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| Lake Louise by Tracey Delfs |
SkiBig 3, Alberta:
New to the SkiBig3 is Guided Adventures, featuring all three
mountains in one program - the best of Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mt. Norquay. Get the inside scoop on the best terrain with CSIA certified snowpros - passionate
locals, eager to share the unique history and ski culture of the Canadian
Rockies. For skiers and riders who are considered
intermediate and above, groups are broken out by skill level and terrain
preferences. While snow pros hit the slopes on skis, snowboarders are welcome
to join all groups.
The SkiBig3 Adventure Hub now offers High Performance Demo
equipment for multi-day rentals. Top of the line ski and snowboard equipment
featuring Nordica and Salomon will be available to test
on-mountain. Don’t forget - SkiBig3 Lift
Tickets include a complimentary Hot Springs Pass when you purchase 3+ days of skiing. And you need at least three to experience it all!
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| Sunshine Village by Reuben Krabbe |
Sunshine Village, Banff, Alberta:
Goat’s Eye Gardens has had an eagerly-awaited reno - new wooden exterior and expanded patio. Sunshine’s favourite eat-and-run café, located beside Goat’s Eye High Speed
Quad, has undergone a complete refresh
to the décor inside plus new furniture and carpets.
Snow-farming has been expanded with over 20km of snow-fences that capture Sunshine’s light,
dry natural snow. Other improvements include: two new Piston Bully Snowcats, grooming trails for long carving turns; refurbished gondola cabins; new paved sections of parking
lot; on-going replacement of existing on-mountain trail signs giving skiers and
snowboarders improved directions to favorite runs.
Dates For Your Downhill Diary: Open for the season since Nov 8 and 90th Annual Slush
Cup marks the end of an almost seven-month ski season: May 21, 2018.
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| Snowmaking at Lake Louise |
Lake Louise, Alberta:
Judged Canada's Best Ski Resort at the World Ski Awards, for the fourth time out of the past five years! While famed for its Winterstart World Cup action (starting Nov 25 this year), corduroy cruisers, and extensive back-bowl free-skiing, there's a wintersport for everyone at Lake Louise. Discover the mountains from a new perspective by snowshoe. Sightseeing snowshoe tours access some of the most breathtaking scenic
vantage points in the Canadian Rockies. Accompanied by highly
skilled and knowledgeable guides, learn about the history and
diversity of the Lake Louise area while experiencing some of the most panoramic
winter views in the region. Snowshoe excursions can be booked daily, with magical moon-light options also available.
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| Brad Froehlich, new chef at Lake Louise |
A royal welcome this season to Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage, Brad Froehlich, who has relocated to Lake Louise Ski Resort from Kelowna, BC.
Brad has notched a succession of culinary achievements on his apron belt. A disciplined Red Seal Chef, he has worked in Executive Chef roles in the Pan Pacific, Hilton and W hotels, cooked for Heads of State and the Queen of England herself, and won the award for Chef of the year in Perth, Australia.
Lake Louise's eateries include The Lodge of Ten Peaks - where you'll find everything from the food court, coffee bar, Kuma Yama Sushi to the Bier Stube - and Whitehorn Lodge where I recommend the cheese fondue!
Brad has notched a succession of culinary achievements on his apron belt. A disciplined Red Seal Chef, he has worked in Executive Chef roles in the Pan Pacific, Hilton and W hotels, cooked for Heads of State and the Queen of England herself, and won the award for Chef of the year in Perth, Australia.
Lake Louise's eateries include The Lodge of Ten Peaks - where you'll find everything from the food court, coffee bar, Kuma Yama Sushi to the Bier Stube - and Whitehorn Lodge where I recommend the cheese fondue!
