Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 65
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Vancouver BC
    Posts
    3,267

    Oberti at it again - Valemount Glacier Destination

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...oval-1.3725221

    http://www.powder.com/stories/news/a...-coming-to-bc/


    I thought this had its own thread already but I can only find some chatter in the Jumbo read. Anyone know if this is different to the original Valemount proposal a few years back? I don't remember seeing Oberti's name in involved in that one.

    This is even more out there than Jumbo in terms of remote location in the middle of nowhere, crappy road access etc. No idea how they think they can get enough 4 season visitors and convince people to buy condos. Can't imagine operation costs would be cheap getting that terrain open with the snowpack, terrain and massive elevation.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    in a van down by the river
    Posts
    2,769
    The "Cadillac" 4 phase plan is huge and goes back about 4 peaks from the front range that is visible from Valemount. Everything about the location is way better than Jumbo. It is spitting distance from Valemount, something like 4 km from the hwy (it is just above the "airport"). Snow is good up there... but I have my doubts it will reach the full 4 phases but the first one looks achievable.
    I don't work and I don't save, desperate women pay my way.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    you been into Dave Henry lodge?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    in a van down by the river
    Posts
    2,769
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    you been into Dave Henry lodge?
    nope but it is quite a ways east of the resort plan... totally different snow zone.
    I don't work and I don't save, desperate women pay my way.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    The old Canoe Mtn is a different proposal, and is largely shelved. The regional community is largely very much for the Oberti proposal; Mike Wiegele and CMH not so much. The Hwy5 is one of the better BC-Alberta passes, but the regional airports are a ways away (PG is about 3hrs, Kamloops about 4hrs). I'm not an aviation expert, but the winds in the Robson valley can rip for long periods, so I am not sure how viable an airport in the valley would be. And there remains the Mtn Caribou issues.
    The biggest issue IMO remains the power grid; the current feed is simple insufficient. The proposal makes reference to local run-of-the-river feeds, but they all state their max output, which happens in June, not at low water in Jan/Feb. Geothermal power is a being talked about, but they have yet to drill a single hole and are trying to sweettalk investors to fund the exploration.
    So I look forward to the development, but I won't be holding my breath waiting for the bullwheels to turn.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    in a van down by the river
    Posts
    2,769
    I think the airport option is similar to Jumbo... it is for those that can afford a charter not for the general coach flying public. Geo has been on the radar since before the reservoir was filled, and micro hydro is a bigger rippoff to rate payers than creating a municipality out of thin air... well maybe a close second. Mtn Caribou have been extirpated from the immediate valemount area for a long while, the biggest concerns would be G bears in the spring and Goats. And now that three ranges have expanded there are no beer supply concerns.
    I don't work and I don't save, desperate women pay my way.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    At the North end of the Parkway
    Posts
    1,787
    So you saw the tank delivery pics too. Could become a bit more of a family oriented winter destination with this instead of just a man's world of sledders.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    670
    If you build it, they will come.....in a few decades when the climate change heat-wave deathzones cause everyone to move north!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    N side, Terrace, BC
    Posts
    5,145
    Just stay away from Terrace you smelly dentists.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Vancouver BC
    Posts
    3,267
    Moose and co - good local knowledge about the issues and feasibility, thanks guys. When I saw December 2017 being talked about as a possibility I had to laugh. I still think location is too far from regional airports to get enough visits but who knows. If it's ever built I would ski there, probably awesome touring access too I bet.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    in a van down by the river
    Posts
    2,769
    It probably is too far from regional airports, but his last plan was too far away from everything... at least this one is in a town.
    I don't work and I don't save, desperate women pay my way.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    50
    Weibo when will you pack up the fam and move out there ? Open a ski shop, tune skis, and have great snow with no one around ! I'm betting the farm, this place will be awesome ! I'm sure there is an Olympics bid in there somewhere, buried in the fine print

