by Editor/Publisher Laurie McConnell
Yes, we’re still waiting for the *real snow* of winter to arrive!
But fear not, lovers of the stuff that gets down the back of your neck & the best face wash in the Western hemisphere… only 10-45 minutes away (depends on departure point) is tons of fresh, luscious snow available a la carte groomed and tracked in our winter jewel of a park, Dakota Ridge. There are ski and snowshoe rentals available at Alpha Adventures in Wilson Creek.
Don’t have a 4 wheel drive? Alpha Adventures and Talaysay Tours (First Nations guided) are available for guided trips, and Alpha offers a twice daily shuttle up to Dakota Ridge. For serious backcountry skiers, the Tetrahedron Mountain Club maintains trails up to the Mt. Steele and Richardson Lake cabins.
If you’re tired of crowds on the hills around Vancouver or are looking for a new ‘undiscovered’ place to ski, the Sunshine Coast is it. Dakota Ridge offers 15km of groomed trails, warming hut, and plenty of places for snowshoeing, tobogganing and snowboarding backcountry style. Come for the day, or overnight and stay at one of the many B&Bs or oceanfront rooms just at the bottom of the hill.
For more information about park and backcountry passes/permits, visit the following web sites:
Dakota Ridge Winter Recreation Area
Dakota Ridge Facebook Page with Road & Ski Updates
Tetrahedron Mountain Club
Talaysay Tours
Alpha Adventures
Duane Burnett’s Dakota Ridge Gallery
Video by Duane Burnett: Scenic Snowy Winter Sunshine Coast BC; song “This We Know” by Charlotte Wrinch.
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Thanks Laurie for sharing my youtube video. Bigpacific.com is definitely the premiere tourism portal for the Sunshine Coast. Here’s a tribute to Dakota Ridge and the Dakota Ridge Snow your readers might also enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLlJUneh-6Q
All the best