Revelstoke Skiing

A hotbed for cat skiing, helicopter skiing and those seeking North America’s longest descent (5,620 feet) and some of the best powder in the world, Revelstoke has a long, rich and intriguing ski history.

Ole Sandberg is credited with being the first person in the area to use skis, when newspaper reports from 1890 mention his use of “Norwegian Snowshoes” to travel from his mining claims in Albert Canyon to Revelstoke. The newspaper in 1891 described the snowshoes as “simply thin slats of wood about three inches in width and ten feet in length, and turned up in front like the bows of a canoe. The feet are fastened to these slats by leather straps in the centre. Leaving about five feet clear fore and aft, which is not lifted clear of the snow, but glides along the surface. A pole about six feet in length is carried, either for steering purposes or as a help in propulsion.” By 1892, men’s clothing merchant F.B. Wells, was selling skis in his store. Skiing quickly became a popular recreational sport in Revelstoke, with informal clubs established.

In 1914, local skiers created a formal club with the intention of holding competitions. The Revelstoke Ski Club was formed in December 1914. A growing population of Scandinavian settlers, many of whom established farms in the Big Eddy district, had created a great enthusiasm for the sport of skiing. The club had 23 charter members in December of 1914 and by the time that the first Winter Carnival was held in February of 1915, they were already up to 102 members, making it the largest ski club in Canada for many years.

The 1915 Winter Carnival featured long distance races, downhill races, ski jumping and skating events, with about 1,000 spectators taking in the events. Nels Nelsen began his career as a competitive ski jumper at this event, taking the title of BC Champion with a jump of 99 feet.

The first jump was held at the base of Mount Revelstoke, outside the boundaries of the National Park. For the 1916 events, arrangements were made to hold the events within the National Park and this continued until 1975 when the last jumping events were held on Mount Revelstoke.

Revelstoke produced several world-class jumpers, most notably Nels Nelsen and Bob Lymburne. Nels held the Canadian record for ski jumping from 1916 to 1932, breaking his own records five times in ten years. In 1925, he took the world amateur title with a jump of 240 feet on the Mount Revelstoke jump. That record remained unbroken for five years. Nels’ jumping career ended when he lost a hand in a hunting accident and he turned his skill towards teaching others. His brother Ivind was also a renowned jumper, said to have perfect form. A pair of Ivind’s skis, and one of Nels’ trophies is now housed in Revelstoke Museum and Archives. Bob Lymburne held both the Canadian and World Titles in 1932 and 1933 and he competed at the 1932 Olympics at Lake Placid, finishing 18th.

Improvements to the ski jump were made over the years, and in 1950, the first “Tournament of Champions” was held, bringing skiers from around the world. The Olympic trials were held here in 1951. In 1961, two new jumps and a new metal judges’ tower were built. Local jumper John McInnes holds the record jump on Mount Revelstoke with a jump of 325 feet. John was on the Canadian Ski Team from 1965 to 1971, taking the Canadian jumping title twice. By 1975, jumping events were no longer taking place on the local hill and it was closed, ending a long history of competitive jumping in Revelstoke.

Downhill and slalom runs were also developed on Mount Revelstoke, and in the 1960s, Mount Mackenzie was first developed for down-hill skiing. Revelstoke Mountain Resort purchased the ski operation and greatly expanded the runs in 2007. Visit www.discoverrevelstoke.com or www.revelstokemountainresort.com for more information on the resort and development plans in place.

The Revelstoke Ski Club and the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club are still actively promoting the sport of skiing in Revelstoke. For more information on ski history in this area, visit Revelstoke Museum and Archives or visit the Virtual Museum of Canada to see the online exhibit, “Sliding, Gliding and Soaring: A history of Skiing in Revelstoke, British Columbia”.