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    the big dirty
    Posts
    725
    aren't big sky, jackson, telluride, and crested butte in the figurative middle of nowhere too?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    I believe there is a small airport in Valemont which is actualy very close to the proposed resort but I would forget about a regularly scheduled flight in winter

    you would be busing or driving from PeeG/Edmonton/Calgary/Kamloops on 2 lane hi-ways ... pretty much the same way the heli skiers come in to blue river

    I had been all over southern BC but I found narthern BC is a whole nuther degree of nowhere, winter driving is a whole nuther degree of winter compared to anywhere south and I don't believe its changed other than to maybe get more deserted in 20 yars
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    1,127
    Quote Originally Posted by skiitsbetter View Post
    aren't big sky, jackson, telluride, and crested butte in the figurative middle of nowhere too?
    Valemont and Jackson, WY are pretty goddamn far from similar. Jasper is more like Jackson and is 1:30 away from valemont in good weather.

    Maybe the two CO towns are more similar, but they are real mountain towns. Valemont is a gas stop on the way to Robson. There's no cool brewery or any shit like that.

    To me, the Valemont thing would be a decision between that and Revy, as they're roughly equidistant from Vancouver/Seattle. If it's cheaper, less crowded and a better mountain than Rev, then maybe the V thing would be pretty cool.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    If you are coming from the south you have to go right by Sun Peaks 1hr out of Kamloops which is very family friendly or drive another 3 hrs on a shitty hghway

    look on the map to the narth of Valemont there is no roads narth nothing but mountains,

    Valemont actualy started as a railstop on the CN main line there was no road until the 60's

    Valemont was my buddies 1st teaching gig ... he said it was weird



    http://www.threeranges.com/
    I think they changed micro brew laws in BC within the last few years and now they seem to be everywhere
    putting the Ale in Valemont
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    Valemount and the entire Robson is a pretty sweet place. Excellent Swiss bakery across the tracks, rodeo in July holds its own on the circuit, interesting ecology with sand dunes between the reservoir and Tete Juane Cache. Big elk, moose, bear and wolves throughout. Kayaking and rafting on several rivers that have ocean run salmon (second longest sockeye run in NA IIRC). Really cool hippy music festival in Dunster in Aug. Lots of history with 1st Nations and early whitey exploration, especially at Tete Juane Cache.

    But the wind blows long and hard, the power can go out for a week in winter, it's overrun with oil patch slednecks in winter, and very little heavy industry left to help support and diversify the economy. Interesting place with lots of potential, but yes, it takes a special breed to live there full time. From Crescent Spur to Albreda (about 170km of highway), there is less than 3000 people living full time.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    1,127
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    http://www.threeranges.com/
    I think they changed micro brew laws in BC within the last few years and now they seem to be everywhere
    putting the Ale in Valemont
    Well, I'll be damned! Let me guess, all their beers are 5.5% ABV and taste just about the same. Robson/Berg Lake is probably the best alpine area I've ever been to. It entirely rules.

    The drive up that way from K'Loops in the winter SUCKS.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    Beautiful drive, but shitty highway maintenance. The highway maintenance region/contract changes at McMurphy station (about 25km east of Vavenby), and the difference in winter maintenance is literally a line on the highway. North of that line, the maintenance contract and overall road management is out of PG, 440km away. Suffice to say overall accountability and resources allocated to the highway south of Valemount can be seriously lacking.
    Basically during winter, if there is more than 5cm fresh snow on the highway indicated at the Blue R. highway cams, we delay fieldwork north of Blue R. by a couple of days - it's just not worth the risk.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Quote Originally Posted by BCMountainHound View Post
    Valemount and the entire Robson is a pretty sweet place. Excellent Swiss bakery across the tracks, rodeo in July holds its own on the circuit, interesting ecology with sand dunes between the reservoir and Tete Juane Cache. Big elk, moose, bear and wolves throughout. Kayaking and rafting on several rivers that have ocean run salmon (second longest sockeye run in NA IIRC). Really cool hippy music festival in Dunster in Aug. Lots of history with 1st Nations and early whitey exploration, especially at Tete Juane Cache.

