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| The chairlift whips you to a
mile above sea level and the breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and Strait of
Georgia.
You begin the day with breakfast at the main lodge, sitting out on the deck to admire the mountain views. Picking up a map of the runs, you snap on your skis and head to the Eagle Express and a very quick trip to the top. Halfway down Linton's Loop you veer to the left onto Rainbow, an intermediate run that finishes at the Sunrise Quad lift. The lineup moves quick, and soon you are on a second mountain top and ready to take on Fletcher's Challenge, a black diamond run with moguls galore. You spend the morning on the south side of the mountain, meeting at the lodge at noon for a quick snack with the kids. While they head back to the beginner's runs, you spend the afternoon skiing the intermediate runs, which make up 40% of the hill's runs. Just before closing, you make that final run that deposits you at the skiable trail to your condo. Tomorrow it's a day of cross-country skiing on some of the 40 kilometers of track set trails. The kids, meanwhile, have their day planned around the new tubing park and snowboarding.
You decide to check out Vancouver Island's third ski hill, Mt. Cain. Located on the north end of the island, you're after the powder on Mt. Cain's 18 runs. Open weekends and Mondays, the mountain has a day lodge and cafe, but you've been told that accommodations are limited. Phoning ahead to reserve a room in nearby Sayward, you point the car northward to another Vancouver Island alpine adventure. |
© Vancouver Island Abound Outdoor Pages |
You adjust your goggles and
head down Linton's Loop, one of 50-plus alpine runs at Mt. Washington Resort, halfway
between Courtenay and Campbell River on Central Vancouver Island. You pulled into the
resort last night, unpacked your gear in the rental condo and marveled at the amount of
snow - 23 feet and rising - and at the brand new high speed detachable quad chairlift -
THE EAGLE EXPRESS - installed during the summer of 1998.
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