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Before the current ski and snowboard season started, whispers of stellar snow to come – thanks to a La Niña trend – were heard up and down Vancouver Island. When record snow failed to show up in December, many were disappointed but 2012 has turned that all around.

A road sign struggles to peek out from underneath the snow. Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

“The weather over the last few days has been very reminiscent of last year’s Snowmageddon event over Christmas,” remembers Brent Curtain, spokesperson for Mount Washington Alpine Resort. “We’ve received over 175 centimetres of new snow in the last five days so the landscape has changed significantly up here.”

With a tag team of snow and sunshine headed for Mount Washington over the next few days, there’s guaranteed to be no shortage of an amazing and exhilarating alpine experience.

If heading into the hills is part of your weekend plans, here are a few great events that Mount Washington will be hosting over the next few days…

• Saturday, January 28 – Kokanee Old School GS Race (19+ only) [event info]
• Saturday, January 28 – The Yeti Mountain Snowshoe Series [event info]
• Saturday, January 28 – Retro Costume Party with “March Hare” (19+ only) [event info]
• Saturday, January 28 – Sunday, January 29 – Burton Demo Days [event info]

For more information on these and other events on the mountain, visit Mount Washington Alpine Resort online. You can also follow them on Twitter or like the resort on Facebook.

Vancouver Island skiers and snowboarders are only nine sleeps away from their first taste of powder in the 2011/2012 season at Mount Washington Alpine Resort!

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

With the lifts set to start spinning on Friday, December 2nd, this season will prove to be nothing short of another epic year under the resort’s belt toque.

The 2011/2012 season is especially exciting for newcomers to winter recreation as the learning slopes have been overhauled with a $3-million-dollar facelift. Not only has the classic green chair been moved, the resort installed a magic carpet for beginners, making the process much easier for grasshoppers both young and old. Director of Operations, Don Sharpe, is pumped to bring this new technology to the Island’s mountain: “With the combination of new ski and snowboard technology which makes turning easier and our new Easy Acres learning area, there’ll be no better time to learn to slide on snow than this winter.”

If that’s not enough, Mount Washington has amped up the alpine experience in other areas of the mountain…

• Starting December 15th, Sunday nights are being added to the Night Skiing program
• The Gold Rush Glades welcomes The Miner and Midas, two new black diamond runs
• The Vancouver Island Mountain Centre opens in December – this Olympic legacy includes meeting rooms, weight-training facilities and accommodations and is the brainchild of the Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society
• Two new Street Bars, a Kicker Box, a Flat Deck, and a Rainbow Deck have been added to the Stomping Ground terrain park

If the anticipation of the upcoming season has you on pins and needles, keep an eye on the mountain’s snowcams to stay up-to-date on what you can expect on December 2nd!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located high above the Comox Valley at 1 Strathcona Parkway. You can phone them toll-free at 1-888-231-1499 or locally at 250-338-1386. For more information, check out the resort on Facebook, Twitter or at their official website.

With the countdown to the kick-off of the 2011/2012 ski and snowboard season well underway, Mount Washington is presenting a movie night to get you amped. At various locations across Vancouver Island, mountain staff will be on hand to screen The Art of Flight – this year’s most talked-about snowboard film.

Look for the Mount Washington movie night crew in the following Vancouver Island cities:

• Nanaimo – Wednesday, November 16
  Malaspina Theatre, Vancouver Island University
  Tickets can be purchased at Alternative Groove, 201 – 6750 Island Highway North
• Campbell River – Thursday, November 17
  Timberline Secondary School Auditorium
  Tickets can be purchased at Boardwalk Skate Shop, 986A Shoppers Row
• Courtenay – Friday, November 18
  Stan Hagen Theatre, North Island College
  Tickets can be purchased at Blue Toque Sporting Goods, 120 B 5th Street
• Victoria – Wednesday, November 23
  Club 9ONE9
  Tickets can be purchased at Vancouver Island Brewery, 2330 Government Street and Sanction Boardshop, 506 Herald Street

All shows start at 7:00 p.m. sharp. Tickets should be purchased in advance and your $10 ticket includes admission to the film as well as a midweek 2-for-1 lift pass to be used during the upcoming season!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort opens on December 9th for the 2011/2012 ski and snowboard season. For more information on this and other mountain events, log on to their Events Calendar.

Long known for attracting skiers, snowboarders, hiking enthusiasts and even bird watchers, in recent years Mount Washington Alpine Resort has added foodies and wine lovers to that list. Year-round events at the mountain are rapidly gaining traction, perhaps none more than the Alpine Wine and Food Festival.

This year’s festival combines two of Mount Washington’s most popular summer events into one tasty weekend. Wine makers and distributors will converge at the Raven Lodge on Friday, August 26th for your sipping pleasure. Entertainment will be provided by the Melissa Hill Jazz Quartet and samplings of BC salmon, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, BC grown oysters, Comox Valley-made Hot Chocolates and a BBQ dinner will also be on hand.

The culinary caper continues on Saturday, August 27th in the Alpine Lodge with cooking demonstrations created with fresh, local ingredients. Those attending will have the opportunity to ask chefs one-on-one questions, sample the product and take home the recipes. That evening a six-course meal of local food will be served, paired with incredible wines and commentary by a sommelier.

