|
|
 |
There are
5 Ski Resorts in the BC Rockies:
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ski Hills Area
Fairmont
Hot Springs Resort has downhill skiing and snowboarding, with
a vertical rise of about 985 feet (300 m), serviced by a T-bar and
rope tow. In addition, there are about 12 miles (20 km) of groomed
cross-country trails. The resort is located on Hwy 93/95 in the town
of Fairmont Hot Springs.
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is located at the foot of the spectacular
Rocky Mountains in the British Columbia Rockies, at the headwaters
of the mighty Columbia River. The ski lodge is warm and cozy, the
lounge has the best view in the world, the staff are friendly, the
atmosphere is great, and best of all, Fairmont skiers and hotel guests
get to relax and swim in Canada’s largest hot mineral pools at night
after a long day of skiing. Adjacent to the resort, a 2,000 m (6,200
ft) airport welcomes private and charter aircraft up to the Boeing
737.
Fernie Alpine Resort and Fernie/Elkford Area
The
craggy cleft of the Lizard Range above Fernie
Alpine Resort is often likened to an open catcher's mitt. The
sheer limestone faces tower above the lifts of the ski area, trapping
snow-laden storms and making Fernie
a must-ski on British Columbia's powder circuit, along with Whitewater
near Nelson and Powder King near Prince George.
On weekends, the parking lot will likely have about three cars bearing
Alberta plates for every one from British Columbia, as Fernie is well
patronized by skiers from Calgary, a three-and-a-half-hour drive away.
These savvy skiers have known about Fernie's bounty for years - photographers
regularly descend after a major snowfall to take those great magazine
cover shots.
The ski area rises about 3 miles (5 km) above the town of Fernie;
you can see the massive bowls from Main Street. Trails on the lower
mountain cut through dense forest. Fifty named runs and countless
other secret chutes and gullies drop a total of 2,400 vertical feet
(730 m). Experts, intermediates, and novices can all get the chance
to ski powder, since all levels of skier can utilize each lift.
Experts can follow North Ridge to the ultra steep Boomerang Ridge,
which offers heart-thumping glade skiing. Cedar Bowl is more open
and less intimidating. Directly above the base lodge, Stag Leap, Decline,
and Sky Dive provide knee-knocking mogul-skiing thrills. Backcountry
skiers equipped with avalanche transceivers and other relevant safety
equipment can traverse beyond the area boundary into bowls that are
scheduled for future lift development. At this time, the runs here
are unpatrolled and usually untracked.
For intermediates, the front face of the mountain offers great fall-line
skiing on Power Trip and Lower Bear. The upper T-bar accesses several
fine open runs to hone your powder-skiing technique. The novice trails
near the bottom are vast, uncrowded, and well serviced by two lifts.
Meandering runs like Meadow and Bambi won't strike fear into the hearts
of too many skiers.
Fernie itself is more of a rough-and-tumble resource town than a typical
ski resort. Apres-ski action can get pretty wild at Buckaroos, especially
when the powder hounds start howling. Fernie also features 9 miles
(15 km) of groomed and track-set cross-country trails.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and the Golden Area
The
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near
Golden (formerly
the Whitetooth Ski Area) is the first four season mountain resort
to be built in the Canadian Rockies in the past 25 years. The resort
is ideally situated to produce a sparkling, light and dry snow, aptly
named "Champagne Powder". The varied terrain offers a winter playground
for those new to alpine adventure and the perfect opportunity for
adrenaline junkies to charge down a 4,000 foot ski out, the second
longest in Canada. You'll get to the top of your run in comfort and
style with the Golden Eagle Express walk-in gondola, the first level
walk-in gondola to be used in Canada. In summer, mountain bikers can
experience Canada's longest lift access mountain bike descent!
The powder doesn't come any lighter than at Kicking Horse, and the
downhill skiing is complimented by more than 12 miles (17 km) of great
cross-country trails.
Kimberley Alpine Ski Resort and the Kimberley/Cranbrook Area
At
Kimberley Alpine Resort, you relax
on a bench in the Bavarian Platzl, sipping a cold Warsteiner. The
accordion player serenades passing pedestrians as the pungent smell
of bratwurst and sauerkraut fills your nostrils, its scent mingling
with the crisply invigorating mountain air. With Teutonic precision,
a Happy Hans figurine emerges from a cuckoo clock and marks the passing
of another hour. No, you're not in a hamlet in the Black Forest, but
rather the funky mountain town of Kimberley,
about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Cranbrook
on Hwy 95A. Two decades ago, this mining town decided to stake a tourism
claim and undertook an ambitious Bavarian-style face lift of its downtown.
Kimberley's long, sunny, south-facing ridge offers a respectable 2,300-foot
(700-m) vertical drop and 67 tree-lined runs and glades. The nearby
mountains were once staked for mining claims, a history reflected
in the names of the runs.
Experts will head to the Easter triple-chair and hop through the moguls
under the lift line. There's great groomed cruising on Flapper, while
powder-hounding tree riders will love Flush. For more adventure, take
the Ridgeway traverse to precipitous thrills and spills on Magma,
Twist, Maverick, and Vortex. These are the best places to powder ski
after a storm. To the skier's right off the Rosa chair, a galaxy of
well-groomed intermediate runs awaits on Telegraph Line, Dreadnought,
and Rosa. The nearby Buckhorn chair takes you to sweeping, undulating
challenges on Utopia, Stemwinder, and Twilight.
Expert skiers will find double-black diamond steep shots through the
trees on Jack the Bear, Quantrell, and White Pine. Novices can enjoy
the broad boulevard of fall-line cruising on Main run (reached via
the Rosa triple). Kimberley also boasts night skiing and snowboarding
on some of the longest illuminated runs in North America. Located
about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the centre of town, the resort's challenging
runs and friendly local ambience draw skiers and snowboarders of all
abilities.
