s not forget our tiniest tykes, sure to be well taken care of, thanks to a newly expanded daycare centre, now doubled in size, allowing for greater access and improved programs.  Big, small…and everyone in between.  It’s one big family adventure.  www.bigwhite.com  

 

Have a Hankering to Heli-ski?  Head to Northern BC: With a region that encompasses more than half the land mass in Canada’s westernmost province, and showcases some pretty gnarly mountain terrain in the process, Northern British Columbia is a heli skier’s powder dream.  Don’t know where to start?  Bring on the grit…we’ll point the way.  Follow the signs to Last Frontier Heliskiing; whether it’s a first venture or an annual pilgrimage to Northern BC, Last Frontier Heliskiing prides itself on offering flexible (and fabulous) adventure.  Based from two Northern BC locations – Bell 2 Lodge, on the remote Stewart-Cassiar Highway and The Ripley Creek Inn in Stewart – Last Frontier brings on the powder with three to seven day all-inclusive tours.  Still have a taste for the steep and deep?  Make your way to Skeena Heliskiing, just north of Smithers, and learn first-hand that size does matter.  Skeena Heliskiing supplies the adrenalin with the use of either a B2 or Bell 407 helicopter, selected for their exceptional lift and smaller size, guaranteeing a personalized adventure on the horizon. With a ratio of five skiers to one guide (maximum), it’s all about a little one-on-one with the mountain, Skeena-style.  No matter your choice, one thing is certain: For an exhilarating heli-ski excursion, head to Northern BC.  And take to the sky.  www.lastfrontierheli.com; www.skeenaheliskiing.com

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