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Jumbo Glacier Resort in BC



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#1 Guest_altaskier_*

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 04:16 PM

Just pulled this off of the CBC online service.

B.C. approves controversial scheme for new ski resort
Last Updated Thu, 14 Oct 2004 19:28:54 EDT

INVERMERE, B.C. - The British Columbia government has given approval to a controversial $450-million ski resort on Jumbo Glacier in southeastern B.C. near the Alberta border.

The resort would have 23 ski-lifts, beds for more than 5,000 tourists and access to four separate glaciers.

Right now the only access to the area is by helicopter. Developer Grant Costello says it's time for that to change.

"What we're trying to do here is provide Canadians with something they've never had before and that is year-round skiing on four spectacular glaciers with a sight-seeing gondola to the top of the mountain."

It may be the ideal home for a ski resort, but it is also home to thousands of grizzly bears, and many people in the nearby community of Invermere are bitterly opposed to the project.

Meredith Hampstead, of the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society, says the provincial government has shown "complete disregard ... for public input into the process. The minister just said he appreciated hearing from people, apparently he didn't hear very well."

But the provincial approval is just the beginning of a long process. The final decision on this project will be made by the East Kootenay Regional District, which is a board of local mayors.

Hampstead says people in the area have been clear about how they want those elected officials to vote.

Written by CBC News Online staff

#2 snowboardguy

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 05:17 PM

that would be sooo awsome.

#3 edmontonguy

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 06:07 PM

I just saw this story on The National. The resort is still has a quite a bit more planning stages and approvals it must recieve before construction is started. Hopefully in a year or two we will see the next new resort in BC. The proposed area for its location is 55km west of Invemere which is very close to where Panorama Resort is located. The Final size has been estimated at 4000 Hectares of terrain which is about 1000 more acres than Whistler Blackcomb offers. It will be also Canada's first Year round ski location. (north america's first year round?)

This post has been edited by edmontonguy: 14 October 2004 - 07:48 PM


#4 KZ

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 08:22 PM

Sounds pretty sweet. So the snow is probably pretty good since its a glacier right?
Zack

#5 edmontonguy

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 09:01 PM

The Glacier skiing would probably be similar to late spring skiing, Wet and very sticky. The temperatures in and around Invermere aren't as hot as Further into BC like Kelowna but it can get above 25 quite easily. Most resorts in and along the Canadian Continental divide have dry snow otherwise.

#6 SkiBachelor

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Posted 14 October 2004 - 09:16 PM

Mt. Hood is open year round pretty much unless the temperature is too hot and the lifts need to have maintenance done to them.
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#7 floridaskier

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Posted 18 October 2004 - 04:45 AM

Would there be anything off of the glaciers that might have better snow, or is the whole thing going to be up on the glaciers?
- Tyler
West Palm Beach, FL - elev. 9 feet

#8 Guest_altaskier_*

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Posted 18 October 2004 - 08:01 AM

I dunno. I prefer my snow conditions to be of the 'deep n' light' variety (if at all possible). Usually, I like to get a day or two of late spring skiing in the slush, but by that time of year I'm ready to pull out the hiking gear, the golf clubs and the mountain bike. So Jumbo's year-round attraction would have little appeal for me.

#9 floridaskier

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Posted 18 October 2004 - 03:56 PM

I hope they don't go with that name
- Tyler
West Palm Beach, FL - elev. 9 feet

#10 edmontonguy

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Posted 18 October 2004 - 04:13 PM

It looks as if they will go with something Jumbo related as the Creek valley is called Jumbo Creek. Go to www.jumboglacierresort.com as they have a Huge website devoted to the project.

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Posted 18 October 2004 - 11:20 PM

Mark my words, it's going to be 'Jumbo' something if it manages to make it through the approval process... It's already a noted helicopter skiing destination during the winter.

