There are four
Ski Resorts and Ski Hills in the Northeast British Columbia region:
Powder King Mountain Resort and Northeast BC Region
For those interested in downhill skiing and snowboarding, Powder
King Mountain Resort, located right next to the Pine Pass
summit on Hwy 97, offers, as the name suggests, some of the best powder
skiing in the province. Nestled in the pristine wilderness of the
Canadian Rockies, Powder King offers the best of the great outdoors,
from virgin snow and breathtaking drops, to the gentle groomed slopes
of beginner runs. Most of the terrain, spread over a vertical rise
of 2,100 feet (640 m), favours intermediate-level skiers. The 24 runs
serviced by a chairlift, 2 T-bars and a platter tow are located about
120 miles (200 km) north of Prince George on Hwy 97.
Dogsledding
in Fort Nelson - Photo: Tourism BC |
Around Dawson
Creek, you can cross-country ski on the 15 miles (25 km) of
the Bear Mountain Forest Service's interpretive trails. Farther
north, the hiking trails in Beatton Provincial Park near Fort St.
John double as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing routes. Andy
Bailey Provincial Recreation Area, about 24 miles (38 km) southeast
of Fort Nelson, has some
of the driest, fluffiest powder snow in the province, and there's
hardly anyone to share it with. Cut your own track here.
Big
Bam Ski Hill is a volunteer-run community ski hill located on
the south side of the community of Taylor, south of Fort St. John.
Volunteers worked vigorously through the summer of 2009 to re-open
part of the hill after a landslide in 1997. A new tow-lift is capable
of moving over 400 people per hour up the 750-ft tow line to an elevation
of 180 feet.
Prince
George Area
Tabor Mountain Ski Resort offers
downhill skiing (800 feet/240 m vertical), with triple lift and
a T-bar. The ski resort has a bus service on weekends, and is open
seven days a week, including night skiing three times a week. Tabor
Mountain Ski Resort is located on the Yellowhead Highway, 12.5 miles
(20 km) and 15 minutes east of Prince
George,
Purden Ski Village is the largest
ski mountain in central British Columbia, and provides some of the
best skiing and snowboarding in the province. Over 1,200 vertical
feet of skiing on dry powder snow, treed runs and uncrowded slopes
make Purden Ski Village a paradise for skiers. The longest run (Lakeview)
has over two miles of fabulous terrain! Purden Ski Village is located
38 miles (60 km) due east of Prince George on the Yellowhead Highway,
and 91 miles (145 km) northwest of McBride.
The mountain is a 4-km drive north of the highway. The Purden Shuttle
Bus runs between Prince George and Purden Ski Village.
There's more conventional winter recreation at Hart Highlands
Ski Hill, a small ski hill for beginners, children, and freestyle
skiers. Located within the city limits, this hill always first opens
right after a dump of snow. Offering 11 machine groomed runs, this
non profit society keeps its day rates low. Rentals, ski school,
T-bar, city bus to the hill. A great place for night skiing.
Prince George also has superb cross-country skiing. There are trails
in Cottonwood Island, the University of Northern British
Columbia campus, Forests for the World, and Moore's
Meadow. You'll find maintained trails (for a modest fee) at
Otway Ski Trails and Tabor Mountain Ski Area.
There's cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on 9 miles (14 km)
of trails in Eskers Provincial Park,
west of Hwy 97 on Chief Lake Road, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest
of Prince George. The Giscome Portage Heritage Trail offers
5 miles (8 km) of cross-country trails. There's 5.5 miles (9 km)
of cross-country trails around Bear and Squaw Lakes in Crooked
River Provincial Park, north of Prince George.
West Lake Provincial Park, 18 miles (29 km) southwest of
Prince George off Hwy
16, is a favourite spot for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and
tobogganing. The 9 miles (14.5 km) of ungroomed trails are usually
suitable for cross-country skiing from December until April, and
its large picnic/day-use area has the added advantage, during those
cold winter days, of an enclosed shelter for cooking.
Okay, so sandblasting doesn't qualify as downhill skiing, but how
else can it be classified? If you're overwhelmed by a desire for
some skiing, and it's still the middle of summer, try sandblasting,
a peculiar local sport that involves powering down the sandy cutbanks
of the Nechako Plateau on Hwy 97 near Prince George. Just don't
expect to use that pair of skis on snow again. There's even a competition
for all the die-hard skiers every August.
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