Everything you need to know about snowboarding at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia (according to us).
Compared to the century of skiing history in the Monashee and Selkirk Mountains that precedes it, Revelstoke Mountain Resort…
is a blip on the timeline. It only opened in 2007 after all. But, it signaled the beginning of an exciting new era and future of skiing and snowboarding in the area. {If you’re curious about Revelstoke’s history, jump ahead for all the background.}
As such, resort skiing is a very welcome addition. Revelstoke Mountain, located just outside the town of Revelstoke in eastern British Columbia, combines the best of resort skiing with big mountain and backcountry feel. And talk about big mountain, the top in-bounds elevation is Mt. Mackenzie at 8,058 feet, which rises from the base area at 1,680 feet.
Revelstoke boasts the highest lift-accessed vertical in North America, an ear-popping 5,620 feet. It takes two gondola rides, one lift, and a short bootpack to reach the tippy top of Sub Peak, and one more hike to summit Mt. Mackenzie.
“Revelstoke Mountain boasts the highest lift-accessed vertical…”
The Revelstoke trail map looks deceivingly small. There are 75 runs throughout the 3,121 acres, plenty to keep all snowboarding ability levels entertained for a full week and still leave snow left untouched. Though there are beginner runs, they are limited to a top-to-bottom road spanning 9.5 miles and a couple shorter greens off The Ripper chair. Beginner terrain gets a much-needed boost with the new Stellar Lift and new runs opening for the 2019-2020 season.
The rest of the resort is an absolute playground for intermediate and expert riders with many pockets and hidden routes to discover.
The best way to plan a snowboarding day at Revelstoke…
is to explore one section, separated by lift access, at a time. The main sections are The Revelation Gondola, The Stoke Chair, North Bowl, and The Ripper Chair. There are characteristic Revy glades in each section.
If it’s a clear morning, there’s no better way to start the day than heading straight to the top for a few laps on The Stoke Chair. Hop on the gondola at the base, link to the second gondola at mid mountain, and finally The Stoke Chair after a short downhill connection. Here, you can soak up a panoramic view of the Columbia River valley and town of Revelstoke and the Monashees. Plus, lapping The Stoke chair offers a perfect preview of everything Revelstoke is known for: glades, an alpine bowl, and fast groomers.
After a few warm-up runs, we get antsy and are ready to earn a few turns—it’s time to unstrap and hike to the top for the expert-only North Bowl followed by The Ripper Chair glades. Honestly, if North Bowl was easier to lap, it would be hard to convince us to venture elsewhere.
Best Runs at Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke is world-famous for its glades. There are glade options, and very good playful ones to boot, between and below just about every run. Two of the most fun glades flank Hot-Sauce and Jalapeño runs off The Stoke Chair. Whatever line strikes your fancy, steer clear of Ninja Traverse (trust us on this one) and re-connect with the lifts via Devil’s Club farther down.
To totally avoid traversing, Iron Glaiden off The Stoke Chair features kickers, wide-spaced trees, and powder pockets with access on to mid-mountain or back to The Stoke Chair.
Critical Glades are good challenging trees on the lower mountain. Tree spacing varies and offers many line options to pick your pine poison.
Aspen Glades is a short run with wide-spaced trees and surprise kickers as well as solid snow preservation.
Woolley Bully has corduroy grooming and a perfect fall line for ripping speed records. Snow Rodeo is another excellent groomer that begins as a black off The Stoke Chair and eases into blue from mid-mountain down.
Come 19/20 season, the Stellar Lift makes accessing and getting out of some of the best glades much easier, especially for snowboards. (No more scooting!)
Best Powder Stash at Revelstoke Mountain Resort
With frequent heavy snowfall (400-plus inches of annual snowfall) and so many gladed areas, there are powder stashes aplenty. Case in point: we visited after a month-long dry spell and still managed to find fresh snow tucked away in the trees waiting for us. However, immediately after poofing through the powder stash and whooping with excitement, we discovered exactly why it was untouched—the playful glade section turned into a steep cliff that dropped back into the valley below. After only a minor panic, we picked our way down and safely back to the main run. Our verdict: it was still worth it.
Where to Eat on Mountain
When snowboarding at Revelstoke, a snack is never far away. The on-mountain dining options include Mackenzie Outpost, Revelation Lodge, and warming huts. Mackenzie Outpost (at the top of Upper Revelation Gondola) and Revelation Lodge (at the top of the Lower Revelation Gondola) serve casual food, including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and soup, all day long. (If you’re a breakfast burrito fan, you can’t leave without trying the breakfast burger.) Both have indoor and outdoor seating, and the picnic tables are perfect for soaking up the sun later in the season.