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| Opening Day 2017-18 season at Lake Louise - photo by Chris Moseley |
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| Banff Mt Norquay by Reuben Krabbe |
Banff Mt Norquay, Alberta:
Located at the heart of
the resort base, the Cascade Lodge is a magnificent place to kick back after a
day of skiing, riding or tubing to watch the sun go down behind the towering
peaks of Mt. Norquay above. With spacious surroundings, beautiful views, and
delicious food, guests can be tempted to start their après early. Keeping the
lodge current, the Cascade Lodge opens the 2017/18 season with
refreshed and modernized public washroom facilities. Impeccable grooming is always a
mainstay for the family-friendly resort and, this season, a new, state-of-the-art snowcat has been added to their fleet of groomers, meaning all early-bird morning skiers
will be able to glide smoothly over perfectly formed corduroy throughout the
resort. Upgraded snow-making technology is being implemented this winter, ensuring improved early-season conditions
for skiers and riders.
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| Banff Mt Norquay by Reuben Krabbe |
Dates For Your Downhill Diary:
Tentative Opening Tube Park: Nov 25
Torchlight Parade: Dec 31
Moonlight Ski & Dine, Cliffhouse Bistro - TBC: Jan 6 & Feb 3
Lifts of Love: Feb 10
End of Season Apr 15
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| Fabulous Fernie from the top of the Timber Chair |
Famous
for 'Legendary Powder', Fernie always leaves loads of pow but, this season, has two new grooming cats, a winch cat and
a free groomer to make sure it's also perfect for ripping cruisers. Two new snow
guns will keep that pow filled in on non-groomed runs.
New
Eats and New Brew: At Legends Mountain Eatery, a brand new restaurant in the plaza at the resort base (where Kelsey’s was).
Introduced near the end of last season, Fernie now pours its own
beer – try the Polar Peak Ale on tap this winter at The Fernie Griz Bar and
Legends.
More
Space to Rip
on two
popular runs: Arrow (blue #55) and Bow (blue #52). Pre-season dirt work will help provide good early season skiing and riding conditions as the runs
will be smooth and, therefore, easily covered by snow. Other areas getting gladed are Surprise trees and general areas in Timber Bowl, NE Glades, Steep and Deep,
Stag Leap, Skydive Traverse.
Yoga
on the Mountain: New weekly classes in Lizard Creek Lodge, Fernie Alpine Resort’s premiere ski in/ski out hotel.
Classes run Wednesdays (vinyasa) and Saturdays (ski/snowboard stretch and
warm up).
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| Ice Bar in Cirque Restaurant, Lizard Creek Lodge, Fernie |
Fat
Biking Ride & Dine:
Guided Fat Biking tour topped off with burgers and beer. Fat biking
rentals are available or tour is available for a reduced rate with your own
bike.
Women’s
Weekends:
Special women’s
ski/snowboard clinic paired with a spa treatment at Lizard Creek Lodge’s Neve
spa.
Backcountry
Basics
: Two-day course introducing the use of avalanche rescue
equipment, ski touring equipment and uphill travel techniques, mountain
environment awareness and ski improvement, all taking place in a safe, inbounds,
avalanche controlled area (to be determined daily).
Chairlift
Work and Upgrades
: The
Bear Chair had a complete gear box rebuild (with the help of a technician flown in from Italy) and the Elk Chair had the main drive
bearings replaced. Other chair upgrades and work include a new drive for The White Pass
Chair (essentially the brain that drives the lift) as well
as a new operator building at the top of the lift to improve living
conditions up there for the lifties.
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| Kicking Horse, Golden |
Kicking Horse, British Columbia:
Recently announced: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort to be the only Freeride World Tour stop in Canada
. After
a long summer season of anticipation, the Freeride World Tour (FWT) launched
the official competition calendar featuring a completely revamped competition
schedule for the upcoming 2018 season. This year, the FWT unveils two brand new
locations for the opening events in Hakuba, Japan and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden, BC, Canada – two of the world's foremost freeride destinations. The FWT will
be at Kicking Horse from Feb 3 – 9.
Rippin’
Betties Women’s Clinic:
An affordable two-day clinic taught by a Golden local - led by women, for women. Whether
you are an intermediate skier/rider looking to build confidence or an advanced
skier/rider eager for the challenges of double-black-diamond terrain, this
clinic is designed for women looking to boost their confidence on off-piste
terrain and learn some tricks to explore expert
terrain with other great women.
