Mountain Spirit Resort & Spa

We’re delighted to share the following news with you:

For Immediate Release
December 2, 2009

CBT SUPPORTS FLY YXC EFFORTS TO BOOST REGIONAL ECONOMY Delta Airlines continues service into and out of Cranbrook; benefits for residents and business.

Supporters of the FLY YXC Alliance Society gathered for CBT

(Cranbrook) - Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is providing the FLY YXC Alliance Society with up to $300,000 over the next two years to secure Delta Airlines for service into and out of Cranbrook.

“We are pleased to support the FLY YXC Alliance Society in continuing the Delta Airlines service as it will have a positive impact in the community and the region, providing long-term economic benefits to residents and business,” said Neil Muth, CBT President and CEO. “The Society presented CBT with an innovative plan which brings in air service that creates an opportunity for economic development for this region, and CBT is committed to assisting Basin communities with planning for future prosperity.”

This service has been made possible through the work of the FLY YXC Alliance Society, which was created to better market the Canadian Rockies International Airport as an attractive new air servicing region.
The Society has more than 50 members and is comprised of various resorts throughout the East Kootenays, developers, recreation and tourism attractions and businesses.

“This is the second year of the highly successful service that saw the spectacular Kootenay Rockies Region of British Columbia and its entire world class ski and outdoor adventure offerings made easily accessible to virtually every major city in the United States,” said Andy Cohen, Chair, FLY YXC Alliance Society. “We are very happy to have support from CBT for this initiative.”

American travelers can leave their homes in the morning and have lunch on the slopes of the incredible Canadian Rockies later that day. For Canadians traveling south, Salt Lake City flights are less than two hours, where more connections to any of Delta’s 500 destinations are convenient and economical.

“This is an opportunity for winter sports enthusiasts from all over the United States to enjoy an experience of a lifetime,” said Chris Dadson, President of the Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association. “The region boasts eight alpine ski resorts, 30 heli-ski and snowcat lodges, four National Parks and the best scenery in Canada.”

Delta Airlines will be flying into the Canadian Rockies International Airport three times a week starting December 19, with the service running through March 28, 2010. Delta is taking reservations now, and tickets can be booked through any travel agent or online at www.delta.com <http://www.delta.com/> .

CBT delivers economic, social, and environmental benefits to the residents of the Columbia Basin. To learn more about CBT programs and initiatives, visit www.cbt.org <http://www.cbt.org/>  or call 1-800-505-8998.

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For more information contact:
Rachel Lucas
Communications
Columbia Basin Trust
1.250.426.1103
rlucas@cbt.org

Here’s another great place to hike and to cross country ski (for free) if you’re in Kimberley. It’s just a short drive to Bootleg Gap Golf. You can explore this area from Bootleg Gap itself or from a little further outside Marysville. If you keep going past Bootleg Gap’s entrance you’ll see a pull-in on your right. These trails are accessible from this pull in. You’ll cross the rails to trails paved path. Keep going and walk through the meadow to reach the top of the hoodoos, with views of the St Mary’s River, Bootleg Gap, and of course, the hoodoos themselves.

If you have vertigo don’t get too close!

Well, aside from the obvious new addition of the newest and classiest resort, there have been some cool changes and additions to the experience you can have in Kimberley Alpine Resort this winter:

A Good Brush Cut is Great for Skiing!: Over ¼ million spent on run improvements with extensive brushcutting and mowing on core runs this summer will result in making the trails even more skier and rider friendly with smoother terrain and wider trail points and also creating the largest gladed skiing area in Canada!

No Fables of Great Skiing in the Black Forest Glades: The adventures in the Black Forest Glades are never ending. This area is accessible off the Tamarack chair and offers fun and secret powder stashes for all levels of skiers and riders to enjoy! New glade widening makes this area accessible even for the novice. Overall, Kimberley Alpine Resort has the largest gladed terrain that offers continuous adventure for everyone!

Gear Up!: For those who think the gear makes the skier, Kimberley can now make you the best with the option to take our new high performance HEAD ski rentals out for a spin. The resort proudly adds this new equipment to the fleet, helping make a day on the mountain even better!

