Getting dropped off on the top of a mountain with nothing but fresh powder between you and the bottom is the ultimate adrenaline-fueled thrill.
In British Columbia, the experience is matched by great accommodations and magnificent views over Northern Canada at a choice of two locations both bordering Alaska.
Bell 2 Lodge
Bell 2 Lodge is situated at 1,900 feet in a remote and pristine village where you can be snug in cozy cabins. Remote as Bell 2 Lodge is, it’s packed with creature comforts. The log chalets have satellite communications and state-of-the-art facilities. Each chalet has a fireplace, two queen size or one king size bed with down duvets, private baths, and a porch where you can watch an icy sunset.
The dining room and lounge bar are places to relax and share stories of the day’s events. If weather conditions are unfavorable for flying, strap on a pair of snowshoes to explore the beautiful Bell Irving River Valley. The lodge welcomes a maximum of 30 guests and well-seasoned skiers return again and again to take on the challenge of deep snowfall and some of the world’s wildest powder terrain.
Ripley Creek Inn
Ripley Creek Inn is located in Stewart, an old mining town laying snug in thick snow and sporting the wild west flavor with authentic frontier facades. With this as your base you are close to long runs on glaciers and through the open bowls of this challenging terrain touching Alaska’s border.
All rooms at the inn have en-suite bathrooms, queen size beds with down duvets, televisions and telephones. Guest meals are served at the Bitter Creek Cafe, including some eclectic cuisine and sensational seafood.
If flying conditions are unfavorable, this is still a fun place for the 15 guests the inn houses. Try fishing in Portland Canal or visit a historic museum. On ski days a sumptuous breakfast buffet is served high in the mountains before you hit the slopes. Guests also fuel up with a picnic-style lunch of homemade soup, sandwiches, hot and cold drinks, and chocolate – ideal energy for their day on the mountaintops.
Unwind in the bar with apres ski snacks before dinner. Both locations offer a good selection of beer, wine, and spirits.
Joined by air and skis, share a week between the renowned Bell 2 Lodge in the Skeena Mountains and the tree runs set along the glaciers of Ripley Creek Inn’s plains in the Coast Mountains.
This is the largest heli-ski area in the world. Where else could you begin the day skiing from one lodge and finish more than 65km away? It’s also a place where you can try out backcountry heli-boarding. Heli-skiing is an ultimate ski adventure for the daring. Rates start from about $165.
To learn more visit Worth Every Moment.
Photo credit: Worth Every Moment
