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- Oct 29, 2016
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I ran across the below links which refer to a newly proposed ski area. It would likely take several years or more to open, if ever but there is a ton of potential. The ski area is pitched as a back country ski area, which isn't a well defined term. They plan to have lifts but few runs and lots of hiking options. My first thought is that it might be like Silverton or like Telluride (a ski area with lots of hiking) or most likely, a midpoint between the two. A lot of the details are exciting:
More details:
- Up to 6,400 vertical feet with a base as low as 2600 or more likely around 3500. Significantly higher than Revelstoke and Whistler. The general rule of thumb in the region is a base of 3500 is safe from rain
- More important than the vertical is the fact that the runs stay steep for 3-5k vertical feet. Most of the runs are black and extreme level steep. Blue run steeps are more limited but there are blue run areas with 3k vertical as well.
- 500" of snow per year. This stat may be optimistic but if true is elite. They also mention at 70" avg dec. base and a 140 avg March base.
- Proposed 11,000 acres which would make it the biggest ski area in N America
- Planned capacity of 1550 (roughly 10% of Breck and 35% or Revy for comparison) That should be an extremely low skier to acre ratio.
- They plan to leave most of the terrain natural. A lot of the terrain was logged in 2019 and some is above timberline so there should be a good mix of open areas and glades.
- Likely 2-4 lifts. They are pretty vauge on lift details but they mention access to two ridges that are far apart so that's at least 2 lifts. They plan two long cat tracks, each about 5 miles long to get back to the base. Some might see this as a bummer but I think it's a great way to ski lots of uncrowded terrain. They also mention a gondola to get to a parking lot which sounds like way too much cash for low skier volume.
- They plan a pedestrian village which only has cabins and maybe small hotels.
More details:
All-season ski, boarding and bike resort proposed for near New Denver - The Nelson Daily
The Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Recourses Operations and Rural Development, represented by Mountain Resorts Branch (MRB), said an Expression of Interest has been received for a proposed all-season ski, boarding and bike resort in the mountain range between New Denver and Kaslo. The BC...
thenelsondaily.com
Zincton All-Seasons Resort Expression of Interest
Learn more about Zincton All-Seasons Resort Proposal
www2.gov.bc.ca