“It was a great summer for us,” Resort Public Relations Director Brent Curtain said. “We saw an increase in traffic over the last two years.”
Better weather meant the Resort was able to concentrate on the products it already offers and streamline current events.
The Resort chose to delay opening its bike park until July 20 to allow snow on top of the trails to melt naturally, after near-record snowfalls last winter. The past two years Resort staff were forced to use machinery to dig out some of the trails in order to open the bike park.
“We found when we opened up too soon it was creating problems with the water flowing through the mountain bike trails,” Curtain said. “It was causing way more maintenance.”
The trails were left to dry out properly this year and as a result the bike park was in much better shape when it opened, he added.
Mount Washington enjoyed a spike in its Learn to Ride mountain bike programs and families were out in force as people utilized the Green Line trails that opened the previous summer, Curtain said.
The specialty mountain biking events were also a huge draw for the Resort. The Bearclaw Invitational slopestyle event held in early August drew thousands of spectators wanting to watch some of the best mountain bikers in the world hurtle down trails built specifically for this event.
The BC Cup Provincials were held at the end of August, bringing B.C.’s best racers here for cross-country and downhill events. The 2012 BC Cup marked the return of the famous Monster Mile racecourse from the top of the Eagle Chairlift. Pro rider Brett Tippey was in town for the weekend to MC the event.
Other special events such as the second annual Suds and Scotch festival and the Alpine Wine and Food Festival, held at Raven Lodge, were sold out. “They seem to be extremely popular still,” Curtain said.
Raven Lodge was booked solid for weddings again last summer. “We are still one of the hot spots for weddings in this part of the world,” Curtain said.
Many couples are choosing to get married with the majestic Mount Albert Edward and the Beaufort Range as their backdrop, and the Raven Lodge as their reception spot.