Ticket prices for the weekend vary: the Wine Festival is $30 per person, the cooking demonstrations are $15 per person and the Saturday dinner is $100 per person including a mile-high chair ride. Mount Washington Alpine Resort is offering package deals including two nights’ accommodation starting at $197 per person. For more information or to buy tickets, check out the Alpine Wine & Food Festival online. Be sure to follow Mount Washington on Twitter while you’re at it!

Please enjoy your weekend responsibly and arrange for a ride home. Shuttle buses will depart from the Driftwood Mall at 5:15 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. This event is for 19+ only.

After a two-year hiatus, the Bearclaw Invitational Slopestyle mountain bike competition is returning to the slopes of Mount Washington Alpine Resort – and not a moment too soon. Bearclaw organizer and Parksville native Darren Berrecloth has already faced one of his most challenging summers yet, including training, competing, filming, suffering from a broken back, trail building, pneumonia, and a chronic lung infection. Yet the show must go on…

Photo: © Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Getting ready to host Vancouver Island’s largest mountain bike event is no easy feat. Crews have been working their fingers to the bone prepping dirt, building trails and completely rebuilding the course.

The Bearclaw Invitational Slopestyle is not for the faint of heart either.

“This will definitely be one of the most challenging courses on the Freeride Mountain Bike (FMB) World Tour,” points out Berrecloth. “Since it’s a gold level event, expect to see all the world’s top athletes battling it out for the points and the $20,000 prize purse.”

Photo: © Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Berrecloth has personally selected the world’s best freeride mountain bikers, inviting them to compete on his signature course, on his home turf, and in front of his home crowd. Starting Friday, August 5th, the hills will be alive with the qualifying round at this fiercely competitive invite-only event. The top 18 riders will then advance to the Slopestyle finals, beginning Saturday, August 6th at 1:00 p.m.

This weekend guarantees to be one you don’t want to miss!

For more information, visit Mount Washington Alpine Resort online or follow Darren’s updates on Twitter. Also visit the official Bearclaw Invitational Slopestyle event page for more photos and information.

High above the quiet calm of the Comox Valley a war has been raging. Snow has been squaring off against dirt for weeks, but with the recent slightly warmer temperatures, mountain bike terrain of epic proportions has been revealed.

Only a month ago mountain crews were digging through 15 feet of snow, but mountain bike season at Mount Washington Alpine Resort finally kicks off today. Apart from the tried and true trails, the resort has added the Green Line to counter the mountain’s normally demanding and intermediate terrain. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into our Learn to Ride programs and beginner trail development for this summer,” explains Mike Manara, the mountain’s Bike Park Manager. “We’ve added Family and Kids Camp Learn to Ride lessons to an already extensive list of lesson package options.”

Photo: © Harookz Photography

Living up to its reputation of being an all-season resort, Mount Washington has a calendar jam-packed with summertime events. The mountain welcomes the BC Cup Provincial Championships on August 13-14 and Darcy Turenne’s See Jane Jump Women’s Mountain Bike Festival on August 20-21. Perhaps most anticipated is the return of the Bearclaw Invitational on August 5-6.

Whether you’re a seasoned rider or curious to get started, Mount Washington is well-suited for everyone. You can try riding on for size – $65 will get you a two-hour lift pass and a top-of-the-line Rocky mountain bike rental. Regulars may want to shell out for the brand-new Dirt Pak, getting you three one-day lift passes for $111.

For more information on Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s mountain bike park and biking events, visit the bike park online. Please remember to ride safely and be aware of other riders. Helmets are mandatory throughout the entire bike park and body armour is recommended. You can find Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Facebook and follow their updates on Twitter.

Having spent the long weekend in the Comox Valley, it was almost impossible to go anywhere without being treated to a view of Mount Washington. Since J had never been, on our last day in the Valley we made a last-minute decision to make the quick trip up the Strathcona Parkway to take in the views from an opposite perspective.

The vibe on the hill is a bit different during the summer months (though you wouldn’t know it, being that the slopes were open for skiing over the Canada Day long weekend), but there’s still a ton of activities and events to keep you busy. We quickly discovered that shorts and flip flops were a smart idea as the plaza was free of snow and the sun was shining brightly.

After grabbing a quick, deliciously roasted coffee (and an oatmeal raisin cookie for good measure) in the lodge, we made our way to the star of the summer show. Mile-high chair rides draw visitors wanting to take in the expansive views often obscured by clouds during the winter months.

With all the snow still on the ground, you might not believe it to be July. However, the sun was toasty warm and the air fresh, making the 15-minute ride to the top nothing but relaxing.

Instantly we were greeted by the Inukshuk Gallery, compiled of rock formations created by those visiting the top of the mountain. While making one of my own would have been fun, I was instantly distracted by the panoramas.

If these photos are worth 1,000 words, then taking in the view in person would no doubt leave you speechless. To the north we could see Campbell River, surrounding lakes, Quadra Island and Cortes Island.

