Ski Whitewater, just south of Nelson in south-eastern BC, had its Master Plan approved by the Canadian bureaucrats (bureaucrats who go outside) this month. Whitewater's first new chairlift in 30 years is being installed right now.
Whitewater sits at the end of a box canyon on opposing flanks of Mt Ymir (8000 feet.) The old school Riblet double Summit and Silver King chairlifts top out at 6500 feet looking sideways at Ymir (and its ascending boot paths) and have kept Whitewater in the sub-1500 foot drop "fun but too small" club. The new "Glory Ridge" lift under construction goes off the backside of Summit -- with a 2100 foot drop into the pow. (This is the old High Noon triple from the Vail back bowls, moved on the tri-lateral international superhighway from Colorado to BC.) Minus five points for not starting with a quad, but otherwise, bravo to you Whitewater!
Our last visit to Whitewater in March 2009 met expectations -- nice snow, fun but short drops, kiwi lifties, no crowds, antique ski stuff, french fries and gravy, inexpensive lift tickets, vw busses in every color, people on the chair admitting to being in the cannabis business, etc.
Here's the Ski Whitewater website and trailmap.
The Whitewater Master Plan approved calls for at least six new chairs with over a 1000 foot drop -- including the new 2000 foot drop Glory Ridge Triple under construction and one cliff-climber "White Queen" with a 1800 foot rise in only 3500 feet of length (7th Heaven or Marta-type lift.)
Here is the very impressive mountie-approved Master Plan. The long-delayed 6000 foot+ drops of Jumbo Glacier (BC) and Ski Bitterroot (MT) and their "ski-resort-on-the-drawing-board" plans could learn a thing or two from little WH2O and its moxie in installing the first lift even before the approval ink is dry.
Can Whitewater become a destination like its BC neighbors? In order of crow-flying proximity): Red Mountain (2400 foot drop); Fernie (2800 foot drop); Apex (2000 foot drop); Panorama (4000 foot drop); Kicking Horse (4100 foot drop); Big White (2600 foot drop); Silver Star (2500 foot drop); or the new BC king Reve Reve Reve Revelstoke (5600 foot drop.) Nice neighbors! (For those geographically-inclined, ask yourself which US city is the closest to this pure skiing mecca of big drops.)
See you this winter at Whitewater!
A pure heart allows all others their dance and unfolding, even if the others end their incarnation in death or disease.
Posted by: Jordan 5 | 09/04/2010 at 00:42