April 27th marked the last day of skiing of the inaugural season at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. With an abundance of snow and skier visits 44 percent higher than anticipated, it was an incredible opening year for North America’s newest ski resort. RMR-owned and -operated Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing (STHS) also had a tremendous season with skier visits up 20 percent.
“People came from all over the world to visit Revelstoke,” says the mayor of Revelstoke, Mark McKee, “and the feedback has been extremely positive.” The resort opened on December 22nd, 2007, to international acclaim with ski media calling it the biggest thing to happen in North American skiing in years.
A brand new eight-person gondola and high-speed quad chairlift carried skiers to an impressive elevation of 4,735 vertical feet with 27 runs covering 1,500 acres of lift-serviced terrain. Whether skiing in the vast alpine bowls, cruising on the long groomers or ripping through the trees with Revelstoke Cat Ski, there was something for everyone.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort will have even more to offer for the 2008/2009 ski season:
* The gondola will extend an additional 885 feet to the village site, making Revelstoke Mountain Resort the longest lift-serviced vertical descent in North America at 5,620 feet.
* The new village will be completed with a full-service restaurant; retail and rental shops; lift ticket and skier facilities; and additional parking for 1,000 vehicles.
* The first of three buildings in Nelsen Lodge will open with 56 condo units, ranging in size from studios to three bedrooms; it will be managed by Boutique Hotels and Resorts of British Columbia. By 2009 there will be over 200 condos in Nelsen Lodge plus 24 townhomes and 50 single family lots, some with private helicopter landing pads.
* A new high-speed quad chairlift in the North Bowl area will open up an extra 900 acres of intermediate terrain (ski runs and tree skiing), as well as 300 additional acres of expert skiing.
* Extended glading and trail cutting will expand both the ski area and the existing 500,000 acres of Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing terrain.
* Cat skiing terrain will increase to 2,210 acres.
