Village Squire, 1976-11, Page 25Hemlock Valley, near Harrison Hot
Springs, 70 miles east of Vancouver, is one
of many areas suffering from the supply
and demand crisis with regard to new
construction -- Hemlock planned to
coniplete 76 condominium units this season
but it is unlikely they will be ready for this
winter. The elegant Hot Springs Hotel, 20
miles m'ay, is a pleasant resort experience
for visiting Valley skiers.
Last season the area added a new
beginner -intermediate chair lift to its
larger 3,700 ft. chair, rising 1,020 ft. to the
edge of the bowl. The government is at
present upgrading the nine -mile access
road to Hemlock Valley.
More detailed information on west coast
skiing can be obtained by contacting the
Canadian Government Office of Tourism,
Ottawa, Ontario KIA OH6.
OKANAGAN B.C...A SKIER'S VALLEY
Every winter, it's my pleasant task as a
ski writer, to ski as many areas in my home
province of British Columbia, as possible.
The question I am so often asked is, where
do I go for my own ski holidays?
It is a hard question to answer. I have
many favourite spots. and each has its own
particular appeal, but of the more than 60
ski sites in B.C., the Okanagan areas rank
high on my list of favourites for many
reasons.
When 1 want guaranteed dry snow and
lots of it, plus a variety of ski areas to enjoy
from one central location, 1 head for the
Okanagan Valley. which stretches from
Penticton in the south (250 miles from
Vancouver) to Kamloops in the north (115
miles from Penticton). There are major ski
areas at Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon,
Kamloops. and just to the East, near
Osoyoos. All are within a few hours driving
time of each other, have good uphill
capacity and lots of runs to prevent
crowding, and are high in the Interior
region which gets plentiful snowfalls. but
moderate temperatures. from early fall
until late spring.
Big White. 36 miles from Kelowna has a
mile -long chairlift, a mile -long. T -bar, and
two shorter Ts and a newer triple chairlift.
With the addition of the 3.000 foot triple
chair and a new 17,000 square foot
daylodge, the area will easily handle the
skiers from town. plus those who stay in
the sparkling. fresh condominiums just
steps from the ski lifts. The triple chair is
being built for intermediate and powder
buffs in Easter Bowl, between the Big T
and Small T.
Big White, with the highest base
elevation of any B.C. ski area. 6,050 feet,
has fast become a major destination ski
resort. It offers miles of ski runs, mostly
above timberline. with terrain varying from
expert to gently beginner slopes. The
addition of 34 luxurious condominium units
has brought the number of beds on the
mountain to 475, with lodges. a motel and
individual chalets from which to choose.
The area is ideal for families. Most runs
lead back to the daylodge where there is
also a ski shop. and of course. the Big
White Ski School under the direction of one
of Canada's foremost Ski Alliance
members, Brian James.
Annual snowfalls at Big White Mountain
run around 30 feet, so there is ample
powder snow lasting until late April. When
conditions are right, instructors will act as
guides down the steep slopes of The Cliff,
on the back side of the mountain where the
most proficient experts will be thrilled and
challenged.
Area manager Doug 'Sherlock' Holmes
keeps the Bunny Basin, served by the
1,600 -foot T -bar in perfect shape for the
novices, and intermediates can find
groomed slopes or untracked snow on
Paradise chairlift serving the West Ridge.
Flying a kite off the top of a mountain is
not quite my idea of fun, but it is becoming
increasingly popular and Big White has the
annual Delta Wing Kite Flying Champion-
ships toward the end of January each
winter. Contestants come from all over
North America to don skis and to soar off
with kites for prize money trophies.
Silver Star, just a half-hour drive from
the bustling city of Vernon, is another
well-developed and laid out ski area,
suitable for families with accommodation
for more than 125 in chalets and
housekeeping units on the mountain, and a
variety of runs leading to the main
daylodge-ski shop -ski school area. There is
also a wide selection of accommodations in
the city, from the smart, comfortable
Village Green Inn complex at the foot of the
Silver Star road, to hotels, motor inns and
motels through the centre of town and on
the nearby lake shores.
Dave Goodman is the new general
manager of the ski area in Silver Star
Graham
Hat Shop
Main St.,
Listowel
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%i11agc Squire No%ember 1976, 23