Revelstoke Rising

The iconic and long-standing centers of skiing’s pro athlete and limit-pushing scene are a pretty static group. But when the local, one-lift ski hill in Revelstoke, British Columbia, was bought by the Gilardi family and reopened in 2007 with new lifts and a total of 5,620 feet of vertical, it was a game-changer in the ski world. 

Just off the TransCanada highway on the west side of Rogers Pass, Revelstoke Mountain Resort has hit mainstream fame for massive amounts of snowfall, endless stashes of pillow lines, and huge side and backcountry. Ski mountaineers and guides have called it home for decades, but the freeskiing and pro athlete scene is just beginning to come into its own.

Leah Evans blasts through powder in Revelstoke, BC. Photo courtesy Leah Evans.

Hosting a stop on the Freeskiing and Freeride World Tour for the last few years has helped put Revelstoke on the map for freeskiers. In addition to the inbounds opportunities, just up the road, Rogers Pass offers options in the direction the industry is trending – serious backcountry, big lines, ski mountaineering, and exploration for skiers and up and coming pros.

“There is a core group of people there that have been here from the start,” said Leah Evans, a pro skier on the Rossignol and North Face teams. While hopping around BC three years ago, Evans picked Revelstoke over Whistler for the burgeoning scene and the potential for growth. “The terrain speaks for itself — since I’ve moved there I’ve been more into ski mountaineering and big terrain,” she said.

Slicing and dicing. Photo courtesy Leah Evans.

The assets aren’t lost on the myriad pro skiers who have been converging on the mountain since its expansion. Lynsey Dyer, in town for a photo shoot recently, is one of many Revy coverts.

“It's always deep when I make it up here. The locals are great, the mountain is all time — it’s gotten so popular in the few short years it’s been open,” she said.

While people are calling Revy the new Whistler, locals are quick to point out some differences.

Just skiin' 'round Revy. No big deal. Photo courtesy Leah Evans.

“There is less attitude, it is still small and an industry town, with a really good community of local pro skiers,” said Evans. “We’re all concentrated here and we are all really motivated. We are surrounded by an environment of people getting things done. … You see all the possibilities here instead of barriers.”

“The girls I've had a chance to rip around with, like Leah Evans and Izzy Lynch, are huge inspirations to me.  They charge but they're also really great people — I feel honored to chase them around this huge mountain,” said Dyer.  The local pros, however, still highlight the many other factors they are proud of that affect Revelstoke’s increasing influence on the ski scene.

“It is not even the pro scene that is so prominent,” said Lynch, who also rides for Rossignol and The North Face. “There are just so many badasses, there is a ton of traffic making this town a sustainable place to live, and so much energy and excitement. And there’s just so much snow.”

Above the clouds and the hype. Photo courtesy Leah Evans.