I've lived almost my entire life within about 100 miles of the Canadian border and always spent as much time up north as possible. Of course, the sudden arrival of the pandemic put an immediate stop to all of that. During the closure of the border, I missed everything about my trips up north, but above all the incredible skiing. That's why when some good friends and I had the opportunity to make a trip to Revelstoke last winter, I jumped at the chance.
Located just about 6½ hours north of Spokane, REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT actually feels an eternity away. Boasting over 5,600 vertical feet of skiing, it could almost be located in the Alps and is certainly worth the drive. For our trip, we chose the shortest path, which is an incredibly scenic drive.
Cruising north, we found ourselves admiring breathtaking views of Slocan Lake as we passed New Denver and on to Nakusp, where we continued north along Upper Arrow Lake. About an hour up the road, we reached the Galena Bay ferry landing, where BC highway 23 crosses the lake to Shelter Bay. If you've never crossed a Canadian lake on a BC ferry, let me tell you it's an experience not to be missed and provides a welcome respite from the miles of driving. A word to the wise, however: Be sure to check the ferry schedule before leaving so you don't have to spend the afternoon waiting at the ramp. After a few more miles of staring out the window at the spectacular water and mountain views, we found ourselves rolling into the town of Revelstoke.
IN WITH THE IDIOTS
Weary from the road, we stopped at an always bustling local joint, the Village Idiot. Featuring local beers on tap, great pizza, live music, cocktails and barstools created with vintage skis, this place feels like a spot every ski town needs to have. After a quick bite, we headed out to meet up with friends and check into our rental house on the shore of Upper Arrow Lake, which is conveniently located near the access road up to the resort itself.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort has an interesting history dating back over 100 years with the founding of a local ski club. Originally the attraction was a ski jump, and in 1921 during the Winter Carnival more than 3,000 spectators attended. Eventually a tow rope and ski runs followed in 1947, with a Poma lift added in 1961. These early activities took place on Mount Revelstoke, but in 1964 Mount Mackenzie Ski Hill was established at the nearby site of what is today the modern Revelstoke Mountain Resort. What we go there to ski these days, however, came to life in 2008, with funding from a group of Toronto investors. Today the resort features a staggering 5,620 vertical feet, 3,121 skiable acres and 34 annual feet of snow.
The following morning, we arrived at the Revelstoke village where one can find the only on-mountain lodging, the Sutton Place Hotel, along with a coffee shop, tavern, restaurant and a couple of gear shops. After a quick trip to the ticket window, we were off to load the Revelation Gondola and be transported to our day of shredding.
STOKE OR RIPPER? BOTH!
Soaring quickly through the air, we look down upon the hilariously named run Kill the Banker and finally unload at the upper mountain zone. For the uninitiated, the upper mountain zone is divided up between two chairs, the Ripper and the Stoke. The Ripper Chair services a lot of the more intermediate upper runs and offers great sustained groomers. The Stoke chair unloads at the highest lift access point on the mountain and services more difficult runs in the South Bowl area as well as access to the most extreme zone at Revelstoke, the North Bowl.
After a couple of fairly challenging laps on the Stoke Chair, we chose to dial things up a bit and head into the North Bowl zone. With run names like Drop In, Mania and Discipline, we pretty much knew what we were in for, and it did not disappoint. From the ridge access entry point, we dropped in and found the type of steep and exhilarating skiing that really gets your blood pumping. For our late-morning ski session, we slid down to the Ripper Chair and lapped a few long sweet groomers before stopping into the Mackenzie Outpost for a midday break.
This turned out to be the perfect stop off for a burger and brew with outstanding views of the valley far below, as it doesn't require you to ski all the way down to the lower mountain and keeps you up in the best snow. To wake up our legs after lunch, we loaded the Stoke Chair and headed right over to one of the longest runs available, Hot Sauce. This top-to-bottom run is so long its name changed five times; my beard turned gray by the time we arrived at the bottom.
A couple longer laps like this, and we were ready to put our skis to bed and swap slopeside stories over adult beverages while basking in the sun at the Revelation Lodge. Pro tip: British Columbia has zero tolerance for drinking and driving, and they also enforce that by using random roadblocks, so be sure to have a designated driver.
After a rest break back at the house, we headed into town for our dinner reservation at Paramjit's Kitchen, which features a unique combination of Indian and German specialties. The restaurant came highly recommended and did not disappoint. There are many excellent choices for dining in Revelstoke, and we didn't have nearly enough time to enjoy them all, but a few favorites from previous visits include the Taco Club, Chubby Funsters (funny name, great food) and Quartermaster Eatery.
WAKE UP, IT'S GNAR DAY
When we returned to the hill the next morning, something strange was afoot. It turned out to be Gnar Day at Revelstoke, which is a celebration of the life of one of skiing's all time great characters, Shane McConkey. There were loads of colorfully costumed young people all casually engaged in the game of Gnar, which Shane invented and features points awarded for things such as forcefully telling others to "Have a great day!" or telling a stranger "I'm the best skier on the mountain!" or even pulling off the highest scoring move in the game: skiing naked under the lift.
With all this going on around us, our day became less about the skiing and more about the laughs, but man were we ever entertained. I even got into the action myself by calling my Mom while skiing down our last run, 500 points. Seriously, look it up.
After two incredible days of fun-filled skiing, eating and drinking, we were sad to head home, but my wife and I decided to take the long way and stop in Kelowna, which is a gorgeous waterfront city located in the heart of Okanagan wine country, featuring a 1.25-mile paved waterfront trail, tons of shopping and some amazing dining options. We always enjoy stopping here on our trip home, as it really breaks up the drive and delays the realities of returning home to responsibilities. If you choose to follow in our footsteps, I highly recommend dinner at Salt & Brick, our favorite local restaurant featuring small plates and an ever-revolving menu.
Our stacked-to-the-rafters-with-fun trip was made last winter in the ski season of 2021-22, when COVID-19 testing and proof of vaccination was still required by the Canadian government. But for this coming season, all border restrictions related to the pandemic have been lifted, so what are you waiting for? ♦
John Grollmus is a lifetime resident of the Inland Northwest, local restaurateur and backcountry ski guide. He loves all things outdoors, food of every kind and, more than almost anything, skiing. John can currently be found living with his wife and favorite human, Kim, near Hope, Idaho.
