Tourism BC Slope Angles for Skiers, February 2009
Here is a captivating collection of Slope Angles from British Columbia. If you require additional information on these or other BC stories, please contact Carla Mont at Carla.mont@tourismbc.com
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Mount Washington Hosts Euro-Ski Teams: So, where are all those European skiers going to be hanging out between 2010 Winter Games events? A number of nordic, freestyle, ski cross and snowboard teams from Switzerland, Germany, France, and Sweden, as well as Canada and the USA, have chosen Mount Washington Alpine Resort to rest their skis. This not-so-secret hideout near Comox on Vancouver Island — a quick flight or ferry hop from the competition venues at Whistler and Cypress Mountain — offers ideal snow conditions, cosy accommodations and top-flight facilities. Several teams are already there, prepping for next year's event, though, as Don Sharpe, Mount Washington Alpine Resort's director of business operations explains, "Most of the teams will arrive in the last week of January, 2010, and stay with us before and even during the Games while waiting for their events." Why Mount Washington? "Snow conditions are the number one reason," says Sharpe. "We have a very similar snow type to Whistler and Cypress and the athletes are also going to be acclimatizing to the local temperature and time zone." Sharpe adds, "Here, they can stay focused and prepare themselves mentally for the Games." So far, Mount Washington Alpine Resort expects to host the Swedish cross-country, biathlon, snowboard, ski cross, and freestyle teams; the German biathlon and snowboard teams; the French snowboard, cross-country, biathlon, ski cross, snowboard cross and freestyle teams, and Canada's cross-country, biathlon and snowboard teams, as well as snowboard teams from the USA and Switzerland. www.mountwashington.ca
Ski like an Olympic Athlete, Sleep like Royalty with this pre-Games package: Fancy a complete Whistler Olympic experience before the rest of the world arrives? The Discover Whistler PRIOR 2010 Winter Package offers just that. Running all this ski season and next, this pre-Games taster includes five nights at a slope-side suite in Four Seasons Resort Whistler complete with the resort's famous ski concierge service, a guided tour of Whistler's 2010 Winter Games venues, and a three-day lift pass so you can check out the new PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and even slalom down the very slopes the gold medalists will be racing on next year. Of course, Olympic athletes use only the very best equipment so, before you hit the slopes, you'll be kitted out with a snowboard or skis by Prior – a Whistler-based high performance equipment maker whose handcrafted equipment has played a role in many a winning performance. Oh, and you get to keep the gear. The package also throws in a few goodies that even world-class athletes may not get to enjoy, including spa passes for that essential après massage, and credits to use at such trendy village spots as the Fifty Two 80 Bistro. The Discover Whistler PRIOR 2010 Winter Package starts at $2,010 per person and is available through July 26, 2009 and throughout the 2009-2010 Ski Season — except from February 8 to 28, 2010, when the real Olympic athletes will have their moment. www.fourseasons.com/whistler; www.priorskis.com/2010fourseasons
Powder Rules in Northern BC: For powder stashes, think three in Northern BC. Here you'll find, you guessed it, three mountains stocked with plenty of the white stuff, not to mention ample incentive to pack up the gear and head north. At Powder King, it’s the blend of untouched snow and breathtaking drops that draw the masses to this Canadian Rockies destination, situated north of Prince George near Mackenzie. Some stats: Powder King boasts a lift-accessed vertical rise of 640 metres (2,100 feet), an elevation at the summit of 1,829 metres (5,500 feet), an average snowfall of 12.6 metres (41 feet), plus 24 runs, one triple chair, one T-Bar, one handle tow, and a lounge, restaurant and café. Long live the King. Head west to Hudson Bay Mountain, formerly Ski and Ride Smithers, and you'll find the largest ski area in Northern BC coupled with nature's ultimate snow machine; here, the natural topography of the mountains come together with the northern Pacific weather systems to create a wondrously flurried backdrop. Also new this season, Hudson Bay Mountain boasts a continuous mountain vertical of 1,151 metres or 3,775 feet (an increase of 52 per cent) and also began the groundwork for what will be a multi-year expansion that promises the introduction of residential units to the slopeside scene in 2009. At Shames Mountain, further west near Terrace, epic snowfalls draw skiers and boarders en masse; this Northern BC gem averages an impressive 12 metres (39 feet) annually. Expansive backcountry, spectacularly fluted ridges and peaks in every direction – plus 22 marked trails (over 133 acres) are accessed by one double chairlift, a T-bar and a handle tow. All the better to get to the snow. www.powderking.com; www.hudsonbaymountain.com; www.shamesmountain.com
