Beginners and Families to Enjoy New Features at Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Wednesday July 20, 2011, Revelstoke, British Columbia - Revelstoke Mountain Resort is excited to announce the development of a new village-based beginner area, tube park, kids’ centre, and family activity programming; all planned for the 2011-12 ski season. The beginner area project is underway with re-shaping of the lower mountain terrain above the gondola base to produce a gentler slope, ideal for beginners. An additional feature, conveniently located adjacent to the beginner area, will be a fun-for-all tube park, planned for both daytime and evening operations. Lift access to both areas is planned via a new 175m/580ft conveyor lift. The introduction of snowmaking will solidify plans for the beginner area and tube park.

New family activity programming is planned through the Revelstoke Outdoor Centre (ROC) at RMR. In addition to fun on the slopes, children can experience Kids ROC – a dedicated space complete with an oversized helicopter TV, an indoor rock climbing wall, and fun ball-pit. New programming for children and families will include après activities such as movie, craft, and game nights and special events such as kids’ birthday party hosting.

Family Fun Continues at Nelsen Lodge

With the grand opening of the third building of Nelsen Lodge’s ski-in, ski-out hotel condominium, families will also enjoy a new year-round outdoor pool, two additional hot tubs and expanded fitness facilities.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort is proud to introduce these new facilities and services geared towards those new to the sport as well as visiting families. The design and implementation are oriented around the centralized village base, making an easily enjoyable family experience with close proximity to all services, spectator access, and ski-in/ski-out lodging at Nelsen Lodge.

Official Release:  http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/RESORT/Media-Centre-/Press-Releases.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is in the air, and Summer is around the corner

Now the snow has melted on the lower mountain, spring is truly here and the warm sunny days means summer is just around the corner. The great weather over the past few weeks means everyone’s out enjoy their biking, hiking, and climbing. Here at RMR we are also enjoying summer.

In the past few days we have done some renovating to the village area, adding some greenery. After a few long days of landscaping, the village area has been transformed into several nurseries with a huge variety of plants and trees. Be sure to come up and check it out, or have a look at the photos on our Facebook page.

This coming Friday (June 3^rd) the Rockford Wok|Bar|Grill opens for the summer, serving both breakfast and dinner. Make sure you find some time to head on up to check out the base of the mountain and enjoy a nice cold drink on Rockford’s deck. For the lucky few you may be able to spot, with a pair of binoculars, the grizzly bear and her cub that have been seen on the lower mountain.

Just a quick reminder that the Early Bird Season Passes are on sale until June 25^th; it’s a really good idea to pick up your pass now as the savings our huge. Visit our website to purchase online; www.revelstokemountainresort.com. When you purchase your Season Pass you are entered to win a Waterways Houseboat vacation valued at $2,800.

April’s Event Summary

All through April we’ve been hosting events on every weekend. Now the season has truly ended it’s a great time to look back at all the events and give you some insight if you missed any. It also gives us a chance, here at RMR, to thank everyone for skiing/riding here and having a fantastic time this season.

 

April 2, 2011 – Retro day and Season Pass Appreciation Day:

Everyone loves to dress-up in retro gear, it’s a fact! We saw a huge turnout of all-in-ones, as well as a plethora of neon colors which brightened the Mid-Mountain Lodge tremendously. At the same time as the retro gear was flaunted, Season Pass Holders were being treated to free hot dogs and complimentary soda, our way of saying thank you!

 

April 9, 2011 – Denim vs. Suits:

Any reason to wear a costume and ski/ride is a good enough excuse for me. Some people went for the denim look, others went for a full suit and tie, and a creative few went for a combo. The focus of the day was discounted lift tickets to all those that dressed-up and donated to the Foodbank appeal. The collection produced several boxes of food which were very much appreciated.

 

April 16, 2011 – “S-Games” organized by Society Snow and Skate, hosted by RMR:

This was the first of hopefully many organized events involving a terrain park. Society worked through the week while the mountain was closed to have a hand built course ready for Saturday’s featured event. On completion, there was a large table jump, along with several smaller features including a corrugated pipe, and rails. The event was in the style of a rail jam, and with over 40 competitors it was a true success; a big thank you to Society and all their volunteers.

 

April 24, 2011 – Stoke to Spoke:

Blue skies and sunshine made this year’s Stoke to Spoke race incredible. 20 teams and 7 individuals competed to win a Waterways Houseboat Holiday, and a 2011/12 RMR Season Pass. The race began with a mad dash uphill from Pitch Black to Fast Fred’s where competitors threw on their skis/boards. Once their skis/boards were on they raced down Fast Fred’s and onto the race course set up on Wooley Bully, from here they joined onto the Last Spike and tucked the 2 km to the Maintenance Shop. At the Shop the bike section began, with the sunshine beating down heat definitely played a role. The cyclists pedaled hard to the Mid-Mountain Lodge and back to the Mid-Station of the gondola where the obstacle course began. From here four 8ft walls of snow confronted the runners, as they leaped and climbed their way to the end, where a drink was waiting to be chugged in front of a cheering crowd. Congratulations to all competitors as this year’s race was the hardest yet! Results are below.   

