Find The Best Snowboarding & Skiing Around FV!

After a full day on the slopes you may feel like a white-walker yourself, but getting the family or a good group of friends together for a trip to your nearest, powder-covered mountain is guaranteed to be a good time. Living in the Fraser Valley offers you year round recreation, whether you’re a jogger, a hiker, a kite boarder or a snowboarder! People from all over the world come to Vancouver every winter just to experience our ski resorts for themselves. A lot of young travelers will take a few years out of their education or career to travel the world on cruise ships or ‘resort hop’. They may work 6 months in a ski resort in Whistler during the winter, and then fly over to Toronto to tutor for 6 months around summer. With a lot of resorts offering accommodation to their employees and discounted rates on snow sports, it’s a smart way to get experience and see the world at the same time! Here are some of the nearest hills for your ideal snow day day-trips, or venture a little further out and make a weekend out of it!

1. Hemlock Valley Ski Resort – This is the go-to ski mountain in the Fraser Valley offering so much more than just skiing and snowboarding! Located in the Douglas Ranges just near Chehalis, it’s a short drive from Abbotsford. The vertical drop is 1300 feet and there is great terrain for snowshoeing! The Hemlock Resort is a well priced restaurant with good food, there is a certified snow school for all ages and it’s located close to Harrison Hot Springs, the perfect way to unwind after a long day of hitting powder! 

2. Mt Baker Ski Resort – A quick trip over the border and into Bellingham, WA is the Mt Baker Ski Area. If you leave early and beat the line ups, Mt Baker is just an hour away. If you plan on doing a weekend trip they offer several accommodations on the mountain. Usually opening completely to the public in November (dependent on weather), the mountain usually sees it’s heaviest snow falls between December and March. In the 2013-2014 season they saw roughly 160cm in both February and March, but due to our later winter, their Nov-Jan saw almost half those amount. Use their website to find the best times to go. 

3. Manning Park – If you’re looking to change up your scenery completely, Manning can make a great day trip, or a wonderful, remote weekend getaway! Manning Park skiing and snowboarding offers a drier snow than we see on the coastal mountains. The Resort offers vacation packages in cabins, lodges or chalets, can cater to group events or weddings and they even host  contests where you can win free ski or snowboard packages (enter here). Manning Park is a year round attraction offering great camping and fishing in the summer as well!

4. Whistler Blackcomb – By far one of the most popular ski resorts not only in Vancouver, but in BC as well! Whistler Village is a beautiful place to go around Christmas time as the whole village is draped in colorful lights, snow and sparkling decorations. A 2 1/2hr trip from Abbotsford, you can make a day trip out of it, but your time would be well spent if you chose to stay the weekend. The Village offers boutique shops and restaurants, and the mountain has lodging and accommodation to meet all budgets. They offer a variety of early bird or package deals so you can take full advantage of brewery tours, Peak 2 Peak Gondola, snow tubing or the amazing Fire & Ice Show, which offers a wonderful mix of dancing, music & spinning fire. 

Want to find a new home closer to your favourite sport locations? Our realtors know the Fraser Valley like the back of their hand and can help you find a home that meets all of your ‘dream list’ requirements and puts you as close to the action as you want to be!

Randy Dyck
Personal Real Estate Corporation
604-807-4366 or randy@eximus.com