Playgrounds Beyond Boundaries.

RED Mountain Expands With Over 300 New Acres of Backcountry Terrain

And Introduces the Alpine Glory Hut

Wednesday November 3rd, 2010 Rossland, BC. There are playgrounds with boundaries and playgrounds that go beyond boundaries. RED Mountain has long been celebrated as the latter. Recognizing how important off-piste skiing and snowboarding is to our guests, this winter RED is opening over 300 acres of new off-piste terrain on Grey Mountain. In addition, RED is offering day and over-night guided backcountry tours to a newly erected yurt on Kirkup Mountain called the Alpine Glory Hut.

Grey and Kirkup are two of five peaks within RED Mountain Resort’s 4,200 acre controlled recreational ski area and land use tenure.

Grey’s easy approach starts through an access gate on lift-serviced Granite Mountain. With a 20 minute skin or snowshoe on the up-track, Grey’s beautiful south facing slopes offer over 2,200 feet of consistent vertical drop ideal for advanced intermediate and expert powder skiers and riders. Two new runs have been cut providing a convenient ski-out directly back to Granite’s lift-assisted terrain.

“Grey has always been one of the resort’s favourite places to access our backcountry and ski fresh powder with a relatively easy and short hike. The glading and tree thinning recently completed on Grey now creates more lines for our customers to ski and enjoy,” proclaims RED’s President and CEO Howard Katkov. “Consistent with our intention to continue to open up additional terrain, Grey now features over 300 new acres pursuant to our Master Plan.”

All skiers and riders accessing Grey and surrounding peaks are required to be equipped for backcountry touring with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels. Knowledge of backcountry conditions, snowpack and avalanche terrain is also a must.

Also new this winter, RED is introducing backcountry guided tours to the Alpine Glory Hut. Located on Kirkup Mountain, the edge of RED’s controlled recreational area, the Alpine Glory Hut will host overnight and day tours lead by highly accredited local ski guide Harry Allard. “The Alpine Glory Hut will provide visitors incredible views of our local ranges, great riding terrain, snow safety instruction and a novel overnight experience. The team is proud of the sustainable aspects of the project from selective horse logging to the light footprint of the yurt, as well as an eco composting toilet and more“, explains Alpine Glory Hut co-founder and lead guide Harry Allard.

Harry is a Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 3 ski guide/avalanche instructor who has years of experience working with various cat ski operations where his duties included avalanche control and forecasting. Harry is a Professional Member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and has been teaching Avalanche Skills Training courses at Red Mountain since 2000. He has also apprenticed under Swiss Mountain Guides and has toured in different parts of the world including France, Austria, Switzerland, Peru, New Zealand, Mexico, USA and numerous trips in Western Canada’s mountain Ranges.

Backcountry tours to the Alpine Glory Hut, including touring and avalanche safety equipment can be booked through RED’s Snow Sports School by calling 1-800-663-0105 or by visiting http://www.redresort.com.

This winter promises to be the biggest in the history of the 114 year-old ski area, with extensive renovations to RED’s historic day lodge now complete and higher-than-normal snowfall in the forecast.

About RED Mountain Resort:

RED has been delivering incredible skiing longer than any other area in Western Canada, with the first recorded powder turns in 1896. With accolades ranging from “Best Authentic and Funky Resort Experience” to “Best Powder, Best Trees, Best Steeps”, to “Uncrowded, Affordable, and Irresistibly Old-School”, RED is the hidden jewel of BC’s Kootenay Rockies region.

RED offers incredible terrain with a 2,919 foot vertical drop (884 meters) featuring over 300 inches (750cm) of annual snowfall, champagne powder, world renowned gladed tree skiing and wide-open groomed runs. No crowds assure that powder stashes stay untouched for days.

RED boasts a terrain park, easy-to-access backcountry, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, friendly locals, fine dining and modern, affordable luxury slope-side lodging. All this is mixed with a turn-of-the-century charm with the classic ski town of Rossland, located right next to the mountain. RED is located in the western Kootenay region of southern BC, 2.5 hours drive north of Spokane International Airport, 3 hours drive from Cranbrook BC’s Canadian Rockies International Airport, 3.5 hours from Kelowna, BC Airport, 30 minutes from Castlegar and 20 minutes from Trail regional airports.