Revelstoke Revolutionizes All-in-One: Can't decide whether your winter escape means an opportunity to lift-ski, cat-ski or heli-ski? Plant your poles at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and set your sights on all three. Situated within BC's snow-kissed Kootenay Rockies region, Revelstoke may be new to the ski scene with close to two seasons under its belt, but it's certainly making one memorable impression. The resort's slopes tempt even the most seasoned skier, while the Selkirk Mountains offer up alpine bowls, naturally gladed slopes and miles of untracked powder ideal for cat and heli adventures (Revelstoke Cat Skiing and Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, both operated by Revelstoke Mountain Resort, are accessible from the village base). In fact, Revelstoke is the only resort in the world which offers all three from one location. In addition to the promise of adventure, times three, Revelstoke has seen quite a year: this season, the resort opened with the longest vertical lift-serviced skiing in North America – at a whopping 1,712 metres (5,620 feet) – thanks to an 885-foot extension to the Revelation Gondola from the village base up to the Day Lodge. Let's not forget the resort's new high speed quad chairlift, "The Ripper," in the 1,240-acre North Bowl area, which has been extensively gladed and cut with new trails. Slopeside, the resort is ready to welcome its first guests to Nelsen Lodge in March. And growth won't end there; The $1 billion, four-season Revelstoke Mountain Resort is expected to be completed over 15 years and will include over 5,000 new housing units comprising top-tier luxury hotels, townhomes, condominiums and single family homes, more than 300,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and a Nick Faldo golf course. www.revelstokemountainresort.com
Whistler's TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival Set to Hit the Heights: When you have a winter setting that ranks in the wonderland category, there's really only one thing to do: throw a really big party sure to have the joint jumpin'. Such is the case with the annual TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival, a 10-day, 10-night fiesta like no other; this festival, set for April 17 – 26, lays claim as the biggest annual gathering of winter sports, music, arts and culture in North America. And they've got the goods to back it up. Competitions are out of the box: the Orage Masters, April 19, features eight teams of four skiers mixing it up during a competition that is one part slopestyle, one part free-for-all, and one part masquerade party (think: skiing heavyweights barrelling down the slopes in pirate costumes, for example). Its snowboarding counterpart, the Grenade Games, April 20 – 26, brings the legends of shred culture to compete with current pros and upcoming amateurs in a series of events including a superpipe, a slopestyle competition, skateboard sessions, a poker run and the first-of-its-kind dual slalom moguls event (pro skiers compete in the World Skiing Invitationals Superpipe for a $10,000 first place standing). The annual World Skiing Invitational Big Air event will see pro skiers light up the night, April 18, with live music backed by a 15,000-strong crowd…oh, and another cool $10,000 for the champ. Off slope, there will be free daily performances throughout the village during the Zune Concert Series, plus a few other gatherings sure to get the blood pumping. Park n' Fly Skate Jam, April 17, brings skate back to the streets of Whistler with an epic day devoted to the sport and art of skateboarding. For the artistically-inclined, the 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown asks if would-be Spielbergs have what it takes – stamina, endurance, vision…coffee. (Competitors shoot, edit and produce a three to five-minute video in the Whistler area and present their Oscar contender in just under 72 hours.) And let's not forget the fashion shows, photography and art exhibits, film screenings, theatre and all-night parties complete with beats from international DJs. Sure to take this party off the charts. www.whistler2009.com
BC Boasts Season-end Wrap Parties for the Masses: Eager to end your ski season with a bang? Or at least with a bit of flair? Bring it to BC. At Big White Ski Resort, southeast of Kelowna, celebrate the season's end during the annual Dummy Downhill, April 19. A true team effort, this riotous event will see groups band together to fashion the ultimate downhill crash test dummy, a creation affixed to either two skis or a snowboard that must have two arms, two legs and at least one head. Tall order. At nearby Silver Star Mountain Resort, it's all about tight and bright during Retro Day. On April 11, bust out the form-fitting, vivid pants, slather on the zinc and slap on your mono boards; this is your opportunity to be seen on the slopes before settling in for après ski amusements. At Sun Peaks Resort, north of Kamloops, the Sun Peaks Spring Festival beckons April 11 – 13 with their own version of Dummy Downhill, plus their annual Slush Cup, an event which welcomes wacky costumes and plenty of hamming for the crowds as participants attempt to glide across a man-made pond filled with, yep, slushy water. Head to the Kootenay Rockies and suit up at Kimberley Alpine Resort for their annual Spring Splash Celebration, April 4 – 5. This gathering of powderhounds promises a stoked lineup of music, entertainment, and, of course, the opportunity to carve some wicked tracks. At nearby Fernie Alpine Resort, the Powder Pedal Paddle Relay Race makes its start April 11. A local favourite, this outing has been hitting the high notes since 1984; teams of one to five adventurers ski, bike, paddle and run in one wacky relay race.
A celebratory dinner for all competitors plus a little late night fun makes this one season-ender for the books. www.bigwhite.com; www.skisilverstar.com; www.sunpeaksresort.com; www.skikimberley.com; www.skifernie.com
February 27, 2009
Posted in: Canada