Sun Peaks 2013/14
A Day At Revvie
So last weekend I was at work when I got a text asking me if I wanted to go to Revelstoke for the day. As any sane human being would do, I said YES!!!
We were set to leave on Tuesday morning so as per normal, we had poker night on Monday (I came second :() and I was in bed by 11. The alarm was set for 4am and I was ready for 4:45. We met Matt in the car park and squashed our 4 snowboards into the roof pod and then all jumped in the car.
It’s about a 3.5h drive to Revelstoke from here which is one of the closest mountains. The other close ones are Silverstar and Big White. We stopped in Kamloops for breakfast at Tim Horton’s and grabbed some food and coffee.
By 9am we were at Revelstoke and off to get our tickets. Sun Peaks has a 1/2 price deal with Revelstoke so I got a good deal on the ticket.
So Revelstoke has the highest vertical drop in North America with 1713m of vertical terrain (Perisher is about 334m and Thredbo about 668m) so top to bottom is about 15km. You start off the day with 1 gondola ride to a mid station where most of the beginner lessons are held and then another gondola to the top station which is about half way up the mountain. Then you ski down to a detach chairlift called the stoke chair which takes you up even further. To start, we went out to the North Bowl. This is a short hike from the top of the stoke chair and has some of the best terrain. We busted down there with no time to loose and ended up at the ripper chair.
As you can see in the above photo, it looks like any other chair and ski resort. But Revelstoke is different. All the trees are gladed perfectly which means you can ride through the middle of them which is super fun and where you get the best powder. We did a few runs up the ripper chair and through the trees on each side before heading back to the stoke chair and back up. From the stoke chair, there is another hike which takes you to the top of the mountain which starts the trails to Upper South Side, Powder Assault and Mania.
Proof that we made it to the top of the mountain hike. It was exhausting!
A weather station with a ton of stickers on it. Unfortunately I didn’t have a BW one to add :(.
We dropped in off the top and instantly you go flying off a cliff face and down some of the gnarliest terrain. It really is out of this world. Fresh tracks until we hit the main runs again and even then, there was only the main tracks and then you got powder if you went off into the trees or off to the sides.
Nick dropped straight in! Looking down at that drop and it wasn’t even the steepest of the day.
We decided it was time for lunch shortly after (around 12 o’clock) and started heading down. We got to the pub at about 1pm with some burning legs and sat down for some food and a quick beverage. They had Jenga on the table to keep you occupied until your food arrived which we took full advantage of.
Nick and Matt thinking hard about the next move
After lunch, we had a few more runs in us. After all, how often do you get to do a road trip to an unknown mountain and especially one as awesome as Revelstoke. So once I got a replacement pass (mine fell off my jacket) we went back up. We did a few more laps of the stoke chair and went from the top to the bottom again to end the day. This included runs called “Clyde’s Secret Glades”, “Iron Glaiden”, “Stihl Life Glades”, “Critical Path Glades” and the “Conifers of Gnarnia Glades”. A few pictures of the glades which don’t do it justice at all!
nice little TR tj 
Revvy is definitely one of the mountains im considering seasoning
By all means, you could definitely do a few weeks to a season there. Just don’t be expecting to ride first to last lift more than 2 days straight. You need to build the leg muscles to do it… I’ve been riding pretty much every day for the season and still struggled after 1 full day at Revvie.
If you’re doing the Canadian snow fields road trip, this one should be right up there on the list. Sun Peaks has a different sort of charm but is also worth a visit if you plan on coming to the interior of BC.
looks like heaps of fun. Are you going to get a chance to go again this season, TJ?
How does your work roster work?
Ahhh!! Super jealous! And really missing the snow! :(
looks like an awesome mountain with lots of diverse terrain!
we plan to do a Canada trip at some point in the next few years.. And id love to visit revel!
also 15kms!! My legs would either fall off or melt!! Haha but those tree runs look amazing! 
nice TR Tj!
looks like heaps of fun. Are you going to get a chance to go again this season, TJ?
How does your work roster work?
Nah, it’s really turning into spring now and getting lifts to places is harder than it originally seemed. That will likely be my last road trip, still a ton of cool stuff going on here (Spring Break this week with tons of parties planned) and I’m trying to save money to spend while in the USA.
We did a two day revy stint about 4 weeks ago before they had snow. Was icy with flat cat tracks everywhere . I wasnt too impressed. Its supposed to be great after some fresh snow tho!
Ahhh!! Super jealous! And really missing the snow! :(
looks like an awesome mountain with lots of diverse terrain!
we plan to do a Canada trip at some point in the next few years.. And id love to visit revel!
also 15kms!! My legs would either fall off or melt!! Haha but those tree runs look amazing!
nice TR Tj!
I would definitely do it!
You don’t need to go top to bottom, you can gondola back down… but that’s less snowboarding!
Ahhh!! Super jealous! And really missing the snow! :(
looks like an awesome mountain with lots of diverse terrain!
we plan to do a Canada trip at some point in the next few years.. And id love to visit revel!
also 15kms!! My legs would either fall off or melt!! Haha but those tree runs look amazing!
nice TR Tj!
I would definitely do it!
You don’t need to go top to bottom, you can gondola back down… but that’s less snowboarding!
DEATH BEFORE DOWNLOAD!!!!!
“you can gondola back down”. I dont get it? *this phrase does not compute* you mean people actually ride back DOWN?? blasphemy!!
I’d ride it.. Might have to stop and rest the knee a few times…. But I’d make it (slowly) haha I managed to handle 13 days straight last season… :D
Ahhh!! Super jealous! And really missing the snow! :(
looks like an awesome mountain with lots of diverse terrain!
we plan to do a Canada trip at some point in the next few years.. And id love to visit revel!
also 15kms!! My legs would either fall off or melt!! Haha but those tree runs look amazing!
nice TR Tj!
I would definitely do it!
You don’t need to go top to bottom, you can gondola back down… but that’s less snowboarding!
DEATH BEFORE DOWNLOAD!!!!!
as mika did at the shred race 
Ahhh!! Super jealous! And really missing the snow! :(
looks like an awesome mountain with lots of diverse terrain!
we plan to do a Canada trip at some point in the next few years.. And id love to visit revel!
also 15kms!! My legs would either fall off or melt!! Haha but those tree runs look amazing!
nice TR Tj!
I would definitely do it!
You don’t need to go top to bottom, you can gondola back down… but that’s less snowboarding!
DEATH BEFORE DOWNLOAD!!!!!
as mika did at the shred race
I thought mika was going to cause a death at the end of that race because of the non downloading!!
But going down the grass was my idea… :(
Great stuff, TJ. I have to get to Revelstoke soon.
So what’s your plan for next season? Sticking around in Canada? Sorry if you’ve already mentioned this elsewhere; I’ve been a little bit out of the loop lately with the wedding etc.
Current plans are to come home in May. (Back in Sydney on the 14th May)
I love it here and all but I’m spending quite a bit of cash having fun and will be doing a USA trip after the season which will use more of my savings. I will likely get a job and a place around the city and go back to a normal life for a bit. Doing it again really depends on where my life is in 6 months and how I feel about doing it again.
When I come back to Canada, even if it’s just a holiday, I’d probably try to get to as many mountains as I can. Every place has it’s own special charm and I have loved every part of this country so far!