Black Phantom
Active member
Whistler-Blackcomb's record-setting Peak 2 Peak gondola, the stunning debut of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, the longest quadruple chairlift in the Canadian Rockies at Marmot Basin — these and other recent additions to the ski and snowboard scene are boons for dedicated schussers.
But what about newcomers? This year, the most conspicuous trend in Canadian ski holidays is a renewed effort to lure beginners to resorts' shiny new chairlifts and renovated lodges.
Indeed, the six most exciting developments of the 2011-12 season — along with a flurry of honourable mentions — offer something for skiers and snowboarders of every skill level:
1. Fernie flourishes at 50
Fifty years after stringing T-bars along southeastern B.C.'s powder-packed Lizard Range, Fernie Alpine Resort is celebrating its semicentennial in style. The new Polar Peak high-speed quad boosts the vertical drop to more than 1,000 metres, the fifth most in Canada. It also adds 22 runs of high-alpine bowl skiing off the summit of the chair's namesake mountain, giving Fernie 140 marked trails, the most of any resort in the Canadian Rockies.
2. Marmot doubles down
What is Marmot Basin doing for an encore after unveiling its Canadian Rockies Express chair in 2009? How about a pair of new lifts: The 1,403-metre Paradise high-speed quad, which will carry skiers up the Paradise Face's challenging pitch, and the beginner-friendly School House triple chair, which will replace a T-bar on the lower slopes.
3. Revelstoke calls rookies
With the highest lift-serviced vertical in North America (at 1,700 metres), along with heli-, cat- and backcountry skiing right from its base area, B.C.'s Revelstoke Mountain Resort debuted as a haven for big-mountain powder skiing. Five years later, the resort is turning its attention to new skiers and families by adding an extensive beginner area and tube park, both serviced by a new 175-metre magic carpet lift and groomed with extra snow-making equipment.
4. Bromont retains its title
We're not sure if its status as North America's largest night-skiing venue was ever in question, but the issue is now moot: Ski Bromont in Quebec's Eastern Townships has added a 990-metre quad lift to its Épinettes slope, providing access to four new runs of mostly gladed terrain — all of which will be illuminated in the evening.
5. Whitewater Glory grows
This low-key B.C. resort made a big splash last year by unveiling its Glory Ridge area, opening up 749 acres of powder-rich glades and nearly doubling Whitewater's vertical to about 625 metres. Over the summer, however, Glory Ridge's 18 runs have been extensively cleared and groomed, yielding a more polished ski experience.
6. Le Massif bridges gap
The resort with the highest vertical in Eastern Canada is hoping for more visitors when a new rail tour starts shuttling skiers out of Quebec City from February to April.
With that in mind, Le Massif has just completed “La Passerelle,” a 100-metre pedestrian bridge connecting lifts with the base area.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
• Vancouver Island's Mount Washington has spent $3 million renewing its beginner area — now named Easy Acres — with four new canopied magic carpets and revamped runs.
• Silver Star has partnered with Eagle Pass Heli-Skiing to offer chopper flights to the Gold Range in the Monashee Mountains right out of the resort village.
• Whistler-Blackcomb has unveiled Max 4, a program of ski and snowboard lessons with a maximum of four guests per instructor.
• Big White has launched a trio of age-oriented programs: “Club 65” for seniors, with perks including free lessons, coffee and gear tune-ups; “Mom, Dad and Me” for families, so parents can accompany kids during initial lessons; and “Teen Media,” which will help teens create videos of their snow park time.
• Kicking Horse now has daily bus transfers to and from Calgary International Airport, Banff and Lake Louise as part of a partnership with Brewster Travel Canada.
• Kitchener's Chicopee Ski Club is unveiling a new quad chair.
• Mont Sutton has four new glade trails for expert skiers: Crocodile, Entonnoir, Extase and Seduction.