    But the wind blows long and hard, the power can go out for a week in winter, it's overrun with oil patch slednecks in winter, and very little heavy industry left to help support and diversify the economy. Interesting place with lots of potential, but yes, it takes a special breed to live there full time. From Crescent Spur to Albreda (about 170km of highway), there is less than 3000 people living full time.
    I used to do a little business up there, the lending officer for the BNS told us it was a pretty stable economy and a very profitable bank branch ya lots of wind and the fields were usually scoured clean of snow. There used to be an MOF office in Mcbride the town took a big hit when that all moved to Kamloops, used to be able to get cheap heli bumps into Osalinka for only 75$ a head

    Not too many Hippies left but the Robson valley music fest is still getting bigger & still pretty tribal, right on the banks of the Fraser in Seth and Shara's front yard

    A long time Dunster local tells me Guggenhiem is aquiring property, they have an agent who acts for them, so they buy a farm but they don't operate it ... they just own it
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    In Your Wife
    Posts
    8,291
    That shouldn't be a hindrance for tourist traffic at all. I am interested to see how this plays out over the next few years, that general corner of BC has always fascinated me. Need to buy some land up there while it's still cheap, but there's another thread for that.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    Heh, and that is exactly the problem. This highway is the main arterial between the oil sands developments and Vancouver port. So, take oversize heavy transport, log trucks, railway and pipeline workers, oil workers in 1tonne crew cabs pulling loaded 24ft sled trailers moving at, or more often significantly above, highway speed, getting annoyed with tourists travelling usually a few clicks below the posted speed gawking at the scenery and wildlife, in a section of road between Thunder R bridge and the Canoe R bridge that's gets very low attention for plowing and sanding and has high precipitation with a significant degree of freeze-thaw (elev ranges between 700 and 800m along this stretch)
    Most years there are more than a couple incidents between users that results in highway rescue scraping/prying body parts out of mangled vehicles or off the pavement. Don't get me wrong, I travel that stretch for pleasure often, but I know the road and drive extremely defensive between Nov and Mar.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    and don't forget there are suicidal zombie ungelets everywhere!
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Canadian Rockies
    Posts
    1,085
    Been hearing about Valemount ski hill development for years and years. Don't care whose deep pockets. I will believe it when I'm standing on top of some awesome wind deposited slope a few minute hike from the lift. The whole project is nuts...If they get phase one of the ground and give the area an awesome local hill that would be amazing.
    http://www.revelstokemountainresort....aster-plan.pdf

    Link to what was supposed to happen at RMR. Can't see that ever happenning. Revy got an awesome ski hill out of the deal. Maybe expansion will happen there, who knows.

    Same thing in Golden. I wanted to link the long range off their website but its been removed. Golden got a kick ass community ski hill as well thats busy on Saturdays and holidays.

    These two hills have population base and are easy (easier) to get to.
    Valemount is pretty isolated and the highways in any direction in the winter can be treacherous.

    I'm just armchairing here so shut me down if I'm full of it.
    And hell yes I would ski there as its only 1.1 hours away from me!

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Canadian Rockies
    Posts
    1,085
    Quote Originally Posted by BCMountainHound View Post
    , in a section of road between Thunder R bridge and the Canoe R bridge that's gets very low attention for plowing and sanding and has high precipitation with a significant degree of freeze-thaw (elev ranges between 700 and 800m along this stretch)
    Most years there are more than a couple incidents between users that results in highway rescue scraping/prying body parts out of mangled vehicles or off the pavement. Don't get me wrong, I travel that stretch for pleasure often, but I know the road and drive extremely defensive between Nov and Mar.
    Quoted for truth. Mountainhound knows whats up. Sketchy at times. But for recreation very worth it!!!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •