Jetsetter rounded up their pick of the most indulgent and “over-the-top” chalets for high-altitude decadence this winter. Alongside uber-chalets in Val D’Isere, Verbier and Jackson Hole, Bighorn Revelstoke boasts its own brand of luxury with private heliski adventures direct from the house helipad. Along with the ubiquitous facilities of the uber-chalet (gym, cinema, outdoor hot tub, games room), Bighorn’s location makes it unique. Set in the heart of the world’s best heliski terrain, guests can fly into the wilderness Selkirk Mountains to ski untouched powder snow all day long. Guests also have the option of Revelstoke Mountain Resort on their doorstep, with North America’s highest vertical descent. All this is unbeatable when you fly back to the “World’s Best Ski Chalet” for a cocktail in the huge hot tub followed by a gourmet meal prepared by your award-winnig private chef.
Bighorn Voted World’s Best Ski Chalet for Third Year Running
Bighorn was named World’s Best Ski Chalet at the “Ski Oscars” last weekend in Austria. The World Ski Awards celebrate excellence in ski tourism, with the most outstanding in their field honoured with an award. Bighorn was named not only Canada’s Best Ski Chalet, but took the World award ahead of competition from luxury chalets in Lech, Zermatt and Deer Valley. Owner Michael Kirkland describes what sets Bighorn apart: “Bighorn is unique in offering an exciting mix of luxury and adventure. Heliskiing from the house helipad and world class lift skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort are complimented by a stunning mountain home with incredible facilities and five star service. It is an incredible honour to receive this award for the third time and it is testament to the hard work and dedication of our wonderful team that we can remain at the top of our game”.
The World Ski Awards are voted for by ski industry professionals and members of the public and over 1.4 million votes were cast this year. Other winners included Leo Trippi for World’s Best Ski Travel Agent and Kitzbuhel for World’s Best Ski Resort
‘Out and Out Luxury’ by the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard
Bighorn was included in this month’s Telegraph feature ‘Ski Holidays to Book Now’. The definitive guide to the best holidays available this winter whatever your style or budget, Bighorn was recommended as the best for ‘Out and Out Luxury’: “Nothing says luxury quite like being whisked into the wilderness from your own helipad and returning to a five-star chalet to enjoy a private spa, cinema and gourmet food”. Read the complete 2015 guide here.
Ski Trip of a Lifetime
Top ski journalist Gaby Le Breton tells Fall-Line Magazine why Bighorn is her all-time favourite ski trip…
“I’m lucky enough to experience ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ ski trips more than once a season. That said, my all-time favourite trip was to Bighorn in Revelstoke, BC. This place truly has it all: heliskiing from the back garden, big mountain skiing in Revelstoke Mountain Resort and all the trappings of the ultimate party chalet from a private cinema and 16-person hot tub to a pool room and teppanyaki kitchen”.
Read the full article here.
Gaby Le Breton writes for the Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveller and Tatler amonst others.
Hot off the press
Following on from Bighorn being named ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’ at the World Ski Awards recently, Best In Travel magazine has released special ski edition profiling all the winners. Winning for the second year running, the magazine describes how Bighorn has “re-written the definition of luxury”. The only super-luxury chalet to offer world-famous heliskiing direct from its helipad, Bighorn offers adventure and decadence in equal measure.
To read more and see all the winners click here
Bighorn Named World’s Best Ski Chalet Again!
Bighorn has been named the World’s Best Ski Chalet for the second year running at the World Ski Awards. Beating off competition from hyper-chalets in Aspen, Courchevel, Verbier and Lech, Bighorn was named best of the best once again. Accepting the award at a gala ceremony in Kitzbuhel, Austria, Bighorn’s owners put the secret of their success down to an extremely hard working team and Revelstoke’s incredible powder snow!
Bighorn was named winner after receiving accolades from the world’s press and guests alike. It was named winner not only for the stunning accommodation, but the unique combination of five star service and world renowned heliskiing direct from the house helipad. The dedicated team at the lodge work tirelessly to make each guest’s stay a memorable one.
Other winners on the night included The Vale in Niseko, Japan, for World’s Best Boutique Ski Hotel and The Intercontinental Davos in Switzerland for World’s Best New Ski Hotel.
“Skiing Couldn’t Get Any Better”
The current issue of the Telegraph’s Ultratravel magazine recommends Revelstoke as “The Best for Heliskiing”.
“For 36 years Revelstoke has been the capital of heliskiing. On an average winter, some 40ft of snow tumbles out of the sky…The heli-skiing starts from designated drop zones scattered across half a million acres of rugged, unpopulated terrain…explore wide open bowls and chutes way above the tree line or abandoned logging trails”.
