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Season Pass: BC Ski Getaways

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By Jennifer Van Evra published Dec 1, 2008

After years as a hidden gem, Fernie Alpine Resort, nestled in the Rockies, has been discovered by skiiers from all over the world. Henry Georgi

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Whistler Blackcomb

Sure, it’s expensive, and yes, it can get crowded, but with two superb mountains, 8,100 skiable acres, a mile of vertical, three glaciers, 12 alpine bowls, 200 trails, and 38 lifts, it’s no wonder that Whistler Blackcomb is widely considered one of the world’s premier ski resorts. It’s also, by far, the most urban of B.C.’s ski destinations: no need to sacrifice luxury or modern conveniences here. You might want to book a visit this season, before hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe descend on the winter wonderland for the 2010 Olympic Games.

STATS Travel Time from Vancouver 2 hours by car Annual Snowfall 1,022 cm (33.5 feet) Average Winter Temperature –8 degrees Celsius in the alpine, –5 degrees Celsius in the village Vertical Rise 1,609 metres (5,280 feet) Top Elevation 2,284 metres (7,494 feet) Bottom Elevation 675 metres (2,214 feet) Day Skiing 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m Night Skiing Blackcomb: Thursday to Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Lifts 38 Runs 200 Whistler: 20% beginner, 55% intermediate, 25% advanced; Blackcomb: 15% beginner, 55% intermediate, 30% advanced Longest Run Whistler: Burnt Stew, 11 kilometres (7 miles); Blackcomb: Green Road, 11 kilometres (7 miles) Steepest Run Whistler: the Coloir, average grade 43%; Blackcomb: Big Bang, average grade 43% Other Features 6 terrain parks, 1 Super Pipe

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Silver Star Mountain Resort

Silver Star certainly isn’t the largest resort in the province, and it’s not the place to go to party, but what it lacks in size and nightlife it makes up for in small-town charm. The attempt to make it look like an old mining town gives the village a strange movie-set feel, but with long groomed runs on one side of the mountain, more advanced terrain on the other, a stunning network of cross-country trails, and so much powder that they never need to make snow, Silver Star offers plenty of variety on the slopes. And, led by 30-year veteran Norm Kreutz—widely considered one of the best instructors in Canada—the mountain’s Snowsport School is a fantastic place to learn how to ski like the pros.

STATS Travel Time from Vancouver 5 hours by car, or fly to Kelowna then drive 1 hour Annual Snowfall 700 centimetres (23 feet) Average Winter Temperature –5 degrees Celsius Vertical Rise 760 metres (2,500 feet) Top Elevation Top 1,915 metres (6,280 feet) Bottom Elevation 1,155 metres (3,780 feet) Day Skiing 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Night Skiing Thursday to Saturday, 3:30 to 8 p.m. Lifts 1 Six Pack Express, 2 detachable quads, 2 fixed grip quads, 1 double chair, 4 surface lifts Runs 115 Terrain Type 20% beginner, 50% intermediate, 30% advanced Longest Run Eldorado, 8 kilometres (5 miles) Steepest Run Free Fall, average slope 42% Other Features 60 kilometres of groomed trackset cross country trails

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BC Mountains, Get Outside, Getaway Guide, Local Getaways, Skiing, Sports