Zincton.... BC's newest ski area???

[AlexC]

HI

Zincton received their preliminary permit and is now assembling a master plan. For some reason this site won't accept full urls, but you can go to the Nelson Star dot com/news/zincton-gets-go-ahead-for-next-stage-of-resort-planning/

Also David Harley, the guy behind it has started posting more information and maps on the zincton dot com website via their instagram account.

David Harley was interviewed on Powder Canada. Read it at Powder Canada.

Jesus! How hard is it to include a working link?

...

I've skied in that area a few times. London Ridge has great terrain with easy access right off the highway, and it would be a shame if this resort in any way compromised that. It's already going to add significant traffic, but I just hope they don't require a permit or anything like that. Pretty much everything else decent requires a lengthy road access, which sucks without a sled, but is doable.

David Harley is in for quite the fight. The opponents are following the Jumbo playbook. They've formed an environmental NGO, The Wild Connection, with support of some local Sinixt, and declared it home to the white grizzly. I'm not arguing for or against their claims, just that this will likely be a very long, acrimonious process. It will be an even bigger uphill battle if the Sinixt win their Supreme Court case and gain legal recognition in Canada.

[Cokey McBlowjob]

The Sinixt never seemed too concerned about the White Grizzly when Stella Jones, Interfor, and BCTS were blasting their way through that area.

[XXX-er]

you might have had Degamuukw by then but you since got the Tsilcotin decision after which Northern Gateway was canceled almost instantly

SO what FN wants to make any commitment ?

[waxman]

BITD, dentists and lawyers in the area even accepted product, over the dirty US currency that was in everyone's pocket. That was the real rub, getting that yankee greenback traded without raising suspicions. The big business guys tried to bring back handguns, coke, or smack as much as possible to ease the currency swap woes.

We may have some of the same friends. It's all conjecture and rumors of course but how any of the guys I knew financed their ultimate frisbee and ski endeavors plus houses etc....

[XXX-er]

My buddy told me if the cops pull you over & see on your DL that your home adress is Winlaw

that is a dead giveaway

[BCMtnHound]

Heh. Local S.Slocan area PoPo just wanted an excuse to stop in at the Hungry Wolf Cafe.

[tkl]

Anew website at zincton.com Sort of zincton light The instagram feed has links to helicopter video taken in the spring of the touring terrain. Formal Proposal is going out to comment in a week or so with a public hearing October 20. Kicking the can slowly through the permitting process.

[DanoT]

Harley is going to need $10M+ of his own money because people with investment capital will steer clear just like Valemount. Or maybe a couple of t-bars for an on the cheap build. Or maybe sell real estate as a private club at a premium to pay for the lifts.
Seems unlikely that there are enough skiers in Nakusp, New Denver, Kaslo to support Zincton and Summit Lake Ski Resort.

[altasnob]

It's only 8 hours from Seattle. 4 from Spokane. We're totally desperate for a new ski area down here and it aint ever happening so we're turning our attention to BC.

[DanoT]

It's only 8 hours from Seattle. 4 from Spokane. We're totally desperate for a new ski area down here and it aint ever happening so we're turning our attention to BC.

This place is closer to Seattle: https://bridalveilmountainresort.ca/

[Ted Striker]

That one came up in the thread alta's talking about. The little I know about it is that one of the FNs is opposed, because they want to develop the land in a different way.

It would take business from Baker for sure (hell, I'd drive there from Bellingham), and probably put Hemlock or whatever they're called these days out of business (again).

[Gcooker]

That one came up in the thread alta's talking about. The little I know about it is that one of the FNs is opposed, because they want to develop the land in a different way.

It would take business from Baker for sure (hell, I'd drive there from Bellingham), and probably put Hemlock or whatever they're called these days out of business (again).

Nah, Hemlock (Sasquatch) will be fine. If that new Chilliwack resort goes, which it certainly won't, it will be priced out of reach for lower mainlanders unless they join Epic/Ikon.
Hemlock is a hidden gem and one of the best, reasonably priced, family ski hills around. If it goes, Baker won't get so crowded, so I'll spent my time there again.

[Ted Striker]

which it certainly won't

Yeah, I'm not holding my breath. On the pricing, a day ticket at Baker is equivalent to $100 cdn. I think if BV came in around there, they'd syphon off a lot of that business.

