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revelstoke Photo courtesy of Eagle Pass Heliskiing
Eagle Pass Heliskiing
A 19th century Canadian Pacific Railway feeder line built in the late 1800s was the first link between Nelson and Revelstoke. Thousands of Chinese immigrant workers labored on the line, and the last spike was driven in 1885, in Revelstoke. The town sits between the Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges, and now has a population of about 7,200. During the 1920s, Swiss climbers found a piece of home on nearby Roger’s Pass. For jumping competitions in 1939, local ski clubs built what would now be considered Olympic size jumps that lasted for decades. A quiet town, with the main access involving a 49 km ferry ride, Revelstoke’s geographic isolation earned it the nickname Revelstuck. More recently, it’s also been called Revelbloke, for the number of men who live there. This recreational mecca tempts men— and women—from all over the world to uproot and move here, a pull comparable to the gold rush. The difference is that now people take away unforgettable memories, rather than physical chunks of the mountain. Many are drawn to the expansive backcountry terrain nearby, and now to the growing Revelstoke Mountain Resort, which opened in 2007 and has grown to 500,000 acres. Set against massive relief and in an often harsh climate, Revelstoke has had 72 Mountain
a progressive ski culture since being host to those early jumping competitions. Thanks to knowledge cultivated by Swiss mountaineers in mid-20th century, the area is now a center for avalanche training and safety.
makeover in 2010, creating an exciting skiing and snowboarding experience.
In 2010, Revelstoke local Greg Hill toured two million human powered vertical feet in one calendar year, setting a record that will be hard to beat. Today, the most progressive of snow travel like split boards, noboards and snow-
“I learned snowboarders like to be guided by snowboarders,” said Newsome, who was the first ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) assistant guide to execute his exam all on a split board.
Fifty percent of the ownership are now snowboarders, something new in the industry.
Eagle Pass guides, all of whom are certified through either the ACMG or the Canadian Ski Guide Association, represent a new generation of ski and snowboard guides with big mountain backgrounds, Newsome says.
Revelstoke Ski Club, 1920s
Courtesy of City Museum in Revelstoke
mobile expeditions aren’t uncommon. Kids growing up in Revy often have to go backcountry skiing with their parents. It’s one of those things families do together, like camping on summer vacation. Nearby, at Eagle Pass Heli Resort, longtime local Scott Newsome recently turned an existing gem into a newfound treasure. Newsome, together with Matt Pinto, Michael Wood and Craig Borgland bought the heli-ski resort a
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“We understand the type of terrain and specific natural features that the new generation [of skiers and snowboarders] would expect of their heli experience.” Eagle Pass is a great example of the positive growth happening in B.C. mountain towns like Rossland, Nelson and Revelstoke. Their transformation over the last century has been nearly supernatural—from mining towns based on greed and extraction, to international ski and snowboard destinations with rich mountain cultures. And with Kootenay white gold every bit as valuable as gold and silver, locals now wend through the mountains in search of the world’s finest powder snow.