There are several ski areas just outside Vancouver - Cypress Bowl and Hemlock to name two, and Grouse Mountain on Vancouver's north shore offers the thrill of night skiing with the city and harbour twinkling far below you. Mt Washington, outside of the Courtnay/Comox area on Vancouver Island receives, surprisingly, more snow that any other ski area in BC. Three major resorts in the Okanagan Valley - Big White, Apex and Silver Star offer fabulous ski runs, all the conveniences expected and small crowds. Sun Peaks Resort at Tod Mountain outside Kamloops is experiencing new development, facilities and lodges to service this outstanding ski area. Whitewater in the Kootenays, near Nelson is famous for powder, and Red Mountain in Rossland, home of some of Canada's Olympic ski medallists, challenges even the experts.
The Rockies also beckon with light, dry powder, and the Kimberley Ski and Summer Resort, Fernie Snow Valley, Whitetooth in Golden and Fairmont Hot Springs all offer wonderful skiing, no crowds and full facilities. Panorama Resort in the Purcell Mountains in the BC Rockies region, has the second highest vertical in the province - 4,300 feet.
Skiing in British Columbia, is much more than just popular ski resorts. British Columbia is also famous for, and a world leader in, heli-skiing. This particular form of skiing was pioneered here. Numerous operators fly into many of the mountain ranges that are now synonymous with heli skiing. Several of these operators also base their operations from high, deluxe alpine lodges, which are themselves only helicopter accessible.
For skiers wishing this same experience, but with an eye towards their budget, there is snow-cat skiing. Same idea as heli-skiing, just replace the helicopter with a 12-passenger, heated multi-tracked snowcat. It may take a little longer to get to the top, but snowcats aren't grounded by snowy weather.
To many skiers, though, the purists, the only form of skiing is either cross-country, or ski-touring. This is the real back country, alpine meadow, or remote mountain experience, and British Columbia has no lack of opportunities here. From an easy day's ski on groomed tracks at a Nordic ski centre, to a week long back country, hut to hut, total winter, blissfully quiet, virgin snow, starry night, sit-around-a-fire sipping cocoa and clearest night I've ever seen experience, British Columbia has it all!!
To learn why people say the fishing is second to none in this vast province, choose the next button.
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