BCAA

Matt Kuhn, Mike McPhee, SilverStar Mountain Resort WINTER 2018 BCA A .COM 13 (clockwise from far left) Kids get their powder legs at Nelson's Whitewater Ski Resort; Nelson boasts more heritage buildings than any Canadian town west of the Great Lakes; catskiers admire the view from atop Mt. Fernie; horse-drawn sleigh rides make magic for the whole family at Vernon's SilverStar Mountain Resort. TIP! Whether you're sipping craft beer in Nelson or tasting BC wine in Vernon, plan ahead for a safe ride. remote luxury lodges (accessible only by snowcat), and fuelled by gourmet meals, engenders romance. It's worth every penny for a three- or four-day stay: 2,833 hectares of terrain draped in snow that howls in from the west to nestle on steep gladed pitches and wide- open bowls. Nearly every day is a powder day, and the cushy snowcat, stocked with snacks and Gatorade, continuously ferries groups of 12 skiers to new runs layered with virgin snow. From there, private guides lead the way to the best fall lines. At the end of a perfect day, unwind with a glass of wine by a crackling fire in the intimate Bear Lodge, followed by a massage at the spa or a soak in an outdoor hot tub before dinner. In the dining room, you'll feast on everything from Ocean Wise Pacific halibut to rich bison short ribs. Sated and spent, retire to your room, burrow under a down duvet, and surrender to sleep while yet more snow accumulates silently outside. action with a latte from Bugaboos Bakery Café, or sneak off to try the trendy fat bikes (mountain bikes with giant tires) on multi- use paths that wind through the village. If cabin fever sets in, downtown Vernon is a quick drive away, with boutiques made for browsing and parks (like Kalamalka Lake) made for snowshoeing. Stop by Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery, a cider house, or any of seven wineries in nearby Lake Country, to pick up a bottle for some adult après-ski in your snowbound lodgings once the car is parked and kids are in bed. Ultimate indulgence: Island Lake Catskiing, Fernie "Start skiing when you hear me yodel," Corrie, our catskiing guide, said before pointing his fat skis down the white blanket of snow covering Mt. Fernie's southern flanks. One minute my husband was standing beside me; the next he was history – a rooster tail of feathery flakes the only sign he was schussing far ahead between the towering spruce trees that punctuate these slopes. At Island Lake Catskiing, high in the Lizard Range of the Canadian Rockies near Fernie, BC, the snow is light and plentiful. And the beautiful setting, anchored by three

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