 

 Individuals:

1.        Greg Fortier – Trapper Snowboards
2.        Scott Duke
3.        Amy Flexman

 Teams:

1.        The Euros – Erich Unterberger, Dominic Unterberger, Eric Schwenk
2.        Fast and Furious – Cole Smith, Richie Smithe, Lachlan Hicks
3.        NZUS – New America

Another Season Flies Past

Today is the last day of normal operations for the 2010/2011 season. We are then closed, and only open on the weekend of April 16^th-17^th and the 3 day weekend of April 22^nd-24^th. It is a common cliché that “time flies when having fun” but the speed at which this season has past implies that it has been unbelievably epic. It’s that time of year again when the spring conditions on the lower mountain puts everyone in the mood for summer, but a ride up the Stoke throws you back into the days of waist deep snow and endless winter.

As the snow piles up during the weeks we are closed, the weekends on which we open will be filled with soft, deep powder. Knowing that this luscious deep snow is waiting for you on the weekends should hold off the snow-lovers summer blues a little longer, making the wait until next season a little more bearable.

 Recently we’ve had some great spring events with everyone dressing up and getting into the spring-time spirit. Both Retro Day and Denim vs. Suits Day saw some great costumes and some awesome live music.  It appears that everyone loves to throw on an old school all-in-one and rip down the mountain on a pair of straight skis. We have a few more events on the way, and we look forward to hosting the 4^th annual Stoke to Spoke (April 24^th 2011).  Keep an eye out for the Events Summary Blog once the season has ended.  Until then enjoy the last few days on the hill, and make sure to jump at any opportunity to get up skiing/riding, because once it’s gone it’s a long wait until next winter.

 

Spring brings Snow, Sun, and Goggle Tans

Only recently has it hit me that Spring has arrived. The beauty of Revelstoke is when spring has taken hold at the base, it is still snowing up top. Only a few days ago we had a truly awesome unexpected powder day, when 15 cm of the softest, lightest snow fell overnight.  The snow lasted all day, and I escaped from the office quick enough to get one quick run down Vertigo. Heading straight to my secret stash there was plenty of deep snow that was blowing back into my face as I raced down to catch the chair for a cheeky 5,620 vertical feet straight down Snow Rodeo.

As the spring vibe starts to spread through the resort, it’s that time of year again when the spring events begin. This year we’re planning to pack every weekend with a range of activities to keep everyone entertained.  We’ve got Live Music at the Mid-Mountain Lodge every Saturday and Sunday; as well as every weekend having a different event.

April 2^nd is Season Pass Appreciation Day and Retro Day – It’s that time of year again to don those retro suits and take to the mountain in style! All Season Pass Holders will also receive a free hot dog and pop.

April 9^th is Denim vs Suits day – dress in your smartest suit or finest denim and bring a donation to the Foodbank to receive a 50% off your day lift ticket.

April 10^th is $10 on the 10^th Day – there will be $10 offers all over the resort including – $10 Child Lift Tickets, $10 Retail Grab Bag, $10 Basic Rental Package, $10 Group Lesson and a $10 Lunch Special.

April 24^th is Stoke to Spoke – the fourth annual triathlon event which includes skiing/snowboarding, biking, and navigating an obstacle course. Compete in teams of three or as an individual.

Also on April 24^th is Beacon and Eggs – hosted by the RMR Patrol Team. Visit the Beacon Park at the top of the Revelation Gondola to search for some great prizes and fine tune those beacon skills.

For more information and terms of the events visit our website:

http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/RESORT/Upcoming-Events-/Upcoming-Events.html

Keep an eye on the Blog for the low-down on all the events as they happen.

Revelstoke Becomes a Battlefield

This year’s Helly Hansen Big Mountain Battle took place a couple of weeks ago, on the 5^th of March. Roughly 40 teams entered into the battle. Each team consisted of two people, the teams were required to race around the mountain finding certain checkpoints and completing a few mandatory hikes. In essence the race was a big-mountain orienteering race.

 

The 14 cm of snow that we received the night prior to the race, may have slowed some teams down, and also meant a few teams were slightly distracted by the epic skiing. The run down through Powder Assault was at least 20 cm deep in places due to the wind loading that occurs in North Bowl. It was hard to stay focused!

 

The winning team completed the entire course in 2 hours and 40 minutes, while the top five teams finished within 10 minutes of them. There was an after-party at Mid-Mountain Lodge once all the teams arrived back safely. Some great prizes were handed out, and most people walked away with some goodies.  All in all, this year’s Helly Hansen Big Mountain Battle was a fantastically successful big-mountain event that we hope to see returning to Revelstoke Mountain Resort.

 

sNOw time for work!

sNOw time for work!