[t.odd]

BV ski resort has zero First Nations support, and the local Nation is partner or something with the gondola proposal which is a significantly different proposal. The BV ski proposal is also a more traditional resort development plan with crown land for residential/commercial development whereas Zincton's residential/commercial component does not require crown land allocation.

[Dromond]

BV ski resort has zero First Nations support, and the local Nation is partner or something with the gondola proposal which is a significantly different proposal. The BV ski proposal is also a more traditional resort development plan with crown land for residential/commercial development whereas Zincton's residential/commercial component does not require crown land allocation.

Sorry to thread drift, but does anyone know if the "Phase One: Sightseeing gondola" would provide any touring access?

[t.odd]

Sorry to thread drift, but does anyone know if the "Phase One: Sightseeing gondola" would provide any touring access?

for which project?

[Dromond]

for which project?

For BV. Sorry, I pasted that from the website and didn't make it clear.

[Ted Striker]

Sorry to thread drift, but does anyone know if the "Phase One: Sightseeing gondola" would provide any touring access?

Sightseeing only gondi backed by the Cheam FN is currently named Cascade Skyline, and would basically be like the Squamish gondi PG is obsessed with. The base would be near the junction of Hwy 9 and the Trans-Canada, and there's already a pin on google maps for the top station. From my very limited experience riding up there, that spot isn't very high, and heavily forested. IMO, it'd be a long slog to anywhere skiable.

The proposed Bridal Vail resort would theoretically have the base near the the top of Allan Rd (that alone seems like a non-starter) and have two gondolas: one in the general direction of Archibald but the top would be about a mile short of the peak, and the other to somewhere along Thurston Ridge (Trailforks is probably the best map to see what I'm talking about there)

So that's closer, but I'm still thinking a sled from somewhere off Chilliwack Lake Rd would be easier.

[DanoT]

If there is going to be a new ski resort in B.C. for reliable snow, I would prefer to see something near the Coquihalla summit. But there hasn't been a new ski resort built from scratch since I don't know when, 70s or maybe the 60s?

[nickinbc]

If there is going to be a new ski resort in B.C. for reliable snow, I would prefer to see something near the Coquihalla summit. But there hasn't been a new ski resort built from scratch since I don't know when, 70s or maybe the 60s?

Just what we need, more lower mainlanders driving up the Coq on all-seasons with barely 3.5mm tread (or worse) during heavy snowfalls

[SnakeMagnet]

Just what we need, more lower mainlanders driving up the Coq on all-seasons with barely 3.5mm tread (or worse) during heavy snowfalls

It's "good" television, or so i've heard.

[DanoT]

Just what we need, more lower mainlanders driving up the Coq on all-seasons with barely 3.5mm tread (or worse) during heavy snowfalls

Are these lower mainlanders that are on near bald all-season tires currently driving to Whistler or do mainlander WB skiers actually have properly equipped ski cars?

[Gri_C_Rentsch]

Lots of talk about grizzlys, but what about the caribou?
A portion of the opposition to this resort is based on the fact that it will disturb wildlife in the area. There is a conversation to be had about concentrating users in one place to limit the affect on wildlife in the greater area.
But are people who love to tromp around in the bush going to stop because there's a chair/gondy/patrollers to make it easier?
Is the attention that the proposal draws to this area going to boost users in the area regardless of a resort build or not?
Are the caribou damned-if-we-do, damned-if-we-don't?

[DanoT]

Because there is not much population or jobs nearby, my guess is Zincton as a housing development is a tough sell. However if you get the government approval to build a chairlift on the adjacent Crown Land that provides a few ski runs and easy access to the backcountry, then you might sell a few building lots on the private acreage. Thus a real ski area isn't needed or wanted.

[altasnob]

I was told the reason Ymir lodge went from snowcat approach for their customers, to heli approach was the caribou. Specifically, Nature Conservancy Canada owns the Darkwoods Conservation Area, the single largest private land conservation project in Canada, which is just to the East of Ymir Lodge. The snowcat approach road passed through their lands and they cut off access to Ymir lodge citing caribou preservation. I wonder if Nature Conservancy has any plans to acquire lands up by Zincton?