Ski resorts are in expansion mode with major new projects in the works

Gearing up for a new ski season is a heck of a lot easier for skiers than it is for ski areas. For skiers it means a ski tune up, new goggles, a replacement for those oh-so-outdated neon stretch pants.

But for ski areas, gearing up means owners spending millions to keep infrastructure -- lifts, terrain parks, lodging, grooming gear -- as modern as possible.

Perhaps the biggest ski-area-going-under-the-knife story in Canada's west is Red Mountain. This fledgling ski area, tucked into the Kootenay Rockies in southeastern British Columbia, had been owned for eons by a group of guys big on heart and small on budget.

The Rossland resort has incredible vertical, glades and steeps, but its lifts are outdated, base facilities need an update, and on-mountain lodging is scarce.

Red's purchase this year by an American investment group led by Howard Katkov may give Red the bucks to cover needed upgrades.

There's a plan to expand Red from its current 1,585 skiable acres to a whopping 4,200, which will place it among the largest destination resorts in North America. Expansion plans also include the construction of 1,400 on-mountain lodgings and 23,000 sq. metres of commercial space.

But don't expect Red's changes to happen fast, or its understated atmosphere currently favoured by freeskiers, ski bums and dirt bags to be altered drastically. The updates will spread over the next 15 years -- this extent of cosmetic surgery takes time.

Plus, says Katkov, "Red reminds me of what skiing and ski towns used to be. We want to share and retain that classic feeling as we work to improve our visitor offerings."

This season's big news in the east is yet another coup by Canada's Intrawest, owners of Tremblant. The company struck a phenomenal deal with Quebec's provincial government: $47.5 million in provincial funds to help Intrawest build two -- yes, two -- more base villages on two different parts of this fast-expanding mountain.

First, Intrawest plans to carve yet another village at the base of Versant Soleil, the face developed a few years ago on what's known as the "sunny side" of the mountain. On the blueprints are six new hotels, a convention centre, boutiques, restaurants, a two-acre park, a man-made lake and new chairlifts.

Intrawest will start a more tranquil version of a village at the base of Versant Nord in 2007. This so-called "rustic pedestrian village" designed to meld quietly with its neighbour, Mont Tremblant National Park, will be geared towards family recreation, with condo-hotels and lots of family residences.

Intrawest is including its $47.5 million provincial windfall in its overall budget of $1 billion to make these two villages happen. The company is hoping for yearly economic spinoffs of $140 million. Intrawest claims this is the largest tourism project currently underway in North America.

Smaller scale upgrades are underway at several other Canadian ski areas in time for the 2004/05 ski season.

Ontario's Blue Mountain installed a new magic carpet lift for beginners on Easy Street, and has done an extensive renovation to its Village Base Lodge.

Chicopee also has a new magic carpet, plus a new terrain park and an expanded Beginner Centre.

Quebec's Gray Rocks, near Tremblant, has a new condo-hotel in the works that includes a spa and conference centre.

Mont-Sainte-Anne near Quebec City has partnered with Hydro-Quebec to install the first low-energy snowmaking system in Eastern Canada.

Quebec's Ski Bromont has built a new quad on Mont Soleil, replacing a double lift. And Charlevoix's Le Massif has six new slopes and a new high-speed quad.

Back to the west, Whistler has new terrain in the Peak to Creek area, and is adding Flute Bowl to its inbounds list.

The Okanagan's Big White has a new $2.5-million terrain park, including a 170-metre-long pipe and a boarder/skier-cross course.

Big White has also invested $1-million on a new quad for the Cliff area.

Banff, Alta.'s Sunshine Village has completed phase two of renovations at Sunshine Inn, remodelling 30 rooms in what is Banff's only on-mountain lodging.

Vancouver Island's Mount Washington has a new lift and 400 new acres of skiable terrain called The Outback, which includes bowls, glades and ocean view.

For more on updates to Canadian ski areas, visit their Websites. Links to every ski area in Canada are listed at skicanada.org .

loriknowles.com