Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/754203
18 BCA A .COM WINTER 2016 Whistler Blackcomb/Justa Jeskova TRAVEL ski-free fun Six best bets for ski-free family fun on BC's mountains BY CLAUDIA LAROYE Slopes Beyond the This guided snowshoe tour at Panorama Mountain Resort (20 km southwest of Invermere) takes trekkers on an hour-long journey through snow-covered forest along Toby Creek, with views of Panorama and Jumbo Valley. Kids sport fancy snowshoes that light up as they walk, and the tour wraps up with a marshmallow roast. To warm up afterward, there's nothing quite like a soak in the resort's natural hot springs. The Springs Pools are Canada's largest slope-side hot springs, and all lodging guests have access to the facilities. Whistler's Coca-Cola Tube Park is a family favourite, and easily accessible from the Excalibur Gondola (no ticket needed). The seven lanes vary in length and speed. Families can join tubes together and ask the guide for a spinning start down the 300-metre lane. Prefer to whiz over snowy treetops instead? Family members aged six and up can feel the rush of zip-lining between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, high above frozen Fitzsimmons Creek. ZipTrek Ecotours offers several packages, including the four-and-a- half-hour Mammoth Tour, which includes 10 zip lines and eight treetop bridges. As predicted by the venerable Farmer's Almanac, this winter is shaping up to be colder than previous years, with above-average snowfalls. While that's great news for skiers and snowboarders, let's face it: not everyone skis, or wants to ski all of the time. This holds true for wee ones just getting their ski legs, and family members looking to mix it up with other snowy pursuits. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to enjoy BC's mountains. From skating and tubing to ice climbing and fat biking, these activities offer affordable, off-piste family fun. Whistler's Coca-Cola Tube Park is a family favourite. MEMBERS SAVE BCAA Members save 10% or more at Best Western locations in Fernie, Whistler, Kelowna, Kamloops and across North America. bcaa.com/bestwestern Twilight snowshoeing at Panorama Mountain Resort Tubing and zipping at Whistler Blackcomb