DoubleFilms

Hi All,

Me and the wife, are going to BC on a recce trip for 4 weeks in Jan.

We plan on spending 2 weeks in Vancouver job hunting / visiting colleges, and 2 weeks in an RV exploring. We are keen snowboarders and plan on heading to Whistler for a few days.

Where else would people recommend we visit? We've got about a week and don't mind driving, but please bear in mind it will be the middle of winter.

It'd be nice to check out some of the smaller local resorts.

If we head up to Whistler what is there north of there in terms of ski hills / nice places to camp.

Are we better heading East towards Kelowna?

Cheers,

kirstya

theres the big white

www.bigwhite.com

i think is an hour from kelowna.. and we looking to be hitting there oh so very very soon , with a little luck 10mins after the snow..

drwoodsy

Apart from Cypress/Grouse/Seymour in Vancouver there is Washington on Vancouver Island. Otherwise everything else is East and a reasonable drive away. In my opinion for the time you are over stay in Whistler - there is a huge amount of terrain to explore.

Londonuck

Driving over the Coquihalla in winter to the Okanagan can be a bit hairy aswell.

JonboyE

Also near enough to Vancouver to do in a day are Hemlock in the Fraser Valley (check it is open first), Manning Park and Mount Baker over the border in the US.

Rich_007

Rent an SUV/4x4 and be sure it has a winter emergency/survival pack on board. Take your time, all will be fine.

The only really sketchy part is after Merritt when you are dropping down into the Okanagan, that's not the best-plowed section. I've driven it one lane, going two ways. That was sort of interesting.

They only close the Coke when it's really dangerous. Like avalanche time.

R.

Rich_007

In a nutshell, yes.

Take a pick from any of Sun Peaks, Big White, Silver Star, Revelstoke.

R.

Judy in Calgary

You're quite sure you want to drive around in, and live in, an RV for two weeks in winter, right?
x

Iain Mc

If you're in Vancouver on a clear Winter night, go and board Grouse, the night time views are spectacular.

$40 a head after 4pm.

Rich_007

How would that ever happen ?

Iain Mc

It does, every once in a while.

At least I've heard the tales around the campfire.

Rich_007

January 5th 2005 was a nice winter day:

PaulandNikki

We did that in January this year. It was great fun Plenty of places to park, nice quiet roads. Only downside was a lot of stuff was closed and we couldn't get up into most of the parks (not for want of trying). Went from Vancouver across the Fraser valley, the Okanagan etc, did nearly 2000km. The weather for the most part was good, cold but sunny. I think we had 3 or 4 days with snow and had to make the odd change to our planned route to avoid the worst of it but otherwise, cracking time.

Lychee

I think you would give yourself more flexibility if you stayed in hotels and just rented a car instead. Hotels are cheaper in winter anyway and the RV, as previously mentioned, may hinder your explorations as they are not built for all kinds of roads (especially certain mountainous roads).

Give yourself plenty of flexibility as BC is very mountainous. Snowstorms do happen and roads do close for periods of times.

www.snowcanada.com is a good website if you're looking for an overview of ski hills.

zmartin

In Vancouver and other big cities they might be as it's their off season but in Whistler and other ski resorts they won't be as it's peak season. I'd know as I work in a Whistler hotel!

Zoe M. x