The Stoke

So you wanna be a ski bum, eh? Well, Revelstoke Mountain Resort just posted a number of seasonal and year-round positions with the resort, so surf on over to their Current Opportunities page and see if any of them fit the bill for you!

Year-Round Roles
Lift Operations Supervisor

Rental/Repair Supervisor

Retail Supervisor

2010/2011 Seasonal Roles
Snow School Professional

Rental Technicians

Repair Technicians

Retail Cashiers

Guest Service Agents

Ground Crew

Lift Attendants/Operators

Working at the mountain is a lot of fun - you get to work where you play, and everyone you interact with is in a good mood because they’re playing outside. Ride breaks make the world go round.

KK in her snazzy staff uniform!

We might be into the first days of summer, but it’s never too early to think about skiing or snowboarding again! Buy your Revelstoke Mountain Resort season pass before June 25 at midnight in order to take advantage of the Early Bird savings!

2010/2011 Season Pass Rates

All rates are subject to the applicable taxes.

Click here for the Season Pass Application Form, or head down to the Presentation Centre at the corner of 1st St. and Mackenzie Ave to buy your pass!

Another great reason to buy your season pass before the end of tomorrow is the chance to win a sweet houseboat vacation from Waterway Houseboats on Shuswap Lake. Purchase your season pass by June 25, 2010 and you will automatically be entered to win a once in a lifetime trip with Waterway Houseboats, valued at $2810!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately, folks! I work full-time at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and my free time is taken up skiing, sleeping, and generally having a great time.

I want to let you know about a great event coming up this weekend at RMR! It’s closing weekend, which is always both a bummer and a blast. Saturday, April 10 is Mexican day, so bust out your sombrero and shorts and get out on the hill. We should have sunny, mild weather that day, and there is a great band playing on the Mid Mountain Lodge patio that afternoon.

Sunday, April 11 is the Third Annual Stoke to Spoke race. Celebrate the transition from winter to spring with this awesome triathlon. The Stoke to Spoke involves skiing or snowboarding, biking, and navigating an obstacle course to the finish line and then chugging a beverage of the adult variety (if you’re legal to do so!). Compete as an individual or in teams of three. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the solo and team categories, along with best costume and best wipeout, and the oldest and youngest competitors. There are great prizes to be won including Oakley A-Frame goggles for the 1st place team and a Mammut Respect pack for the 1st place individual! Prize value is estimated at $800.

Entry Fees: $20 Individual, $45 for a Team of Three - Includes a Souvenir Event T-Shirt
Registration: Teams and Individuals can start to register beginning on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at the Downtown Presentation Centre (Mackenzie and First St) or at the Revelstoke Outdoors Centre at the base of Revelation Gondola. Although you can enter the race right up until April 11, competitors are encouraged to register before Sunday morning.
We want you to de-throne the current two-time champions: Patrick Tourchot and Chris Ford! The obstacle course will be set by Saturday afternoon for those wishing to check out what excitement this year will bring. Competitors, you can even strategize to come out a winner!

Well, I’ll admit it. The weather has been unseasonably warm here at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and the lower mountain is taking a bit of a beating. People have been enjoying beers out on the patio at Mid Mountain Lodge (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!) and hanging out on the deck for apres-ski at the new Rockford wok|bar|grill at the base of RMR. But despite the warm temps down low (damn you, el Nino!), the upper mountain skiing has still been quite good! The snow in Greely Bowl yesterday was fantastic - deep, lightly tracked, and tons of fun. Elsewhere on the mountain is a bit … sportier, to say the least. The moguls are huge, but I skied with a group of Easterners yesterday who were absolutely loving it. There are still some steep, deep and tight lines through Vertigo, along Gracias Ridge, and through Greely that are good to go.
Check out the newest vid posted up by Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Do you have any great ski footage this year?

I got a new pair of skis a few weeks ago and I’m still waiting for that first huge dump of snow to really test ‘em out. Last year it went off in March, so I’m hoping for the same sort of weather pattern this year. How is your winter going? How have you been enjoying the snow, wherever you are?

It’s been an amazing season so far at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Our snow has been great in quality and quantity, and even though we’re in a bit of a dry spell, it’s been wonderful to have a few perfect bluebird days.
I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas, and has had lots of time to get outside to enjoy the snow. How has your winter been so far? What have been your favourite lines? Where are you calling home? Share your stories with us at The Stoke!
Here’s a sick video of Chris Rubens slaying it here in Revy over the last week. I love seeing him on the mountain - he picks amazing lines!

