Where the Wild Things Are: Your Guide to Skiing Nelson and Kootenay Lake

© David Dr. Gluns

Where the Wild Things Are: Your Guide to Skiing Nelson and Kootenay Lake

Skiers make the trek to Nelson, B.C., for many reasons. There’s the deep, consistent powder, the oldgrowth forests, and the diamond peaks that stretch out in all directions. But, more than anything, what brings skiers to Nelson is the feeling of it.

Founded in 1886, the Queen City of the Kootenays—as the snow-caked little town would soon be dubbed—was born of the late-19th century mining boom. Victorian architecture soon dotted the hillsides above Kootenay Lake, while Chicago-inspired industrial brick façades flanked the bustling waterfront, as well as downtown’s Baker Street. By the early 1900s, it was a little slice of mid-century America, plunked in the depths of frontier British Columbia. And today, it’s not much different.

Still wrapped in dense, evergreen forest, Nelson remains a quizzical outpost of metropolitan sensibilities in the middle of the enduring wilderness, full of galleries, artisans, and theatres. As such, the town, culture, and the skiing have remained relatively free from the tides of over-development— and wild by nature. Picture skiing 100 years ago, only with modern amenities, and you start to get the idea.

OFF THE BEATEN PISTE

As the cat-skiing capital of the world, Kootenay Lake profits from a deep, climate-resilient snowpack that nourishes the world’s largest inland temperate rainforest. Take it a step further in a helicopter, where alpine vistas consume the horizon, and cedars the size of small buildings stretch out across endless glades with no other human in them for miles.

Whitewater Ski Resort, just 25 minutes up the road from Nelson, is likewise the biggest little ski area in Canada, with a small, grassroots vibe and enough sprawling acres to stand on the world stage. It’s the most approachable natural terrain on the continent, with kind locals, soft landings and pow days that last a week. Visit during the annual Kootenay Coldsmoke Powderfest for an iconic taste of Kootenay ski culture. You can also take it a step further and earn your own turns with easily accessed ski-touring in all directions, where the uptracks have their own rhythm, and you’ll find a little piece of the mountain all your own.

ALL-DAY APRÈS

With a history of hard work, the backbone of the region, locals know that good food is part of a good life. Quality calories have always been core to the Kootenay skiing experience, whether at the resort or in town. Whitewater’s kitchen has produced six awardwinning cookbooks, and Nelson has more restaurants per capita than Vancouver, San Francisco, and even Manhattan—almost all of them with their own Kootenayinfused take on global cuisine. But you can just as easily settle into the familiar comfort of a pub or the all-night energy of the renowned music scene that draws performers and artists from around the world. Then, add a few more runs to your legs with a soak at Ainsworth Hot Springs for the best recovery nature offers.

As the most eclectic stop on the Powder Highway, you have to work a little harder to get here, but that’s what makes Nelson and Kootenay Lake skiing so special. The final approach to Nelson will always be a bit slower and intentional, but your stay will last a lifetime.