It’s tough living in Revelstoke and trying to balance time on the mountain with time in the office. It seems every day is a POW day here which is great for the snowboarding, not so great for getting any work done. No one seems to mind however, everyone is in the same boat. On any given day, as long as there is snow, the people will come – well, most of Revelstoke anyway.

That’s the beauty of this place, there’s no need to justify taking the morning off as in most cases the majority of town is already up the mountain. I sat in the gondola with a group of guys the other day who were literally having a business meeting on the way up the mountain. I must say, that was a first for me but who could blame them.

I can see why a number of the people who come here to visit end up staying. They get ‘Revel-stuck’ as it’s called but not because they can’t get out, but because so many people can’t bring themselves to leave.

For a town of only 8-9,000 permanent residence Revelstoke has everything you could possible want – including the coziest movie theatre I’ve ever been to. Those who are setting up camp are certainly an eclectic lot, they bring all sorts of skills and trades which might not be typical to the everyday ski town but definitely makes for a great lifestyle.

If this is what being a ‘ski-bum’ is all about then count me in – I’m in paradise.

Time fly’s when you’re having fun!

Where is the year going? Every day is over before I even realized it started. As the saying goes, time fly’s when you’re having fun and there’s more than enough fun to keep time ticking by.

The hard thing seems to be juggling work with ride breaks. Let’s just say, I’m certainly having to refrain myself from spending the whole day on the mountain. The beauty of this season is that each day seems to be as good as the last and with snow storms backed up week after week, it’s reassuring to know there’s plenty of snow on the horizon.

The season is gearing up to be our best yet. Having traveled from NZ to experience a ‘BC’ winter, I couldn’t be happier to have chosen Revy – it seems the place to be right now. The surprising thing for me is that although there are definitely people here; the car parks are full at the bottom of the village – I often feel like I’m the only one on the mountain. Can you imagine; some of the best terrain and snow around all to yourself? I’m certainly not complaining – I feel like a kid in a candy store except there’s no one to hold me back. Pure bliss.

Competitors Square off on Mackenzie Face

The finals of the Subaru Canadian Freeskiing Championships went off in grand fashion yesterday at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Twenty men and seven women we’re flown to the top of Mac Face  by Selikirk Tangiers Heli Skiing where they battled it out for the tour stop title.

The women’s champion was Leah Evans who skied a conservative line, but was the only woman to remain on her feet for their entire run, with a run score of 32.83 and combined score of 66.16. Tatum Monod fought her way from the qualifier to finish in 2nd with a combined score of 46.90. Rounding out the podium finishers for the women was Nicole Derksen with a combined run score of 42.10

On the men’s side, the competition was intense as the champion was not decided until the last run. Lars Chickering-Ayers came out on top with a run score of 42.07 giving him a combined score of 79.37. Chickering-Ayers earned his score by skiing a line that included lots of exposure and ended with high speed turns through the sluff debris at the bottom of the venue. Skiing directly after Chickering-Ayers was Drew Tabke, who came into the day in first place by a small margin of 1.23 points. Needing a score of 40.84 to retain his lead, Tabke fell short with a run score of 33.8 putting him in second place with a combined score of 72.33. The final podium finisher for the men was Spencer Brinson with a combined score of 71.67. The mens competition saw some lightning fast straight lines through the bottom of the venue from competitors such as Gord Spurgeon who blew up when he came in hot to the flats at the bottom.

The tops 3 men and women were presented with their Howitzer Trophies in downtown Revelstoke in front of hundreds of cheering ski fans. The howitzer trophy, fashioned from Howitzer shells used for avalanche control work, will be presented to the top three men and women at all of the remaining stops on the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour. The tour next heads to Jackson Hole, WY.

Press release; MSI

FWT – Day 1; Spills, thrills and chills…

Day 1 of the 2011, Subaru Freeskiing World Tour kicked off this morning in the North Bowl of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Despite being delayed by two days, the wait was well worth it as better weather conditions made for a better show all around.

It was certainly a day of ‘spills, thrills and chills’ as athletes battled it out for their spot in the finals. A vocal crowd huddled together at the top of the Ripper Chair, enduring chilly winds in exchange for an entertaining few hours.

The day brought with it some of the biggest tricks ever seen on the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour, including Collin Collins with the first 720 in tour history.  Coming out on top for the men was Drew Tabke who started first and placed first with a score of 38.53. “I’ve never gotten that many face shots and ended up in first place, it made for a really great day one,” said Tabke.

In the womens event, Leah Evans claimed the days highest female score, skiing a ‘very solid and fluid’ line according to judge Chris Rubens. Six women and twenty men went through to the finals from todays competition and will meet tomorrow morning to kick start Day 2 and the finals of the 2011, Subaru Freeskiing World Tour and Canadian Freeskiing Championships. All competitors will be loaded into a Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing helicopter and shuttled to Mac Face where they’ll ski fresh tracks on the recent 60 cm’s of snow that’s fallen in the area in the last 2 days.

Tomorrows finals start at approximately 11am. Like today, a live webcast of the event can be seen at www.freeskiingworldtour.com