O Canada!
Revelstoke
Today I am writing from a ski rental store, Revelstoke Powder Rentals, who have taken me in for the afternoon after I hurt my knee skiing (cue sympathy). I can’t thank them enough for their hospitality and just being 100% awesome – more on all this later!
So I am left the stunning Lake Louise yesterday and hopped on the Greyhound to Revelstoke to 1) cut down the long journey back to Vancouver and 2) hit the hills on a new resort. I stayed in the Same Sun here, which I’m afraid to say is the worst hostel I’ve stayed in yet! The mattress was so uncomfortable that I considered sleeping straight on the floor – the only thing stopping me was the filth that the bottom of my socks saw when I padded the short distance from door to bed. To add to the already restless night, I had the pleasure of sharing with a sleepwalking, sleeptalking (read: shouting) eejit. Seriously, this guy was not only racist, but homophobic, aggressive, sexist and obnoxious all in his sleep!
I gave up trying to get back to sleep at 6am and got up and made ready to hit the slopes. By 7:35 I had my rental gear and was waiting at the shuttle stop. I chose to ride skis again today as the slopes at Revelstoke are 48% advanced with no terrain park, and I am far better at steep, bumpy stuff with two planks and some sticks. Sadly, this would end up being my downfall.
The slopes at this resort are great fun and the conditions were pretty good (more fresh pow here than at the lake resort). On my 4th ride from the top I went off-piste through one of the tree-filled glade areas which was a fantastic challenge until...
...my left ski bedded fast in to a mogul while my right ski just kept on going until it could go no more. Neither of my bindings gave way, so I was stuck fast, my left knee twisted too far to be comfortable. The swelling is up and down but is easing a tad now so as long as I take things slow now, I won’t have a problem in a couple of days (fingers crossed).
So that brings us back to now – I am sat in the rental store in Revelstoke village, chilling out with Aaron and Michelle (and their dog Tika) watching the hockey, Toronto Maple Leafs Vs Vancouver Canucks, supping an ice cold Kokanee, while my leg is raised with a snow-pack on. A&M have been far too cool – I hobbled up with my bags and skis for return and they immediately leapt to my aid. I can’t say this with a strong enough conviction: when in Revelstoke – rent from Powder Rentals! If you’re staying in the hostel then you get an extra 10% off too, so you have no excuse.
Lake Louise
As I mentioned, before heading to Revelstoke I was in Lake Louise, the most beautiful place I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. I stayed in the village in the HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre, which is my favourite hostel so far. The bed was comfy, the people were great, the facilities were fantastic (après ski sauna anyone?) and the staff were totally cool. I met a great handful of brilliant people during my stay there including befriending the staff which made the whole experience unforgettable.
I only spent 2 days on the hills, one on board (that led to a bruised tailbone) and one on ski (where I met even more cool people to ride with). The resort is much smaller than Whistler (read about that here), but had a fantastic balance of runs along with a fabulous program called Ski Friends where a group of volunteer skiers and boarders take groups of people out to explore the mountain. This is a great way to see more of the mountain and find the slopes geared towards your skill level as well as meet a group of likeminded people who you can enjoy the remainder of the day riding with.
Off the hill – I went cross-country skiing around the lake (photos here). This is a lot more fun than I remember! I cheated a tad and took a taxi to the Chateau and then skied around the side of the lake, then right back across it (!), finally taking the trail back down to the village. Honestly, give it a go – it’s a cheap way to spend an afternoon (or even a day), costing as little as CAN$18.50!
I’m going to cut this post short as I have to refresh my snow-pack for the knee and will soon be on my way to the Greyhound station to head back to Vancouver to spend my last few Canadian days!
Ciao for now,
George