For a mid-day meal, our personal pick is a brown bag in a warming hut. The wooden buildings located at the tops of the lifts heat up with sun streaming in on clear days and the floor to ceiling windows offer views of the valley and mountains on beyond.
The Most Instagrammable Places at Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Top of Sub Peak… This vertigo-inducing overlook and view of Mackenzie Peak is picture perfect. Access this top-of-the-world perspective with a steep boot-pack hike straight up from The Stoke lift. For a real jaw-dropping view, continue sliding and hiking on over to Mackenzie Peak, which is the highest point in the resort.
Top of Revelation Gondola… Pause at the picnic tables before strapping in and hitting the mountain. Plan to pop by early in the day, as the deck fills up around lunchtime.
Top of The Stoke Chair… Here, one of the three warming huts serves as a cozy respite and one of the few warm viewpoints on the mountain. Take a seat by one of the picture-windows.
Pillow lines and cliffs… If your visit coincides with a storm, and knowing Revelstoke’s consistent snowfall it probably will, capture yourself hucking cliffs and jumping pillow lines. It’s hard to beat a face shot and you can guarantee nobody else will get the exact same snap.
Why You’ll Love Riding Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke is big mountain riding with a comfortable resort feel and plenty of space for all abilities to spread out and play. The resort is growing and expanding every year, so come now and plan a future trip to watch and ride as the transformation takes shape. In the next ten years, it’s set to be the largest resort in North America. (Watch out Whistler.)
Revelstoke’s record vertical descent creates micro-climates throughout the mountain. One day when we visited, there was fresh powdery snow at the very top, but the runs on the bottom third of the mountain had full-on spring conditions and playful wet snow. As a result, you can pick the exact conditions you want to ride or jump around and experience multiple seasons in one day or one run from top to bottom.
Like the resort says, you may leave Revelstoke, but you’ll never forget it. We certainly won’t.
Snowboard Traveler Insider Tips:
Pack a brown bag lunch and eat in the warming huts. You’ll appreciate the opportunity to warm up and take a much-needed break. Bringing your own lunch ensures you don’t miss a moment more than you have to on the slopes and any fresh snow. Plus, a little extra $$ saved for après and dinner later is a nice extra perk.
{Check out our go-to lunch for a perfect day riding the slopes.}
We LOVE dropping into North Bowl. We’ve yet to meet hike-to terrain we didn’t love, and the incredible alpine bowl that opens up from Sub Peak is no exception. It doesn’t have a fancy name, but the view from the top more than makes up for it, as do the many lines from Drop-In.
“…you may leave Revelstoke, but you’ll never forget it.”
Getting There & Around
Revelstoke, or Revy as locals know it, is located in remote British Columbia. This mountain town is on the northwest section of the famed powder highway. The closest airports are a 2.5-hour drive away in Kelowna or Kamloops or a 5-hour drive to Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Revelstoke has its own regional airport, however snowstorms and visibility often interfere with flights. We recommend taking a scenic drive from one of the larger airports to avoid the possibility of cancelled flights. Both driving routes are beautiful, but come prepared with winter driving experience and a vehicle that can handle snow and icy conditions. (It’s smart to confirm ahead with rental car availability.)
Once in town, you can hop on the Revelstoke Resort Express, a local shuttle that operates between town and the base area. Visitors staying in accommodations in town can enjoy convenient and complimentary rides.
The Details:
- Hours: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
- Opening/Closing Dates: Nov. 30 through April 19
- Average Annual Snowfall: 413 inches
- Address: 2950 Camozzi Road, Revelstoke, B.C., V0E 2S1
- Nearest Airport: Kelowna or Kamloops (2.5 hours driving), Calgary (5 hours driving)
- Pass Access: Mountain Collective, Ikon Pass
- Resort Instagram handle: @Revelstoke
History Of Revelstoke
Skiing heritage got its start in the Columbia River valley with Norwegian and Swedish immigrant families. They introduced skiing to Revelstoke in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and ski jumping took off (literally) shortly after.
For years, the surrounding Monashee and Selkirk mountains attracted adventurous skiers for heli-skiing, and the town solidified its reputation as the base camp for many heli touring operations. That heritage remains and has only grown along with the fledgling Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
Jennifer Nied has more than 10 years of writing and editing experience specializing in adventure and wellness travel, fitness, and spa. A Colorado native, Jennifer has been snowboarding for more than 23 years. She is a contributing writer for Women’s Health and her work has appeared in Budget Travel, American Spa, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and more.
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