Zen on
Top: Mountain Top Yoga
sessions, three or four times during the winter, all are free and led by
Golden guru, Jessica Pyper. These are held at the top of the mountain on the
Eagle’s Eye Restaurant Terrace, giving the ultimate natural environment for yoga.
New
Brew
: Introduced
near the end of last season, Kicking Horse has its own beer –
try the Kicking Horse Ale on tap at Eagle’s Eye Restaurant this winter.
On
Mountain Improvements:
Fall brush cutting with a winch cat mower got runs in tip top shape for winter and a new haul rope on the
Eagle’s Express will keep the gondola running smoothly.
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| Scintillating Selfies at Kimberley, BC |
Kimberley Alpine Resort, British Columbia:
New
Eats & New Brew:
Buckhorn & Main Mountain
Eatery replaces Montana's at the resort base. And the Stemwinder Ale, new this year, is Kimberley's own brand, served on tap at The Stemwinder Bar
& Grill and at Buckhorn & Main.
Host
Mountain to NorAm & Para World Cup Races
: Starting in February 2018 and continuing into March, Kimberley will be hosting athletes from all over for the Para World Cup, Noram Finals and
the Special Olympics events. Not only will this include racing in multiple
categories by these amazing athletes, there will also be various parties,
parades and celebrations throughout the event weeks.
Lift
Upgrades & New Equipment
: The Northstar Express had new drives installed - these control the
electric drive motors - and the magic carpet has a new “blue dot” belt for better
traction. Kimberley's mid-station snow making pump has been revitalized for improved
snow making, in addition to a new snowgun to the fleet. All three groomers
are getting complete overhauls and Kimberley's added a new snowmobile to the team.
Men’s
Bumps & Brews All Mountain Ski Camp:
Bumps & Brews All Mountain Ski Camps are not just another ski
lesson, rather a guided mountain experience with some learning thrown in! The
focus at “Bumps & Brews”, is personalized
skier improvement in all types of fun and challenging terrain on the mountain - lots of powder, tree runs, natural terrain, deserted groomers,
training in brushes and race gates and secret stashes. Take full advantage of the best terrain and experience a whole new way of skiing the mountain. Bumps and Brews Camps do ski on
groomed runs, but not necessarily practicing ski drills or exercises.
Explore
More with Backcountry Trips
: Joining forces with Boulder Hut Adventures last season allowed Kimberley to launch ski touring. Stay at the 4.5 star Trickle
Creek Lodge, located in the base area at Kimberley Alpine Resort and
practically walk right onto the helicopter. Pave the way through untracked Purcell powder in the backcountry
surrounding Kimberley, with over 15,000 acres of terrain to explore, plus the
nearly 2,000 acres of resort terrain.
 |
| In sync at Nakiska, Calgary's closest ski resort |
Nakiska, Alberta:
Nakiska Ski Area, home of the Alpine Events at the ’88 Calgary Olympic Games has been
undergoing many improvements, upgrades and changes over the past few seasons and this one is no exception, with some exciting changes and program updates.
VIP
Parking Pass Option:
Nakiska now has a Priority Parking Lot, the closest lot
to the base area.
Park Lessons
Master NaJibSka: Book a rail park lesson this season with Nakiska's Winter Sports School to improve your bag of tricks with knowledgeable instructors that will work on style and confidence on all park features.
Performance Private Lessons
: Customized classes, catering to what you want to
learn - whether it's improving carving skills, all mountain
freestyle, freeskiing/riding, glades, moguls or bumps. Contact Nakiska Winter Sports School for more info – wintersports@skinakiska.com.
NEW
Easy Way Down
: A new easier way
down off the Silver chair was added for this season, eliminating the top pitch of Grand Trunk which has proved difficult in the past for some riders. Fun fact – the new trail was created using a mulcher
which did the whole job in about 15 hours!
