Lance and Sharon on a run off the Stoke Chair
It's been some time since we've visited Revelstoke. It's our interior BC home-away-from-home and a place to escape from Whistler when inevitable snow dry spells hit.
With COVID, then highway failures it's been over 2 years since we've visited for winter. The Coquihalla was washed away by floods in fall of 2021 and (amazingly quickly) repaired enough for recreational traffic in mid Jan 2022. So off we were to visit again. Six hours and a bit of easy driving after leaving Vancouver we were rolling into Revelstoke.
On this trip we were hosted by Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) with the kind help of Peter Neilsen.
Coquihalla travel was quick. There's a lot of infrastructure replacement. Although we were told to expect delays there were none
Sutton Place at Revelstoke
Deck overlooks the gondola, a fully-equipped kitchen & COVID-conscious policies and cleaning.
Lots of space to spread around ski gear then walk to lifts
It hadn't snowed in a week but hardpack was in fine form as temps were nice and cold unlike the warm spring-like conditions of the Coast. Lake effect was giving us a fine fog-bank show and views were superb!
Less than half an hour to get above valley fog and do the guide point at the slackcountry of Montana & Kokanee Bowls
Classic tourist shot looking west towards the Monashees and Mt Begbie
Views skiing off the Stoke Chair are above average
Lance above the Stoke Chair
For a change of pace we headed up the Lemming Line to see how north-facing had fared. Not so great above treeline we found due to wind effect. However the snowpack seems to have tightened up and some impressive lines were getting skied into North and Greeley Bowl.
We then transitioned over to the Ripper Chair and enjoyed the lightshow as the fogbank dropped lower and lower down the mountain. A last cruise down the mountain in good light as the fogbank parted in the late afternoon and off to hit the Sutton Place hot-tub.
Had to check out the Lemming Line
The next day we toured some quick slackcountry hits outside RMR boundaries towards Greeley
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Sharon shredding week old snow
We found some decent snow that was well-preserved on NE slopes. Not too bad given that it had been a week since substantial new snow
Skinning out back to the resort.
Light show off the Ripper Chair
Afternoon laps off the Stoke
Shar on the last run
Comfortable beds with hot-tub bath robes; complimentary wine; and a chance to use the tub after skiing
Where to Stay - Sutton Place
We stayed at the Sutton Place right at the resort. What a dentist this one is you say! But hear me out.
We stayed in a 1 bedroom premium suite. This unit has 1 bedroom with a king bed, has a den with a pull out bed and another pull out couch in the living room. If you book mid-week and apply anyone of a plethora of discounts (eg Grouse Mountain passholder discount) this worked out to approximately $ 700/night. The unit comfortably sleeps 4 people and if you packed in more ala sardines 6 people. Doing that math that works out quite alright.
Now this doesn't actually sound like too bad a deal if you want to park your car, not drive for a week and save on food bills (the kitchen gives you the ability to prep your own meals). RMR and the Sutton is also doing a lot of things to make it easier for you; for example there's a free shuttle bus back and forth to town if you want to check things out. In another example, Sutton Place also has a decently paranoid COVID response plan and to top it off, both the resort and the Sutton are trying to make the gong show of ever-changing federal regulations easier by allowing travellers selected for testing to have that testing done at RMR
Apres at the Sutton