Ahhhhhh, the good stuff. If you are like us, you hunt it down and follow it around. There's nothing better than several feet of untracked fluffy white stuff and Revelstoke has a lot of it. And even better, they don't have hordes of people lining up before the lifts open in order to get a piece of the powder pie.
With the addition of a new lift to take you to the top, you can ski several kilometers of terrain and if it has snowed at all, you will have no problem finding your own piece of terrain. When we skied the new runs last year, we managed to get in 10 runs of untracked powder. It's steep, deep and full of the fun stuff like little cliffs, glades, and nice little fall lines in this beautiful, rugged area of British Columbia bear hugged by mountains on all sides.
The only downside to this fabulous hill is also its upside - it's not easy to get here. But hey, the 3 and a half hour drive from Kelowna, or Calgary if you have to fly in, are worth it. The drive is spectacular but can be dangerous and subject to closures and delays in the middle of winter, due to – you guessed it – too much snow.
You can get a great meal of fresh cooked pasta in the lodge and I hear on some special occasions what is sure to be the world’s biggest shot ski makes an appearance.
The town of Revelstoke is also very stupendous. Super friendly, outdoorsy folk are nice to interlopers. Most of the locals are pretty badass skiers and riders and since they know the area so well, they often head backcountry. You will see a lot of shovels on backpacks and even an occasional inflatable backpack for extra avalanche precautions. Don't try and be like the locals and head off-piste on your own. These peeps know what they are doing and they know the area. We overheard one local telling his buddy that he and 5 friends took a few wrong turns and had to hike out 14 hours. Ya.....badass, but also know how to get out of most trouble.
Say hey to the lifties. They'll tip you on some good lines and they are super friendly. Revelstoke still has a lot of the good ole family fun feel but with really top-notch terrain. But if you don’t like powder, this isn’t the place for you. There are really only two lifts and the best terrain is a short hike at the top. You also have to hike out after each run but it doesn’t take long.
Be sure to check out the local pubs. There are some mean wings at the main beer bar in town. Also be sure to visit my personal favorite store Revelstoke Alpine Equipment. It has all the goods for backcountry and powder skiing and they specialize in stuff for women. For all the women who have spent months trying to find goggles that fit their face, this store has a whole section for you. They also have really cool long underwear and other stuff for ski girls who are the opposite of ski bunnies.
Revelstoke really is my new BFF. I love her. She has so much sparkle and so much freakin snow. The really good, hard terrain is accessible by chair and a bit of hiking and it’s controlled. This is really the perfect place to come to ski powder in good, hard terrain. I almost don’t want the secret to get out.
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