Revelstoke, British Columbia:
This year, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is celebrating its 10th anniversary with infrastructure upgrades, new partnerships, and of course, a birthday party. Opening day is Dec 2 and the party follows Dec 22, with events and activities at various locations around the mountain and at the village base. This year also marks a major milestone for Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing (STHS) as it celebrates its 40th!
More Cat-Skiing: Revelstoke Mountain Resort has joined forces with Great Northern Snowcat Skiing offering a small group, single-day cat ski experience in the Bad Shot Range in the Selkirk Mountains, south of Revelstoke. With a seasonal average of 50 feet of snow and access to 75 square kilometres of terrain over two mountains, it's first tracks all day every day.
Panorama, British Columbia:
Monstrous New Terrain: Panorama Mountain Resort just added new terrain and got bigger, better and badder. The new area boasts four huge double-black lines and 128 acres of nasty, brutish terrain in former heli-domain, Taynton Bowl. It means that Panorama now has 4,265 feet (1,300m) of vertical, placing it among the Top 3 resorts in Canada. The extra terrain also means the longest run is more than 6.5km (4 mi). And this is just the beginning. More terrain will be added over the next few years.
Snowmaking and Grooming Upgrades: With $700,000 committed to snowmaking technology, the first skiers of the new season will be welcomed on snow earlier
than ever. A new automated, remotely controlled mid-mountain
pump station will significantly increase Panorama’s snowmaking
efficiency allowing the resort to produce more snow, over a
greater area, in less time. A second winched snow grooming
machine has joined the fleet and will reduce the time required to
build race tracks and trails. The snow cat will also lay down more of
the award-winning grooming Panorama is known for.
Strategic Alliance: Replay Resorts is a Vancouver, B.C. based real estate developer specializing in destination development. With their track record and expertise in resort master planning, Replay Resorts will build on a current master plan at Panorama that will introduce new resort amenities, food and beverage opportunities, retail experiences, and new ski-in/ski-out and golf-oriented real estate.
Castle Mountain, Alberta:
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia:
Prime snowmaking conditions and favourable forecasts have made early opening, six days ahead of schedule, possible on Whistler Mountain. Launched Nov 17, there were five lifts already operating, accessing 20 runs over 600 acres of terrain. Blackcomb Mountain is scheduled to follow Nov 23. “We couldn’t be more excited about opening Whistler Mountain early again this season. Our snowmaking and operations teams have been working extremely hard to get the mountain ready for guests,” says Pete Sonntag, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Whistler Blackcomb. “Their efforts, along with the natural snowfall we are expecting throughout the week made our decision to open early easy.”
Whistler Blackcomb opened to incredible mid-winter like conditions, thanks to 198 centimetres (78 inches) of snow falling in the previous seven days, and a launch-day snow base of 176 centimetres (69 inches). More snow in the forecast!
Red Mountain, British Columbia:
The independently-owned Josie Hotel at the
base of Red is slated for a partial opening January 2018 and should alleviate the resort's recent “Sold Out Syndrome”. Also new for this season is a full facelift for the on-mountain Paradise Lodge including a new kitchen, new washrooms, nearly 50% more seating inside and a double expansion of the outdoor deck is
doubling in size. Red is adding 200 spaces to day parking and expanding facilities for High Performance
Rentals, which means the ski and snowboard fleet will double in size. "With Rossland's rugged charm and our legendarily friendly locals, RED Mountain Resort is the full package," says Marketing & Events Manager, Nicole Briggs. "Everything you need. Nothing you don’t. The only fluff we offer is our snow…"
 |
| Unwrapping Revelstoke's new gondolas this summer |
 |
| Revy on Nov 3 - by Ian Houghton |
Improvements: Lift capacity has increased by 25% with the addition of 24 new gondola cabins and 21 Stoke chairs. The grooming fleet has been expanded and modernized with two brand new PRINOTH Tier 4 Bison winch cats. These state-of-the-art groomers offer a significant increase in fuel efficiency, and meet stringent exhaust emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Heavy equipment operators have also spent the summer excavating and smoothing out many of the runs at lower elevations to improve grooming efficiency.
