As the first stop on Canada’s Powder Highway coming from Spokane, Red Mountain Resort’s 110 runs and abundant terrain are what really make the first-class accommodation worthwhile. 300 inches of snow each year, affordable cat skiing ($10/run), and multiple summits accessed by eight chairlifts cater to beginner through expert skiers and riders.  

The Josie is positioned between Red Chair, which charges directly to the summit of Red Mountain (5,219 feet), and the Silverlode Chair, which shuttles you to a cat track and additional chairlifts that access the summits of Granite (6,807 feet) and Grey (6,719 feet). The 360-degree descents from Granite Mountain will have beginner and intermediate skiers enjoying turns toward Paradise Lodge while advanced skiers get frisky on Buffalo Ridge and the adjacent chutes and trees. 

After a day skiing your legs into oblivion, or mingling with other dabblers in the lodge, The Josie’s Velvet Restaurant and Lounge stands out as the most inspired amenity of the resort. The exquisite gravity of executive chef Marc-Andre Choquette’s French-influenced seasonal fare and locally inspired drink menu will pull you back for every meal. It satisfies the most ravenous post-ski appetite with an ingredient-forward take on a classic burger. For a full menu experience, start with crispy Brussels sprouts doused with spicy Korean BBQ sauce. Then enjoy the red and yellow beet salad, garnished with crispy quinoa, puffed wild rice, compressed fennel, and licorice-garlic dressing. Finally, savor the pan-seared halibut and saffron bouillabaisse broth, roasted squash, and squid ink tapioca crackers. For a robust culinary experience, ask your server for wine pairings, and under no circumstances should you skip desert. 

If The Josie sounds out of reach, think again. The 30 percent “Canadian discount” thanks to the strong U.S. dollar makes luxury travel more accessible to everyday Americans. Plus, the hotel honors AAA discounts and offers ski packages for additional savings, as well as a “kids ski, stay, and eat for free all winter long” promotion.  //

Originally published as “Play Hard, Pamper Hard” in the December 2019 issue BC Ski & Winter Travel Guide.

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Cranbrook steps up the opportunities for turning some pedals in the snow. The city boasts one of the largest groomed, singletrack fat bike trail networks in western Canada. And the rolling terrain with wide-spaced trees around town makes for stellar winter riding. //

For more details about fat biking in Cranbrook, visit this link.

This story was originally published as “Don’t Forget the Fat Bike” in the 2019 December issue’s BC Ski & Winter Travel Guide.

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Daydreaming about Kootenay Pass powder fields, leaving behind cell service and wifi at Whitewater, and navigating frozen Rossland singletrack often inspires me to scold friends for not having a passport or border-friendly driver’s license one minute and then keep my mouth shut the next—the latter selfish act driven by the hope that the much-loved Kootenay-Rockies region of B.C. covered by this guide might magically weather many of the pressures of “progress” while the world around us changes, often for the worse. 

We hope this guide helps you create your own B.C. adventure bucket lists and daydreams. And maybe inspires you to share some wild, wonderous times north of the border with a few of your friends. Or not. We totally understand. //

Originally published as “Our Magical Neighbor to the North” in the Dec. 2019 issue.

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Located in the east Kootenays, 40 minutes from both the Montana and Alberta borders, this community of around 5,000 is still very much a blue-collar mountain town; despite the town’s growing acclaim as a tourism destination, mining and logging are still the top two industries. Pickup trucks line the streets in front of gear and guide shops. In Fernie, flannel has always been in fashion. 

The home hill, Fernie Alpine Resort, boasts the kind of terrain that has made the Powder Highway—the collection of eight ski resorts and dozens of heli- and cat-skiing operations and luxury backcountry lodges linked by 677 kilometers of pavement across the Kootenay Rockies—a world-class ski and snowboard destination.  

From the top of the cloud-piercing Polar Peak chair, it’s more than 3,500 feet of vertical drop back to the base area, with over 2,500 acres that hold a quintet of snow-collecting cirques providing plenty of opportunities for off-piste powder lines. But there’s plenty for the green-circle skier too, and no matter your skill level, the slopeside views enchant. 

Fernie’s unique microclimate sees some 30 feet of snow each year. Time your trip right and you might benefit from the “Fernie Factor,” the resort’s tendency to get unforecasted dumps of snow that result in a surge of “sick days” in Fernie. 

