By David F. Rooney
The 2010 downhill ski season began Friday with Revelstoke Mountain Resort operating the Revelation Gondola and The Stoke Chair and skiing available on the Upper Mountain and the North Bowl area.
“We had a fabulous opening day,” Marketing Director Ashley Tait said late Friday. “People were camped out here since 11:30 last night.”
With live music playing, the day opened with a steady stream of skiers and boarders hitting the gondola at the base of the mountain.
“This is the only time of the year when people are actually okay with lineups,” Tait said, adding that many skiers came from Golden, Vernon and Kelowna to experience RMR’s opening.”
This was also a relatively problem-free opening.
“You always have a couple of injuries, but fortunately there were no major ones and no one was reported going out of bounds,” she said.
Ideally, this will set the tone for the rest of the opening weekend.
Tickets for the weekend are priced at $59 for adults, $38 for seniors and youth and $18 for children. New this year, students with valid student ID will receive 25% off the adult window rate. Season Pass Reciprocals and Locals discounts will apply. The lifts will be spinning from 8:30 am to 3 pm all weekend, and Skier Services at Nelsen Lodge will be open from 8 am to 4 pm. Services at Nelsen Lodge this weekend will include retail, rentals and repairs and the Revelstoke Outdoors Centre.
Guests will be able to grab a bite to eat throughout the day, making the most of the stunning views and the opportunity to rest tired, early season muscles. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, après ski or a social drink with friends, the Rockford wok|bar|grill situated at the base of the Revelation Gondola is now open daily, operating from 7 am to 10 pm. On-mountain, a full menu will be available at Mid Mountain Lodge and The Mackenzie Outpost will be open for business at the top of the Revelation Gondola. Weather permitting; a BBQ will be available at The Mackenzie Outpost over the weekend with burgers, smokies and veggie options available.
The Ski Patrol at RMR wants to caution guests about the early season conditions. Patrol recommends you start your day out slowly, this weekend is about stretching your legs, getting outside and enjoying a mellow first day on the slopes. And — please — don’t ski out of bounds. The mountain can kill you if you ignore the boundaries.
The RMR local shuttle began regular operations on Friday at 6:15 am. Schedules and route information are available at www.revelstokemountainresort.com. For guests coming from out of town, The Revelstoke Connection provides service from Kelowna and Calgary International Airports. To book its service, visit www.revelstokeconnection.com. A final reminder, the access road to Mid-Mountain Lodge is not open to the public. All loading is from Nelsen Lodge at the base of the resort.