Journalist Peter Hardy describes Bighorn as “the best hyperchalet outside of the alps… it has a chef worthy of a Michelin star and its own helipad from which to collect guests”. He concludes that with Revelstoke and Bighorn “skiing couldn’t get better”.
Read the full article here
Telegraph Ultratravel Winter 2014
Exciting New Menus for this Winter
Our Executive Chef Peter Hughes has been busy sourcing some wonderful ingredients and designing new menus for this winter at Bighorn. With an emphasis on local provenance, Peter has even foraged chanterelle mushrooms from the grounds! He will also be using BC seafood (including smoked sablefish, Qualicum Bay scallops and Pacific halibut), Okanagan cherries, Boulder Mountain huckleberries and organic Penticton chicken.
Our menus are designed to delight the tastebuds but also fuel a day’s epic heliskiing in epic mountains around Revelstoke. Peter works hard to create healthy, balanced meals with a touch of luxury and maximum taste. After all, every night is a celebration when you have been skiing perfect powder all day long!
Check out a sample dinner menu:
Starter
Smoked sablefish Cullen Skink with leeks and parmesan
Main course
Roast ‘Tomahawk’ rib of beef steak served table side with 10 hour smoked beef brisket and shin of beef cottage pie
Dessert
Naramata peach Melba with berries and raspberry sable biscuits
Private or group heli skiing?
In Revelstoke, both private and shared group heliskiing is available. Here we explain the difference between the two, along with some pro’s and con’s.
Private heliskiing means chartering your own helicopter for the day or week, for exclusive use by your group. You’ll have your own guide(s) and they will tailor the experience to your group’s needs. So whether you want to ski hard and fast all day long, or take a more leisurely pace to enjoy the scenery, your wish is their command. Guests staying at Bighorn normally go for this option, as they can fly straight from the house helipad and do all their safety training from the comfort of the lodge.
Pros:
1) No waiting for other people
2) Dedicated service – the heli will be at your beck and call all day
3) Bespoke experience – fly when you want, ski where you want and at your pace
4) Ultimate ease – fly direct from the lodge, no transfers to staging posts
Cons:
1) Price
2) Prohibitive for individuals or groups smaller than 4 people
Group heliskiing means buying a seat on a helicopter for a day, or multi day program. You’ll share the heli with other people, but guides will try and match guests with similar abilities and speed. The helicopter will normally fly 3 or 4 groups each day, so there is some flying back and forth as the pilot shuttles groups out to the heliski terrain and from run to run. This may mean you are driven out to a staging post to reduce flight time.
Pro’s:
1) Cost-effective
2) Sociable
3) Sustainable pace – groups tend to ski a little slower which is a blessing if you are helsikking for several days and are less than Olympic fit!
4) A great way to try heliskiing and get a feel for the incredible snow and terrain around Revelstoke
Cons:
1) There will be some waiting around for other groups, other members of your group and at the start of the day while all the groups are taken out to the tenure.
2) You will be required to meet at a set time and ski for a certain duration (though you can sit out a run in the heli if you are tired).
3) The helicopter will fly from a central meeting point which may require a vehicle transfer from your accommodation.
4) The pace will be dictated by the slowest member of your group.
Physical recovery after heli skiing
Heli skiing is exhilarating but also requires a degree of physical fitness. What can you do if you haven’t had time to follow a ski fitness programme and you find yourself with sore legs? Here are the team at Bighorn’s five simple steps to aid recovery and reduce muscle stiffness
1) Eat some carbohydrate
Altitude leads to an increased carbohydrate requirement as you have a higher resting metabolic rate. Skiing also uses carbohydrate for fuel in both blood sugar and glycogen in your muscles. After an epic day’s heliskiing snack on ‘good’ carbohydrate like bananas, dried fruit and potatoes. The chef at Bighorn can prepare delicious banana bran muffins, honey nut granola bars and potato blinis with smoked salmon and lemon creme fraiche.
2) Hydrate
Drink lots of water to help flush out toxins and reduce muscle soreness
3) Massage and relaxation
Increases the flow of blood to tissues, which can prevent soreness. Enjoy a special apres-ski sports massage in luxurious Bighorn spa or relax in the huge outdoor hot tub.
4) Stretching
Elongating muscle fibres enhances recovery and reduces stiffness. Prolonged stretching helps muscles to have a fuller range of motion thus reducing the chance of strains. We can arrange personal stretching sessions with a qualified physiotherapist.
5) Active recovery
Gentle aerobic exercise increases the flow of oxygenated blood flow to muscles which aids the removal of lactic acid.