 |
| Pre-season powder at Revelstoke by Ian Houghton |
Infrastructure: Improved and expanded, fully accessible restroom facilities with flushing toilets and running water have been completed at the top of the Revelation Gondola. This new in-ground infrastructure also sets the stage for further development opportunities in the years ahead. “This year, we’re focusing on improving our on-mountain guest experience. The increase in lift capacity and an investment in our grooming fleet is a big step forward for the resort,” says Peter Nielsen, Vice President of Operation at Revy. “It’s impressive to see how far we have come in the last 10 years, and I’m really excited to celebrate with our guests this winter.”
Early Booking Deals: Until November 15, 2017, skiers and riders can save up to 40% off multi-day lift tickets. Residents of Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest can also enjoy the flexibility of a 3 or 5-Day Vertical Card, with pricing from as low as $70 per day. Explore all of the different ways to save at www.revelstokemountainresort.
 |
| Playtime at Panorama, BC |
Monstrous New Terrain: Panorama Mountain Resort just added new terrain and got bigger, better and badder. The new area boasts four huge double-black lines and 128 acres of nasty, brutish terrain in former heli-domain, Taynton Bowl. It means that Panorama now has 4,265 feet (1,300m) of vertical, placing it among the Top 3 resorts in Canada. The extra terrain also means the longest run is more than 6.5km (4 mi). And this is just the beginning. More terrain will be added over the next few years.
 |
| Oh Too Tempting, Taynton Bowl, Panorama |
Strategic Alliance: Replay Resorts is a Vancouver, B.C. based real estate developer specializing in destination development. With their track record and expertise in resort master planning, Replay Resorts will build on a current master plan at Panorama that will introduce new resort amenities, food and beverage opportunities, retail experiences, and new ski-in/ski-out and golf-oriented real estate.
New RFID: This season, Panorama is the first resort in the Canadian Rockies
region to introduce radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
The SKIDATA ticketing and lift access system will offer hands-free lift access: pre-load lift tickets from home, skip lineups at the ticket window, and head straight to
the mountain. All tickets, the Snow Card, and season passes will be
available on cards imbedded with an RFID antenna.
Flexibility: The Panorama Snow Card is known for being an uncomplicated way to save money without the requirement to purchase additional days. The arrival of RFID is a real plus for skiers and riders seeking more value. New restricted and anytime options on the 3-day card means a day for an adult starts at less than $60. The pre-purchased 5-day version is even better value with a day on the mountain starting at $56. Available online until Dec 26.
Extras:
4 NEW airport transit vehicles as well as a new Banff service
NEW All Mountain Program (AMP) for kids to focus on progression
2 NEW dining options Restaurant elevenFIFTY and CABIN
Family Restaurant
NEW lunch service at Cliffhanger Restaurant at Greywolf
NEW mobile rst website
NEW Peak Performance shop-in-shop at Toques & Tracks
PANORAMA WINTER 2017/2018 SEASON DATES: DEC 8 - APRIL 8
Flexibility: The Panorama Snow Card is known for being an uncomplicated way to save money without the requirement to purchase additional days. The arrival of RFID is a real plus for skiers and riders seeking more value. New restricted and anytime options on the 3-day card means a day for an adult starts at less than $60. The pre-purchased 5-day version is even better value with a day on the mountain starting at $56. Available online until Dec 26.
 |
| Panorama perspective |
4 NEW airport transit vehicles as well as a new Banff service
NEW All Mountain Program (AMP) for kids to focus on progression
2 NEW dining options Restaurant elevenFIFTY and CABIN
Family Restaurant
NEW lunch service at Cliffhanger Restaurant at Greywolf
NEW mobile rst website
NEW Peak Performance shop-in-shop at Toques & Tracks
PANORAMA WINTER 2017/2018 SEASON DATES: DEC 8 - APRIL 8
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| Castle Mountain's new acquisition |
Snow is piling up on the slopes of Castle Mountain where the fall was spent clearing up brush from trails and creating new lines. The clear up crew is augmented by a dedicated team of volunteers who, this year, worked on OK Corral and Easy Out. With snowmaking at the base and track packing ongoing, the resort is eagerly anticipating the new Prinoth Bison Winch Cat which arrives this week - a vital tool in the quest for perfect pistes. Castle Mountain is a boutique resort, owned and operated by diehard skiers, all there for the dry powder, challenging terrain and lower-profile - not to mention the great catskiing over 800 skiable acres which snag 900 cm of pow annually!