#12 hoodoo

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 03:59 PM

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...al.html?cmp=rss

The B.C. government has approved development of the controversial Jumbo Glacier Alpine Resort, the country's first year-round glacier-based ski resort.
The $1-billion development 57 kilometres west of Invermere, B.C., was first proposed — and cautiously endorsed by NDP Premier Mike Harcourt — in the early 1990s.
Since then, the project had passed all necessary regulatory and environmental hurdles, but stalled on final provincial approval.
On Tuesday morning, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced that final obstacle had been cleared and the ski resort was approved by the province.
"After more than 20 years of comprehensive and exhaustive reviews, it was time to make a decision. I approved Jumbo Glacier Resort's master development agreement after reviewing all of the relevant documentation, and meeting with both First Nations and the proponent," said Thomson in a statement.
The province says the project will attract $900 million in investment and create 750 permanent jobs.
2-year target

The resort will be located in the Purcell Mountains on an old sawmill site.
Once complete, it will feature up to 23 lifts, a 3,000-metre-high gondola and a ski village with more than 6,000 units. The resort will be comparable in size to Silver Star in Vernon, B.C. — or about 1/10th the size of Whistler Blackcomb.
Oberto Oberti, the architect behind the proposal, hopes to have the first phase up and running within two years.
"The first phase of this project is not too different from the first phase of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, which we constructed in one summer," he said.
"Things could be done faster but considering a lot of things, I think two years is a resonable target."
Jumbo proposal controversial


P.O.V

Do you support the Jumbo Glacier Alpine Resort project in B.C.? Take our poll
The resort plan has divided residents in the Kootenays. A poll commissioned in 2008 found the project lacked public support, but proponents welcome the jobs and tourists the project will bring to the region.
Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett, a longtime supporter of the Jumbo project, said he's relieved to see the provincial government finally make a decision.
"This project has, for over 20 years, divided Kootenay communities. I am grateful for a final decision," said Bennett in a written statement on Tuesday. "No matter which side of the debate you're on, the majority of folks in the East Kootenay will be relieved by the certainty."
Opposition to the news came quickly. Even before the official announcement was made, the NDP was highly critical of the decision.
"People in the Columbia Valley have been absolutely clear. They feel strongly that building a resort in this area does not make sense," said Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald in a statement released Tuesday morning.
"It doesn't make sense environmentally or economically, and putting the B.C. Liberal stamp of approval on it doesn't change a thing."
NDP Leader Adrian Dix believes approving the resort is the wrong choice.
"The government has made its decision presumably to try and gain political benefit but the economic, environmental and community interest is being abandoned here."
Environmental groups decry 'bad decision'

Posted ImageThe Jumbo Glacier ski resort project in southeastern B.C. has been slammed by the NDP and First Nations critics. (CBC)
Environmental groups such as Wildsight have spoken out against the proposal from the beginning, and said they're disappointed by news Jumbo will go ahead.
“It is very unfortunate that the provincial government has ignored the overwhelming opposition to this project from the people in the Kootenays, the clear scientific argument against the development by North America's leading grizzly bear experts and the Ktunaxa Nation's spiritual values," said Wildsight executive director John Bergenske.
"It's a bad decision. It is not a done deal. The people of the Kootenays are not going to sit back and allow a destructive development that flies in the face of the environmental, social and economic values of our communities."
The B.C. government said Tuesday the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations will establish a wildlife management area to protect the Grizzly bear habitat.
Despite the province giving the Jumbo resort the green light, funding for the development still isn't in place. In February, a business delegation flew to France to pitch the project to possible investors.
Those investors are expected to make a trip back to B.C. to visit the Jumbo site in the months to come.
No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing.
William Shakespeare

#13 teachme

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:16 AM

About bloody time! I am a closet enviromentalist, but the BS that resorts have to go through in BC and the stall tactics by NIMBY's is unreal.

I must admit though that:

"Once complete, it will feature up to 23 lifts, a 3,000-metre-high gondola and a ski village with more than 6,000 units. The resort will be comparable in size to Silver Star in Vernon, B.C. — or about 1/10th the size of Whistler Blackcomb."

does seem a little off. Silver Star size with 23 lifts????

