Powder this, pow pow that, its all a bit ‘ho hum’ and often misleading when one is pre booking air travels, and has limited time. However I have travelled the highway twice and thoroughly enjoyed it’s imposing beauty, frigid temps and the consistently reliable snow with varied skiing.
On my first trip we arrived in ‘freezing’ Calgary to plugged in parking cars and heated underground shopping malls. Then went anti clockwise “Snob Hopping” in the best hotels in Canada. Including the iconic Banff Chateau Hotel, the Grand Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, fronting the magnificent turquoise lake and glacier and a luxury ‘on snow’ apartment at Panorama with temperatures hovering around –25 Celsius for the whole week!
It was a fun trip, driving on snow packed roads, (stopping to let the Mommy Bear and cubs cross the highway), chased by a Moose when trying to get our rental car in Banffs main street, a rugged-up evening Dog Sled ride from the glamorous Lake Louise Chateau. With endless snow packed piste’s at Sunshine Resort, Norquay, Lake Louise and the icy moguls, race track slopes and bitter temps at Panorama.
Eventually finishing at the cow poke mining town of Fernie and finally, smokin cold ‘Pow Pow lines’ on the steep n’ deep slopes at the nearby Fernie Alpine Resort.
Note: Lake Louise Resort is now rated the best in Canada? With new infrastructure and extended off piste access in the Banff National Park from the top lift to the vast and un-groomed West Bowl. (with a buddy please!).
More recently my second trip started in Kelowna B.C. and went clockwise on a “Gypsy ski travels”, enjoying various fun Ski Hostels and the very stylish Ski Lodge at Revelstoke.
But, eventually reversing my tracks due to the hideous snow conditions south of the border in the ‘Good old USA’. and the ‘wanna be gang’ who arrived en mass to chase the northern pow… my advice was not to go south to Red and Whitewater as planned…the best was here.
Silverstar Resort was a good warm up and a cheapish taxi delivered me to the ski in-out SameSun Backpacker Lodge, to a welcome smile, a light snack and a decent sleep. (it had been a 19 hour trip from Brisbane.)
Breakfast was healthy and plenty, then I glided down to the ticket office noticing the free Guided Tour by local ski hosts started in 5 minutes? and Why not!
It was BIG fun, as I had never been on a ‘tour du resort’ before and as this cutesy pie village is in the middle of the mountain with chairs going every which-way, a perfect start to the Canadian Powder Highway.
Wandering about behind the leader was fun and with a nice mix of sociable guests digesting the lifts and slope difficulties on both the Front and Back Sides.
(including the steep n’ nasty chopped bump runs off Aunt Gladys)!
It was good piste skiing and the Mountain Host covered a lot of interesting areas for me to explore in the next 3 days, and we finished with an excellent ‘coffee n’ pastry’ in a ski-in-out high street cafe. (and definitely no cars).
The inner village at Silverstar is “Disney Cute” and most of the cowboy themed facade’s of hotels, bars n’ salons, and bistros welcome you from the board walk.
My choice is The Bulldog Hotel in Main Street, and there is also plenty of quality Lodges, Condominiums and Vacation homes shrouded in the ski slopes and lanes.
There’s a good vibe at Silverstar and all the staff were welcoming and helpful.
The grande dame in Ski Dazzel caught my eye (missed that one) and the Goody Box offered scrumptious candy for my journey up the highway to Revelstoke.
Oh, and the skiing was great too. Not pow pow, but grippy well groomed piste’s or testing bump lines down to the Eldorado trail in Putnam Creek…and the easy social apre ski ‘hoo ha’ was always within walking distance from the SameSun Lodge.
Thank you Silverstar.
A Taxi to Vernon and then the Greyhound to the Revelstoke junction on snow packed Highway 1# was easy and a relaxing vista. Then I hitched a ride (with big ski bag and pack) into the town of Revelstoke and caught the ski shuttle to the posh Sutton Palace Hotel which anchors the ‘nearly-famous’ Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
After dumping my ya ya I shuttled back to town and after finding the pro ski shop I bought it! Na…just new Scott goggles which cost two arms and a leg. (still wearing them)? Then breakfast goodies for my ski buddy Darryl and self, me being the petit dejeuner chef de cuisine for the week.
Sutton Place Hotel is the centre of Skiing-Boarding for this Selkirk-Tangiers region. Heli skiing, Cat skiing and the 5620 ft. vertical off the top Revelstoke chair all start here, for the social mix of predominantly strong to expert skiers and riders.
