Less than two hours drive from Vancouver the family-oriented mountain resort of Sasquatch offers an 'old-school BC' snow weekend for a fraction of the price of Whistler located in the Hemlock Valley. Sometimes this valley receives the second highest snowfall in North America.
The tiny Hemlock township has a small supply of affordable cabins with hot tubs, private residences and short-term accommodation. The area is serviced by a decent bitumen road that is occasionally damaged in severe weather so you will need to carry chains. There was an update in 2021 which significantly improved access to Hemlock Valley. The area has a low-key relaxed vibe and is a completely different (aka friendly) experience when compared to the hecticness of Whistler.
You can ski a variety of green, blue and black runs serviced by two main lifts; a new quad and a rather rickety old triple chair. The lifts are pretty slow, however there aren't any queues. The runs are short and to be honest it isn't the most expansive park around, but the lack of aggression and short queues make it my favourite ski experience. There are excellent steeper powdery black diamond options and a terrain park for more adventurous participants. For newer skiers and boarders the baby green slope is wide, not too busy and a phenomenal place to learn. A tubing area suits young children.
Prices are reasonable around $70-80 a day with multi-day discounts. For the February Family Day long weekend the resort has fireworks. It is gorgeous seeing the children excited as the colours pop into the sky lighting up the snowy valley. Be sure to bring plenty of supplies as the local dining options are pretty limited. You can easily walk to the ski area from any of the accommodation options.
The Snowflake Resort has a handful of cabins with very friendly service, be sure to review instructions on how to operate the fireplaces to avoid being smoked out. In peak season there is a three night minimum.
Comentarios