Revelstoke - A New Ski Hill for the Holidays (10-Feb-08)

December 22, Revelstoke, B.C. The ski world welcomed a major new player today — Revelstoke Mountain Resort in Revelstoke, British Columbia

December 22, Revelstoke, B.C. The ski world welcomed a major new player today — Revelstoke Mountain Resort in Revelstoke, British Columbia — fulfilling a dream this ski town and international powder skiers have anticipated for almost three decades.

The resort officially opened this morning with five feet (1.6 metres) of snow; 4,735 vertical feet (1,443 metres) of lift-serviced terrain; 1,500 acres (607 hectares) of skiing; and 27 new ski runs serviced by a $22 million Leitner Poma eight-person gondola and a high-speed quad chairlift. It is being developed by partners Don Simpson, Pobert Powadiuk, Hunter Milborne and Tom Gaglardi.

After Revelstoke Mayor Mark McKee cut the ribbon for the inaugural ride on the Revelation gondola, an estimated 2,000 skiers and snowboarders, from the Revelstoke area and as far as Hawaii, the U.K. and Germany, rode the new lifts this morning to experience the legendary powder of the Selkirk Mountains.

“Revelstoke offers everything a skier could want — epic Selkirk powder, miles of largely untouched terrain, killer runs and awesome vistas of the Columbia River Valley,” said Paul Skelton, president of Revelstoke Mountain Resort.

First-day skiers were visited by Santa Claus on skis and treated to hot holiday drinks and cookies, commemorative tokens and opening day photos, as well as the on-site carving of ice sculptures by the Canadian Snow Sculpture Team.

“The mountain’s opening is a great Christmas present for Revelstoke, and for British Columbia, as it will help build awareness of the unparalleled recreational opportunities in our province,” said Mark McKee, mayor of Revelstoke. “We anticipate 50,000 skier visits this winter, and these visitors will benefit local hotels, restaurants and retailers.”

The mountain — long an exclusive haven for cat skiers — will ultimately boast over 20 lifts and more than 100 runs, transforming the hidden gem in B.C.’s Columbia Mountain range into one of the world’s most sought-after resorts. Next season, when the gondola is extended down to the village and condo hotel area, now under construction, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will have North America’s longest lift-serviced vertical at 5,623 vertical feet (1,714 metres), topping out at over 6,000 vertical feet (1,829 metres) when a future lift is installed. The $1-billion, four-season Revelstoke Mountain Resort is expected to be completed over 15 years and include 5,000 new housing units, including hotels, a pedestrian village with shops and restaurants, and an 18-hole championship golf course.