Mount Washington Alpine Resort

What Mount Washington Alpine Resort does

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a year-round mountain recreation destination located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, approximately 30 minutes north of Courtenay in the Comox Valley. Established in 1979 by Henry Norie and Alex Linton and now owned by Pacific Group Resorts Inc. (PGRI), the resort operates on 1,700 acres of terrain at 1,588 metres elevation, served by five chairlifts and a beginner learning carpet. Its core alpine product comprises 57-82 runs (figures vary by source) and 505 metres of vertical rise across beginner through double-black diamond terrain, supported by night skiing, terrain parks, and a tube park. The Nordic Centre at Raven Lodge offers 55km of groomed cross-country trails, plus snowshoe and fat biking, on Olympic-standard facilities upgraded for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. In summer, the resort runs Vancouver Island's only lift-accessed downhill mountain bike park (35km, 23 trails), a four-span ZipTour, scenic chairlift rides, hiking, and disc golf.

The underlying technology and operations stack consists of conventional ski resort infrastructure — Prinoth snowcats (including Nordic-specific units with YTS track-setting), chairlift systems, snowmaking, and grooming equipment — overlaid with the Mount Washington mobile app (iOS/Android, Apple Watch support) featuring GPS-based run tracking, leaderboards, real-time snow/lift/grooming reports, and webcam feeds. Weather and snow data are powered by the third-party OpenSnow platform. The business generates revenue through a diversified portfolio: lift tickets and multi-day 6IXPAK packs (advance online purchase saves ~$20 vs. walk-up), annual winter and summer season passes with reciprocal perks at PGRI sister resorts (Jay Peak, SilverStar, Wintergreen, Wisp, Powderhorn), equipment rentals and Rossignol Demo Centre services, lessons across alpine/Nordic/mountain biking, multi-outlet food and beverage (Ted's Bar & Grill, Eagle View Bistro, Alpine Cafeteria, The Cantina, Bucks Bar, Raven Cafe), retail (Outdoor Elements), and slopeside lodging at Bear Lodge and Deer Lodge with package deals combining accommodation and lift access. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via on-site sales, online booking, mobile app, shuttle bus services, and reciprocal partner resort channels; the primary customer base is regional Vancouver Island leisure and family guests, supplemented by national and limited international visitors.

Customer segmentation spans alpine skiers/snowboarders (primary), Nordic and cross-country enthusiasts, mountain bikers, families seeking ski-in/ski-out accommodation and daycare, group/event customers (weddings, corporate, races), and general adventure/outdoor recreation visitors. The resort supports an ecosystem of community ski clubs (VISAS adaptive program, Mt. Washington Ski Club, Strathcona Nordics, Coast Club, MW Freestyle) and maintains strategic partnerships with Helly Hansen, Rossignol, Coca-Cola, Quality Foods, Mosaic Forest Management, and OpenSnow. Operations employ over 800 team members seasonally, making the resort one of Vancouver Island's largest winter employers, and the business is currently led by General Manager Mike Manara (appointed June 2025) with a leadership team covering sports/guest services, finance, facilities/maintenance, mountain operations, and hospitality.

Name

Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Legal name

Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Website

https://mountwashington.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a year-round mountain recreation destination on Vancouver Island, BC, offering alpine skiing on 1,700 acres, a 55km Nordic Centre, Vancouver Island's only lift-accessed downhill bike park, ZipTour, and slopeside lodging. It serves regional families, skiers, mountain bikers, and event groups, and is owned by Pacific Group Resorts Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ski Resort & Outdoor Recreation

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (713920), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski Areas & Lift Operations (Independent Mountains) (THAAAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nordic & Cross-Country Centers (XC Skiing, Biathlon, Snowshoe Trails) (THAAAJAE), Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities) (THAAAAAK), Snow & Mountain Unique Stays (Chalets, Ski Cabins) (THAMADAL)

Keywords

• Alpine skiing resort
• Mountain biking park
• Nordic cross country skiing
• Ski lift tickets
• Slopeside lodging accommodations

