Despite challenging weather, Revelstoke’s allure and potential for adventure left one considering a permanent move to this stunning mountain town.
Words :: Colin Field
Revelstoke has been on my “Places I Need To Ski” list for over a decade. And I finally got there in 2024.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate, but has anyone had a successful ski trip in 2024 so far? Snow conditions aside, seeing the potential of the resort made me seriously consider moving to Revy. I mean what’s not to love? Even without new snow I loved it. And as the locals kept telling me, summer is even better.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a relative newcomer to the Canadian ski scene. Although people have skied here since the 1890s and there was a small lift here in the 1960s, it wasn’t until 2007/8 that a modern resort opened. And it’s a big one, boasting North America’s longest vertical at 1713 metres (5620 feet) and with over 3000 acres of skiable terrain, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
Revelstoke’s reputation as an advanced place to ski is well deserved; the steep tree skiing must be absolute paradise after a good dumping. But management has also done a great job of creating beginner and family-friendly runs. Truth be told, we spent most of our time skiing the 15-kilometre Last Spike—a green run that was tons of fun in the marginal conditions.
On the days the sun broke through and we looked below to the inverted cloud covering the valley and town, the Mackenzie Outpost was clearly the place to be. Crowds gathered on the deck and in the lounge chairs enjoying some vitamin D, the camaraderie and the view. While the Mt. Begbie Brewery beers were pricey, they were worth every penny on this slice of paradise. Grab one of the reasonably-priced, delicious burgers (I’d say the best burger in Revy, but there are some serious contenders in town) and you’ve got it made.
That is until the whiskey jacks start stealing your french fries and then you get yelled at by the staff for feeding the birds. But it’s a friendly scolding.
Anyway, you’re here to ski. City folk will never understand it, but it’s totally reasonable to take a day bag with you and just leave it on the snow beside the Outpost. No worries. Come back and grab it later in the day. Or chuck it on the ground beside the Stoke chair. Everyone’s doing it.
We crammed in a quick lap with pro skiing legend and Revy local Greg Hill. Thankfully he didn’t punish us with any human-powered feats, but he did show us the super cool run the Masterpiece. The mellow alley through the trees is full of cool art pieces by local artist Rob Buchanan. The Mona Skisa by Leonardo da Vinski is a personal fave. Created with 126 tiles made from old skis and snowboards it’s just one of many pieces in this outdoor display.
Elsewhere on the hill you can find the spinning “Wheely Bad Advice” sign. With hilarious suggestions like FROST ON METAL, POLES TASTES DELICIOUS, and TAKE YOUR TIME, THE POWDER LASTS ALL DAY, it’s refreshing to see a resort that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Skiing is supposed to be fun. And Revelstoke Mountain Resort is keeping that sentiment alive.
We had most of our meals in town, visiting the Taco Club, Chubby Funsters, the Craft Bierhaus and the Village Idiot. Don’t let the small-town vibe of Revy fool you; these restaurants are incredible and are comparable to big-city fare. Every meal was top-notch.
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Staying at the Sutton Hotel in the resort village was killer; we could literally see the gondola at all times. We could check if there was a lineup and decide whether and when to head up. The nightly unofficial fireworks had the entire hotel in an uproar and was a popular topic of discussion in the public hot tubs. While some guests were upset about it, we just thought it was kids having some harmless fun (we later found out it was actually a group of 60-something men from NorCal).
The public hot tub and sauna proved the perfect antidote for our ancient and aching knees, quads and ankles.
Revelstoke is one of the Ikon Pass resorts and a Mountain Collective resort. That means if you make smart purchases, skiing here feels like it’s almost free. There are also deals and packages up for grabs on the Revelstoke website.
I visited with a buddy who was looking for a condo and it was hard to argue the logic of buying one; this town is awesome. The hill, even without new snow, is tons of fun. It’s still a small town, but there’s plenty of opportunity to have some serious adventure. Moving there would not be a bad idea. Anyone wanna go halvesies on a down payment?
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