Vancouver Island: A Top British Columbia Skiing
Adventure Destination

The DEEPEST Snow Base in Canada!

WHY IS OUR MOUNT WASHINGTON ONE OF THE TOP BRITISH COLUMBIA SKIING RESORTS?

Here's the main reason...

We continually have the deepest snow base in all of Canada - even beating the Rockies! And the temperature is very mild!

If you like skiing the Canadian Rockies, check out skiing on Vancouver Island first.

There are two destinations for skiing on Vancouver Island: Mount Washington Alpine Resort and Mount Cain.
If you're searching for some great snow sport vacations this winter, then come out to the Island and discover real BC skiing! No one leaves disappointed.

We'd both say that Mount Washington has been our favourite British Columbia skiing destination over the years (pleasant temperatures... and quite accessible from any point on the Island). We've been here many times, so we'll tell you all about it...

Mount Washington

The mountain averages nine metres of snow every season, and that actually makes it Canada's deepest all-natural snow base! Take a look at this: our mountain is the second-busiest BC skiing and winter recreation destination, behind Whistler/Blackcomb on the mainland.

The mountain has 60 runs and they're all excellent. We find too, there's good respect on the runs between skiiers and boarders.

The main lodge has a cafeteria, a gift shop and other services.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort, in our opinion, is one of the best choices for a British Columbia skiing vacation. Here's why...

• alpine skiing and snowboarding
• cross-country skiing
• night skiing
• snow tubing
• snowshoeing
• tobogganing area
• adult and kids ski schools
• and now... the Luge - a 350 metre natural luge track - new as of 2005 (luge lesson is mandatory).

In addition to these snow sport vacations, you can also sign up for private lessons, ski clinics/camps, races, tours and more.

Try out some of the tours up on the mountain like the Evening Snowshoe Tour & Fondue Dinner. It's extremely popular, and tours sell out. BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE IF POSSIBLE.

Rentals, Kids Ski Schools & Daycare

You can rent all your ski/snowboarding equipment right in the main lodge at Mount Washington. Rentals are priced fairly, but be prepared for some long lines. HOWEVER, we found that the lines seem to move along well.

There are also locker rentals to store your valuables in the same room as the rentals.

The kids rentals area is another story. You can rent everything here, including helmets, but be prepared for some chaos. Kids are running around everywhere trying to get outfitted.

DAYCARE

Bringing younger kids that can't ski? The resort actually offers an on-site daycare for parents that want to leave small tots while they hit the slopes. Fees are modest, but CALL AHEAD to book a spot.

KIDS SKI SCHOOLS

Mount Washington has a GREAT kids ski and snowboard school that we highly recommend if you have kids that want to learn. The Instructors are fantastic. They know how to deal with kids, and our son has ALWAYS come back excited.

OUR HOT TIP: Call ahead at least 48 hours before you arrive to reserve a spot in the kids ski school - spaces fill super fast! Otherwise, the lineups to register kids are depressingly long, as I found out when I failed to book a spot ahead of our arrival.

By the end of the day, he was on the green chairlift with us hitting the easy runs! Here he is, ready to go down with us!

The facilities for kids here is what makes Mount Washington one of the best family ski resorts!

From the top of the chairlift, on a clear day, you'll have a stunning panoramic view of part of the Island, the Strait of Georgia, and the Mainland Coast Mountains in the distance to the East.

If you've stuffed a camera inside your jacket, then click now!

How To Get Here And Where To Stay

It's easy to get to from any part of the Island, since it's located in the central region. It's about a 2.5 hour drive from Victoria and about 75 minutes from Nanaimo. The closest community is Courtenay, situated in the Comox Valley.

You can make it a real British Columbia skiing adventure by staying right on the mountain for cozy winter nights. Mount Washington has some really good ski chalet and condo accommodations, but BOOK WAY AHEAD...like the summer before.

To find out more about staying on the mountain, visit the Mount Washington Accommodation page ,or here's their toll-free reservation line: 1-888-231-1499.

If you prefer, you could stay in nearby Courtenay. If you're not into driving, shuttle buses to the mountain run from a number of hotels in Courtenay.

A couple of places that we'd recommend staying at, is the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort (they have ski packages), and the Best Western Coast Westerly Hotel (also offer ski packages).

If you're wanting to book some great skiing holidays in Canada, then come to Vancouver Island and experience Mount Washington.

If you're looking for a more rugged, out-of-the-way ski adventure, then Click Here to find out about skiing at Mount Cain on northern Vancouver Island. One word describes it: POWDER!

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