Headquarters

HQ city

Courtenay

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Lift Tickets & Season Passes: Primary revenue stream from alpine lift tickets (advance purchase and walk-up pricing), winter and summer season passes, Nordic trail passes, and 6IXPAK multi-ticket packs. Season passes provide unlimited access with perks including reciprocal discounts at sister PGRI resorts and 2 free days at SilverStar Bike Park.
2. Equipment Rentals & Lessons: Full equipment rental programs including alpine ski/snowboard packages, Nordic gear, bike park rentals, and Jr DH rentals. Professional instruction through group and private lessons for all ability levels across alpine, Nordic, and mountain biking disciplines.
3. Food & Beverage: Multiple dining outlets including Ted's Bar & Grill, Eagle View Bistro, Alpine Cafeteria, The Cantina, Bucks Bar, Raven Cafe, and outdoor BBQ. Event catering for weddings and group bookings.
4. Retail: Outdoor Elements retail store offering outerwear, skis, snowboards, lifestyle clothing, and gear from Rossignol, Burton, Helly Hansen, The North Face, Dakine, Smith, and other brands. Corner Store providing groceries, alcohol, and essentials for on-mountain guests.
5. Lodging & Accommodation: Slopeside accommodations at Bear Lodge and Deer Lodge with ski-in/ski-out access, Alpine stays, off-mountain partner lodging, real estate, and camping/parking. Package deals combining lodging with lift tickets drive bookings.
6. Bike Park & Summer Activities: Summer lift-accessed downhill mountain biking (35km, 23 trails), Ziptour adventure (4 spans), scenic chairlift rides, and disc golf. 2026 Bike Park passes include 2 free days at SilverStar Bike Park and 2-For-1 Ziptour tickets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a year-round alpine recreation destination on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, operating 1,700 acres of terrain with 64+ alpine ski runs, 55 km of Nordic trails, Vancouver Island's only lift-accessed downhill Bike Park, a four-span ZipTour zipline, terrain parks, and a Snow Tube Park. The resort sells lift tickets, season passes, equipment rentals, lessons, slopeside lodging, dining, retail, and a mobile app with GPS run tracking to leisure travellers and outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

Product overview

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a year-round ski and outdoor recreation resort offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The resort features a unified ski area operation with 1,700 acres of alpine terrain and 64 ski runs, complemented by a lift-accessed Bike Park, Nordic Centre with 55 km of cross-country trails, ZipTour zipline, and various family activities. The product portfolio includes core alpine recreation products (skiing, snowboarding, terrain parks, snow tubing), Nordic activities (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking), summer mountain products (downhill biking, hiking, scenic chairlifts, disc golf), lodging accommodations, dining venues, retail and rental services, and season pass products. A companion mobile app provides digital access to trail maps, GPS tracking, and resort information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding Downhill skiing and snowboarding on 1,700 acres of alpine terrain with 64 ski runs served by chairlifts, including access to Outback terrain via Boomerang Chairlift for advanced double-black diamond experiences. Aimed at general leisure skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels.
• Night Skiing Evening skiing and riding on designated runs with illuminated slopes, operated on Friday and Saturday evenings during the winter season.
• Terrain Parks Multiple freestyle terrain parks featuring jumps, rails, boxes, and other constructed features with varying difficulty levels, maintained by the park crew.
• Snow Tube Park Snow tubing with lift-served access, offering one-hour sessions for ages 2 and up with minimum height requirements of 42 inches; priced hourly with child discounts.
• Nordic Skiing Cross-country skiing at the Nordic Centre at Raven Lodge with over 55 km of groomed and trackset trails, including Olympic-standard facilities upgraded for the 2010 Winter Games.
• Snowshoeing Winter snowshoe trails totaling approximately 25 km, including routes through Strathcona Provincial Park with dog-friendly options available.
• Fat Biking Winter fat biking on designated trails including Marmot's Mess, Jutland, West Passage, and Ravens Revenge, with some routes allowing dogs.
• Lift-Accessed Bike Park Vancouver Island's only lift-accessed downhill mountain biking park with approximately 35 km of trails and 23 mountain bike trails, offering green, blue, and black diamond runs.
• ZipTour Adventure Four-span zipline tour spanning across Mount Washington, featuring Vancouver Island's highest and longest combined zipline experience with controlled speed options.
• Scenic Chairlift Rides Year-round scenic chairlift rides providing access to mountain views, with the Eagle Chair operating daily in summer and winter seasons.
• Hiking Trails Summer hiking trails accessible via chairlift or from base areas, with maps and guides available for navigation.
• Disc Golf Two disc golf courses: an 18-hole alpine course accessible from Eagle Chair (11 black diamond holes and 7 blue novice holes), and a 9-hole lodge course for beginners.
• Bear and Deer Lodge Slopeside Accommodations Ski-in ski-out accommodations at Bear Lodge and Deer Lodge with direct mountain access, offering lodging package deals with discounted lift tickets.
• Bears Den Daycare On-mountain daycare service for children, allowing parents to enjoy mountain activities while children are supervised.
• Alpine Lessons & Programs Ski and snowboard instruction programs for all ability levels, from beginner to advanced, offered through the Snow Sports school.
• Alpine Equipment Rentals Full equipment rental packages including skis, snowboards, boots, and poles available on daily or seasonal basis through the Rossignol Experience Centre.
• Dining Venues Multiple food and beverage outlets including Ted's Bar & Grill, Eagle View Bistro, Alpine Cafeteria, The Cantina, Bucks Bar, and Raven Cafe serving local ingredients and craft beverages.
• Outdoor Elements Retail Shop Full-service retail store featuring outerwear, skis, snowboards, and gear from brands including Rossignol, Burton, Helly Hansen, and The North Face, plus basic groceries and alcohol.
• Season Passes Winter and summer season passes offering unlimited flexible access with various perk levels including reciprocal benefits at sister PGRI resorts such as SilverStar, Jay Peak, Wintergreen, Wisp, and Powderhorn.
• 6IXPAK Tickets Pack of six deeply discounted direct-to-lift alpine tickets that can be shared among multiple users throughout the winter season.
• Mountain Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing trail maps, lift status, GPS run tracking via MyTracks, leaderboards, weather reports, friend location sharing, and event information, with Apple Watch integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average annual snowfall of 9+ metres (354 inches)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Helly HansencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Helly Hansen, founded in 1877 in Norway, provides professional grade outdoor apparel and gear. The partnership supports resort staff and guest apparel needs.
• RossignolcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner and demo bike/ski brand. Rossignol, with over 100 years of innovation, provides equipment, clothing, and accessories for alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and snowboarding. Hosts the Rossignol Experience Centre and Demo Centre at the resort.
• Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner. Coca-Cola Canada is a local, family-owned Canadian business providing beverages at the resort.
• Quality FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner. Quality Foods operates grocery stores in Qualicum Beach and Parksville, providing food supply services to the resort.
• Mosaic Forest ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner managing forest planning, operations and product sales for TimberWest and Island Timberlands on Vancouver Island for over 100 years. Operates in the area surrounding the resort.
• OpenSnowcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial partner providing weather forecasting, snow reports, high-resolution weather maps, and ski conditions information. Powers the resort's weather and snow reporting systems.
• Pacific Group Resorts (PGRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company operating multiple ski resorts across North America. Sister resorts include Jay Peak (Vermont), SilverStar (BC), Wintergreen (Virginia), Wisp (Maryland), and Powderhorn (Colorado). PGRI provides shared sustainability programs, reciprocal pass benefits, and operational best practices.
• VI Adaptive Snow Sports (VISAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snowsports operates programs at Mount Washington with over 100 volunteers/instructors supported by MWAR operations staff. Provides adaptive ski and snowboard instruction.
• Strathcona Nordics ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver Island's regional cross-country ski club based at Mount Washington Alpine Resort managing 55km of groomed Nordic trails near Strathcona Provincial Park.
• Smith Lake FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hosting an alpine honey bee apiary project below the Hawk Chair at Mount Washington. An experiment to study bee thriving in the alpine environment, with bees protected by an electric fence.
• Hullo FerriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFast ferry service between downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo (70-minute crossings). Partners with Mount Washington to facilitate mainland visitor access to the island resort. Sports equipment including skis and snowboards permitted onboard.
• Mount Washington Ski Bus (Wilson's Group)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party shuttle bus service operated by Wilson's Group offering transportation from Victoria, Nanaimo, and 12 southern Vancouver Island locations to Mount Washington, with stops throughout the Comox Valley.
• Mainroad North Island ContractingminorOthersMaintains the Strathcona Parkway public roadway (24hr hotline: 1-877-215-7122) providing road condition updates and winter maintenance for access to Mount Washington.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Whistler Blackcomb: Dominant BC and largest North American ski resort. Sets the pricing reference and aspirational benchmark for BC destination skiing; competes with MWAR for international and long-haul BC visitors.