2009/2010 Seasonal employment opportunities are now available at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Here’s what the hill needs: rental counter workers, repair shop techs, retail positions, guest service agents, ground crew (parking lot agents and ticket checkers), lifties, and custodial staff. Keep your eyes on the Current Openings page. RMR is also looking for snow school pros (skiing and snowboarding), and for a merchandiser for the retail shop.

This winter, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is the place to be if you’ve got the itch to increase your mountain skills or try some ski touring. The Revelstoke Outdoors Centre (ROC) will open its doors at the start of the 2009/2010 season on December 5, and those doors are conveniently located at the base of the Revelation Gondola in Nelsen Lodge. The ROC is a really interesting development - slated to open last year as the Revelstoke Guides Bureau, it’s been rebranded and expanded to include backcountry/slackcountry touring options, guided ski touring, avalanche awareness courses, snow school courses, cat skiing and heli skiing, all booked through the same location. RMR spokesperson Ashley Tait is excited for the opening, and hopes the ROC will help riders “gain some valuable skills - either locals or visitors.”

Programs include:

• Introduction to Ski Touring and Split Boarding
• Guided Day Ski Touring – A full day guided experience in the backcountry of Revelstoke.
• Avalanche Skills Training (AST-1)
• First Tracks Cat Skiing – Breakfast at Nelsen Lodge and then an early morning gondy ride to your snow cat

The ROC will also offer introductory snow science courses, and avalanche transceiver training. The AST-1 course is a definite must-do for anyone even slightly interested in touring - the skills you learn will humble you, but also get you excited about safely getting out to make your own tracks.

The Revelstoke slackcountry is second-to-none

As many ski buffs may have heard, the Freeskiing World Tour is making a stop in Revelstoke this season, and coming back for more in 2011 and 2012. World-class rippers will be slaying North Bowl, Greely Bowl and Vertigo between January 6-10, 2010, so come out to see a fearless show.

Rod Kessler, VP and COO of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, says “[w]e are ecstatic to be hosting the Canadian Championships as part of the Freeskiing World Tour for the next three years and feel this is a significant opportunity for both Revelstoke Mountain Resort and our community. Holding this event in Revelstoke underscores our presence in the global ski industry and is recognition by the freeskiing community RMR is one of the most sought-after resort destinations world-wide. This is not just a resort event, this is a Revelstoke event.

RMR spokesperson Ashley Tait is stoked about the tour stop, naturally: “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to be hosting this event; to be heading into our third season of operation at RMR and to be approached by such a prestigious international tour is really great recognition not only for the resort, but for everything Revelstoke embraces,” says Tait.

“We are thrilled to add Revelstoke Mountain Resort to the premium list of resorts hosting the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour. The quality of snow, terrain, and vibrant mountain culture make Revelstoke a perfect fit for the FWT,” says Adam Comey, President of Mountain Sports International. “The FWT features the world’s best big mountain athletes and the Revelstoke terrain will be an excellent opportunity for our athletes to continue to push the sport to new levels.”

The 2009-10 Tour will have 6 stops on two continents, and kicks off in Chile in September.

The sun above Greely Bowl. Look at those chutes!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to fly? This weekend you could get your chance. Revelstoke Paragliding is offering tandem paragliding tours this weekend off of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Get you chance to soar with the birds. Bring your camera, but make sure it’s tied to you! This is your opportunity to be one of the first people to fly high above Revelstoke, though keep in mind this is a sport that’s completely dependent on the weather. The club plans to offer full service paragliding this winter off of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, so see what it looks like without the snow.

The cost for a tandem ride is $200, which also covers your ticket up the Revelation Gondola. Interested? You have to register on Friday evening at Grizzly Plaza - check them out at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort booth from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. It’s your time to ask questions and steel your nerves!

Paragliders were a common sight this winter at RMR

Paraglider Alan Polster offered some advice to would-be fliers:
1. You don’t have to do this. You are doing it because you want to, not because someone said you should. If you are not sure, you can always say, “I’m not ready” and we won’t fly.
2. Paragliding is risky. People have been killed paragliding. While we will make it as safe as possible, there is always a slim chance that you could be hurt or injured. We will ask you to sign the waiver, just so it is clear that you understand the risks.
3. Paragliding is a very weather dependent sport. If the conditions are not good, we won’t fly. The decision is yours if you want to fly, but the decision is the pilots if we will fly. We may be able to reschedule your flight for a better time for the weather and you.
4. You should be able to run 10 meters on launch and landing. You and the pilot are the wheels on this aircraft, if you can’t run, it can’t fly.
5. Wear a light jacket. We will be up high and it could be chilly. Wear sturdy light hikers, with ankle support if possible. Bring a camera, but tie it on to yourself, cameras don’t bounce very well.
6. Have fun. Remember, you are doing this flight for YOU!