The King of the Hill Terrain Park Series crown will be a hotly contested item at the final event of the season on Saturday, March 8th. The Helly Hansen Big Air will be the deciding event for Mount Washington’s top skier or boarder this season.

The Stomping Ground Terrain Park is in tip-top shape and riders from across the Island were throwing down some of the sickest tricks the mountain has ever seen. Nathanael Wood, Mount Washington’s Events Coordinator, is amazed at the pool of talent. “Our local riders were putting on a show at the Slopestyle last week,” he said. “It won’t be long before sponsors start knocking on some of their doors.”

Both VI Riders and the Mount Washington Freestyle Clubs have been integral in building a strong foundation of local skiers and boarders. The resort is a strong supporter of the Island’s clubs. “It won’t be long before some of our local riders become household names in the ski and snowboard industries,” explains Mount Washington spokesperson Brent Curtain. “It’s amazing to see the level that these riders have encouraged each other to achieve.”

The Helly Hansen Big Air is the third of three events in the KOTH series. Like the previous two events, the Big Air is wide open to all who want to participate. Registration for non-KOTH competitors begins at 8:30am in the Alpine Lodge on Saturday. For all registration information, check out the event online at www.mountwashington.ca.

Last week’s Full Throttle Slopestyle turned into a test of the event crew’s mettle! Poor visibility wreaked havoc with the event on Saturday, and as a result, the skier’s comp was moved to Sunday with the snowboarders. February 24th was an action-packed day at the Stomping Ground!

35 anxious skiers competed first thing on Sunday morning under some epic blue-sky conditions. Avery Rankin was first up and he set the bar high, ultimately taking first place in the 13 and unders. Whistler’s Ben Hodson stole the 14-17 Male category, and represented the mainland in fine fashion. The 18+ Male category received some extra attention from the crowd due to an impressive Lower Mainland contingent. In the end, Islander Ian Paone brought it home and edged out Bryan Anderson by less than half a point! The girls came out to the Slopestyle in full force this season! Natasha Pegg was the victor in the 13 and unders and Cassie Sharpe proved that she’s skiing her best this season with a win in the 14+ girl’s skiing category.

Snowboarders began their comp at high noon; with 55 riders getting two turns each at the course in a jam-style format. Comox’s Darcy Sharpe was unbeatable and impressive once again in the 13 and unders, taking his second title of the season. A thrilling contest between five different riders set the scene for the 14-17 Males but in the end, a super-stoked Andrew Ottosen threw down the best in front of the judges. The biggest field of the day belonged to the 18+ Males, where VI Riders coach Mischa Christiansen stomped huge back-to-back cab 5’s, earning him the top-dog spot. In the girl’s categories Kirsty Macdonald, Marisa Harder and Sallie Skinner all won in the 13 and under, 14-17 and 18+ respectively.

A terrain park-load of sponsors were on-hand with great shwag for all the competitors: Full Throttle, Head, Rossignol, The North Face, Dakine, Bula, RED, Scott, and 686. A big thanks has to go out to 106.9 The Wolf and 91.3 The Zone for media support and also to the Save-on-Foods crew for their helping hand at all the events.

The King of the Hill points race is tight and there’s a handful of skiers and boarders who can take the crown. Who’s going to be this year’s King of the Hill? We’ll find out after the Helly Hansen Big Air, see you there!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort brings the nightlife! Intermediates and experts can check out the expanded night skiing this season off the Whiskey Jack Chair.    The resort is located 30 minutes above the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.
 

A number of years ago, Mount Washington Alpine Resort and Kokanee were determined to "brew up" the perfect post-Christmas event. Both parties wanted to celebrate the convivial snow scene on Vancouver Island. At the same time, financial trauma caused by recent holiday spending had to be factored into the event's equation. After a session of intense brainstorming, the Kokanee Winter Festival was born!

This year's festival runs from January 8th to the 12th and ushers in a welcomed week of snow savings. Half-price full day alpine lift tickets and Nordic trail passes are sold with a smile from each of the mountain's ticket windows.

There's more to the Kokanee Winter Festival than just discounted tickets. To begin, riders are encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for the elusive Mount Washington Sasquatch! A rumour from deep within the woods predicts that the undisputed king of hairy beasts may make brief appearances on the slopes throughout the week. Now you see him, now you don't!

Kokanee's North Island Territory Manager, Jeff Lucas, performs an in-depth quality analysis for the upcoming Kokanee Winter Festival
Photo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Adding more spice to the brew, the first ever Kokanee Day for Dudes heralds its arrival at the mountain on Friday, January 12th. "We want to take a departure from the ordinary lesson," explains Snow School Director Mike Manara. "The Day for Dudes is all about skiing, discovering the mountain and taking your abilities to the next level."

