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

[kootenayskier]

The environmental issues at Zincton are Wolverine and Grizzly habitat. No Caribou in that zone. Mountain Caribou are fucked no matter what we do, due to 100 years of insatiable logging, and climate change. Ymir's access got blocked because the private land got sold to the NCC, which they were planning to use to facilitate a now discredited scheme to sell carbon credits, justified by spurious arguments about protecting the Southern Selkirk Caribou herd, which had already vacated that area, and now are extirpated. The NCC aren't involved in the vicinity of Zincton as far as I'm aware. Zincton is an old rich guy's legacy project, located to maximize the value of his private land holdings rather than what makes sense from a skiing perspective (wrong aspect and elevation). Locals are split between those who want to cash in, and those who moved to a remote part of the world because it's quiet and empty. In my dreams of a sensible, planned society, government would appropriate Retallack's tenure (where the good skiing is), plan and authorize a modest, day-use only, low-impact resort, and enter into a public/private partnership to develop it. Accommodation would be focused in valley communities, and most of the surrounding mountains would be managed for sensitive habitat, and diffuse backcountry recreation.

[Ted Striker]

Isn't there room for both the heli-op and a small lift op to coexist?

[DanoT]

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?

I got to figure that the land owner/developer will make a lot more $ selling lots or building homes vs selling some valley bottom land to the Nature Conservancy.

[tkl]

Zincton holds a public presentation of their Formal Proposal on October 21, 2021. The direct link to register with the Mountain Resorts Board for the Zoom presentation is:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/i...esort-proposal

[Angle Parking]

Anything going on with this project?

[kootenayskier]

Anything going on with this project?

They made their initial proposal, got a bunch of feedback, revised said proposal to make it “greener”, and are now waiting on a BC government decision.

[DanoT]

Anything going on with this project?

I have nothing against the project but I question the financial viability. Are skiers with money to spend on a second home in ski country going to be happy with just one lift and minimal amenities?

Lift assisted back country access is already offered, not that far away at Whitewater. Right across the highway from Zincton is Retalleck Cat skiing. Their terrain and their cat roads that they build are by law, accessible to the public for non commercial use. So Zincton has competition.

[garyfromterrace]

https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily...resort-7317848

Zincton in the news. US group asking for Enviro assessment.

Pretty low chance this thing'll go imho for lots of reasons, and here's another.

[UkBCyeti]

I may be one of few people that think that's a shame. There are a few things that would be positives for the local area in having another ski hill/resort in the area.
The zone is already being reasonably heavily skied ( for a backcountry zone in the Kootenays) and those looking to keep it pristine for themselves will still be able to access their stash without buying tickets, as far as I can see.
New Denver, as with a large amount of the medium sized communities in the Kootenays, is losing a lot of it's younger population, as there's nothing work wise in the community. Some form of new large tourism based business will allow for employment and more opportunities in the area for those who may otherwise leav. Another larger ski area within the West Kootenay would mean more opportunities, and keeping more higher qualified people in the area. Should it be at Zincton? Not my call, thankfully, but it seems like the best proposal I've seen around here. Jumbo certainly wasn't going to get off the ground, but Zincton might.

[XXX-er]

Ski builder buddy told me pre-covid the plan for Zincton was 240 residence and/or businesses so his plan was build the skis and do bikes,

https://paranormalskis.ca/

he makes good skis that hold together and a lot of locals like em/ are still skiing them, I took a few people thru that shop when he was here

it looks like he is now setup in Kimberly