In the southern direction, the Comox Valley was laid before us – everything from Comox Lake to CFB Comox and all points in between. Denman Island and Hornby Island were in the immediate distance and the faint silhouette of Mt. Baker was on the horizon. Seeing Mt. Baker from Mt. Washington was a bit of trip, as only the weekend before we were standing on that peak, looking in the opposite direction.

Despite the snow at the top and the flip flops on our feet, our toes managed not to freeze.

And as we made our way back down, both J and I were blown away by our sky-high perspective on the Comox Glacier.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is open daily until September 5th for mile-high chair rides. A family of four can visit the top for $43; those 5 and under are free while all other riders are $16 each. For more information on this and other great summer activities, visit Mount Washington Alpine Resort online.

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BBQing, beach days, sunscreen, bikinis, margaritas, snowboarding…

The best parts of summertime on Vancouver Island have gained some unique descriptors in recent years.

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

For the second year in a row, Mount Washington Alpine Resort has extended its ski and snowboard season into what it has affectionately dubbed “Snowmer“. Record-setting snowfall over the 2010/2011 season has allowed the resort to open for summertime riding this June.

“This is starting to look familiar,” jokes Brent Curtain, spokesperson for the resort. “If we can match the picture perfect weather we had during our ski weekend last June, this year should be amazing with all of the snow we have on the mountain.”

Because more than 19 metres fell over the course of this season, the slopes are still rocking a 4-metre base at mid-mountain. Skiers and boarders can take advantage of the epic snowfall when the chairlifts start running on June 18th and 19th between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Lift tickets will set you back just $25.

While Mount Washington still plans to open for summer operations on July 1st, the snowpack has caused the bike park and downhill mountain biking dates to be pushed back to July 15th. The mountain is hosting a handful of stellar events over the summer, so stay tuned for more information.

Spring is officially in session on the slopes! With a mid-mountain base of nearly 700 centimetres, the lifts at Mount Washington Alpine Resort show no sign of stopping anytime soon. The skiing and riding conditions are at the peak of perfection and with that comes an event-packed April.

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Spring skiing kicks off tomorrow night (April 1st) with a free nighttime pass in exchange for a non-perishable food donation. This weekend will be dominated by the Full Throttle Slopestyle Competition [details], the Thrifty Foods Dummy Downhill contest [details] next weekend and the crowd-pleasing Barq’s Slush Cup on April 10th [details].

While Sunday, April 10th is the last official day of the full 2010/2011 season, the mountain will be open from April 15 – 17 and for the Easter long weekend from April 22-25. However, something tells me there may be even more weekends, but don’t take my word for it – stay tuned to the mountain’s lift reports.

Are you hoping to make it up for one last ride this season? Mount Washington is offering up a pair of one-day lift passes to two lucky readers, valid until April 25th. You’ve got three chances to win…

1. Leave a comment below. (1 entry)

2. Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I entered to win One Last Ride at @mountwashington from @keiraanne http://tinyurl.com/6flzp7w

I’ll draw one winner at noon on Friday, April 1st and another winner at noon on Monday, April 4th. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner of the first pair is Jon Suk (@jonsuk on Twitter)! Congratulations! Stay tuned and enter to win the second pair of lift passes on Monday!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located on the Strathcona Parkway in the Comox Valley. For more information, visit the resort online or call direct at 250-338-1386 or toll free 1-888-231-1499. You can find Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Facebook or follow their active updates on Twitter.

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks – at least not until next week. Spring Break has arrived and the conditions at Mount Washington Alpine Resort could not possibly be more perfect for this week’s Chek News Spring Snow Jam. With a mid-mountain base of over 700 tasty centimetres, there’s no shortage of epic adventures waiting for you this week at the resort.

Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Dairyland Milk Run presented by Saputo
Tuesday, March 22 – Noon until 3:00 p.m.

Whatever your skill level, the objective is to ski or ride every run within your ability. When you’re done your day, turn in your check card to be entered for a secret grand prize. Registration starts at 9:00 a.m.

Old Dutch Dodge Ball
Wednesday, March 23 – Starts at 1:00 p.m.

For just a buck, enter your team of six or enter yourself to bring your A-game to schoolyard dodge ball in the snow. The last person standing will be crowned King or Queen of the Dodge and snag a prize courtesy of Old Dutch potato chips. Registration starts at 10:00 a.m.

Klondike Bear Scavenger Hunt
Thursday, March 24 – 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Ice cream lovers are required, so if that’s you, start the hunt for Klondike Bears hidden at various points across the mountain. Once you find them all, turn in your score card to win some tasty prizes!

Beavertails Tail Eating Contest
Friday, March 25 – Starts at 1:00 p.m.

This annual event challenges those daring enough to stuff their faces with sweet and tasty Beavertails. If you think you can hack it, register at the Beavertails hut on March 24th and 25th and prepare for some fierce competition.

Full Throttle Friday
Friday, March 25 – 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

This completely free event will have you jamming with the best of them. Grab your board, hit the Stomping Ground Terrain Park and register for your chance to snag some swag while shredding under the stars.

For more information on these and other Spring events at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, visit their events calendar. You can also “like” the mountain on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.