In addition to the downhill runs, there is also a 16-mile (26-km)
network of groomed and track-set cross-country ski trails suited
to all ability levels. The trailhead is located directly across from
the Kirkwood Inn in Kimberley. A 2-mile (3-km) loop is lit for night
skiing. Visit the Cranbrook Visitor Info Centre for maps and information
on the many forest recreation trails suitable for cross-country skiing
in the Cranbrook Forest District, including the South Star
Cross-Country Trails south of Cranbrook.
Panorama Mountain Village Ski Resort and Invermere Area
In a
province of great, relatively unknown ski resorts, no place in British
Columbia is as underrated or overlooked as Panorama
Mountain Village Resort. Because of its remote location in the
Purcell Mountains, Panorama
is more of a mountain retreat. Bed capacity at the resort is 1,500,
while the mountain can comfortably handle 7,000 day-skiers.
Panorama has all the trappings of a tremendous destination resort:
walk-to-lifts accommodation, high-speed quad chairlifts, and a relatively
easy international gateway airport (Calgary, in this instance, about
300 miles/500 km away). There are even several outdoor hot tubs located
right at the base of the lifts, in which you can soak your weary bones
after a day on the slopes.
Then there's the mountain itself. With 4,300 vertical feet (1320 m)
of skiing, Panorama is one massive piece of work. This is a mountain
on which you can really find space to spread out; at the most, only
3,000 skiers and boarders show up on a busy day. The runs provide
enough length and steepness to regularly host World Cup downhill races.
Starting from the top, Panorama's summit is just above tree line,
reached via two T-bars. This is Panorama's Extreme Dream Zone, where
expert skiers and snowboarders can plunge down gladed runs blanketed
in dry, fluffy powder. In places such as Hopeful Sun Bowl and the
bottom of the cliff band on Extreme Dream, the terrain opens up, providing
dozens of untracked turns before picking up a cat-track back to the
main core of the mountain. Panorama's terrain flattens considerably
on the mountain's lower flanks, which provide ideal cruising runs
on which you'll seldom encounter another rider. In fact, most of Panorama's
more than 60 trails lean to novice/intermediate runs. All runs lead
to a common base area, so there's little likelihood of getting lost.
Skiers looking to improve their form need go no farther than Panorama's
famous ski school. And there's great cross-country skiing on
a network of 19 miles (30 km) of trails that winds its way through
the woods at the base of the mountain. Panorama Ski Resort is located
in the Toby Creek Valley, a tributary of the mighty Columbia River,
11 miles (17 km) west of Invermere on Toby Creek Road.
The Wapiti Ski Hill is a family oriented, natural snow ski
hill in Elkford (north
of Fernie on Highway 43), run completely by volunteers, including
the highly trained ski patrol. The "Moose Caboose" T-bar takes skiers
up approximately 1,000 vertical feet where a skier can choose from
7 runs as well as other trail systems, ranging from beginner to expert.
The season usually opens in late December and runs through early April
(snow conditions permitting). A day lodge, ski rental shop and concession
are conveniently located on the mountain base. Ski lessons can also
be arranged with a qualified instructor. Lighting on the two main
runs makes night skiing possible Tuesday through Friday from 7 PM
to 9:30 PM. All runs are open for daytime skiing on Saturday and Sunday
from 10 am to 4 pm. All children under 6 years of age and all skiers
over 60 years of age SKI FREE.
Elkford's own Snowmobile Association has developed and identified
an extensive network of trails enabling riders to explore the Elk
Valley. Many of the trails travel throughout large mountain basins,
high mountain passes and through beautiful valleys - all providing
spectacular riding opportunities. Elkford is fortunate to have access
trails that allow riders to leave their home or hotel, stop for gas
and then head out of town for a day full of exiting riding!
Cross-country skiers will delight in Elkford's groomed trails. Beginning
downtown, or from the parking lot at the ski hill, the groomed trails
follow Boivin Creek 4.5 miles (7 kms) up to the skiers cabin. Here
skiers can relax while roasting hot dogs over an open fire. The Elkford
Interpretive Cross-Country Trail system has 25 miles (40 km) of
cross-country trails. Maps are available at the Elkford Visitor Info
Centre right in town. A good book to consult is Ski Trails in the
Canadian Rockies by Scott. |
| |
 |
 |
Nipika Mountain Resort, Invermere |
Listing Details |
|
Simply Spectacular, Spectacularly Simple! Enjoy Canada's most beautiful wilderness in luxury timber-frame or log cabins in the heart of the B.C. Rocky Mountains, beside Kootenay National Park - the perfect spot to get away from it all. Come hiking, biking, rafting, canoeing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, or just sit back on the porch and do nothing. Life is Short - Play Hard. |
| |
| |
Range Helicopters, Drayton Valley |
Listing Details |
|
Range Helicopters provides an array of industrial, commercial and recreational heli services. Customized recreational helicopter adventures include hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, golfing, fishing, sightseeing, or special events such as weddings. We'll provide the local knowledge and specialized, experienced personnel to make your adventure a safe and memorable experience. |
| |
| |
The Cabins at Whitetail, Canal Flats |
Listing Details |
|
Enjoy cabins designed for today's outdoor enthusiast who likes to enjoy the splendour and tranquility of the Purcell Mountains but at the end of the day wants modern conveniences. Our well appointed cabins offer a rustic decor with full kitchen, bathroom amenities and BBQ. Each unit has a sleeping capacity of six. Walk out your cabin door and enjoy all the outdoor activities the mountains offer: Fishing, swimming, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and more. |
| |
|
|
Web
Design by Sage
Internet Solutions.