• Banff's Mt. Norquay is reopening its historic and panoramic Teahouse at the top of the North American chairlift.
http://www.thestar.com/travel/skiing/article/1084808--lifts-and-lessons-lure-newbies
But what about newcomers? This year, the most conspicuous trend in Canadian ski holidays is a renewed effort to lure beginners to resorts' shiny new chairlifts and renovated lodges.
Indeed, the six most exciting developments of the 2011-12 season — along with a flurry of honourable mentions — offer something for skiers and snowboarders of every skill level:
1. Fernie flourishes at 50
Fifty years after stringing T-bars along southeastern B.C.'s powder-packed Lizard Range, Fernie Alpine Resort is celebrating its semicentennial in style. The new Polar Peak high-speed quad boosts the vertical drop to more than 1,000 metres, the fifth most in Canada. It also adds 22 runs of high-alpine bowl skiing off the summit of the chair's namesake mountain, giving Fernie 140 marked trails, the most of any resort in the Canadian Rockies.
2. Marmot doubles down
What is Marmot Basin doing for an encore after unveiling its Canadian Rockies Express chair in 2009? How about a pair of new lifts: The 1,403-metre Paradise high-speed quad, which will carry skiers up the Paradise Face's challenging pitch, and the beginner-friendly School House triple chair, which will replace a T-bar on the lower slopes.
3. Revelstoke calls rookies
With the highest lift-serviced vertical in North America (at 1,700 metres), along with heli-, cat- and backcountry skiing right from its base area, B.C.'s Revelstoke Mountain Resort debuted as a haven for big-mountain powder skiing. Five years later, the resort is turning its attention to new skiers and families by adding an extensive beginner area and tube park, both serviced by a new 175-metre magic carpet lift and groomed with extra snow-making equipment.
4. Bromont retains its title
We're not sure if its status as North America's largest night-skiing venue was ever in question, but the issue is now moot: Ski Bromont in Quebec's Eastern Townships has added a 990-metre quad lift to its Épinettes slope, providing access to four new runs of mostly gladed terrain — all of which will be illuminated in the evening.
5. Whitewater Glory grows
This low-key B.C. resort made a big splash last year by unveiling its Glory Ridge area, opening up 749 acres of powder-rich glades and nearly doubling Whitewater's vertical to about 625 metres. Over the summer, however, Glory Ridge's 18 runs have been extensively cleared and groomed, yielding a more polished ski experience.
6. Le Massif bridges gap
The resort with the highest vertical in Eastern Canada is hoping for more visitors when a new rail tour starts shuttling skiers out of Quebec City from February to April.
With that in mind, Le Massif has just completed “La Passerelle,” a 100-metre pedestrian bridge connecting lifts with the base area.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
• Vancouver Island's Mount Washington has spent $3 million renewing its beginner area — now named Easy Acres — with four new canopied magic carpets and revamped runs.
• Silver Star has partnered with Eagle Pass Heli-Skiing to offer chopper flights to the Gold Range in the Monashee Mountains right out of the resort village.
• Whistler-Blackcomb has unveiled Max 4, a program of ski and snowboard lessons with a maximum of four guests per instructor.
• Big White has launched a trio of age-oriented programs: “Club 65” for seniors, with perks including free lessons, coffee and gear tune-ups; “Mom, Dad and Me” for families, so parents can accompany kids during initial lessons; and “Teen Media,” which will help teens create videos of their snow park time.
• Kicking Horse now has daily bus transfers to and from Calgary International Airport, Banff and Lake Louise as part of a partnership with Brewster Travel Canada.
• Kitchener's Chicopee Ski Club is unveiling a new quad chair.
• Mont Sutton has four new glade trails for expert skiers: Crocodile, Entonnoir, Extase and Seduction.
• Banff's Mt. Norquay is reopening its historic and panoramic Teahouse at the top of the North American chairlift.
http://www.thestar.com/travel/skiing/article/1084808--lifts-and-lessons-lure-newbies
Last edited:
