It’s been too long since we were in Revelstoke. Far too long really. While there have been no appreciable changes on the mountain except maybe a few more empty fancy bars and shops, the town is certainly evolving. New places to eat and drink. All very welcome, adding some more options to what still remains a genuine highway and railway town.
But the plunging runs on Mt MacKenzie are the true draw in Revelstoke. On our first day, the terrain off the Stoke chair and the gentler runs off the Ripper were skiing fine. It hadn’t snowed for several days, giving chalky and firm-ish conditions, and the emerging twigs and rocks on steeper pitches betrayed the need for more snow.
Typical for Revie, the next two days delivered. Big time. A solid 50cm gradually transformed conditions from decent to superb, as you can hopefully see in the pics here. Areas like Clyde’s Secret Glades and Vertigo were wide open, and with so many lines and so few people, it was freshies all day long. The trees on the skiers left of the Ripper were a true playground. Steep drops, half-pipe like creek beds, open cruising glades buried in deep pow – they had it all.
By the time we left, there was almost enough snow to ski the wonderful fall line runs like Pitch Black all the way to lodge. When this mid-mountain area is open, Revie is a true gem. Steeps, trees, bumps, groomers – a vert monster with fast lifts and no lines. It really does have it all.
10,200m, 10,900m, 8900m vert
15 days, 128,400m vert, 2 powder days
Pacific Northwest Ski blog (and a few other places!) 
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