British Columbia is set to deliver the most exquisite public mountain experience in the history of North America with the announcement of Valemount Glacier Destination — Canada’s first-ever year-round ski resort and glacial paradise.
The province of British Columbia recently approved the project, bringing four years of effort to fruition. The resort will begin construction next year just outside the town of Valemount in the Cariboo Mountains, near the British Columbia-Alberta border. A Master Development Agreement outlines unprecedented public access to viewpoints of stunning glaciers nestled between massive mountain peaks.
The $100-million project includes lifts that will extend to the summits of Mount Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Twilight Glacier, and the McLennan Glacier. Within 15-20 years Valemount Glacier Destination will boast unprecedented public access to glaciers of over 3,000 meters in elevation — serving as a milestone for the entire continent.
Valemount is located within an ideal mountain climate with consistently reliable snow conditions. A 2,090 meter vertical drop will separate the top of the resort from the bottom — the third largest in the world.
The resort base village is outlined at 1,300 meters in elevation, equipped with a 2,000-person commercial housing capacity in addition to residential and hotel accommodations. The project is estimated to create more than 800 full-time jobs.
In addition to skiing and sightseeing, Valemount will provide opportunities for snowmobiling, heli-skiing, hiking, and biking, as well as educational resources on the alpine environment and glacial formation.
The destination is designed as an all-encompassing mountain vacation experience but it also serves as a symbolic marker on the community level, incorporating the full support of the Simpcw First Nation and the Village of Valemount. The plan’s environmental sustainability simply adds another element of public acceptance.
The project is set to begin in summer 2018, with Christmas designated as the intended public open date.
