Talking about Red Mountain is very simple.
Truth is that it’s a dare.
Being so far north,
it’s a real commitment to come here.
But then, lines at the chair-lifts here are just unusual.
The mountains meditate to the sound of silence.
And all you might hear on a chair lift is the
sound of incoming snowflakes…
The snow is so spectacular –
it’ll make you forget all the mountains of the world.
And it’s only a tiny patch on the vast,
endless Powder Highway…
Do you want to know about it?
Do you dare…
Taste the freedom. Be dared.
Red Mountain – the Story
Red Mountain – what a place. This is more than what you want from a secret spot.
BC, after all, can be to snow what Burning Man is to all pagans. And at Red, there’s seemingly no end to the hot streak of powder Mondays – a mountains gift to seasonal snow stragglers.
Take the the busiest day of the season so far –
over 3200 people populated the lift mazes of Red
Mountain, jamming the fluency of the line, and
creating a wait of up to 30 minutes.
3200 people!
Whistler at the same time would have been dealing with over 10 times that.
Insane.
But, with over 4ooo acres of trackable terrain on
Red – everybody waited in line with patience, knowing that there was over an acre of snow waiting for each one of us up top. And across the 3 mountains towering around us.
No one jumped the line. Nobody was in a complaining mode. There was no hint of impatience whatsoever. Everyone bided their time. Just like that.
I had to think, what’s wrong with these Canadians?
Why are they so damn courteous & polite – shaping up to give white people a good name again. What’s that all about?
What are the odds of it being so tranquil in such a lift line at a resort in the Alps?
Probably as good as a snowflakes chances at a raging bonfire.
But that’s Red Mountain for you.
In all her generous, burlesque beauty.
Red – the Real History
It was all about the gold. Gold, gold, gold.
It is kinda funny to think that while the original settlers were mining for a treasure that was part of the ground, we’re all here for the simple treasure that settles lightly above the ground.
Both are so intertwined, that they’re now
an intricate ingredient of the history of
Red Mountain.
After all, wasn’t it a Norwegian that wedded
both his passion for mining with avid ski OLAUS
running to create the first ski race at Red
during the Winter Carnival in 1897.
What a way to see the mountain from top
& bottom, inside & outside!
The man was a crazed genius.
But it would be another 50 years before Red
came up with the chair-lift solution – the
first ever ski lift in Canada.
Can you believe that?
In 1947, while the rest of the world was
scraping food off shrapnel & debris, people
at Red were skiing as only civilized people should.
Using the first chair lift assembled in
Canada, that opened on December 26 in 1947.
Holy sh*te.
So, when you arrive here on your great escape from the daily grind, you’re no different to those pioneers of the 1890s, seeking treasure. And the snow adventures that are so probable today are all a result of the need to find pleasing recreation in an environment that was harsh in the extreme. But not inclined to lend itself well to outdoor pursuits beyond panning for precious metals in the surrounding landscapes.
Harsh is to say the very least – the weather in this part of the world is brutal & largely unforgiving,
One wrong move today & you’re in trouble – what must it have been like 120 years ago with no ski patrol, no phones, no ambulance, no medics, no medicine & skis that kicked your own ass, every single time.
Red – the Possibilities
Leave your every day hat at home – and be prepared to try something new & different on your escape in BC.
Today, Red is a mountain that takes what it has & makes it even better. All those trails & tracks to the old gold mines are now easily rideable. The mountain had been pre-tracked before there was ever a thought about snow-riding or ski running…
Red on the Powder Highway – where’s that?
Get your expedition list ‘cos it’s going to take a bit more of an effort than your average ski resort.
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