Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Canada - BC

A Bond from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Don't believe the hype - at least not all of it. This mountain (Revelstoke Mountain Resort) has a big vertical for any continent, not just N.Americas, so the possibilities for massive vertical count is there. There is a good variety of slopes too for intermediates upwards - steeps/moguls/glades (although glades weren't particularly thinned and novices in there will not feel comfortable). Didn't find a terrain park anywhere. I would say that after a dump Revelstoke Mountain Resort would be fantastic - but then wouldn't most mountains? I'd also say that there were few people on the slopes, but then, there is no 'resort' built yet, so no accommodation readily available to put people on the mountain - that will change when the 16,000 bed base is completed over the next few years. The only place to eat at Revelstoke Mountain Resort is the day lodge - a small place that struggles to cope with the current numbers on the mountain, let alone when it gets more popular (ok, so people will go there to ski not to eat but I'm trying to give a balanced report).

Plus points for Revelstoke Mountain Resort:
1. massive vertical
2. currently little heard of so empty slopes
3. good variety of challenging slopes for intermediates upwards

Negative points for Revelstoke Mountain Resort:
1. little infrastructure to support visitors
2. if planned expansion goes ahead, will get much much busier
3. lower slopes will suffer from low altitude (as with Whistler) so rainfall/heavy snow in warmer conditions will prevail

So go now, before your neighbour and all his family do.

2009-02-09