| Mount Washington Alpine Resort | |
|---|---|
| Location | Vancouver Island, Canada |
| Nearest major city | Courtenay, Comox |
| Coordinates | 49°44′18″N 125°17′55″W / 49.73833°N 125.29861°W |
| Vertical | 507 metres (1,663 ft) |
| Top elevation | 1,590 m (5,216 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,083 m (3,558 ft) |
| Runs | 82 |
| Longest run | Linton's Loop |
| Lift system | 5 chair lifts 3 surface tows |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | avg. 11 m (36 ft)/year |
| Website | www |
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a year-round recreation destination located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The resort is the island's only full-service ski and summer resort hosting over 250,000 visits per year. Located Mid-Island, the resort is situated more than one kilometre above sea level. It overlooks the Comox Valley, Strait of Georgia, Coast Mountains, and the Beaufort Range. Strathcona Provincial Park, BC's oldest provincial park,[1] is a 106-kilometre (66 mi) drive from the Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
In the winter, guests access over 688 hectares (1,700 acres) and 507 vertical metres (1,663 ft) of alpine terrain, 55 km (34 mi) of cross-country skiing and 25 km (16 mi) of snowshoeing trails along with a dedicated Nordic lodge, Tube Park and Fat Bike trails. The resort receives some of the largest snowfall in North America at over 11 metres (36 ft) annually on average.[2]
Summer features include a 2.3 km (1.5 mi) ZipTour zip line, lift-accessed mountain biking, quad bungy trampoline, chairlift rides, disc golf, miniature golf, boardwalk chess and checkers, shopping, and dining.[3]
History
Mt. Washington Alpine Resort was established in 1979 by Henry Norie and Alex Linton, two Campbell River businessmen. The idea originated in 1975 when Linton, an avid skier and local businessman, was impressed by Mt. Washington's height and snowpack. Together with Norie, who owned a helicopter, they surveyed the mountain. After 16 months, they acquired the land from Crown Zellerbach, a forestry company, and enlisted Ecosign, a mountain resort planning company, to develop the resort. Construction commenced in 1977, making Mt. Washington one of the first master-planned resorts in British Columbia, similar to Whistler Blackcomb.[4]
In 1989, George Stuart and a group of shareholders purchased the founders' interests and invested in upgrades for the resort, including lifts, terrain, base area buildings, and infrastructure. In 2015, Stuart's group sold the resort and a significant portion of the developable land near the base area to a Canadian subsidiary of Pacific Group Resorts, Inc.[5]
Transportation
- The resort is located at #1 Strathcona Parkway, Mt. Washington, BC, approximately a 15-minute drive from the Inland Island Highway, British Columbia Highway 19. Various bus services connect to Courtenay, and during the winter season, the resort operates a ski bus shuttle service with stops in Courtenay.
- BC Ferries offers daily ferry connections from Vancouver to Nanaimo, as well as from Powell River to Comox.
- The Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) and Campbell River Airport (YBL) on Vancouver Island are the closest to Mt. Washington, approximately a 40-minute drive from either.
Etymology
Mt. Washington is named after John Washington (Royal Navy officer). For several years Washington was assistant to Sir Francis Beaufort, after whom the range of mountains down the centre of Vancouver Island is named.
References
- ↑ Kirellos, Gabriel (November 6, 2021). "Here's How Much It'll Cost You To Drive Up To The Summit Of Mount Washington". TheTravel. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Mount Washington Alpine Conditions". Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ↑ "About Mt. Washington", Mt. Washington Alpine Resort
- ↑ Manara, Mike. "Life Begins at 40", Comox Valley Collective, Vol. 21
- ↑ "Pacific Group Resorts Buys Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Pacific Group Resorts, Inc.