Direct peers

• SilverStar Ski Resort: Also a PGRI-owned BC ski resort. Direct sister property with reciprocal pass benefits and shared PGRI operating standards. Directly comparable mid-sized BC mountain resort on the same parent balance sheet.
• Panorama Mountain Resort: BC interior ski resort of broadly similar mid-market scale with reciprocal staff discount agreement with MWAR. Mid-sized BC family/destination ski competitor.
• Sun Peaks Resort: Large BC resort with a full village, F&B, and ski school. MWAR has a reciprocal staff discount program with Sun Peaks, indicating regular competitive overlap for BC skiers planning multi-resort trips.
• Jay Peak Resort: PGRI-owned Vermont ski resort, the US sister property under reciprocal pass benefits. Comparable independent-mountain mid-sized US ski resort model with multi-season programming.
• Big White Ski Resort: BC interior ski resort of broadly similar scale with reciprocal staff discount agreement with MWAR. Closest functional competitor for BC resident skiers and a comparable lift/terrain/food/lodging model.
• Wisp Resort: PGRI-owned Maryland ski resort under the same reciprocal pass network. Closely comparable mid-Atlantic independent mountain resort in the same PGRI operational playbook.
• Revelstoke Mountain Resort: BC interior ski resort of similar scale with a reciprocal staff discount agreement with MWAR. Comparable lift-served terrain with a destination and day-ski mix.

Regional players

• Cypress Mountain: Vancouver-area ski resort serving the Lower Mainland ski population. Mainly competes with MWAR for the same Vancouver Island + Vancouver resident day-trip and weekend ski market.
• Grouse Mountain: Year-round North Shore Vancouver resort with skiing, zip-lining and dining. Competes with MWAR for Greater Vancouver day-trippers and shares the multi-season mountain resort model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MountWashington
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8bAa9DEP2kryVQHvbjtPcQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/MountWashington.ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/MountWashington
• TikToktiktok.com/@mountwashingtonbc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mount Washington Alpine Resort