Season Pass with Extra Benefits: New to the resort facilities is the exclusive season pass lockers conveniently located behind the Stemwinder Bar & Grill. Season Pass holders can now enjoy not only the benefit of skiing every day but also getting out there faster with the quick and easy convenience of their own locker room.

New Exciting Events: A jam packed schedule of events is planned for the season with returning favourites such as the annual Family Festival (Feb 13-14) and Bavarian Iron Legs (Mar 27-28) as well as brand new events including Beer Fest (Mar 13-14) and the Mountain Storm Mountaineering Race (Mar 6).

Follow the Lights of the Night!: If you haven’t had your fill of skiing and riding while the sun is up, Kimberley is home to one of North America’s longest illuminated runs, making it a night-time hot spot. If the skis have been hung for the night, however, enjoy a spin around the skating pond magically illuminated with bright lights or enjoy a delicious s’mores by the bonfire while you watch the skaters waltz to the music.

North Star Racers Settle In: The North Star Racers Society known as the Kimberley North Star Racers have settled into a new home base facility at Kimberley Alpine Resort. The new club house will help the racers continue their efforts “to bring to the community fun, challenge, and opportunities for personal excellence through participation and competition in alpine ski racing” through their fall and winter programs that are offered to developing ski racers from ages 5 to 19 at the resort.

Paralympic Training Centre: In February 2009, Kimberley Alpine Resort proudly hosted the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing NorAm Cup with 52 paralympic athletes from 9 different countries competing. Starting from a dream to create the best Race Training Centre possible for Paralympic Athletes, Kimberley Alpine Resort has a long history of supporting Race Training that dates back to the 60’s and 70’s. With a dedicated training run, the Dreadnaught, and plans to provide a complete state-of-the-art facility, Kimberley Alpine Resort in proud partnership with the City of Kimberley and Province of British Columbia, holds strong and true to athletic excellence and a dedication to enhance the community of Kimberley while providing athletes the opportunity to train at home.

This information appears on www.skikimberley.com 

This article appears on the RealEstateChannel.com

http://www.realestatechannel.com/featured-columnists/real-estate-news-grupo-del-sol-isla-saboga-gva-associates-mountain-spirit-resort-spa-kimberley-alpine-resort-1657.php

If you are coming to Kimberley in November, don’t despair, there’s still lots of outdoor fun to be had. If it hasn’t yet snowed enough to enjoy the Nordic Trails (which it has by the way)… then there are countless trails and areas of outstanding natural beauty to explore - like Long Pine Hill, as seen from the highway. The views of the Rockies are awesome!

You can see right the way across to “the Steeples”. No excuses, get out and enjoy the area around Kimberley!

This was the first time I had visited the little lodge at Lakit Lookout. We met lots of day hikers coming down as we hiked up. It’s understandable why, at less than a one hour drive and a 90 minute hike at my snail’s pace! It’s so easy from Kimberley to be on top of the world in the Rockies in no time - and without any complicated equipment… ok maybe a vehicle with four wheel drive for the Forest Service Road. Once you’re at the top the views are amazing. There were six of us in total cooking dinner at the lodge and sleeping over on the floor! There’s a stove and lots of chairs in the lodge but only one “bed” of sorts. It definitely makes you appreciate Mountain Spirit’s home comforts on return! The next day, the sunrise was spectacular and the hike down was great, an amazing start to your day in the Kootenay Rockies.

The Smoothest of Highways… The summer long $11m project to resurface the highway 93/95A through Kimberley and replace and beautify sidewalks is completing, much to the pleasure of visitors and locals alike. The project also included replacement of underground drainage pipe networks and should complete this month.

Other local initiatives are progressing nicely including the Peak to Platzl trail project, providing a paved biking and walking trail from just outside Mountain Spirit Resort right down to the city centre.

The Rails to Trails project is also approaching completion, which will mean walkers, bikers and even roller bladers will soon be able to enjoy a paved trail along the previous railway line, all the way from Kimberley to Cranbrook.