Pacific NW/AK/BC Valemount Glacier Destination Resort

[Tricia]

CBC is reporting that a new British Columbia resort is closer to reality now that the province has approved the Valemont Glacier Destination Resort
The plans include the biggest vertical in North America and year round activities, with access to glaciers over 3000 meters in elevation.

This resort which will be located in the Caribou Mountains, just west of the village of Valemount, has been met with widespread support.
Studies have shown that there is minimal Grizzly and Caribou activity so the impact should not be a concern, and the area is not an issue for spiritual grounds.
Snip from article:
Unlike the controversy that has surrounded another proposed ski resort in B.C., the Jumbo Glacier project, the Valemount Glacier Destination Resort has support from local communities.

First lifts could be turning for the 2017-18 season

 

[Core2]

This is really cool and I hope to someday do some summer skiing up there.

 

[jmeb]

Looks pretty awesome. But boy is that a long way from Nowhere.

 

[Jilly]

Exactly! 5 1/2 hours on a good day from Edmonton!

 

[Tricia]

Question that came up in conversation during breakfast.
Can the ski industry sustain another ski resort of this magnitude?

 

[Core2]

Question that came up in conversation during breakfast.
Can the ski industry sustain another ski resort of this magnitude?

Doesn't matter, eventually Vail will own it.

 

[falcon_o]

Will definitely be on my bucket list.

http://snowbrains.com/b-c-governmen...-have-largest-vertical-drop-in-north-america/

B.C. Government Gives Approval to Build Large, Year Round Ski Resort | Will Have Largest Vertical Drop in North America

Phase one of the is expected to be completed as early as December 2017.

Once phase one is completed, the Valemount ski resort will rise as high as 8,530 feet with a vertical drop of 5,775 feet.

Once the entire resort is fully built, it’ll rise as high as 9,850 feet with a vertical drop of 6,726 feet, the largest in North America and the 3rd largest on Earth.

 

[Lady_Salina]

Looks like Tommaso Oberti took his design for Jumbo Resort and found a new spot to put it. Approvals are through and from what I read the plan is to have this one going by 2017 for year round skiing.

It's not quite as large at Jumbo hoped to be, it's farther north but it sounds great. I really feel like the people who pushed to not have Jumbo go through lost something that could have been great for their area but I'm pleased to hear that there is a year round resort plan plan approved.
http://www.snowsbest.com/new-ski-resort-planned-for-canada-with-over-2000metre-vertical/

Can't wait to hear more. I read they were looking at a 2017 start, but we'll see if they make that.

https://www.biv.com/article/2015/11/ski-resort-builders-dream-trudeau-connection-2017-/

 

[David Chaus]

I've posted this on a similar thread at Epic; but once I mapped it, Valemount is about 7 1/2 hours from my house. For road trips, it's closer than Banff, closer than Golden/Kicking Horse,not much farther than Revelstoke, closer than Jackson or Targhee, closer than Sun Valley, closer than Bachelor, not much longer to get there than Schweitzer, Red Mt or Whitewater. Other than trips to Whistler, I could see easily imagine taking roads trips to Valemount, with or without a stop at Sun Peaks along the way. Given the proposed size and terrain available, I could easily see it being worth my time to travel there. If the exchange rate remains favorable, I could see taking most of my future ski trips to BC, given I'm already fond of Red, Whitewater and Sun Peaks. I guess I can put up Whistler once in a while.

 

[Gary Stolt]

I looked Valemont up on the map. It's a long way north but then, with global warming, we may have to go further north to find snow. Considering where it is located, an airstrip might be a good investment.
Can the industry support another ski resort? I doubt this resort will have lift lines and I think that Breck WILL always have lift lines, so maybe?
I'm glad the grizzly population is low. Would hate to be lunch.
Will the National Gathering be returning to BC in a few years?

 

[scott43]

I'll be happy to go there, drive or no drive. If it's got the goods. And it's uncrowded.

 

[DanoT]

The owner is the same Vancouver architect who with no ski industry experience built a flawed lift system for Kicking Horse and a flawed plan for Jumbo. I hope he has learned a few things...but I won't be holding by breath waiting for this resort to happen. OTOH my winter residence is just over 3 hours away, almost close enough to day ski the place.

 

[David Chaus]

Update, in case people haven't been paying attention:

Valemount Glacier Resorts has completed the approval process with a master development plan and is moving forward with plans to open as early as December 2018.

http://www.vancourier.com/news/new-ski-resort-coming-to-b-c-by-christmas-2018-1.13915892

 

[albertanskigirl]

Yes - it's been approved and they will be starting 'phase 1' soon, which should open up significant terrain. We'll probably go to ski there, but, as everyone has mentioned, it is pretty out of the way. I think people from Alberta or BC will drive - but I have major questions about its long term financial viability- especially with very little possibility of airport expansion.

 

[DanoT]

Less than 2000 commercial and residential beds are planned at build out are not enough IMO.

The nearby town of Valemont is only 2000 population.

The two nearest cities, Prince George (over 3 hours away) and Kamloops, (3.5 hours away) are both blue collar with populations around 90k. Kinda far to day ski and higher paid industrial workers in those cities are more likely to be snowmobillers than skiers. Also from Kamloops, to Sun Peaks is .75 hours, Silver Star 1.75 hours, Revy 2.5 hours.

I have my fingers crossed, hoping it goes ahead, but I am not confident that it will open by Xmas 2018...or dare I say it, at all.

 

[David Chaus]

My guess is the town of Valemount is planning for potential expansion. Also the trans-Canada railway services have stops in Valemount, so that could account for as much skier trafffic as airlines. Maybe they expand their airport, maybe not.

As I noted in post #9 above, for myself it's a 7 1/2 hour drive to Valemount, so closer than driving to Banff, Jackson, Sun Valley, Bachelor, and not much farther than driving to Red Mtn, Whitewater and Schweitzer, which I will gladly do. I can easily imagine a road trip that includes stopping at Sun Peaks for a day or two, on to Valemount, and back at Sun Peaks again before heading home. And I could do this year round, summer or winter.

 

[Mike Rogers]

I can probably make the trip in under 6 hours with dry roads, but it's a tough drive up the icefields parkway during the ski season. It's only 125 km further than Revelstoke and a shorter drive than Red or White.

I'll check it out for sure. My first date with Liz was a long weekend in Jasper, so we are always happy to return to that region.

Plus, Mount Robson is absolutely jaw-droppingly beautiful. Worth the trip just to gaze at Robson.

Valemont is tiny, but it has a craft brewery

 

[DanoT]

I can probably make the trip in under 6 hours with dry roads, but it's a tough drive up the icefields parkway during the ski season. It's only 125 km further than Revelstoke and a shorter drive than Red or White.

I'll check it out for sure. My first date with Liz was a long weekend in Jasper, so we are always happy to return to that region.

Plus, Mount Robson is absolutely jaw-droppingly beautiful. Worth the trip just to gaze at Robson.

Valemont is tiny, but it has a craft brewery

So where would you be driving from?

 

[Mike Rogers]

So where would you be driving from?

Calgary.

 

[DanoT]

Calgary.

6 hours from Calgary to Valemont? Closer to 7.5 or 8 hours without factoring in fuel or food stops would be more accurate.