 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
I'm heading out to Canada for three weeks in February (which is very exciting!) but trying work out an itinerary, when considering the overwhelming array of lift pass options etc, is giving me a nosebleed. So I thought I'd reach out to the combined wisdom of the collective.
I'm flying in to Calgary, and so far I've got the first three days in Fernie then I'm heading to visit friends for four days at Red Mountain (this is the only must do part of the trip, and I'm trying to work everything else around those four days). That's as far as I've got!
The cost of lift passes is a factor, I don't think I can afford to just rock up in places and buy a day pass for the whole trip. The RCR pass seems good value, if I were to spend the majority of the rest of my time in Fernie and Kicking Horse, but I'm not sure if that's just a crazy idea logistically? Then there are the Epic / Ikon / Mountain Collective passes which are really confusing this Eurocentric skier! I'm happy to tailor my trip around areas on a particular pass, if that's the most cost effective way of going.
I'm not bothered about rushing around trying to ski everywhere on the powder highway, if anything I'd like to spend a fair amount of time in the areas that I visit. Any ideas folks?
Thank you!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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eversolazy, It all depends where else you want to ski, you could look at the Lake Louise card - on sale from 16.10.19. You get 1st, 4th and 7th day free of card useage at participating ski areas - one of which is Red, or was last year. For other days it gets you 20% off ticket window prices. Some areas don't offer the free days but still give the discount. The days don't have to be used at any one place. Last time we were there, we used it for Lake Louise, Silver Star, Red Mtn and Castle - and we could have used it at Revelstoke too but the B+B did decent ticket rates. Castle and Revelstoke aren't on it this year I don't think.
We'll be buying it again this year, as we're road tripping in Feb/March time and find it useful. Check with accommodation places as they often have discounted tickets for sale too. Its very rare that you'll need to pay the window price at any mountain tbh. We haven't on any of our road trips around Canada.
Liftopia is a great site to purchase tickets, if you know where you will be. Theres plenty of small ski areas where you can have fun for 2 or 3 days, given the right conditions. So make the most of your time there. If visiting Red you really should ski Whitewater too, unless there's very poor conditions, as its on the way back to Fernie.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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British Columbia's ski areas tend to fall into two groups: smaller, more remote areas with a strong focus on off-piste and less advanced lift systems and all the rest (e.g. Red Mtn, Whitewater, Revelstoke) and larger ski areas near larger towns, which have more advanced lift systems, ski-in,ski-out villages and a focus on piste skiing (e.g. Big White, Sun Peaks, Silver Star).
Since you have three weeks at a typically good time of year, you will get new snow, and no snow. Ideally you want to be at the little, off-piste places when it dumps, and at the bigger places when it hasn't snowed and the pistes are the place to be. For example, Revelstoke has endless fantastic powder terrain and great quality snow. But if it hasn't snowed recently and the conditions are stale, it sucks for cruising there. Similarly, you can't find a better cruising area than Silver Star, especially blacks, but it isn't a powderhound's dream.
Someone is going to tell you to go to Whistler. You describe yourself as a Eurocentric skier. You would recognize Whistler. Its great, especially if you are lucky enough to avoid its weather issues. Huge, modern, easy to get to. But I don't think it delivers the same type of experience you'll get at really any other BC resort.
The various collective passes....require homework. They do result in meaningful savings. But if you're coming all this way, go where you want. Long after the sting of the cost has worn off, the memories persist.
Sounds like you are willing to move around and that is key. Its beautiful and they take good care of the roads for the most part. Don't get caught exceeding the speed limit by 40 kph, or they can impound your car on the spot. Bottom line: you will have a killer trip, you really can't lose.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Interesting. Bones, I'd not heard of the Lake Louise card. Are there any resources online that list / compare all the various schemes like this? I hadn't considered buying a pass with accommodation. I've provisionally booked into a place in Fernie, I'll have to see if they offer anything.
Scooter in Seattle Yes, I'm very much used to buying one lift pass and spending the whole time in one area, and that difference is one of the things I'm excited about Canada but it is also the thing that is slightly twisting my melon! All the big multi resort passes, whilst good value, would be rather restrictive and would probably mean me spending my time in a couple of resorts. However, I definitely want to avoid shelling out three thousand dollars on lift passes!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You need to act quick as lift passes have already started going up in cost.
As far as I know there is no pass that covers both red mountain and fernie, so you are already looking at combinations of passes and or day tickets.
Fernie, Red, and kicking horse is a perfectly good combination for 3 weeks. RCR pass covers fernie and kicking horse and then day tickets for red.
If your friends are at red mountain why not do more than 4 days there? There is plenty of skiing to keep you busy for 3 weeks there alone. But you will be passing through fernie, and whitewater on the way anyway so would be logical stops.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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eversolazy, Fernie never used to allow accommodations to offer discount lift tickets, that may have changed now but when we went last, that was the case. Where have you booked ? Theres a decent B+B just outside Fernie, that also has some single room cabins, great breakfasts and outdoor hot tub, but you do need a 4x4 to access in winter 
Not sure of anywhere that lists comparisons of all the lift ticket schemes/deals but its not really too difficult to research.
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Before you cruise off from Red to Whistler, or Silver Star, or whereever, make sure you understand the driving distances. Red to Whistler is easily a full day drive if the weather is good, and even Calgary to Fernie will take most of an afternoon. There are only one or two real freeways in BC where you can get on a road and hit cruise control.
There is a third category of ski areas not mentioned below -- community or regional ski hills -- and these deserve solid consideration if you want to truly enjoy skiing rather than resorting. Check out places like Apex, Castle (nearby in Alberta), Phoenix Mountain, Mt Baldy, Summit Lake and Salmo. I've been to almost every ski area in BC and unquestionnably the most beautiful is Wapiti ski hill in Elkford -- one t bar and 700 vertical feet.
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