There’s plenty of terrain for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing, too, making use of the extensive trail system surrounding town. Across the valley from Fernie Alpine Resort, the new Montane Trails system offers a mix of meandering singletrack and roadbeds groomed for Nordic skiing and fat-biking. Aspens frame panoramic views of the Lizard Range. 

Meanwhile, Fernie fixture Island Lake Lodge has begun offering non-skiers the opportunity to experience the lodge—previously only accessible to guests on highly coveted multi-day cat-skiing stays—with half-day snowcat and lunch packages that include free time to snowshoe among centuries-old cedars or book a massage at the spa. 

And despite its blue-collar background, downtown Fernie has a hip yet casual dining and drinking scene with frequent live music and a lively nightlife. 

A four-and-a-half hour drive on low-elevation highways from Spokane in good conditions puts Fernie within reach of a long-weekend trip. And an inexpensive ski shuttle from town to the resort, coupled with a walkable downtown core, allow for a vehicle-free visit once there.  

But be warned: spend a few days here and it can be hard going back out of that tunnel. // 

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Fortunately, I was able to move out of the road somewhat without ending up in the ditch. There was enough cell service to get a call off to our roadside assistance service for a tow and another call home to my wife for a rescue mission. I then dug into the emergency supplies I keep on hand in the winter and covered up the 4-year-old obliviously snoozing in his car seat with a blanket.

While I waited for the tow truck to arrive, I watched a mix of safe and reckless drivers pass by on the snow and ice covered road, and passed the time thinking about winter driving and being more prepared for being stranded.

Here are a few tips for safer winter driving to think about as we get ready for another season of skiing and snowboarding and driving sometimes sketchy roads.

Make Sure Your Vehicle Is Ready for Winter

Is your ski mobile ready for another season of winter driving? Get it checked out and tuned up by a professional, including a brake and heating/cooling system inspection. Consider vehicle repairs or an upgrade if the prognosis is questionable.

There are also quite a few things most of us can do ourselves: make sure your lights and turn signals are all clean and working, your windshield is chip and crack free, your windshield wipers are in good condition, the wiper fluid reservoir is full, and you have a functioning windshield scraper. And always fill up your gas tank before hitting the road.

Most importantly, have your tires checked out by a tire shop to make sure they are up for winter driving. Don’t forget to check the quality and pressure of your spare tire, and make sure you know how to deploy the spare and have the tools to remove it from your vehicle, as well as the jack to swap out tires.

Jumper cables and basic tools for dealing with dead batteries should also be in everyone’s winter driving kit. Finally, be sure to have the number for any AAA or other roadside assistance services you have with you in the vehicle.

Get Yourself Ready for Winter Driving

Assess the conditions before hitting the road and make sure you and your vehicle are up for what’s out there. On particularly snowy or icy days, assess your comfort limits and know when to stay home and off the roads.

Once you head out on the road, make sure you have everything you need for the drive close by to avoid distracting yourself while rummaging around for your water bottle or a snack when you should be paying attention to the road.

If you need to switch the tunes, answer a phone call, or make a text, pull over in a safe place. Distracted driving on winter roads is the cause of many accidents.

And finally, if you want to decrease your odds of an accident, slow down and don’t follow too close to other vehicles. If you’re holding up traffic or someone is tailgating you, find a safe place to pull over and let them by.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

When travelling winter mountain roads, it’s always a good idea to keep your vehicle well-stocked with basic safety and emergency gear and supplies. Things like road flares or reflective cones to warn oncoming drivers of an accident or vehicle stranded on the road are a great idea, as is a basic first-aid kit to deal with minor injuries.

A shovel and extra winter gloves for digging a vehicle out of a snowbank is highly recommended. And keep a blanket or two and extra warm clothes, food, and water in a pack or bin that stays in the vehicle to help make a wait for help much less miserable and potentially lifesaving.

Driving up to the mountains in the winter doesn’t need to be a nerve-wracking experience. Plan ahead, be prepared, slow down, and take it easy on the roads this winter!

Originally published as “Planning Ahead for Safe Winter Driving” in the October-November 2019 issue.

Read How To Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter Driving.

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