With various weather patterns and a 20 minute drop to the bottom it was testing and testy. Wind crust, Snow, Rain and Dense fog were all in the weekly junket for the brave, including steep glades, open bowls, flat light, mega moguls and off camber troughs under the gondola…(ak. Kill The Banker).
It was exhausting and Big Fun, but pay attention and make good decisions off piste!
Greely Bowl didn’t open and the other steep lines beyond the “Sweet Spot” drop-in stayed murky all week.
And moving my bindings forward another 8 mm. helped over the big pillows and in the tricky glade terrain off The Ripper Chair.
The Rockford bar and grill became our ‘go to’ late lunch stop and the Mackenzie Outpost at mid mountain made great coffee, cookies and snacky dishes.
Six days at Revelstoke mid Feb was tough. It was cold, some times damp and often when returning down to the lower station the Fog belt was so dense it was dangerous.
We did enjoy the challenging off piste (both being Seniors) and the 50 metre walk to the gondola from a luxury suite in Sutton Palace enthused our early starts perfectly.
Daryl took a limo to Sun Peaks (as you do) and after a relaxing morning scooping out the small town centre and options for a spring return trip, I rode a Greyhound through the imposing Kicking Horse Pass on Highway 1# and arrived at Golden B.C.
Eventually finding my new digs in the historic centre of Golden at the Dreamcatcher Hostel.
Still stunned, I hit my cot early in the very comfortable Hostel and it literally was ‘sweet dreams’ as Kicking Horse Resort beckoned me to ski tomorrow.
After a pancake breakfast, (with Maple syrup of course) I asked a couple of oldies “where does the shuttle leave from” and their reply was “just walk to the road and stick your thumb out”… “skis and all”, “Yep, and wear your boots”.
And I did just that with my Cat Tracks on, arriving at the Kicking Horse car park 15 minutes latter.
Then walked over to the snow slope and glided down to the ticket office, sans a 6 day non consecutive pass and a trail map. “Easy Peisy”.
Above the ‘just another resort focusing on condo development’ there’s some dam good skiing and riding, with consistently less murky light to enjoy the steep open bowls accessed from the top ridge line. And the snow was cold and light with plenty of room through the trees and glades.
Just watch for the traverse lines under the fluff for max ‘fall line’ fun.
Take the poison, as most of the inbound is do-able off the Stairway to Heaven and skiers right under the Golden Eagle Express for a good balance of steeps, tree lines, cold snow… and easing steeps to the base.
Big Balls or Bitchy? Hit Terminator Peak and the South Ridge double blacks in good vis. Or the Whitewall over Redemtion Ridge.
I enjoyed my stay in Golden and the daily hitch to the Kicking Horse base was instant and always sociable, with locals and travellers and often returning from the car park gate in the same vehicle.
Originally a train junction, Golden B.C. is casual, invigorating and enjoys drop dead mountain scenery and National Parks every which way.
Checkout Bacchus Bookstore and Cafe for used books, or new books while waffling the wonderful aroma and then enjoy their tasty cake n’ coffee upstairs.
It was a perfect retreat after four days of great All Mountain skiing and taking my regular snack in the Yurt at the bottom of the Stairway to Heaven lift.
Dreamcatcher Hostel really is a Home away from Home. With bunches of interesting travellers and good “Sliders” who were enjoying healthy breakfasts and making convivial evening chat in the large and comfortable lounge.
After two more casual days poking around Kicking Horse resort’s lower slopes
I reversed my onward travels and bussed back to the regions capital Kelowna.
Checking out their very stylish Yacht Club on the lake, then gasping at the classic Canadian winter dish “Poutine”. (french fries, gravy and cheese curd) yuk…then ended up tasting Canadian Whisky in the local Craft Distillery.
Next morning Fuzzy headed, I taxied to the airport and Jet Jumped south west to the bright neon lights of L.A. and edgy Venice Beach for a well earned…holiday!
Actually I had specifically dropped in to la la land to visit the PETERSEN Auto Museum on Wilshire Boulevard and enjoy a casual smooch on Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu Beaches.
Dressed to kill, the museum was still closed for major renovations and a makeover! Perhaps next trip, as it is impossibly “So-Cal” with cars, retro cool auto art and revolving sporty car exhibitions. Just Do It.
A little bit of Americana shopping on S.M. Boulevard put me back at the iconic Santa Monica Pier and being the weekend the boardwalk back to Venice Beach was full of beautiful people strutting, posing and just “hanging Out”. Or doing healthy stuff and watching being watched?
Ocean Avenue is the place to stay and the original Hotel California is retro and funky-cool, a fitting end to my “Gypsy ski travels”.