Dates for the downhill diary:
Dec 5 - T-Bar Pub & Grill opens for the season
Dec 8 - Snow Gods party
Dec 15 - Opening Day 2017!
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| Whistler Blackcomb on Nov 10 |
 |
| Whistler Blackcomb Nov 14 |
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia:
Prime snowmaking conditions and favourable forecasts have made early opening, six days ahead of schedule, possible on Whistler Mountain. Launched Nov 17, there were five lifts already operating, accessing 20 runs over 600 acres of terrain. Blackcomb Mountain is scheduled to follow Nov 23. “We couldn’t be more excited about opening Whistler Mountain early again this season. Our snowmaking and operations teams have been working extremely hard to get the mountain ready for guests,” says Pete Sonntag, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Whistler Blackcomb. “Their efforts, along with the natural snowfall we are expecting throughout the week made our decision to open early easy.”
 |
| Callum Pettit celebrating early season at Whistler Blackcomb Nov 17 - By Paul Morrison |
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| Groomer on intermediate terrain at RED Mountain Resort, photographer Dave Heath |
RED Mountain Resort is the last great, unspoiled resort with a great fractional ownership campaign going on right now in the quest to stay independent - “Fight The Man. Own The Mountain.”
Located
in Rossland, British Columbia, the first stop on Canada's famous
Powder Highway, Red delivers 2,887 acres of pristine skiing unfettered by
overdevelopment. Plus, the expansion to Grey Mountain added nearly 1,000 acres
of terrain to the equation, bumping Red into the Top 20 size-wise in North America.
For 2017-18, a new boutique hotel - The Josie - is adding to the cachet of 300"/7.6m annual snowfall,
wide-open groomers, epic vertical (2,919ft/890m), 360 degree descents, and cheap in-bounds cat skiing on the flanks of stunning Mt. Kirkup. Accolades include #8 "Best Place in the
World to Visit” in The NY Times and "Most Underrated Resort"
by Skiing magazine.
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| Paradise Lodge, RED Mountain Resort |
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| Big White Winter Warm Up |
Big White, British Columbia:
With its fervent family focus, Big White Ski Resort is always looking for ways to make families’ alpine experiences more memorable and chocolate is always a winner. This winter, Big White will be the only mountain resort in North America to have its own custom-designed chocolate from the famous Or Noir Laboratories of French chocolatiers Cacao Barry. Big White’s Executive Chef, Rob Walker travelled to Paris, France, this fall to build two unique varieties of “Big White” chocolate which will be featured across the resort’s food and beverage portfolio.
NEW Winter Warm Up, Dec 1-20: Big White is kicking off the winter season with an exciting series of events to celebrate wonderful winter. The Winter Warm Up Kick-Off (Dec 1), including a 30ft bonfire, fireworks and a drive-in movie, will be the first of many festive events followed by the Big White Light Up (Dec 2), Big White Christmas Market (Dec 3), Village Movie Series (Dec 6-20), Big White Winter Rally (Dec 8-10), Big Reds at Big White wine festival (De. 8-9) and the Big White Hockey Tournament (Dec 16-17). See full Winter Warm Up schedule here.
NEW Elevation 57 Brewing Company and escape rooms: Sessions Taphouse and Grill is introducing two new features this season: Elevation 57 Brewing Company and Escape Sessions. Led by internationally-trained head brewer, Brandon Amond, Elevation 57 brings craft beer brewed at the highest elevation in Canada, 5757 feet. Escape Sessions is an après ski activity involving a challenge for six friends who will be split into teams and given clues and puzzles to help them ‘escape’ locked rooms.
