Dec 29, 2009, 14:24 GMT
Revelstoke, Canada - Aspen, Vail and Whistler: these places immediately come to skiers' minds when talking about winter sports in North America.
But soon, this US-Canadian trio could become a quartet: Revelstoke, in Canada's province of British Columbia, is sounding the charge. With a tourism project of some 145 million US dollars, the skiing resort in the Rocky Mountains is on its way to becoming a place of superlatives.
'Three in one' is the slogan for the resort in the south-eastern part of British Columbia. Vacationers in Revelstoke have a choice between conventional slopes, snowcat skiing and heli-skiing.
It also offers the biggest altitude difference of any ski run in North America - 1,713 metres.
'This means that Revelstoke has simply everything,' says Canada expert Pia Stumboeck. Her late father Peter was one of the European skiing pioneers in the railroad town on the Columbia River.
Together with Swiss skier Peter Schlunegger and a handful of skiing enthusiasts, Peter Stumboeck early on recognized the potential of the town of 8,000 at the foot of Rogers Pass.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) is the name of the skiing area opened up at the end of 2007 on the western slopes of Mount Mackenzie at the edge of town.
An eight-seat gondola carries the winter sports enthusiasts nearly to the top of the 2,460-metre peak. From there, the longest ski run is 15.2 kilometres, suitable for beginners. But other runs are mainly better for more experienced skiers, for example the demanding 'Kill the Banker' slope of moguls.
'This already had its name before the financial crisis,' skiing instructor Jenson assures visitors. But then he admits that people in Revelstoke might have gladly wanted to kill a few finance whiz kids - because the financial crash nearly brought the Revelstoke project down with it.
It was only after a major hotel and restaurant group from Vancouver acquired a shareholding majority that the project took off.
On days when there is fresh new snow, the locals cannot get out fast enough to the 'North Bowl' with its rocky cliffs, forests and valleys.
The speed limits, which at other times are respected almost reverentially by drivers, are steadfastly broken - and that's when 'our state coffers fill up because the police then set up their radar traps,' says a local named Collin who lives in Revelstoke and who heads out to the slopes as a freeride skier.
But fresh snow is just about the only thing which can otherwise rob Canadians of their legendary laid-back ways. At noontime, at a barbecue on the terrace of the 'Daylodge,' things are relaxed again. And the apres-ski festivities also are marked by an 'easy going' atmosphere.
In the meantime, slowly but surely, the 'Nelson Lodge,' located directly at the bottom of the ski run, has developed into an apres- ski setting. The complex consists of restaurants, apartments and hotels, although it is not yet completely finished.
Over the next few years, the RMR is to be completed in three phases, with plans for 20 ski lifts, more than 100 downhill runs, several apartment houses, restaurants, and villas with their own helicopter landing pads.
When completed, then the freerider nest located between the Olympic cities of Calgary (1988) and Vancouver (2010) will also be suited for families.
Powder skiing freaks already will attest to its good reputation, no wonder considering that the area gets up to 18 metres of snowfall per year. The 'white gold' not only comes down in great quantities, but in the higher elevations it is also wonderfully dry. 'Champagne powder' is how the locals refer to their powder snow.
'The snow and the area combine to make Revelstoke into one of the best heli-skiing regions anywhere in the world,' says Swiss mountain guide Paul enthusiastically. Paul is in charge of leading heli-skiers on tours in the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges.
Once the helicopter has delivered them and taken off again, then a deathly silence reins in the 3,000-metre-high wilderness. Huge spheres of whirling snow crystals are left behind in the turbulence of the helicopter's rotor-blades.
Before the normal skiing area was opened, on those few days when the helicopters could not fly, then what remained were the snow cats. In virtually any wind and weather conditions, the snowcats transport skiers and snowboarders to untouched slopes.
But both have their price: a snowcat skiing day costs 420 Canadian dollars (390 US dollars). A heli-ski day costs 750 Canadian dollars.
Travel operators do offer more favourable packages. But only very few people can afford an entire week of snowcat or heli-skiing. And in any case, skiers' own physical condition will set a limit - there is only so much deep-snow skiing that a person's thigh muscles can handle.
A day on a regular slope is therefore a good way to complement deep-snow skiing. At Revelstoke, the offering has been rounded out with the just-begun 2009/2010 winter season, offering skiers a choice of chair lifts, snowcats, or heli-skiing starting right from the base station.
For certain, the ski areas of Aspen, Vail and Whistler will continue to set the tone for North America. But Revelstoke could become a major player along with them.
Your Talkback on this Story