From Bend to British Columbia: Tips to plan a NW skiing road trip
Whether you sleep in the parking lot or are staying at a five-star resort, skiers and snowboarders will tell you few things beat a winter road trip.
From Washington, opportunities for such getaways abound. British Columbia offers the Whistler Blackcomb megaresort and, farther inland, is its famous Powder Highway. Idaho has the celebrity playground of Sun Valley and the Tahoe-esque Schweitzer. Oregon offers lifts on two volcanoes: Mount Bachelor and Mount Hood.
Here are a few places worth considering for a winter road trip:
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler
Lift Tickets: $139 Canadian.
Terrain: More than 200 trails, 8,171 acres, four terrain parks.
Lifts: 34.
Elevation: 7,494-foot highest lift, 2,140 base, (5,020 drop on Whistler, 5,280 drop on Blackcomb).
Annual Snowfall: 360 inches.
More Info: whistlerblackcomb.com.
Big White
Southeast of Kelowna
Lift Tickets: $91-$99 Canadian.
Terrain: 118 trails, 7,355 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 16.
Elevation: 7,606-foot highest lift, 4,950 base, 2,656 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 294 inches.
More Info: bigwhite.com.
Fernie
Near Fernie
Lift Tickets: $99.95 Canadian.
Terrain: 107 trails, 2,504 acres.
Lifts: 10.
Elevation: 6,316-foot highest lift, 3,500 base, 2,816 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 348 inches.
More Info: skifernie.com.
Kicking Horse
Golden
Lift Tickets: $99.95 Canadian.
Terrain: 106 trails, 4,000 acres.
Lifts: Five.
Elevation: 8,033-foot highest lift, 3,900 base, 4,133 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 256 inches.
More Info: kickinghorseresort.com.
Mount Washington
Near Courtenay on Vancouver Island
Lift Tickets: $85 Canadian.
Terrain: 60 trails, 1,200 acres, two terrain parks.
Lifts: Nine.
Elevation: 5,215-foot highest lift, 3,558 base, 1,657 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 348 inches.
More Info: mountwashington.ca.
Panorama
Near Invermere
Lift Tickets: $92 Canadian.
Terrain: 188 trails, 2,847 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Nine.
Elevation: 7,800-foot highest lift, 3,800 base, 4,000 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 188 inches.
More Info: panoramaresort.com.
Red Mountain
Rossland
Lift Tickets: $89 Canadian.
Terrain: 83 trails, 2,957 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Seven.
Elevation: 6,807 feet highest lift, 3,387 base, 2,919 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 300 inches.
More Info: redresort.com.
Revelstoke
Rossland
Lift Tickets: $95 Canadian.
Terrain: 59 trails, 3,121 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Five.
Elevation: 7,300 feet highest lift, 1,680 base, 5,620 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 360 inches.
More Info: revelstokemountainresort.com.
Sun Peaks
Northern Okanagan Valley
Lift Tickets: $92 Canadian.
Terrain: 121 trails, 4,270 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 12.
Elevation: 6,824-foot highest lift, 3,933 base, 2,891 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 220 inches.
More Info: sunpeaksresort.com.
Silver Star
Northeast of Okanagan Valley
Lift Tickets: $92 Canadian.
Terrain: 112 trails, 3,065 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 12.
Elevation: 6,280-foot highest lift, 3,780 base, 2,500 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 276 inches.
More Info: skisilverstar.com.
OREGON
Mount Bachelor
West of Bend
Lift Tickets: $92.
Terrain: 101 trails, 4,318 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 11.
Elevation: 9,065-foot highest lift, 5,700 base, 3,365 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 462 inches.
More Info: mtbachelor.com.
Mount Hood Meadows
Mount Hood
Lift Tickets: $79.
Terrain: 87 trails, 2,150 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 10.
Elevation: 7,300-foot highest lift, 4,523 base, 2,777 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 400 inches.
More Info: skihood.com.
Timberline Lodge
Mount Hood
Lift Tickets: $68-$74.
Terrain: 41 trails, 1,415 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Nine.
Elevation: 8,540-foot highest lift, 4,850 lowest operation point, 3,690 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 400-500 inches.
More Info: timberlinelodge.com.
IDAHO
Schweitzer
Sandpoint
Lift Tickets: $77.
Terrain: 82 trails, 2,900 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Eight.
Elevation: 6,400-foot highest lift, 4,000 base, 2,400 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 300 inches.
More Info: schweitzer.com.
Silver Mountain
Kellogg
Lift Tickets: $55-$60.
Terrain: 73 trails, 1,600 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Seven.
Elevation: 6,300-foot highest lift, 4,100 base, 2,200 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 300 inches.
More Info: silvermt.com.
Sun Valley
Ketchum
Lift Tickets: $71-$128
Terrain: 75 trails, 2,054 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: 21.
Elevation: 9,150-foot highest lift, 5,750 base, 3,400 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 220 inches.
More Info: sunvalley.com.
Tamarack
Tamarack
Lift Tickets: $69.
Terrain: 42 trails, 1,000 acres, terrain park.
Lifts: Six.
Elevation: 7,700-foot highest lift, 4,900 base, 2,800 drop.
Annual Snowfall: 300 inches.
More Info: tamarackidaho.com.
This story was originally published November 25, 2016 at 11:50 AM with the headline "From Bend to British Columbia: Tips to plan a NW skiing road trip."