Mountain

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

4 MIN READ • 5 MIN VIDEO

MOUNTAIN

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

4 MIN READ • 5 MIN VIDEO

Photos By:Lucianna McIntosh, Steve Shannon

Location:Revelstoke Mountain Resort, B.C. Canada

Stemming from the area's 120 years of ski history and officially opened in 2008, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is one of North America's Premier Resorts. We set out to explore it with the ski patrollers who know it the best. Here's how you can make the most of your time there – and do it safely.

Above:"Make sure you ski a bunch before you get here to get your legs in shape – the length of the runs makes this place a thigh-burner.” – Dusty Christian, Mountain Patrol Supervisor

GET READY FOR NORTH AMERICA’S LONGEST VERTICAL DESCENT

Revelstoke’s biggest claim to fame is a thigh-burning, 1,713 meter descent, dubbed The Last Spike, that runs from the top of the Stoke to the Village. From several bowls and narrow tree chutes in the upper portion to open runs and glades the rest the way down, the 15.2-kilometer trail caters to different skill levels but requires quite a bit of endurance. Dusty says that this run takes the average skier 30 minutes or more to complete, but for a beginner, it can become a full-day endeavor.

HIT THE NORTH BOWL FIRST

Or at least that’s what most of the patrollers would say, according to Dusty. The north bowl contains the resort’s best steep alpine chutes and glades that are a thrill-seeker’s paradise. So if you have a fresh set of legs, advanced ski skills, and a desire to get your heart pumping, the north bowl is the place to be. That said, if you lean more towards beginner or looking for a more relaxed day, the south face has plenty of blue and green runs to explore.

Above:While it’s best known for its record-setting vertical, the steepness of Revelstoke is something that can’t be underestimated, especially on the north bowl.

Above:Patrollers can be called on at any time to put their wide set of skills to use in anything from first aid to avalanche control to rope rescues.

GoBox 15 Gear Case, White, card — Above:Patrollers can be called on at any time to put their wide set of skills to use in anything from first aid to avalanche control to rope rescues.

THE PATROL TEAM HAS YOUR BACK

Dusty states that, “Few circles recognize ski patroller as a full-on career path. But that’s exactly what it is here.” To even apply for an entry-level ski patrol position, you need at least 214 hours of training and certifications. He continues, “In terms of training and expertise, we equate the career path for a ski patroller at a resort like Revelstoke to that of someone in the trades.” From first aid and emergency medical administration to avalanche control and high angle rope rescue certifications, the professional-level days of training on the mountain quickly add up. And this doesn’t account for the decades it takes to build up the abilities and endurance on skis that are also required. “With a decade or more of mountain time under most of their belts, this isn’t just a seasonal or casual pastime for our senior team members – it's a career.”

HEAD OUT EARLY FOR THE BEST SNOW

On any large mountain, avalanches are inevitable, varied, mostly predictable, and dangerous. At Revelstoke, the Mountain Patrol Team takes a multi-pronged approach to their avalanche mitigation program. They have three avalanche forecasters on staff, practice daily active closures, ski cut regularly, and employ a robust explosives program that includes hand charging, explosive trams, and helicopter explosive missions. It’s a dynamic problem that requires all hands on deck for regularly scheduled missions and storm-dependent checks. In either case, your best chance to hit the freshest snow is in the morning, right after the team has made their rounds.

Above:Avalanche rescue team, Ross Goddard and his canine counterpart, Mowat, warm up in a mountain top hut between shifts with fellow patroller Kasper Miller.

739 ML Straw Mug, Rescue Red, card — Above:Avalanche rescue team, Ross Goddard and his canine counterpart, Mowat, warm up in a mountain top hut between shifts with fellow patroller Kasper Miller.

Above:Mowat passed his certifications in mid-2022, so 2023 will be his first full season on duty with his trainer and ski patroller, Ross Goddard.

THE DOGS ARE ON DUTY

The reality of a mountain range of this size is that avalanches are a real and present risk, especially in the backcountry. Within the first 15 minutes after a slide, survival rates sit at about 90%. After 30 minutes, that rate goes down to about 50%. With a sense of smell that’s an estimated 100,000 times stronger than a human’s, dogs are the natural solution and industry standard in locating and rescuing a snow-buried victim in time. So in late 2008, less than a year after opening, Revelstoke Mountain Resort began their avalanche dog rescue program. This year, they’ll have two teams on-call with Mowat and Skokie, as well as one in training: a Belgian Shepherd puppy named Maggie. Their certification requires daily training for a minimum of two years, and once they’ve graduated to full-fledged rescue dog status, they work the same 10-hour, first chair to last call, days as their human counterparts.

HIT THE BACKCOUNTRY… AT YOUR OWN RISK.

At Revelstoke, the patrol team maintains 3,121 acres of skiable terrain that hold high alpine bowls, both wide-open and narrow glades, terrain parks, and trails that cater to every skill level of skier and rider. But unlike the United States with its various land jurisdictions and access permits, Canada’s backcountry has open boundaries. So at Revelstoke, a day in the backcountry is only a rope duck away — if you have the proper

training and gear. For an even more remote experience, the Selkirk Mountains host the oldest and largest number of heli ski and cat ski operations in the world. These expeditions give open access to a sprawling landscape of ancient glaciers, alpine meadows, pillows and cliffs, boulder fields, and old growth rainforests all covered in some of the world’s best snow. Dusty states that “anyone can head into the backcountry. Just keep in mind that those that do so assume all the responsibilities and consequences that come with out-of-bounds exploration — most notably being, that you are your own best chance of rescue. So have the recommended gear, know where you’re going, and have a plan in place to get yourself out.”