NEW Christmas Theatre: Christmas Theatre productions, in partnership with New Vintage Theatre in Kelowna, is putting on festive theatre productions around the resort in various venues.
NEW 25ft outdoor movie screen: Big White is excited to bring guests entertainment on a brand new inflatable 25ft movie screen for outdoor village movie nights under the stars, film festivals and major sporting events.
NEW Inside Edge loyalty program: The Inside Edge is Big White’s new exclusive loyalty program for season passholders, providing special offers and savings at outlets both on and off the mountain.
The Woods: Known for its pivotal position in the heart of Big White Village and its vibrant outdoor beer garden, The Woods is now under new management by Big White Ski Resort which also runs the recently revamped Clocktower Coffee Co, Black Forest Day Lodge and the outlets within Happy Valley Day Lodge. Executive Chef, Rob Walker, will add a locally sourced and sustainable influence to The Woods' winter menu while keeping some of the favourite items that have made this dining establishment popular since its opening in 2013.
Celebrating 10 seasons of Globe at Big White: A proud member of the Big White community for the last 10 seasons, Globe Café and Tapas Bar is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this winter with a $10 Tapas Menu available every afternoon for the perfect après ski session, along with $10 off all bottles on its extensive Okanagan & Mediterranean wine list.
The Blarney Stone Irish Tavern: Will introduce new après ski live music features every Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoon from 4pm to accompany cold Guinness from Canada's highest altitude Irish Pub.
The Underground is back: This season, Big White Ski Resort welcomes back longtime local Alan Reid and the return of The Underground - a Big White food fave for nearly two decades.
New Quebec Spring Break packages: Now visitors from Quebec can experience Big White Ski Resort and meet its world famous snow ghosts during Spring Break 2018 with an affordable, new travel package that includes airfare, 7 nights accommodation, lift tickets and more.
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| Big White Masters' Week |
Extended Master’s Week: Back for its fifth consecutive year, Big White’s incredibly popular Masters’ Week has now been extended to three weeks during the season. Designed specifically for passionate skiers and snowboarders aged 50+, this week-long program combines the best skiing and riding Big White has to offer with a series of exclusive après events including wine tastings, happy hours at Big White’s best local restaurants, evening sleigh rides and more.
Stonegate development: A third building for Stonegate Resort is currently under construction, adding a number of 1, 2, 3 and 3 bedroom + loft vacation residences, with large stone fireplaces, gourmet kitchens, in-suite laundry and private balcony hot tubs. This resort also has heated underground parking, a heated indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center, theatre, games room, indoor ski/snowboard storage and stunning views of Big White Village, the Monashee Mountains and the ski slopes.
Staff housing: A brand new building is being built in the Black Forest area for staff housing. This building will be the first of four buildings on the present site around Gondola Way and will create the start of a subdivision in the Black Forest area. Staff living in the building will have excellent access to the Black Forest Express Quad and Lara’s Gondola in Happy Valley.
New groomer: A new groomer has been purchased for winter grooming during the 17/18 season. The new PistenBully 400, a specialist in slope and snowpark preparation, offers the most modern alpine technology for precise grooming work and will be a helpful addition to Big White’s extensive current fleet of groomers.
Lake Paul: The resort is investing in treatment for Lake Paul, a lake located at the base of the Powder Chair. This development will finish tying the lake into the water system, creating another 60 million gallons of useable fresh water for the residents of Big White Ski Resort. With the water supply currently serviced by Rhonda Lake at the base of the Cliff Chair, this addition will ensure that the water supply grows along with the resort population.
Whitefoot Medical Clinic: This on-mountain clinic will be extending its emergency service hours from 6am to 10pm every day of the ski season. There will be a live operator answering calls and transport services available anywhere in the village, or to town if necessary.
NEW Stonebridge Spa: A new health and wellness option will be opening in Stonebridge Lodge this winter known as Stonebridge Spa. Treatment is by appointment only and will include BC licensed therapists for physiotherapy, massage, and orthotics along with fitness and personal training.
