First time to Revelstoke Mountain Resort?

Want to know where to Ski and Ride?

There’s a huge amount of terrain here at Revelstoke Mountain Resort which can prove overwhelming for people who are visiting for the first time – I mean with 3,121 acres of terrain to choose from, where do you go? What’s more, RMR has the reputation for only being for expert skiers and snowboarders but in actual fact the resort offers 45.5% intermediate terrain. Given this, this document has been written to help you find your way around the mountain as well as provide you with an insight into where the best place for your to ski is – whatever your ability.

The weather here can play a big role in deciding where to ski. It’s no secret that mid to upper mountain gets the majority of the sunshine. Due to the river nearby we often have clouds or heavy fog sitting in the valley covering the lower mountain beneath the Mid Mountain Lodge, however it can be a bluebird day up top so don’t be disheartened if it appears cloudy. The valley cloud also affects temperature and we frequently experience temperature inversions; this is when it is warmer at the top than the bottom. The prevailing wind is SW, this causes four common things to occur; The Stoke chair is cold in the wind, however as soon as you drop into the North or Front-side bowls the wind dies down. The wind also causes the snow to be deposited into the North Bowl, where the snow depth can be much more than what’s reported. During light winds the South aspect gets a lot of the frontal precipitation resulting in deep powder. The Ripper Chair remains in the lee of the wind and is sheltered, making for great skiing on ‘bad weather’ days.

Beginners:

If it’s your first day skiing, the best thing to do is to take the Revelation Gondola to the Mid Mountain Lodge and get comfortable on the snow with a few laps on the Magic Carpet. The run is called Little Bit, and is nicely situated close to the Mid Mountain Lodge, so countless hot chocolates can be gulped down to keep energy levels high. Progressing from Little Bit the runs from the Mid Mountain Lodge to the Nelsen Lodge Base Area are great for exploring the lower mountain. Tickle Trunk and the Last Spike are the easiest ways down and offer great wide runs with gentle gradients, and are very often groomed. For the adventurous beginners Tumbelina is slightly more challenging but remains a wide run so anyone can accomplish it by taking their time. For the intermediate to experienced beginner who are looking for some exhilarating runs and breathtaking views head to the top of Revelation Gondola. From here you can head down the Last Spike which will lead you past the Stoke Chair and to an array of different runs. The top pitches of Snow Rodeo, Feller Buncher, and Wooley Bully are very wide and include some fun rollers to improve your speed control and turning skills. If at any point the run becomes too steep you can cut back to the Last Spike; which weaves its way down the entire mountain. For the fearless learners looking for the Big Mountain Experience, head to the top of the Stoke Chair and test your skills by working your way down the Last Spike towards the middle mountain where you can join on to any of the runs mentioned above. The best way to learn is by doing, and therefore Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a great place to rapidly improve your skiing and riding abilities.

Intermediate:

Anyone looking for a gentle warm-up run should start with a ride up the Revelation Gondola to the top. From here, take The Last Spike down past the Stoke Chair to the top of Feller Buncher or Wooley Bully. At least one of these runs is groomed on a nightly basis, offering a comfortable run to find your “snow-legs” for the day ahead. The easier intermediate runs can be explored from the Stoke Chair. Both Critical Path and Hollywood have a great variation in pitches with some interesting rollers. These runs are also often groomed. Another option is to head from Critical Path over to the Ripper chair via the Ripper Connector. Over at the Ripper area Burn Down and Chopper offer wide-open runs with a variety of scenic views across the valley over to Mount Revelstoke, and are perfect for cruising and carving. For the intermediates looking for more of a challenge, the Front-side has a lot to offer. Devil’s Club occasionally gets groomed and offers a long wide pitch to the bottom. It is uninterrupted by cat tracks, so you can keep those turns going. Snow Rodeo is usually groomed and has several sections; the top is interesting with lots of rollers and different pitches, the middle gets steep, which can be avoided by using Hollywood, and the bottom mellows out again. Pitch Black is also a great intermediate run, if you don’t let the name fool you! The top of Pitch Black is great for practicing some mogul skiing, the middle pitch below the Stoke Chair is a little steeper but can be avoided using The Last Spike to cut over to Snow Rodeo or Devils Club, and the lower section narrows slightly but becomes shallower in gradient. For the intermediates looking for unbelievable views of Mt. Begbie, head over to Hot Sauce located in the South Bowl. The run has a lot to offer. It is extremely wide and has been cleared of trees. The run is occasionally groomed, which makes it an excellent run in the sun. As an intermediate skier or rider at Revelstoke Mountain Resort it’s great to get out and explore some of the gladed areas. Start with the shorter pitches and wider spaced trees before venturing into the thick of it. A great place to start is the Aspen Glades and 007 Glades, however if conditions are forcing you higher the Separate Reality Glades are just as easy to navigate.

Advanced/Expert:

The entire mountain is there for you to explore. If you don’t duck a rope and cross the operational ski boundary, then you will always find your way back to the Base. The boundary is marked with signs and rope. In short, there are 4 main bowls; South, Front (aka. Separate Reality/Vertigo), North, and Greely. South Bowl is accessed from the skier’s left of the top of The Stoke Chair; it has a nice open section followed by some great trees. The South Bowl is usually the first to open during avalanche control. The Front-bowl is accessed from the skier’s right of the chair and provides hundreds of lines. The North Bowl can be accessed from three traverses leading from the skier’s right of The Stoke Chair. The lowest traverse requires no hiking and leads over to Meet the Neighbours and Vertigo. The middle traverse requires some sidestepping and a little walking; follow the rope and it will take you to Sweet Spot. The third traverse is a contouring boot pack above the rope towards the Drop In entrance. The boot pack to sub-peak can be found to the right of the chair, which leads into the Upper North and Upper South Bowl. Greely bowl can be accessed from the Upper North Bowl or Drop In via the highest traverse across the Front-side.