Taking place on one Friday per month over the winter season, Day for Dudes provides a caring and nurturing atmosphere for all types of testosterone-riddled men! For the great price of $59, the "Dudes" in attendance receive a full day alpine lift ticket and an afternoon of tips and tricks from the mountain's top snow pros. Discounts apply for season pass holders. The afternoon of manliness hits overdrive at Fat Teddy's with unique male-oriented apres!

On January 12th, lucky attendees of the first Day for Dudes apres determine the fate of Island girls competing for a coveted spot on the Kokanee Krew team at Mount Washington. With irresistible charm and charisma, The Kokanee Krew are responsible for getting the Fat Teddy's crowd pumped at each Kokanee event on the mountain. Finalists will be competing in a "pageant-style" series of events that include skill-testing questions and some entertaining Sasquatch wrestling!

The mountain is still looking for fun-loving and outgoing girls to compete in the Kokanee Krew pageant. If you think you have what it takes to be a Kokanee Krew team member and you're 21 years or older, visit the events calendar at the mountain's website for pageant application details.

Prolonging the festive atmosphere well into the weekend, the Kokanee Rail Demo delivers progressive rail jibbin' on Saturday, January 13th. An elite congregation of some of the Island's finest snowboarders and skiers will be on hand to grind Mount Washington's collection of rails and fun boxes in front of the Main Lodge. See you there!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is the home of Canada's deepest snow pack. The resort is located 30 minutes above the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.

A rash of Pacific Storms continued to engulf Vancouver Island over the last week. As a direct result, weather forecast phobias are now on the rise. There are, however, individuals out there who don't feel the same sense of urgency to cover their eyes whenever the weather channel is turned on! These individuals are the Island's hardy contingent of skiers and snowboarders.

In an all too familiar scene, another rider is treated to
super deep turns at Mount Washington this week!

Anyone frequenting Mount Washington Alpine Resort lately would have to agree that Santa dropped off an "open-this-one-early gift" under the mountain's trees this holiday season. The resort is experiencing the best early season conditions in its 28-year history.

"We're now sailing past the six metre mark for total accumulated snowfall so far this season," explains resort spokesperson Brent Curtain. "In the last two weeks alone, we've been on the receiving end of over three metres of snow. This is almost unheard of at this time of year. It makes you start to think that another big one is on the way."

The big one Curtain is referring to is the monstrous snow season of 1998-99. Those in attendance for that backbreaking winter witnessed one of the deepest snow packs in recorded history. Over the space of 6 months, a total of 18.5 metres of snow blanketed the mountain, a total surpassed only by Mt. Baker in Washington State. With Christmas around the corner, 6 metres of snow already down and over four months left in the winter season, business is moving along quite nicely at the resort.

"I'm really looking forward to this holiday season!" beams Mount Washington President Peter Gibson. "I can't recall conditions looking this good in the lead up to the break. There's an extension of the holiday for kids after New Year's so this would be an ideal time for families to visit the mountain. If you're looking for a white Christmas, head up to Mount Washington and play in Canada's deepest snow!"

Between shoveling, the resort has retained its ambitious event calendar over the holiday season. Festivities begin on December 23rd with the popular Carols by Candlelight at the Ozone Tubing Park. On Christmas Eve, the multi-denominational Christmas Eve Service delivers festive stories and songs for all in attendance. On Christmas Day, dress up like jolly old Saint Nick and receive a complimentary lift or trail pass for free! If that wasn't enough already, the main event arrives on Boxing Day. The Coca Cola Torchlight Parade and Fireworks on December 26th brings a visual feast for the senses to the mountain's slopes in front of the Alpine Lodge.

If sliding during the day doesn't fill your craving for turns, night skiing continues at the mountain daily from Friday, December 22nd to Saturday, January 6th. The resort is also running their popular Kidz Holiday Camps from December 27th to the 29th and January 3rd to the 5th, respectively.

Over the holidays, one great day is always followed by another! If you and your loved ones are looking for a great place to spend New Year's Eve, Mount Washington provides five different venues to help bring in the New Year. All ages and tastes are catered for in five unique settings. For more information, check out the event details at www.mountwashington.ca.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is the home of Canada's deepest snow pack. The resort is located 30 minutes above the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.

After what has to be described as the most amazing start to the winter season, Mount Washington opened up the Outback and Boomerang Quad this last friday morning. Eager skiers and boarders took to epic conditions on the slopes and enjoyed every minute of it. 

The season is progressing nicely with 100% of the resort in operation, great snow conditions, and an approching holiday that should rival the best ever before.

Be sure to check out the website www.mountwashington.ca and find out everything that's going on throughout the holiday season.