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

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

North America – west of the Rockies, has finally received huge snowfalls in the past few days after a largely warm and dry January, dramatically improving conditions. Scotland has its best conditions so far this winter with virtually all runs open and Sweden has also received a big powder boost.
Natural snowfall over the past week in Viet Nam and in the United Arab Emirates has been declared a “once in a generation” occurrence in both of the normally hot countries. In Viet Nam a thin layer of snow was deposited on Mau Son Mountain and in the United Arab Emirates, the northern emirate of Ras al Khaimah reported that a three mile wide area in its Jebel Jais mountain range received four inches (10cm) of snow on Friday, “a situation so rare that the local dialect doesn’t even have a word for it.” according to media reports.
Excitement is mounting ahead of the start of the World Alpine Skiing Championships in Val d’Isere next week. But after good falls of snow in the French Alps last week, the snow gods have shifted their attention back to this season’s favourite region, the Pyrenees, in recent days with 13 powder alarms in the French Pyrenees yesterday (Tuesday, January 27th) alone. Cauterets received a huge 145cm (nearly five feet) of fresh snow in the past week.
Elsewhere in the Pyrenees another 50cm (20 inches) of snow fell across Andorra’s mountains on Monday continuing the superb season there,

We have a lot of snow this winter , it’s fantastic and I hope skiers will continue to come until the first of May,”

said Ski Andorra’s Marta Rotes.
In Eastern Europe Bulgaria received 20cm (eight inches) of fresh snow at the weekend, further improving conditions there.

In Western North America the roller coaster season continues to swing between the dry warm weather that dominated before Christmas and mid-January and has now returned to the heavy snowfall of late December. In California Mammoth mountain reported five feet (1.5m) of snow accumulating over four days and in Colorado Steamboat reports that it is “drowning in powder.”
Back in Europe and North America where snow falls in unusually heavy quantities, the avalanche risk is often high and there are normally warnings in place against venturing in to the mountains until conditions improve. Avalanche deaths in the past week have include three walkers in the mountains of Scotland and ten climbers in Turkey.

It’s no secret that British Columbia is the host province for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Add superior facilities with tried-and-true terrain and you have one golden training opportunity for the 2008/09 season. Let us count the ways:

Vancouver Island’s Mount Washington Resort will host the Canadian, Swiss, Swedish and US Snowboard race teams; on the nordic side, the resort’s Raven Lodge will welcome the Swedish Cross Country and Biathlon teams alongside the German Biathlon athletes. www.mountwashington.ca

Both the men and women’s Canadian National teams will suit up at Cypress Mountain on Vancouver’s North Shore. www.cypressmountain.com

Whistler Blackcomb will be centre stage as a training ground for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team; athletes from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada (among others) will train for Bobsleigh, Skeleton and Luge disciplines at the Whistler Sliding Centre. www.whistlerblackcomb.com; www.whistlerslidingcentre.com

Sun Peaks Resort, in the Thompson Okanagan, welcomes the Austrian Ski Team for the third year in a row, as both the men and women’s teams prepare for Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super G events at the lift-accessed training centre. www.sunpeaksresort.com

Nordic reigns supreme at Silver Star Mountain Resort as the Norwegian Cross Country and Biathlon teams set to cross paths with the squads from Finland and Australia; also on the mountain, Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre will provide the track for teams from Norway, Russia, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada. www.skisilverstar.com; www.sovereignlake.com

Further south at Apex Mountain Resort, National Aerialist teams from Canada, Australia, Japan and the Ukraine will take to the skies. www.apexresort.com

With the only dedicated Paralympic Training Centre in Canada, Kimberley Alpine Resort will welcome teams from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the US to the Kootenay Rockies. www.skikimberley.com

September 2008 marked the first foray into transformation territory for Hudson Bay Mountain, formerly Ski & Ride Smithers, a Northern BC mainstay for skiers and boarders who love the steep and deep. Long revered for its stash of powder, Hudson Bay Mountain set in motion their master plan for development – a multi-year expansion that promises the introduction of residential units to the slopeside scene in 2009. And that’s not all. Added acreage is also in the works, thanks to the development of the Trail to Town, or Rotary Community Trail, set to better connect the mountain to the town of Smithers and increase the skiable area on Hudson Bay Mountain by five per cent. This project guarantees growth: an overall increase in vertical of 52 per cent, offering skiers and boarders 1,750 feet of lift-serviced access, plus additional terrain to ski your way into town. As added icing on the cake, the Rotary Community Trail, spanning eight kilometres and ready for riding in the 2008/09 season, ensures that Hudson Bay Mountain will now boast one of the largest vertical drops in BC. Situated just outside the town of Smithers, east of Prince Rupert, Hudson Bay Mountain is nestled between the peaks of the Hudson Bay and Babine Mountain ranges – a snowy spot that beckons the powderhounds. And with further plans in the works for Spring of 2009, Hudson Bay Mountain is just starting to turn up the heat. In a frosty fashion, of course. www.skismithers.com

Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing Tempts First-Timers to Hit the Heights: Looking for a little elevation, complete with snow and skis? Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing will take the tracks to new heights this snowy season with an offering aimed specifically at first-timers – or anyone else looking for a quick heli-ski vacation. After all, who better to bring into the fold than eager newbies seeking a novel powder adventure. First Timers Dream Package banishes the notion that heli skiing is all about helicopter costs, long minimum stays and hard-to-reach operations with a two day/two night package priced at just $2,000. That’s not a typo. And forget about being an expert. This operation, the heart of the Cariboo and Monashee mountains, will showcase first-hand why the combination of specially-designed wide powder skis or boards with the natural variety of terrain in the mountains allows intermediates to experience one spectacular environment. With unlimited vertical skiing at an operation revered for its snow, adventurists can take it all in with professional guiding, powder skis or snowboards, safety equipment and run after endless run. Hearty meals, including a few dining experiences sure to be out of the stratosphere, full spa facilities and luxury accommodation amid handcrafted log chalets provide the indoor perks that pull this package artfully together (make sure to book by December 24, 2008). While Wiegele has hosted princes, presidents and plenty of movie stars, this is one operator anxious to expand his loyal following by offering up an elevated experience of a lifetime. Just the kind of thinking you’d expect from one of the province’s pioneer heli ski operators. Time to make some new tracks. www.wiegele.com

Apex Mountain Resort Promises Winter Adventure at its Peak: While big certainly has its advantages when it comes to skiing, there’s much to be said about the smaller winter gems, tucked amid out-of-the-way settings, blanketed with snow. Such is the case with Apex Mountain resort, a family-friendly jewel situated in BC’s south Okanagan. With a name that literally translates to zenith, or peak, Apex shelters sunny skies, wicked terrain and some six metres (20 feet) of the white stuff annually. Here, you’ll find a blend of smooth cruisers and steep chutes, along with four lifts including a high-speed quad that delivers 605 metres (2,000 feet) of vertical in just seven minutes. Long line-ups? Not unless you’re hankering for a place at the pool table at the resort’s Gunbarrel Saloon. New this season, it’s glade skiing galore with the introduction of “Hidden Gold” run, plus there’s an opportunity to keep the excitement going well into the evening with a new park offering up night skiing. If a rush is more to your liking, simply make your way down the same slopes set to host both the BC Alpine Men’s and Women’s Super-G and Downhill events, January 19 – 25, and a BC Series event where the province’s best will compete in Moguls, Dual Moguls and Big Air, February 13 -15. Plus there’s plenty off the slopes to distract; rev it up with snowmobile tours, take to the outdoor rink with ice hockey, tour the trails on cross country skis or experience the cool calm on a snowshoe tour. No matter your choice, you’re bound to find a gem worthy of the crown. www.apexresort.com

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Both of Andorra’s ski areas opened at the weekend with up to a metre of fresh snow on upper slopes, which some resorts are claiming is the best snow conditions they’ve seen in 40 years.
On the Spanish side of the border Baqueria Beret, one of the country’s three largest resorts, also opened. All three resorts and a dozen others in Spain, several of which – including Formigal and Sierra Nevada – had already opened a week ago, are opening at least a week ahead of schedule.
On the French side of the Pyrenees, home to another few dozen ski areas, resorts are sticking more closely to their planned opening dates despite huge falls there, with St Lary at one point reporting the biggest snowfall in Europe.
Continue reading ‘More european ski resorts follow footsteps with 2008 openings’

After the boom in gay ski weeks around the world through the past decade, a new option of a gay heliski trip is being offered by agents Heliski Holiday.
The trip will run from February 22nd to 27th next winter and three or five day stays are available for up to 16 men and/or women.
Accommodation is in private log cabins with all meals included. Private catering and spa treatments are available and there’s the option to add dog sledding a snowmobile tour to your holiday.

As with all heli operators, it is all about the skiing and nothing changes with the announcement of the Gay Only Heliweek,”

said Nina Kaufman of Heliski Holiday.
The heliskiing is provided by Robson HeliMagic who have been based since 1990 at Valemount in British Columbia. The Village of Valemount is a small community of 1,500 residents, a five-minute drive to the heli-facility. The resort lies at the meeting of three mountain ranges: the Monashees, the Cariboos & the Rockies, an area known for its light, dry powder snow.
For information, inquiries and reservations see: www.heliskiholiday.com email: nina@heliskiholiday.com call: +44 1 250 542 3852

Himalayan Heli Ski Guides is gearing up for our 2009 heliski season in Nepal. The company plans to run trips in three regions in Nepal’s Himalaya this winter including Annapurna’s north and south side, Everest and the far west region of Humla.
Annapurna I south side (aka Annapurna sanctuary) and the far western region of Nepal called Humla are both news this winter. Both areas are excellent, and like all regions of Nepal, they are quite different from each other.
Continue reading ‘New Heliskiing options open up in Nepal’