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| Sun Peaks Village by Krystal Kehoe |
Sun Peaks, British Columbia:
Watch & Ride is the world’s first online snowboard school. Filmed in Sun Peaks in partnership with Sun Peaks Sports School, Watch & Ride will help take snowboarding to the next level with in-depth videos covering all aspects of snowboarding technique. There’s a free one year membership up for grabs for the first 100 people who sign up using the promo code ‘sunpeaksfree’. Just sign up on their site for a free account then use the promo code to unlock the free membership and open the full suite of tutorial videos.
New Glading: As part of Sun Peaks' forest health management program, contractors and slopes crew were busy all fall selectively clearing trees in specific on-mountain zones, removing beetle kill, dangerous trees and lowering forest fire risk. The result: fun new gladed terrain to explore, notably around the lower part of the Crystal chairlift, which has opened up five pods of trees to the right and left of the lower half of the lift. There has also been additional work completed in and around the run ‘Three Bears’ on Sundance mountain.
Careful Corduroy: Two new PistenBully 400 groomers - a winch cat and a terrain park cat - have replaed two older models and increased the overall capability and reliability in delivering groomed terrain and terrain park features.
Smooth Journey: Getting to Sun Peaks is easier and more comfortable this winter. Local Kamloops company, TasteFull Excursions, has been selected by Tourism Sun Peaks as the new service provider for the airport shuttle service from YKA, as well as inter-resort shuttles and chartered transportation services. TasteFull Excursions will transport guests to and from Sun Peaks in top-of-the-line 14-seat Ford Transit Vehicles with complimentary water, cell phone chargers, pillows, blankets, and (where available) WiFi.
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| Sun Peaks' Sundance area by Sam Loxton |
Après Overhauls: A multi-million dollar building renovation project and complete menu overhauls will have The Sunburst Bar + Eatery at mid-mountain and The Annex (formerly Bento’s) looking and feeling like brand new facilities. Masa’s Bar + Grill in the Village Day Lodge has also received a culinary refresh. Also, Joe Poutine is opening its doors for ski season. Serving up a variety of poutine combinations from classic Quebec style to more exotic concoctions, it’s located in the Hearthstone Lodge between Mountain High Pizza and Bella Italia Mediterranean Kitchen. And the renovated Cahilty Creek Bar & Grill has morphed into the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom, with a renewed focus on showcasing local beers and spirits.
Village Development: 2017 has been Sun Peak's busiest year for construction since 2007, with crews on the go throughout the valley all summer. A brand new Sun Peaks Health Centre, a replacement for the Sun Peaks International Hostel, and several housing developments are all new landmarks that have started to spring up since the lifts stopped turning last April. You can find out more about the summer construction here.
Go Canada Go: The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, kicking off on Feb 9, will be splashed across screens in bars and restaurants throughout the village. Olympic-themed events will also be part of the fun.
Whitewater Ski Resort has been upgrading its original Summit Chair with a
brand new Leitner-Poma fixed-grip quad chairlift scheduled to launch in Dec. In the same
location and in the same alignment as the original, the new quad chair will provide
easier skier/rider progression around the mountain, increase the resort's efficiency,
and decrease the lifts noise pollution. The original Daylodge, built by the hands of volunteers in the community, has also been overhauled. While the top level retains its layout, the lower level has been gentrified with additional seating, a smoothie and panini snack bar, more spacious ski shop and a new family playroom. Rental and repair services are now in a new Skier Services Lodge located next to the Daylodge in the base area. A new Guest Services building, on the parking lot side of the lodge, will offer multiple ticket windows and an inside area for guest inquiries. Parking has 75 new spots, too. Fresh Tracks Café Express
Food Truck, at the base of Glory Chair, has given way to an expanded lodge space with seating for up to 50, a covered deck and
wood stove. The Glory Lodge will be offering Whitewater's famous food,
with exciting new menu items such as the Winter Root Vegetable Hash and Eggs.
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| Whitewater white-washed! |