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 07:18 AM

There are places where ski resorts should be allowed, and then there are places - like building a four-season mega-resort (with 23 lifts?!) on the edge of a provincial wilderness conservancy - where they should not be allowed. The reasoning for this apparent 'green light' right now is simple: recent polls have consistently suggested that the current BC Liberal government could be on their way out when the next election is held in 2014, so this is just a low risk godfather deal for some of their old chums just in case they get ushered out the door. This decision will now give Oberto at least a year to get investors to in place so construction can start, and the hope is once (if?) that occurs there will be no turning back, even if a new provincial government (which may have an alternate view of this whole scheme) comes to power in a couple of years. I mean, who knows, a new government could deliberately expand the boundaries of the neighbouring Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, thereby killing the proposal once and for all. Now the question will be, in this time of economic uncertainty - especially with the meltdown in Europe - who is going to roll the dice and invest in such a massive project? Most smart investors like 'sure things' or, at least, investments that can bring a return over a relatively short term. On thing is for sure, the clock is now ticking and it will be interesting to see how this plays out. And for the record, I am typically not opposed to new resort development - just this one. As an example, I have also had the opportunity to review plans for Oberto's other dream project in the Robson Valley near Valmount BC, and think that is a much preferable 'front country' location with very similar attributes, and is about an hour's drive closer to an airport with regular jet access.

#15 mthornton

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:09 PM

like the bumper-stickers says.... it's just a "mumbo-jumbo".

Jumbo Glacier Alpine Resort Ltd. ain't got no money.
At one point it was supposed to be Intrawest, nope... no more money there.
Then it was supposed to be Nippon Cable... nope again (too smart).
Now it's supposed to be an investor group from France... sure buddy.

BC is full of huge mountains with amazing snow, miles from anywhere. This one is 35km west of Panorama up Toby Creek. Problem is the nearest big market & airport (Calgary) is already too damn far away. And oh-ya, the real estate market is completely flat!

This post has been edited by mthornton: 21 March 2012 - 04:10 PM


#16 LuvPow

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:20 PM

View Postaltaskier, on 21 March 2012 - 07:18 AM, said:

There are places where ski resorts should be allowed, and then there are places - like building a four-season mega-resort (with 23 lifts?!) on the edge of a provincial wilderness conservancy - where they should not be allowed. The reasoning for this apparent 'green light' right now is simple: recent polls have consistently suggested that the current BC Liberal government could be on their way out when the next election is held in 2014, so this is just a low risk godfather deal for some of their old chums just in case they get ushered out the door. This decision will now give Oberto at least a year to get investors to in place so construction can start, and the hope is once (if?) that occurs there will be no turning back, even if a new provincial government (which may have an alternate view of this whole scheme) comes to power in a couple of years. I mean, who knows, a new government could deliberately expand the boundaries of the neighbouring Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, thereby killing the proposal once and for all. Now the question will be, in this time of economic uncertainty - especially with the meltdown in Europe - who is going to roll the dice and invest in such a massive project? Most smart investors like 'sure things' or, at least, investments that can bring a return over a relatively short term. On thing is for sure, the clock is now ticking and it will be interesting to see how this plays out. And for the record, I am typically not opposed to new resort development - just this one. As an example, I have also had the opportunity to review plans for Oberto's other dream project in the Robson Valley near Valmount BC, and think that is a much preferable 'front country' location with very similar attributes, and is about an hour's drive closer to an airport with regular jet access.


Valemount location wise is extremely unpractical..it has every bit the environmental concerns that the people are protesting at Jumbo, the main differenece there is the economical impact it would have for a village fighting to survive. And also, there is no airport near Valemount..I don't know what your thinking of.. but Kamloops AP is a 4 hour drive and does puddle jumpers..Edmonton is a 6 hour drive.. its in the middle of nowhere..or at least you can see nowhere from Valemount (pop. 800)
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#17 mthornton

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:28 PM

Undeniable proof that Grizzlies and Gondolas can co-exist just fine.

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#18 LuvPow

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Posted 08 October 2014 - 08:51 PM

Jumbo Resort, BC getting some footings for bottom lift terminal (LP) and slab for the lodge (plus 1 protester)- apparently they need to beat an Oct. 12th deadline for conditions associated with their permit.
Attached File  !cid_6F26D688-6024-471A-BBFE-161E47B497801.jpg (400.79K)
Number of downloads: 210
Attached File  IMG_6828.jpeg (529.48K)
Number of downloads: 214
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#19 2milehi

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 01:37 PM

Ski resorts - the only place left in America where a white guy does concrete work.
Anything is possible when you don't understand what you are talking about.

#20 hoodoo

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 03:44 PM

View Post2milehi, on 09 October 2014 - 01:37 PM, said:

Ski resorts - the only place left in America where a white guy does concrete work.

well, the photos were taken in Canada.... I watched Conan last night, he had a skit where he called Canadians "Super-whites"
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