This ski paradise in Canada is one of the snowiest places on Earth

10.01.2024 - 19:59 / nationalgeographic.com / Art

British Columbia’s inland temperate rainforest is one of the snowiest places on earth. Its premier ski town, Revelstoke, holds the North American record for most snow dropped in a single winter—a whopping 80 feet in 1971-1972. And Revelstoke Mountain Resort sees 400-500 inches of snow every season.

Inland temperate rainforests are rare, located primarily in southeastern B.C., Siberia, and eastern Russia. These unusual ecosystems stay wet all year (think lichen dripping from tree boughs and boulders covered in spongy moss). But unlike other types of rainforests, most of the moisture falls as snow.

“Snowforest is probably a better word for it,” says Christy Shaw, Revelstoke resident, ethnobotanist, and cocreator of the book and exhibit “Stories of the Forest: Reflections on an Inland Temperate Rainforest.”

For snow sports enthusiasts, there’s no place better to be in the winter than Revelstoke, perfectly positioned between the Monashee and Selkirk subranges of the Columbia Mountains. Here’s how to best experience this Canadian winter playground.

In addition to record-breaking snowfall, Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) is the most vertical in North America: 5,620 feet. The Last Spike is one of the longest ski runs on the planet, winding down the scenic southern flank of Mount Mackenzie for 9.5 miles. For expert powder hounds, the resort’s alpine bowls are the big draw, but don’t overlook the trees—spots like Glades of Glory and Conifers of Gnarnia also serve up seemingly bottomless powder.

New this season, RMR moved its ski school from the base to the top of the gondola and installed a surface lift called Cupcake Carpet to create a beginner zone there, drawing newcomers and families up the mountain so that everyone can experience the high-altitude vibes and views.

Last year, Revelstoke Outdoor Art Movement (ROAM) began quietly installing art among the cedar, spruce, and fir trees at the resort. Expect more this season, but the locations will continue to remain secret; leaving skiers and snowboarders to discover the installations on their own.

(Here are the top five ski trips in the U.S. and Canada.)

At the base of Mount Macpherson, snow-covered trails weave through a majestic swath of inland temperate rainforest. Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club, one of Canada’s oldest (circa 1891), grooms 20 miles for cross-country skiing (both classic and skate) and maintains another four miles dedicated to snowshoeing.

“I come here for the silence and the solitude,” says Shaw of the cedar- and hemlock-lined trails. Look for witch’s hair, a photogenic yellow-green lichen that dangles from the snow-laden tree boughs like tinsel. Shaw says witch’s hair can’t survive in polluted environments—its abundance signals excellent air